Track Listing

1. Atlatl
2. One
3. Strict Scrutiny
4. Pulse Conditioner
5. Interracial Dating
6. Two
7. Your Excellency
8. Three
9. Lifetime Ranger
10. Four
11. Mosaicist
12. Black Dove
13. Five
14. Merit
15. Postscript

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #258247 in Music
• Released on: 2007-04-24
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Debut album produced by John McEntire (Tortoise). The instrumental rock quintet are from Madison Wisconsin. Post Rock, very good and very classy. European pressing features a total of 15 tracks. Layered. 2006.

Customer Reviews

Solid debut
On first listen, Law struck me as an appealing handful of alt-jazz-folk-rock instrumentals that are pleasant to listen to and very unassuming. Cougar sounds as good coming out of your living room stereo at low volumes as they do blasting through your headphones, and they require very little effort to enjoy. After repeated listens (and there have been many), I've found the simplicity of the record to be deceiving. Each song is far more dynamic than you first realize, and every instrument and bizarre sound effect is impeccably recorded and perfectly realized. It's not life changing, but as a debut I'm more than impressed.

Ratatat and Cougar are two very different bands, but I think it's important to point out how much more rewarding of a listen Law is as an instrumental "rock" record. It's simultaneously easier to passively listen to and more interesting to actively listen to. Cougar has a great vibe and I know I'll be enjoying this for awhile.

Headphone Commute Review
On the first listen, Madison based (Wisconsin, US) instrumental five-piece band, Cougar, sounds peculiar - not fitting into any specific classification (and proud of it!), yet tending to be loosely associated with post-rock more than any other genre. But after returning to their debut album, Law, for the second time, I realize that it's exactly what I want to hear. Describing their music as "emergency rock" geared towards "rescue culture", Cougar experiments with beats, harmony, and structure. The production ranges from electronic to organic, reminding me of earlier tracks by Telefon Tel Aviv (minus the glitch) and perhaps even Four Tet. Some rhythms are influenced by electronica and I would go as far as say upbeat instrumental hip-hop beats. There's also a special treat in the "intermissions" between the main tracks. Throughout the album, Cougar sprinkles five consecutively named sketches. These are the experimental pieces that are extremely fun to listen to, reminiscent of pieces on Radiohead's Kid A - I only wish they were expanded into full tracks. The exploratory approach of Cougar's composition brings back the curiosity and excitement which I first encountered through Grails. There is no formula. There is no tiring structure. On Law, Cougar switches gears and takes you into a new direction at a whim. And the mastering is outstanding - I guess it has to be, when you find out that John McEntire (Tortoise and The Sea and Cake) is behind the production. I find myself returning to Cougar over and over. Recommended for the above mentioned names, plus if you like 65daysofstatic, Yndi Halda, Saxon Shore, and This Will Destroy You.

Soul Shattering work of Musical Genius
The best instrumental music I have ever heard. It's true genius. It sounds like falling in love and every other memory that makes your insides feel full and soggy; it reminds you how much you have lived. I felt like I had taken a good look at every important point of my life and felt it all again by the end of the album the first time I listened to it through. It is honestly soul shattering.