Cougar
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Cougar was formed 2003 in a cold Madison, Wisconsin basement, and has been secretly crafting beautiful music ever since. The secret's out. Members have been involved in the progressive music community for years, including ensembles like the internationally renowned/aforementioned YoungBlood Brass Band.
Cougar is the culmination of what began as informal compositional / rhetorical gatherings. These sessions brought together a core group of musicians committed to careful meditation and refi nement. This ethos pushed the group to constantly examine and breakdown their approach. The group began exploring the idea of the "hook" as an institution that occurs within all beautiful music; be that hip-hop, punk, electronic, classical, improvised, all- or none-of-the-above.
Cougar describes its music as "Emergency Rock". Emergency Rock is not wordplay; it is a literal description. It captures the model of neutrality/purpose/efficiency that defines emergency procedure and extends it to music. Each song is a collage of voices constantly interacting and evolving one another. Shape shifting melodies, vast sonic canvases, dense, raw, electronic, organic, found-percussion and driven sounds resonate throughout.
Cougar's music revels in this: it offers one the opportunity to hear a song working itself out. The music pulls the listener's ears back and forth, imploring one to glimpse melodies running deep beneath the surface and anticipate the next emotional payoff. Cougar is passionate, powerful, unabash- edly epic instrumental music. No matter what perspective is harbored at first listen, this band's sound will quickly become an anthem to rescue-culture afi cionados everywhere. Cougar is releasing its debut full-length album, 'Law', on Layered Music. Law was recorded at Layered Studios in Madison. Additional recording was done by John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea and Cake) at Soma Electronic Music Studios in Chicago. John also mixed the record. Extensive US and European touring will support the release of Law.
Thanks for listening.
Cougar releases its full-length debut, 'Law', on October 17th 2005 on Layered Music, the music label founded by YoungBlood Brass Band and dedicated to giving a voice to artists outside the norm. Cougar is said to feel like any or all of the following: Four Tet, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Telefon Tel Aviv, Fugazi, Nick Drake, Tortoise. They say it sounds like 'nostalgia' and leave it at that. Cougar's music is immediate, efficient, and strangely captivating. Like all great bands, it is impossible to say exactly what kind of music this is. Personnel:
Trent Johnson - guitar
Todd Hill - bass
D. H. Skogen - percussion
Aaron Sleator - electronics
Dan Venne - guitar
