September 2, 2009

{ Cougar }

”Cougar style their music “epic emergency rock.” However, the presence of producer and Tortoise luminary John McEntire is clue enough that epic emergency rock also sits in the heritage of post-rock (and its own multitude of glories). The album is narrated by six numbered fragments built from found sound and muted voices. The compositions are melodically lush and rhythmically compelling. A penetratingly ruffed high-tom sample drives the hypnotic “Pulse Conditioner”. “Your Excellency” is sleepy and drifting, a reflectively rounded guitar tone carrying the riff before a more crunching coda replaces reflection with nagging doubt. The mellowed acoustic loop that opens standout track “Atlatl” is pushed aside by a gloriously precise and urgent second movement of dual lead guitars.”
- The Wire (Album review)