Track Listing:
1. Toxic Fox Syndrome [3:46]
2. Scissitar! [3:28]
3. Who’s Got The Sniff? [4:04]
4. There’s No “High” In Team [3:28]
5. Someone Out There Has My Boner Picture [3:14]
6. Mouth Of Todd [3:22]
7. Diagnosis: Snare Side Hearing Loss [3:07]
8. Shitstorm [6:53]
9. Ultimate Horseness [3:43]
10. Delicate Whispers Is In Cahoots With Pillow Talk [9:12]

The Cougars - Recipe:

First, take two guitars, make sure they are distorted, and working well together. Gently insert a drum kit (complete with drummer) and set it to Loud. Mix well, and sprinkle on strong screaming vocals. Construct and insert a duo of horn instruments, and one hell of a synthesizer. Stir well for approximately 30 minutes and 24 seconds, and place in a ten metre baking tray. Place in studio at Gas Mark Rock, and whoop uncontrollably until ready. Serves about five hundred.

Trust me. You haven’t heard anything like this. I have nothing to compare them to. In simple terms, they are rock music. Think The Von Bondies mixed with Soundgarden mixed with Schumann's Konzertstück For 4 Horns & Orchestra In F Major, Op. 86. It’s odd stuff, but does actually sound right. “Alternative” is the closest you will get.

Yet, the Chicago rockers have produced “Pillow Talk”, a fine album with songs to bring out the skills of all eight members. The opening track does create a small double take when you first hear it. The album opens with “Toxic Fox Syndrome”, and if you’re first listen you may be a bit taken aback by the use of the brass here. The Cougars have included in their line-up of eight a saxophone player and a trumpet player. It’s not the typical Ska Punk brass you may be used to, and the vocal strength of singer Matthew Irie will bring you back for more. More importantly: it sounds like it works. This is followed up by two songs following a similar pattern. “Scisstar!” and “Who’s Got The Sniff?” Then for the first real time in the album, Sam Ambrosini and his synthesiser take a major hold of a song in “There’s No ‘High’ In Team”, and it is neatly tied in with the rest of the band. You may not know what to expect from the fifth track, “Someone Out There Has My Boner Picture”, but in the end is similar to “Who’s Got The Sniff?” and fits in with the rest of the album thus far. Track 6, “Mouth Of Todd” tries to offer something different, a slower and atypical piece of music. “Diagnosis: Snare Side Hearing Loss” follows this, and is one of the high points on the album. You may find, however, that the brass seem to be interrupting this song, as it isn’t really the song they are best suited to. “Shitstorm” is something of an epic, as it is quite a challenge to get through. This piece is probably best suited for the brass, as they link well with the slow movement of the piece, but they die out a few minutes in. This, unfortunately, leaves the rest of the song dragging on. Because of this, it is difficult to fully enjoy “Ultimate Horseness” as it is too similar to “Shitstorm.” The album ends on “Delicate Whispers Is In Cahoots With Pillow Talk”. (Where do they get these titles from?) The final track on the album, it is a massive 9 minutes long and is chocked full of synth and streaming guitars. If you’re looking for a bit of everything, then this is it, plus more. The song finally splutters to a halt and rounds off the album.

Anyone familiar with Hungarian rock act Masfel will understand the approach of these guys. It is what they say it is – rock music. Just tweaked a little bit. Pillow Talk is not The Cougars debut material, their album “Nice, Nice” (2003) contained more of the same, and this was followed by the Manhandler EP. (2004). It takes brave men to throw something new at the face of rock, but the Cougars pull it off, and if it’s something new and cunning you want, it’s this or nothing. Try not to be put off by the horn duo, which at times can sound out of place, The Cougars have put together something very odd yet musically innovative. Even if you don’t like it, you may be forced to admit that you have never heard this before.

Band Members:
Matthew Irie (Vocals)
Brian Wnukowski (Drummer)
Brett Meingasner (Guitar)
John McClurg (Guitar)
Bryan Bienias (Bass)
Sam Ambrosini (Synthesiser)
Jeff Vidmont (Saxophone)
Mark Beening (Trumpet)

Rating Out of 10: