Cousin

Cousin
"For The Ages" EP
Self Released
www.cousinmusic.com

Raze Regal, Peter Klein, Noam Szwergold, and Raymond McNaught formed out of a basement in Queens when Raze laid out his soul on tape for his new friends. With Raze's soulful voice and his friends' good taste in classical jazz, Cousin takes on the unimaginable. Cousin is creating a sound far from the hipster post punk, experimental, noise, and new-wave bands that the city so centers on. Instead you get a sound that is very new to the city and doesn't seem fit for the dark and dirty rock clubs that align our streets. Sighting inspiration from Rundgren, Nazz, Bacharach, Neil Young, Curtis Mayfield, and Jim O' Rourke Cousin's songs have no boundaries. Fans of the uk band Cousteau will love Cousin. Take a trip to somewhere down to see them perform while chilling with a quality drink at Joe's Pub. - crashinin.com

"Cousin is a local quartet that blends smooth R&B style with lo-fi basement rock."

-Time Out NY Issue # 505 June 2-8, 2005 - Time Out NY pick of the week

Herbie Hancock probably doesn't know it, but he had a hand in the formation of the band Cousin.
The story begins in 1997, when Raze Regal and Peter Klein struck up a conversation about a Hancock disc in a Philadelphia record store where Klein worked.
Three years later, they crossed paths again, only this time it was in New York. They talked about records again, but it wasn't exactly a pleasant conversation.
A basement flood had wiped out a few crates of Regal's collection, and the loss contributed to Regal and Klein becoming roommates. It didn't hurt that they shared very similar tastes in music.
"We kind of felt ourselves alienated in that whole world of record collecting," says Klein. "We just love the music that was made on older records and couldn't find ourselves in newer records."
Older records remain an inspiration for singer/guitarist Regal and bassist Klein, who cite Steely Dan, Big Star, The Nazz, Cheap Trick, Curtis Mayfield and Burt Bacharach among their favorites.
Some of those influences are more obvious than others on Cousin's For the Ages, a six-song EP released last year. The band (also featuring drummer Ray McNaught and keyboardist Daniel Collas, who replaced Noam Szwergold) has a new three-song disc in the can that's expected to be released in the fall.
Meanwhile, Cousin can be seen and heard in Manhattan. The band is set to play July 7 at Pianos, 158 Ludlow St. Admission is $8. Visit www.pianosnyc.com for more information. The official Cousin site is www.cousinmusic.com.

http://www.insidecx.com/articles/arreport/manhattan.html
- The Inside Connection

current and upcoming Reviews, Interviews and Articles in the following periodicals:

Hyperactive Music Magazine; Anthem magazine; Groupeez Magazine; UNSIGNED Music Magazine; Harmonium.com and Fliggil.com among many others. - various

"...Cousin is a four-piece groove machine from New York City."

-The Wildcat Weekly at The University of Kentucky APRIL 10th - 17th, 2006 - Univ. of Kentucky

Praise for Daniel's production...

"Call My Name" gets glowing 4 star review in the one and only MOJO.

"In the late 60s and early70s, former teenage gang member Joe Bataan recorded a dazzling sequence of Latin urban soul classics. Now, following a 25 year musical hiatus working with musical delinquents, he's cut a cracking new album with fellow New Yorker, the young composer/producer Daniel Collas. Infused with an organic, analog feel, Collas' compostions are air-tight fresh and have brilliantly caught the spirit of Bataan's original sound..."

June, 2005
- MOJO Magazine

Cousin duck away from those bright lights to stroll down E-Z St, but are too sober about execution to lose themselves in the bliss P.M. Dawn championed. A friend of a friend who invested $75,000 in recording a band now subject of a major-label bidding war liked the Classifieds’ MP3s he was played. Both local bands could get major. With Cheaper Faster and Tryst.
(JASWA)

http://www.villagevoice.com/nycguide/ev77133,6.html - Village Voice Pick of the Week

In New York City there are tons of bands, but truth be told if you have The Strokes first record, any of Interpol’s records, and a few old 80’s classics you don’t need to hear any of them. This is why a band like Cousin is so important to this mix… …Some say that there is no territory left in the field of music to be explored, everything has been done they say—well, Raze, Peter, Raymond and Daniel haven’t seem to have gotten that memo. …there is more to this band than an idea of smooth grooves and big guitars—this band is punk! …somehow Cousin pull it all off with grace. With all of the different directions that Cousin’s music takes, there is no limit to where it may go next. … They are not garage, neo soul, or even punk rock, they are just Cousin—a genre that has only one member.

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In New York City there are tons of bands, but truth be told if you have The Strokes first record, any of Interpol’s records, and a few old 80’s classics you don’t need to hear any of them. This is why a band like Cousin is so important to this mix. Sure they all look like any other new band in their press photos, but dig deeper and there is something great to discover.

Since Cousin formed early in the year of 2004 they have been on a mission—already recording two E.P.’s, landing themselves on the Midwest Music Festival compellation, and getting on some really solid bills. There has even been talk of them winding up on a major real soon—not bad for a little under two years of work. But enough about their slick promotional tactics and steady climb into the heart of the music biz, it’s really about the music right?

Some say that there is no territory left in the field of music to be explored, everything has been done they say—well, Raze, Peter, Raymond and Daniel haven’t seem to have gotten that memo.

Cousin’s sound stems from all of their influences—they are self-described as a cross between Steely Dan and Big Star. But there is more to this band than an idea of smooth grooves and big guitars—this band is punk! With their new single “The Girl I Knew”, it sounds like Queens of the Stone Age mixed with some Black Flag and Bad Brains. This must sound a bit confusing. How can a song embody all of these elements and still be listenable? But, somehow Cousin pull it all off with grace.

The song “Autumn” is another one of their stand out tracks. It is a way more laid back song than “The Girl I Knew”—immediately feeling like a throw back to smooth R&B, the keys and groove of the drums give a 70’ Stevie Wonder element to it. The whole vibe of the track is even similar to Cody ChesnuTT with vocals that sound reminiscent to TV on the Radio (another standout New York band).

With all of the different directions that Cousin’s music takes, there is no limit to where it may go next. They are one of the only bands that if they continue doing what they do, can avoid the branding that so many recent bands have endured. They are not garage, neo soul, or even punk rock, they are just Cousin—a genre that has only one member and will continue that way unless they loose focus amidst the temptations of hipster acceptance.
- Northeast In-Tune Magazine