Cougars were… and, once again, are, a post-punk/math rock band from Chicago.
The band’s original incarnation put out two albums, 2003’s Nice, Nice and 2006’s Pillow Talk. Now, with a leaner lineup that no longer includes horns or a keyboard, the band are finally putting out their third LP this Friday called COUGS on Expert Work Records. The first two singles are currently streaming on their label’s Bandcamp where you can also preorder the album on vinyl or cassette.
The first single, “My Breath is Great,” sounds like something Friedrich Nietzsche would have named one of his book titles in the later years of his life when he lost his mind from untreated syphilis, which is a very pretentious way of saying it’s an amazing song title. And if the song’s title sounds like a famous German philosopher in the death throes of madness, well, the song doesn’t sound much different. There’s a distinct punk structure and vibe to the song, but it’s lost in a droning, hazy cacophony. Then closing track “America’s Song” is similar in that vein, but there is this classic rock sense of Americana, like Bruce Springsteen being fed through a meat grinder. The vocals are particularly harsh and screechy, but that gives it a sort of midwestern emo sense of earnest yearning. Overall, this really promises to be an outstanding record.
Follow Cougars on Facebook for future updates.
