Had a bad day? Fail a test? Is your checking account overdrawn? Well, take back those cans and head to People’s Bar and Grill tonight to hear the medicinal sounds of Cowboy Mouth.

“We’re the medicine you need,” said Thomas Griffith, guitarist. “Our shows are pretty intense. We remind people life’s not so bad.”

And life’s not so bad right now for the New Orleans foursome. Having recently signed with MCA, the men of Mouth are on their first national tour promoting their third release, It Means Escape.

“Lots of touring, that’s what we’re doing. It’s a pretty busy schedule. In January we hope to begin recording again on our new label (MCA),” Griffith said. “It’s a sweet deal. They provide the resources and means to get a record out with national exposure.”

But national exposure has already been bestowed upon these southern gentlemen. Cowboy Mouth enjoys a fierce following in the Southeast, and they just completed a successful West Coast run opening for Hootie and the Blowfish.

“That was a blast and a godsend. We’d played with Hootie off and on for about four years, and they invited bands they had played with to open up on their tour,” Griffith said. “We got to see a part of the country we’d never seen, and we discovered loyal New Orleanians are transplanted all over the country.”

The four members, drummer and lead vocalist Fred LeBlanc, guitarist Paul Sanchez, bassist Rob Savoy and Griffith got together five years ago, having known each other for 15 years and playing in various other bands.

The Cowboy sound is a fusion of country, rock, rhythm and blues with a touch of cajun. But it’s the lyrics that bind these guys together to create the unique character of Cowboy Mouth.

“Each member is very individualistic in their own right. Fred draws on pop music, Paul is folksy, I’m more hard rock and Rob is the resident cajun,” Griffith explained. “Everyone writes music; our words have a lot of soul. We want our lyrics to stand on their own. We’re very wordy, and It Means Escape showcased each guy’s songwriting ability.”

One such song, written by Sanchez, has become somewhat of an anthem for the fans of Cowboy Mouth. “Irish Boy” tells the true

tale of a friend of the group who got into the spirit of Mardi Gras, or should I say the spirits got into him, and wound up face-down in the gutter.

“Basically it’s about a nice Irish boy who found himself catching the fever of Mardi Gras,” Griffith joked. “And the same principles apply to our music. We want the audience to forget their troubles and have a good time.”

The band got their name from the title of a Sam Shepard play that, in fact, captures the very carefree essence Mouth is about. Griffith explained that the play, titled Cowboy Mouth, is about taking in the pressures of the world and spitting it back in joy. The last line of the play lends itself to the album It Means Escape.

“Things happen for a reason and now seems to be the right time for us as a group,” Griffith said. “It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been worth it.”

And it’ll be worth it to check out the Crescent City quartet, Cowboy Mouth, at People’s tonight. The Mardi Gras madness starts at 9:30 p.m. and the cover is $3. Leave your troubles but don’t forget your ID because it is required.