Cougar Microbes

Copy Haho injected a dose of sunshine into my London commute earlier in the year when I recieved their wonderfully crafted EP ‘Bred For Skills & Magic’ released on Big Scary Monster.

Back in March Cougar Microbes said  ”every time you start to get comfortable with any section of the EP they go and throw a new element or an unexpected chord progression to surprise you“.

Looking forward to more indie rock goodness from the Scottish quartet in 2010.

TRACKS:

Copy Haho – This Retro Decade

NEXT: #14 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009

I was planning to review Copy Haho‘s debut EP much earlier in the week but a bunch of tasks were unexpectedly dumped on me on Monday morning limiting my writing to notes taken on my daily travels. To be 100% honest this was a blessing in disguise as I ended up listening to the ‘Bred For Skills & Magic‘ on a daily basis making my journeys much more enjoyable.

The guitars lay intricate melodies throughout the EP over creative drum patterns that literally jump out of the speakers/headphones.  Meanwhile the vocals are delivered in authentic fashion and may not be perfect by Mariah standards but are gripping and stand out in a sea of faux American accents. the recording itself is highly accomplished giving each member his moment under the spotlight without forgoing the organic feel that brings these tracks to life. What sets the band apart from other contenders is the way in which every time you start to get comfortable with any given section of the album they go and throw a new element or an unexpected chord progression to surprise you.

Combining the youthful exuberance of Los Campesinos with  Pavement‘s inclination for quirkiness and a healthy dose of The Replacements melodic rock means that in under 20 minutes the Scottish foursome have set the bar very high for things to come. The fact that I have yet to stop playing the plucky 5 tracks on this EP says everything you need to know about this release.

MP3:

Copy Haho – Pulling Push Ups

‘Bred For Skills & Magic‘ is out now on Big Scary Monsters

Buy it now on Amazon

Its time to halt the political meandering on Cougar Microbes and get back to writing about the music I love. 

During my first year in London for a while there was one track that followed me in every pub, bar and club. I didn’t know its name or who it was by but its familiar vocal refrain haunted me wherever I went. 

At the same time the bassist in my band was waxing lyrical about a young Scottish band with an articulate frontman who he swore I would love. When he finally played me ‘100 Broken Windows‘ I connected the dots;  The same band captured both our imaginations.

Idlewild‘s personal take on alt-rock resembled Nirvana making sweet love with Joy Division whilst Fugazi secretly filmed it (I’ve always wanted to do one of those). Their angular soundscapes served as a perfect canvas for singer Roddy Woomble to craft his ideas with the use of clever melodies and deliberate emphasis.

Over the years I have welcomed and enjoyed most of the Edinburgh quartet’s other releases but that initial impact is unrivalled.  Do yourself a favour and track down a copy of ‘100 broken windows‘.

TRACKS:

Idlewild – Little Discourage