Cousin Brian’s First is a summer record, but don’t let that deter you. With the advent of chillwave and the convergence of surf rock and dream pop, “good for the summer” is just as often a compliment as it is a critical euphemism for “dull as dirt.” First is far from dull as dirt. It’s quite fun, actually, a rapid-heartbeat collection of jittery guitar jangles from the neighborhood geeks. There’s a nervous energy on this record that becomes infectious; no song lasts much longer than two minutes, but they all have pop structures, which means a lot of information gets condensed into a small amount of space. The album is a frenetic whirlwind of ideas, and each one is given just enough time to lodge itself into your skull before the next one takes over. Yes, these songs are catchy. All the instruments are playing hooks all the time, and it’s up to you to figure out which one you want to focus on, whether it be the grody bass popping constantly with the ever-bouncing drums, the dexterous guitar lines outlining high-pitched chords, or the vocals sneering over everything in a sarcastic whine. Currently, I’m focused on the oo-oohs that come so frantically and frequently you’d think Cousin Brian were meeting a quota. At any rate, First is an album begging for repeated listens in order to discover the myriad of layers that make it tick.
And this thing ticks anxiously, like the last band practice before a big gig. That’s what gives it charm. Cousin Brian have the songwriting chops and the talent, but they also have an earnestness about them. The brevity and geek-punk chic of First makes it sound like it was thrown together haphazardly, but Cousin Brian’s tightness and the intricate musicianship of the record indicate that the record is well thought out. In short, it manages to be awesome without sounding like it’s trying too hard. It’s a bit left field – the surreal, grotesque barbecue depicted on the album cover is a good visual representation of the album’s sound – and that only serves to help it stand out. First is an awesome rock record that wastes no time not being awesome.
You can grab your copy HERE or via Mallrat Records.