cousin - Alternate Tunings For Regular People

Cousin 

Alternate Tunings For Regular
FTN Records; 2013

3.8 out of 5

By Sean Dennison

Cousin is a Brighton-based trio comprised of individuals who are cousins to someone somewhere. Not even on a genetic level, but you know how some people use “cuz” as a term of endearment? Anyway, musically this EP, Alternate Tunings For Regular People is six songs full of brawny drumming (Alex Uren) and heavy guitar licks (Chris Blakey and Orpheas Zoupanos) that, when combined, create some downright affecting instrumental rock, like when you see those sunsets with the blood-red clouds. 

Cousin is relatively young, having formed in late 2011 after the boys were like, "Hey, you listen to Pavement, US Maple (!) and Slint too?" Alternate Tunings For Regular People is their most recent endeavor and comes out of Brighton-based DIY label Fcking The Night. The song arrangements make me think of Melvins or Butthole Surfers if Butthole Surfers cared about melody, but with a striking melancholy sound. 

Production is awesome; muffled and mighty is how I'd describe it, though the way volume is distributed was key in my enjoyment of this EP. "Fussball Politics" and "Coffee Malts" in particular demonstrate tremendous restraint as the guitars crawl around the compositions, while the seemingly sinister "Post Relationship Feedback Form" builds on neo-noir guitar chords and thick drum pauses.

As math rock musicians, Cousin uses repetition more than most, but that's hardly a bad thing. Their chords of choice are sweet and sometimes sorrowful. Actually, this entire EP makes me think of Los Angeles for some reason. And maybe if they're reading this review and are thinking of relocating.

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