Cousin Dud Release New Album, Video

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 28, 2010 4:30PM

The guys from Cousin Dud have been pretty busy lately. The local folk-rockers released their first EP Of Hats and Unicorns just last September, but instead of basking in post-release glory, they got right to recording new material and preparing their first full-length album, Our American Cousin.

Dropped earlier this month, Our American Cousin is a 7-song collection of raw, no-frills folk songs marked by jangly guitar riffs, brisk percussion, and rambling lyrics. For example, “South Dakota pt. I,” the first of a three-part series, features a steady, fast-paced beat behind wailing saxophone and stream-of-consciousness lyrics about love and a girl named Julie. They slow the tempo with “The Ballad of Alice and Kitty,” which narrates the stories of two women’s deceits, backed by a constant rolling drum beat and lively xylophone melodies. And our favorite - “Hey, Cannibal Lover!” - is a pleasant, buoyant song about a date with a man eater, featuring quick-spit lyrics like, “I am flattered that your turned on by my flesh, but what it's doing in your freezer there, it is anybody's guess.”

Our American Cousin is available for free download at Cousin Dud’s Bandcamp, as is their EP Of Hats and Unicorns. If you like what you hear, you have the option of supporting the band by donating a few dollars. And you can catch the band next month when they perform live at Cole's Bar, with supporting acts Blue Ribbon Glee Club and Jaime Rojo. In the meantime, check out this woodsy, stop-motion video for “Crows” off the above-mentioned EP:

Cousin Dud play Saturday, January 29 at Cole’s Bar, 2338 N Milwaukee, 10 p.m. FREE, 21+