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If music were capable of physically inhabiting space and time, of taking up residence in a room instead of just resonating in one, then perhaps we could properly map artists' output. Some records would be synonymous with their place of their birth. Some would be suburbs leeching off the famous cities of their influences. Others would be unexplored islands far out at sea. Cougar fall into this last category, and it is a strange, beautiful land indeed. Conceived in Madison, Wisconsin, Cougar's instrumental arrangements fall somewhere between Four Tet, Fugazi, and Nick Drakes guitar work, albeit optimistic as opposed to morose. The bands singular sound is rooted in a keen sensibility of form and texture, more in line with sample-based music and modern classical than indie rock - which isn't to say this is rock-as-academia Cougar also invoke the roaring riff monster, the fist-in-the-air, anthemic head-banger to which so many groups give only an ironic nod. Cougar's second album, the forthcoming InchPatriot,Inch is an aggressive, narrative affair that sees the band reach even greater extremes than on their debut, InchLaw.Inch the epic, sparkling counterpoint of the first record crops up, but InchPatriotInch firmly establishes itself as a different music, one that shreds the lines between electronic, rock and modern, but never forgets to pay allegiance to the hook. From the nuanced drive of opener InchStay FamousInch, through the widescreen propulsion of InchFlorida Logic,Inch the choral sweep and electronic/organic beats of InchRhinelanderInch and the space logic of InchPelourinho,Inch the band lay out their stall early. The hard-rocking, polyrhythmic assault of InchThundersnow,Inch the fuzzed out InchHeavy Into Jeff,Inch the melodic build and final explosion of InchEndings,Inch the summer melancholy of InchAppomattox,Inch and the Hammond-led uplift of InchDaunte v. Armada
