Cougar preview

Cougar
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Thursday, January 25, 2007

Tricky band, this post rock combo Cougar. Law, due for release on February 20th, has already been released before — twice. Easy, Cougar.

Cougar rotate in the same circles as the more forthcoming Youngblood Brass Band, though tribal percussion is a pervasive influence on both. While YBB are roughly Rage Against The Machine lost in New Orleans, Cougar are much harder to pin down and also arrive with a visual element, designed to underline their contrasts between organic and synthetic elements. Sound like you need a PhD to play along? Maybe. Law (Layered) is broken up by five random tracks of vocal splices and other stray sounds. The main songs surrounding those are rather approachable instrumental compositions marked by chiming repetition (“Your Excellency”) and modal key changes (“Lifetime Ranger”). It’s not to say there aren’t surprises like the manic riffing of “Atlatl” and compelling, Mineral-esque emo like “Merit,” but Cougar’s tone is mainly cerebral and calm. However, having been originally released in 2005 (and then again in 2006), it’s hard to believe Law remains remotely like its recorded self anymore — it’d be nice if they re-recorded before releasing it again.

Them Roaring Twenties and Unicycle Loves You open.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to download “Strict Scrutiny.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly