Cobra Skulls

Never Be a Machine [7 inch] (2008)

Bryne Yancey

Reno, Nevada's favorite sons, Cobra Skulls have returned with three new jams in the form of the Never Be A Machine 7".

These songs tread the familiar but enjoyable routes first forged on the band's full-length Sitting Army. "Never Be A Machine" is a quick opener that's made by the vocal performances, both lead and backup -- especially the call-and-repsonse parts that end the song. The rockabilly guitar playing in "Lost In Campaigns" adds a distinct touch to the song before delving into a furiously fast bout of punk that's some of the most ripping material the band has ever put to tape. "The Streets of Cairo (Cobralectric)" is the 'ballad' of this collection, a mid-tempo tune that's in line with a lot of the Clash-inspired material on Sitting Army.

Never Be A Machine does a fine job of showing three different facets of the Cobra Skulls sound, and for an uninitiated listener would serve as a nice introduction to the band's style of punk/folk/crust/rockabilly/whatever.