The Holy Cows

The Holy Cows originated in Chelsea, Michigan during 1987, when founders Michael Feeney on bass and vocals alongside John Popovich on guitars and vocals assembled the lineup while still attending high school. Considerable time elapsed before these Midwestern musicians completed their opening album, yet the self-issued Get Along ultimately justified the delay. Its bright fusion of alt-country and indie rock recalls the atmosphere of youthful R.E.M. shows in modest Athens, Georgia clubs. Greater-than-anticipated college radio exposure across the region led independent label Big Pop Records to sign the band and immediately reissue that debut. Their 1997 successor Blueberrie arrived to matching critical favor. The single “Punched a Friend” earned fleeting commercial radio rotation, an unusual achievement for an outfit of Big Pop’s scale unable to match major-label resources in promotion or roster strength. Activity from the Holy Cows tapered off after Blueberrie, yet the two sturdy and vigorous albums they produced constitute a lasting catalog.