“Pet” by Cowboy Boy / By Olivia Maria

Like it or not, summer is just around the corner, almost time to bust out the swimwear and the quiet, unsettling dread.

CA/MA indie pop duo Cowboy Boy are back with a sunny new jam that’s skipping, uptempo pulse plays off the anxious vulnerability in its lyrics. “Pet,” the first single from their forthcoming new album GOOD GIRL sees the band’s two core members Olivia Maria and Mike Nevin weave chunky overdriven guitars and keys over a bubbly surf-friendly beat (fitting as they recorded in a friend’s garage in Los Angeles) while getting real about facing insecurities in a power-imbalanced relationship.

Cowboy Boy make good use of that oft-cited Iggy Pop mantra “I wanna be your dog,” paraphrasing and retro-fitting it for an intensive look at relationships in the digital age. Maria forgoes friends’ advice, works her angles, and performs for affection like a pet, but it’s still not enough for the unfeeling partner at the center. Yet, following a melodic, J Mascis-ian guitar solo from Nevin, Maria does find some space at the song’s sugar-spiked peak. Subtly flipping the script, she declares “I don’t wanna be your pet…forever” as the swell of noise dramatically cuts out behind her. Kinda like stepping into a cold shower after a bad hangover. 

Photo Courtesy of Cowboy Boy

The band had this to say about the track:

“This song is about the cognitive dissonance of knowing that others’ opinions shouldn’t define your opinion of yourself, and feeling like they do anyway. It’s about the heartbreak of your expectations not stacking up to your reality. Mostly, it’s a song about being ghosted presented in a cheeky, upbeat package.”

Listen to the single via Soundcloud.