Westside Cowboy’s ramshackle Americana – plus the week’s best new tracks

The Manchester band have coined the ungainly term ‘Britainicana’ for their sound – but their mix of punky vigour and country classicism rattles along at high speed

From Manchester

Recommended if you like Pavement, Ezra Furman, Guided By Voices

Up next Debut EP out 8 August

Westside Cowboy describe their sound as Britainicana. You get what they mean. The winners of this year’s Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition are the product of a burgeoning new Manchester underground scene but started out performing Hank Williams and Bob Dylan covers in drummer Paddy Murphy’s bedroom. While the vocals locate them firmly in the UK, there’s a distinct country/rockabilly undertow to their sound.