On the lead single from Cowboy Diplomacy, “The Get Down” rocks with the urgency of roots-rock bands such as The Revivalists and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, with mostly favorable results. The song itself is built around the guitar licks of lead guitarist Billy Boswell and lead vocalist/guitarist Ian Cochran, and some foot-stomping percussion from drummer Matt Whilden. After the introductory lyrics kick in, a blast of horns and good vibes fill out the single introducing Cowboy Diplomacy to the world.
In recent interviews, Cochran has described the song as being a direct reaction to his lifestyle of drinking and partying getting to the point where it became “out of control,” and he found himself at a crossroads of wanting to be a better person. “The Getdown” clocks in at just three minutes, and leaves a favorable taste in the listeners’ mouths as they will likely be intrigued for what is to come on their debut LP.
Overall, the track is a solid introduction to a band who could have just as easily embraced the party elements found in their songs. However, there is still plenty of depth in the body of the music to showcase that they are developing not only as musicians but human beings as well. Whether or not Cowboy Diplomacy can replicate the success found on their single throughout an entire album remains to be seen. However, color me intrigued if there is more of this brand of rock to be discovered soon.