Band: Cowboy Messiah Title: American Zen Released: 2006 Tracks: 14 Recorded at: The White Room, Detroit Mi Recorded by: John Smerek Band Members: Andrew Lindblom (guitars and vocals); Tommy Lee Torgerson (drums, harmonica, percussion); Jason "J" Peters (bass) Like many first time releases, Cowboy Messiah’s “American Zen” moves in a lot of different directions, the band not quite having settled on any particular sound. There are cow-punk, rockabilly, beer-hall anthems (Little Late For Me, Rhythm Of The Night, Ballad of Bobby Badass), a disco-tinged instrumental jam (Innerphonic), some standard pop-rock fare, (I Want Mine) a quasi-ska number sans the horns (Watch It Burn), and another that just tries to rock your face off (Fight Song). It’s in that last category that Cowboy Messiah seem to shine, particularly on a hidden extra called “Rock & Roll Band”. The raw energy and thrust of that track leaves little time for pretense, pumping your ears like a ...