The Wedding Present + more across Manchester Academy.
Another day, another new band to introduce you to. Get your weekend started the right way with some punchy punk pop from twins Amelia and Pat AKA Bent Cousin.
‘@sarahlay We stole our Nan’s purse. And spent her pension on cement. That we feed to penguins. And laughed as they sank. We are unpleasant.’
Unpleasant? Maybe, but Bent Cousin are by turns entertainingly surreal and boundary-pushing cheeky in their approach to getting their music heard. And heard it deserves to be.
They describe themselves as ‘cutecore/acid punk/Osmonds on cheap whizz’. I’d say this is punchy pop punk with rumbling basslines, gutsy riffs and lyrics that could cut as soon as delight you.
There is energy in these tunes, more than just the exuberance of youth (which by-the-by they have on their side) but the compelling, and compelled, energy of those who’ve found they must unleash music on the world.
Amelia’s vocal has a touch of Lily Allen, the influence of the much-missed Poly Styrene here too. There’s touches of great ’80s pop, the attitude of punk and melodies and construction of the very best of Britpop (ie the bits that didn’t find themselves sucked into the corporate greed machine and spat out as Stars with Guitars).
They’ve smart lyrics that don’t shy away from anything – I Wanna Be Your Slave a mischievous critique of reality TV, the seediness and soullessness of making celebrities rather than musicians.
This is Bent Cousin’s way – intoxicating top tones of playfulness and fun that turn into an altogether darker trip once you’ve been pulled under by them. But once you’ve had one hit you do want to go back for more. A worthwhile addiction.
You can find Bent Cousin on Twitter and their tunes are up on Soundcloud too. You can also give them the old thumbs up on Facebook.
All words by Sarah Lay. You can read more from Sarah on LTW here or you can follow her on Twitter.
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief
