18
Aug/10

DETROIT COBRAS

18
Aug/10

Rachel, Mary, and the Detroit Cobras will help fans get their rocks off on August 20

ROCKS OFF CONCERT CRUISES
Skyport Marina, 23rd St. & FDR Dr.
Friday, August 20, $20-$25, 8:00
www.rocksoff.com
www.myspace.com/thedetroitcobras

Garage-band heroes the Detroit Cobras are working on a new record, which is great news, because we dug their last outing, their first new record in three years, TIED & TRUE (Bloodshot, 2007), thirteen covers of old-time rock-and-soul tunage by such songwriters as James Brown, Gerry Goffin, Eddy Grant, and Bob Elgin — but avoiding overly recognizable hits, instead making these relatively unfamiliar songs their own. With original bad-girl members Rachel Nagy on vocals and Mary Ramirez (previously known as Maribel Restrepo) on guitar, the Cobras rip through such gems as “Nothing But a Heart Ache,” “Leave My Kitten Alone” (complete with meows!), and “(I Wanna Know) What’s Going On,” propelled by Kenny Tudrick’s rollicking drums. If the jaunty “On a Monday” sounds familiar, that’s because when Johnny Cash recorded it, he called it “I Got Stripes.” The Cobras have just reissued their first two albums, MINK RAT OR RABBIT and LIFE, LOVE AND LEAVING, in imited-edition vinyl pressings; the records include covers of songs by Mary Wells, Otis Redding, Jackie DeShannon, and Clyde McPhatter, with such raw rave-ups as “Cha Cha Twist,” “Bad Girl,” “Midnight Blues,” “Shout Bama Lama,” and “Hey Sailor.” The Cobras will be playing aboard the Half Moon on Friday night as part of the Rocks Off Concert Cruises, with Nashville quartet Heavy Cream opening up.