Cougar Party
Gig Seeker Pro

Cougar Party

| SELF

| SELF
Band Metal Punk

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Out In the City"

Cougar Party also played the festival (CMW). These musicians, who happenti be three girls, are unapologetic in their songs. Their femininity comes at you from a very differnet angle, where loud and heavy guitar riffs lead the way into discontent. This trio can out gun any man any day of the week, offerning a grrrl evolution that replicates the early 90's scene in Olympia, where girls empowered themselves by creating their own bands, their own zines and own lives, well overplaying or downplaying their feminity. When they came to the stage and played this loud hardcore aggressive music everyone ran for cover because girls, quote unquote, don't play that type of sound. Cougar Party's abrasive sounds brought me back to the days when there were more all-female bands out there. A boy can dream. Check this band out at http://cougarparty.cjb.net - Xtra! Magazine


"yowling like wildcats"

Getting to know the Cougar Party has been a cool and very loud experience. I hadn’t heard them play before so Shannon M invited me to one of their practices to check them out before we did the interview. One Friday night my 6 year old daughter and I headed to the west end to an old factory building that houses their rehearsal space. The building was broken up into a series of small soundproofed rooms for musicians to strut their stuff in. cougar Party shares their space with two other bands, so the small room was pretty jam packed with three drum sets, multiple amps, and instruments. We made ourselves a little spot to sit in the corner and jammed our earplugs in for the show (thanks for the earplug recommendation Shannon M!). They played several songs for us and it was pretty intense. This feeling was radiating from them as they played, not to mention the volume. I could tell it ws fun to play together, but fun wasn’t the only motivation behind their music. Shannon M on te bass, MJ and Amanda on guitar, and Shannon G on drums. The ladies on bass and guitar were more quietly intense and focused, while Shannon G on drums was like a fucking powerhouse, screaming their lyrics and pounding the drums. I watched my daughter’s eyes dilate with awe as she watched them. She started to rock it to their sounds and it was hard to convince her it was time to go. Every time she hears punk music now with electric guitars she wonders aloud if they have as many girls on guitar as cougar Party and breaks out into air guitar. When I got the chance to see them perform again at Fruit Market I felt the power pouring off stage and my friend was creaming her pants watching them “I think this is the best band I’ve ever heard. Do you think I can marry them all?”

TRADE: Ok ladies, I’ve gotta ask…where did the name Cougar Party come from? Because as far as I can tell y’all are a couple decades away from being ‘cougars’…or is the name because you’re big wildcat enthusiasts?

Cougar Party: Shannon G’s brother made fun of her for making out with 18 year old boys while they were on tour. He said she was having a ‘cougar party’ so we took the name.

T: So some of you were in The Plate before and some in Mach Tiver. Did you all know each other back then? What led to the dissolution of those bands and the making of Cougar Party?

CP: Shannon G and Amanda worked together and have known each other for a few years. They talked about jamming together and kept putting it off. Shannon M and Mary Jane met Shannon G at Ladyfest Ottawa where both Mach Tiver and The Plath played together. We all decided to start a band last summer. Mach Tiver is still performing and getting ready to tour this summer. The Plath broke up a year and a half ago for personal reasons.

T: What aspects of the old have you hung onto and what’s new and exciting about Cougar Party? What’s the drive behind the music?
CP: Shannon G had never played with girls before. Shannon M and Mary Jane had never played with straight girls before. Amanda was in between projects. Playing in cougar Party is different from our other projects. However, it doesn’t change our influences and where we came from. The drive behind our music is a 97 ford escort, a 2000 honda civic, a bike and a skateboard.

T: Unfortunately, your lyrics have so far mostly escaped me. At the practice I checked out Shannon sang without a mic and your lyric page on your website isn’t active yet. It’s a good curiosity builder that’s for sure! I do dig the titles of some of your songs, for example “People shouldn’t be mean to me…especially now that I’m in a band.” Who writes the lyrics and music? Do you ever do covers?
CP: We all write the music and Shannon G, Shannon M and Amanda write the lyrics. We haven’t done any covers yet.

T: I noticed a tendency towards some jazzy equipment. For instance gold sparkly drums and a shimmering star speckled pink guitar. I have a theory that the anti-pink sentiments that exist out there root from misogyny ie. Disgust with all things ‘girly’. What do you think?

CP: We agree. It’s fun to experience people’s misconceptions and then see their faces when they actually hear us play.

T: Your biography says “this is fiery punk that smashes the notion of ‘just another girl band’”. What separates you from those bands? What makes you want to take cover from being ‘just another girl band’?

CP: It pisses us off how the bar for girl bands it set really low. It’s like, just because you’re a girl, you’re totally marketable. It seems that the only focus is that you’re female, not that you’re a person who plays in a band. Women in music tend to get ghettoized. There are a lot of girl bands out there where the focus is entirely on their looks and image. We’re hot and all, but we can also play our instruments and write our own songs.

T: Who are your ‘girl band’ influences, if any?

CP: Spitboy, red aunts, sleater-kinney, bikini kill, the need, team dresch, 7 year bitch, bratmobile, ambulance, that dog. But we’re not just influenced by girl bands.

T: How would you describe your music, beyond just the sound, what does it feel like?

CP: Feels like makin’ love. Duh duh da daa duh duh da daa.

T: Who did the cool cartoon pictures of you on your website?

CP: Shannon M’s wonderful girlfriend allison jayne wh, who also does photography and is our merch bitch.

T: What kinds of trouble do you get up to when not making music?

CP: Amanda gets drunk and hurts herself. Shannon G makes out with boys. Mary Jane tries to make out with girls. Shannon M is a recluse.
Tell us about Cougar Party’s future plans, recording, shows…?

CP: Clambake 2004, recording in florida, and playing some shows in the states. New album in the fall.
T: Here come the goofy-ass questions. What would be your dream cover song to perform?

Amanda: ‘She bop’ by Cyndi Lauper.
Shannon M: ‘Second skin’ by The Gits.
Shannon G: ‘Almost there’ by Pedro the Lion or ‘Commandant’ by the Mountain Goats.

T: What’s your favourite Cougar Party lyric?

Shannon G: “shuffling his feet like a metal james brown”
MJ: “hey, how’s it going?”
Amanda: “pink and red unicorn painting”
Shannon M: “chicks before pricks”

T: Describe your favourite performance moment?

CP: We all pick cinecycle, when the girls were screaming ‘cougar’ and the boys were screaming ‘party’.

T: If you were invited to play at any existing music festival which one would it be?

MJ and Shannon M: Homo a Gogo
Amanda and Shannon G: South by Southwest.

T: What music did you dance to in front of your mirror when you were eight years old?

Shannon G: The Beastie Boys
MJ: Madonna
Shannon M: The Go-Go’s
Amanda: Cyndi Lauper

T: What instrument did you play in high school band?

CP: Shannon G was in jazz choir. She played in bands, but not school bands. Shannon M played classical guitar. Mary played acoustic guitar. Amanda played clarinet.

T: If Cougar Party had a performance wardrobe it would be:

CP: We do! It’s pink hoodies with our initials on them.

T: If a fan threw something on the stage when you were performing what would you want it to be?

MJ: Patty Schemel’s undies
Shannon M: Carrie Brownstein throwing rare 7 inches and then herself
Shannon G: expensive yarns that she can’t afford
Amanda: pink roses.
- Trade Magazine


"Cougar Party"

WL 287 -- Sunday, November 6

Purveyors of: female-led circle pits

Attention women, girls, ladies: Start a band now. Too long have the men of society been the fair minstrels of every generation. It’s time to stick the vein of our contemporary culture with a hard jab and inject a hefty dose of X chromosome-fueled rock and roll. If you enjoy attending shows, listening to musicand buying band merch, it’s time to break out of your shell and buy an axe, learn some songs, find some friends, get on stage and ROCK OUT. It’s easy, fun, and a great way to meet people. Fuck knitting. Learn the guitar. Now there’s some string play I can get into. If you’re still unsure about taking that fateful step into a blissful rock utopia, look to the gals in Cougar Party for inspiration.

HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED ANY YOUNG HORNY FAN BOYS THINKING THAT YOU’D BE THE STEREOTYPICAL ‘COUGARS’ SO FAR?
No, but we did have a group marriage proposal but that was from a woman.

DO YOU THINK THERE’S A STIGMA IN ROCK WHERE WOMEN HAVE TO SING ABOUT SEX OR THEIR SEXUALITY IN THEIR MUSIC IN ORDER TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY?
We don’t think anyone, whether they are male or female, can just sing about sex. How can you be taken seriously if you only sing about one theme? It would be very one-dimensional. However, we do think writing about sex and sexuality is a good topic because it leaves lots of room for discussion and it widens people’s perspectives.

CAN YOU COMMENT A BIT ON THE LONGEVITY OF FEMALE BANDS IN UNDERGROUND ROCK TODAY? IT SEEMS THERE’S A SHORTER LIFESPAN.
The ratio of men to women in music is still very unbalanced. With that in mind then of course there is going to be fewer longer-standing female bands than male bands. Maybe women just don’t stand for the bullshit that can come along with being in a band…who knows? There are still bands like Sleater-Kinney, people like Kathleen Hanna, plus many more who do stick it out. Our song “1,2,3, Go Circle Pit!” is about women sticking around in music long after their early twenties. We all plan on being around for quite some time, whether it’s in Cougar Party or with other projects.

THERE’S A HEAVY ELEMENT OF FEMINISM IN YOUR MUSIC, BUT THAT CAN’T BE ALL, CAN IT? WHAT ELSE IS COUGAR PARTY ALL ABOUT?
Feminism isn’t a bandwagon to be jumped upon. It’s a way to live your life. Our varying individual views of feminism infiltrate all aspects of our lives. So anything we write about there’s going to be a hint of feminism because that’s where we coming from. So yes, we definitely sing through a feminism perspective but about other things like relationships, loss, sex, oppression, abuse, etc.

HAVE YOU GOTTEN BETTER AT DEALING WITH CAT-CALLING MALE FANS YET SINCE THE BAND FORMED? WHAT ARE SOME STANDARD COUGAR PARTY TACTICS (OR CLASSIC CP VS. DRUNK GUY MOMENTS)?
We’ve only had one incident where that happened. It was recently when we played Peterborough. A drunk guy wanted us to show him “something else”. We just told him he wasn’t being very nice and Amanda motioned that he should kiss her ass. That must have worked because he walked up to the bar and bought us some drinks.

IF YOU COULD INVITE THREE FAMOUS COUGARS TO YOUR SHOW, WHO WOULD YOU INVITE?
BeBe Neuwirth’s character from the film Tadpole, Ellen DeGeneres and Julianne Moore.

CAN OLDER MALES BE CALLED COUGARS? IF NOT, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED?Cougar is a term that we’re very sure was coined by a man. It’s a pretty sexist and ageist term so no I don’t think a man can be called a cougar if you are talking of it in its “literal meaning”. Like how it’s acceptable if an older guy dates a younger woman or if a guy is “easy”, but it’s not viewed in the same way for women. We like the idea of removing & destroying these ridiculous stigmas. Cougar Party was named very tongue-in-cheek, trying to take the negativity out of it. Age difference doesn’t matter (as long as it’s legal!). - Wavelength Music Series & Zine


"Cougar Party Heartbreakers/Homewreckers review"

Something about a woman's guttural holler just sounds more righteous, and from the opening strains of Cougar Party's debut, you know that righteousness is in store. Vocalist/drummer Shannon G is equipped with pipes and arms of steel, and her scream blazes a trail of hellfire throughout the ten songs featured here. The music is punk-inspired hardcore that could be the soundtrack to a house burning down, with damning guitars and pummelling beats. The sound is stripped-down and menacing, rougher in its rawness than it would be with slick production or corny riffage. Cougar Party play straightforward aggressive rock, and avoid stereotypes that might otherwise threaten to extinguish the flame. Emotions (granted though, anger mostly pervades) are genuine. They don't cop out by playing up their novelty as a "girl band" — while some female musicians rely on stereotypical ideas of female aggression, Cougar Party are simply aggressive. When they sing about sex, it's to burn lovers who refuse to go down on them, and when they sing about hate, it's with a sense of humour as well as some real conviction, rather than a put-on in order to make an image. They are real, charming, and scalding; whether they're telling off dickheads who doubt their legitimacy as hardcore musicians because of their gender, or just feeling sad (no lousy metaphors — an "I feel sad" works just fine for CP), you believe them. - Exclaim Magazine


"Get In Bed With Cougar Party"

There aren’t a lot of all-girl metal bands out there and Cougar Party know this. In fact, they’re desperate to change the scene’s state of affairs when it comes to female musicians.

“We think there needs to be more women out there playing music,” says bassist Shannon Mitchell. “There needs to be more women added to line-ups, but I think it’s happening. There were a few all girl bands in Toronto a few years ago. It comes in waves. I put on the first two Ladyfests (Toronto women’s festival) in Toronto and the second one in 2002 was incredible, there were tons of bands. But I look at the line-up from the previous year and every single band except LAL is broken up.”

If a new wave is on the way, Cougar Party are leading the charge with their teeth bared. Political and DIY to the bone, the three-piece feature vocalist and drummer Shannon Goodwin of Mach Tiver, Mitchell, formerly of Queercore band The Plath and Goodwin’s friend Amanda Caskie, who plays guitar (a fourth member recently left the band).

“We’re definitely political people,” Mitchell says. “A lot of our songs are about sex, and a lot of people were like, ‘Cougar Party are screaming about sex, blah blah blah,’ but really those songs are also about women not being afraid about thinking or talking about having sex. There’s still that taboo about. It’s about taking words like ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ back and removing the negativity associated with them.”

The band formed in 2003 following the demise of The Plath. Mitchell met Goodwin, who worked at a tattoo shop with Caskie, at a Ladyfest in Ottawa and the two soon expressed interest in playing together.

Two years later, the trio are getting ready to release their debut album, Heartbreakers/Homewreckers. In true DIY fashion, the 10 track LP is coming out independently, but they’re trying to find a home for it.

“We have a couple things we’re waiting to hear back from, labels and other things, but we want to get it out there. It looks damn fine and we want to do it now,” Mitchell says.

It sounds damn fine too. On Heartbreakers/Homewreckers, Cougar Party prove they can do metal with the best of them. Clocking in at about 22 minutes, it’s one of the shorter full-lengths you’re likely to hear, but each minute is simply packed.

“We have songs about trying to raise that ratio of women versus men in the scene. We also have songs about not blindly supporting all-women shows,” Mitchell says. “You know, we want to play those shows and like playing them, but we also want to show that we can play in the boys club, as loud and hard as they can. Sometimes at all-women shows you get people who don’t support the things we support, people who are homophobic and ageist.”

Then there’s the name. Cougar Party is one of the more clever monikers to come out of the Toronto music scene lately. The band are surprisingly candid about the name’s origins.

Says Mitchell: “Shannon Goodwin and her brother were touring in Mach Tiver for a couple of summers and they would go out for a month across the states and Canada and Shannon made out with a few younger guys so she used to joke that she was having her own little ‘cougar party.’ It kind of stuck. It’s hilarious.”

You can check out the Cougar Party CD release show this Saturday at Cinecycle in Toronto. True If Destroyed, Hostile Takeover and Sailboats Are White are also on the bill. - Chart Magazine


"COUGAR PARTY Heartbreakers/Homewreckers (independent) Rating: NNN"

Miss the days when a fanzine was a photocopied work of art, not a URL? When grrrl punk was all about Daisy Chainsaw and skateboards, not Avril and Sk8R Boi? Look no further than scrappy local trio Cougar Party, who offer up shouty DIY punk rawk without rehashing old-school Riot Grrrl. With a pedigree that includes members of Mach Tiver and the Plath, CP capably pull off neo-feminist rallying cries and tender love songs with an aggro edge. Their debut is quite well produced, foregrounding sludgy walls of guitar noise and pulsating drums that take the edge off the slightly shrill vocals. And everyone should rock pro-pussy-eating album opener Going Down With Cougar Party, with deadpan spoken dialogue that's like a dirty version of Le Tigre's What's Yr Take On Cassavetes.

Cougar Party play a CD release at Cinecycle Saturday (April 23). - Now Magazine


"Femme Frenzy"

SAFE & SOUND BENEFIT with SCANDALNAVIA , COUGAR PARTY , the GUEST BEDROOM and DANCE YOURSELF TO DEATH at Sneaky Dee's, August 20. Tickets: $5-$10. Attendance: 200. Rating: NNNN

Proceeds from Saturday's Safe & Sound show went to Toronto's Interval House , which offers a variety of services, including shelter, to women and children affected by violence, so this event was a winner right off the bat. Fortunately, attendees were also blessed with a strong lineup of female-centric bands.

To start off the night, Dance Yourself to Death played a low-energy set of perfectly capable girl pop in the vein of the Go-Gos. Formed mere months ago, doubtless with time they'll show more comfort and confidence on the stage.

The crowd swelled perceptibly for the Guest Bedroom , perhaps due to the buzz they've been getting for their recent self-released EP, or maybe because of the commanding way they take the stage. Singer/guitarist Sandi Falconer shout-sang their energetic angular power pop tunes decorated with sometimes unsettling blasts of circus organ.

Cougar Party dominate the space between hard rock and hardcore, but they're best at their most threatening. Drummer Shannon G. punctuated the band's heavy riffs with bloodcurdling screams, alternating with guitarist Amanda 's and bassist Shannon M. 's coos and shouts. The sheer volume of Cougar Party's set required earplugs and inspired an abandoned plate of Sneaky's nachos to gradually shimmy off the window ledge and crash onto the dance floor.

Scandalnavia bring the sexed-up rap-rock every time they play, and this night was no exception. Their shambolic stage act suits their bratty tunes about the Ex, stupid fonts, naughty Catholicism and bad daddies. ("Daddy, buy me a pony / Where's my fucking pony, bitch?")

Though the night was somewhat uneven and the crowd moved in and out in shifts, Scandalnavia easily brought it all home in their totally charming, totally hilarious, totally unique style.   - Now magazine


"Cat Scratch Fever"

Cougar Party at Sneaky Dee's (431 College), Friday (June 10), 9 pm. $6. 416-603-3090.

their sound's been described as everything from riot grrrl and sludge rock to metal, and the girls in Toronto-based Cougar Party definitely know how to keep things interesting onstage.

Formed two years ago by members of now defunct queer-core heroes the Plath and Mach Tiver who met when their bands were playing Ottawa's Ladyfest, the Cougars, who name-check Sleater-Kinney and Pretty Girls Make Graves as major influences, are keenly interested in music with a message.

"Our songs are about not letting society rule or judge your decision-making in life," says bass player/vocalist Shannon Mitchell. "Some of our tunes are from more of a personal-is-political headspace."

Guided by a fierce DIY ethic, they also want to encourage a more women to join the music community. The three members recently released their independent debut, heartbreakers/homewreckers.

Their plans include touring in Ontario and Quebec, making a stop in Pittsburgh and performing at Pride in Toronto.

Their music is dense with politics but still has a sense of fun, and they definitely know how to rock out.

"Bring your earplugs" warns Mitchell, "cuz it's going to be loud!" - Now Magazine


"Cougar Party Heartbreakers/Homewreckers Review"

Ever had one of those days when you just wanted to go home, slam the door and scream at the top of your lungs? Cougar Party's debut release, Heartbreakers/Homewreckers, is the soundtrack for that day. This punk-metal trio shows us that screaming over grinding guitar riffs is not just for boys, and that it's possible to convey a spectrum of emotions. The feelings on the album rang from sultry and seductive to post-breakup angst. Stand out songs include "Eventually It Will" and "Are You My Snugglebunny?" which carefully and effectively layer pretty vocals over punk-in-the-stomach screams. Reading the song titles is nearly as entertaining as listening to the CD - my favourite is "People Should Be Mean To Me, Especially Now That I'm In A Band." But don't let comical titles fool you. This album addresses serious issues, such as female opression in rock music. So go home, slam the door and rock out like you mean it. - Shameless Magazine


"Screamers"

With a gig at Canadian Music Week this week and a full-length debut CD, Heartbreakers/Homewreckers, to be released in April, the members of local scream-punk trio Cougar Party are busy polishing their knuckles and their vocal chords. Drummer Shannon Goodwin (ex-Mach Tiver), bassist Shannon Mitchell (formerly of queercore favourite The Plath) and guitarist Amanda Caskie have already got a host of shows under their belts, a four-song demo and an appearance on last year's Shameless/Permafrost compilation CD, Good Grooming For Girls.

Mitchell explains the origins of the name. "Shannon G was on tour with Mach Tiver and she was having a slut-core time with guys younger than her. Her brother, Adam, proclaimed that she was having a cougar party. Later he suggested we adopt it as our name. It stuck."

Founded in August 2003 as a foursome, Mary Romas, who played in The Plath with Mitchell, left the band in December 2004. "Mary just wasn't happy and decided she needed to leave," says Mitchell. "We decided not to replace her because it would have been really weird. We dropped a couple of songs from our set, rearranged a few and adjusted our levels."

But they never adjusted their unapologetic musical and lyrical approach. "Some of our songs are about relationships - sexual, platonic or otherwise. They're about smashing stereotypes of how women are supposed to act. In 'Going Down With Cougar Party' we sing, 'If you don't go down, get out.' Women shouldn't be ashamed of having sex or being called a slut. It's also about being honest and telling the person you're having sex with what you want.

"Other songs are about playing in and going to shows in very male-dominated spaces. In '1 2 3 Go! Circle Pit,' we say, "Add some ladies to your lineup." This is a tricky one because we don't want to be added to any lineup as the token girl band, but we don't want to be excluded just because we're girls.

"Certain communities still have some work to do. We almost didn't play one of our first shows because we were told, 'Bros before hos.' We ended up playing at the last minute because one of the all-male bands couldn't get over the border. Instead of boycotting it, we wanted to prove that their initial choice was obviously wrong and that we could play just as loud and hard as they could."

CMW presents Cougar Party with Two Knives, The WPP, Arkata and Jerry Can. Cover is $8; wristbands/ passes accepted. Doors open at 8:30pm on Thu, Mar 3 at Sneaky Dee's (431 College St); call (416) 603-3090. - Xtra! Magazine


Discography

Cougar Party - Heartbreakers / Homewreckers 2005

Good Grooming for Girls - Shameless Magazine Compilation / Song - Lakeboat (exclusive to compilation) 2004

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

The name alone has you thinking; who are these old broads out on the prowl for fresh meat? Actually, Cougar Party is made up of three twenty something ladies who come from a wide variety of experiences, musically and otherwise. At first, you may think they’re just screaming about sex, crappy bosses and inconsiderate friends. However, this group is guided by DIY dogma and the concept of ‘the Personal is Political’. Based in Toronto, they create “a fiery punk that smashes the notion of ‘just another girl band’”. Cougar Party have been together for two years and include members of queercore rioters The Plath and the hardcore two piece Mach Tiver. Playing many shows in and around the Toronto area, they are most proud of playing the Pride 2005, the Wavelength music series, Safe & Sound, CMW, Ladyfest (Toronto, Ottawa & Guelph) & NXNE, You can catch their track “Lakeboat Fantasy”, exclusive to the Good Grooming for Girls compilation, which is a collaborative effort between Shameless Magazine and Permafrost Records. Cougar Party have been busy out promoting their debut record “Heartbreakers/Homewreckers”. Make sure to check them out at:
http://cougarparty.cjb.net
http://www.cougarparty.com
http://www.myspace.com/cougarparty

Here is what people are saying:

"Ever had one of those days when you just wanted to go home, slam the door and scream at the top of your lungs? Cougar Party's debut release, Heartbreakers/Homewreckers, is the soundtrack for that day. This punk-metal trio shows us that screaming over grinding guitar riffs is not just for boys, and that it's possible to convey a spectrum of emotions."
-Shameless magazine

"Cougar Party play straightforward aggressive rock, and avoid stereotypes that might otherwise threaten to extinguish the flame. Emotions (granted though, anger mostly pervades) are genuine. They don't cop out by playing up their novelty as a "girl band" — while some female musicians rely on stereotypical ideas of female aggression, Cougar Party are simply aggressive."
-Exclaim Magazine

"There aren’t a lot of all-girl metal bands out there and Cougar Party know this. In fact, they’re desperate to change the scene’s state of affairs when it comes to female musicians. If a new wave is on the way, Cougar Party are leading the charge with their teeth bared. [They are] political and DIY to the bone[The CD] sounds damn fine too. On Heartbreakers/Homewreckers, Cougar Party prove they can do metal with the best of them. Clocking in at about 22 minutes, it’s one of the shorter full-lengths you’re likely to hear, but each minute is simply packed.”
-Chart Magazine

“Heartbreakers/Homewreckers works best when cranking up the volume and the Iommi factor while retaining the tough/vulnerable stance and pointed political bent (as seen in the band's previous incarnation as punchy indie rockers The Plath).
-Eye Magazine

“Miss the days when a fanzine was a photocopied work of art, not a URL? When grrrl punk was all about Daisy Chainsaw and skateboards, not Avril and Sk8R Boi? Look no further than scrappy local trio Cougar Party, who offer up shouty DIY punk rawk without rehashing old-school Riot Grrrl. With a pedigree that includes members of Mach Tiver and the Plath, Cougar Party capably pull off neo-feminist rallying cries and tender love songs with an aggro edge. Their debut [Heartbreakers/Homewreckers] is quite well produced, foregrounding sludgy walls of guitar noise and pulsating drums.”
-Now Magazine

“Cougar party has a bracing power and lyrical honesty lacking in most of the music scene around Toronto and the rest of the country. They are hard fighting and uncompromising realists in a landscape of poseurs and manufactured imagery”
-Sean Condon of CFBU-FM

“[Cougar Party’s] femininity comes at you at a very different angle, where loud and heavy guitar riffs lead the way into discontent. This trio can out gun any man any day of the week, they came to the stage and played this loud hardcore aggressive music[their] abrasive sound brought me back to the days when there were more all-female bands out there.”
-Xtra! Magazine

“Bent Punk” -Now Magazine

“[Cougar Party is] made up of three 20-something women who make hard, thrashy punk-influenced hardcore. The band's four track demo, released last year, made number one on one of CFBU's specialty charts. Their full-length debut, is already number 12 on the station's top 30.”
-The Brock Press

“[Cougar Party] have never adjusted their unapologetic musical and lyrical approach.
-Xtra Magazine

“Cougar Party, a fierce hardcore band featuring young members of The Plath & Mach Tiver ended the night with screamo historanics and drummer Shannon G’s good words about women getting exposure by playing shows that would otherwise be exclusively male”
-Now Magazine

“Aggressive Sludge Rockers”
-Eye Magazine

“When I got the chance to see Cougar Party perform again at Fruit Market I felt the power pouring off sta