Life, Love and Leaving
Like the Dirtbombs or the Screws, the Detroit Cobras are an underground rock & roll act that pays homage to the decades of artists who have hit the vinyl before them. These Motor City garage rockers combine gospel, soul, R&B;, and '50s rock & roll to create a unique mix of retro innocence and tight, danceable music overflowing with rhythm and grit. Frontwoman Rachael Nagy croons with class and soul, with a low, hearty voice that sounds husky and warm. On the band's second album,Life, Love and Leaving, the Cobras cover songs by everyone from Otis Redding and Ike Turner to more obscure acts like Clyde McPhatter (the amazing ballad "Let's Forget About the Past") and Ronnie Mack (the mind-blowing "Cry On"). While a band that only does covers may sound like a one-trick pony, the Cobras manage to mine the hidden parts of bygone eras, coming back with gems that might go otherwise unheard to the next generations, and creating a great style of their own in the process.--Jennifer Maerz