Here at the Send Me Your Ears studio today, we’ve been listening to the latest single from US band, Liquid Chicken. Cougar is released on 31st March, 2023, and we’re here to implore you to drop whatever you’re doing and take a listen to this highly creative track.
Almost every band out there vying for attention describes themselves as having a distinctive sound, but few actually do. Liquid Chicken are one of those few, and we are thrilled to have been introduced to their unique sound by this quality track.
Cougar explores the theme of unrequited love through the lens of academic fraternization. The group provides little explanation of the track except to say “This is our moody/sad boy take on Van Halen’s ‘Hot For Teacher.’”
Cougar grabs your attention immediately with a bright sound and a swing rhythm with some gorgeous incidental tremolo guitar. The song instantly has a warm and welcoming feel.
We simply must congratulate the drumming on this track. The fills are exciting, expertly crafted and performed, and there is an effortlessness here as if the sound is just flowing out of the drummer. The ability to switch between rhythms and create tension and release is second to none. The drums are high in the mix, as they should be with this quality, and they are a huge feature of the track.
The vocals are relaxed and cool. At times they are layered, which creates some extra interest. The lead vocal has moments of sounding just a touch like Paulo Nutini – with that fluid laid-back appeal.
Cougar has plenty of different sections to appeal to a wide audience, and throughout the track, the listener will be surprised and delighted by the quality and interesting dynamic soundscape. We love the use of stops with just a bass line to fill the gaps, and we thoroughly enjoyed the changes in rhythm patterns throughout the song. This is, quite simply and easily, the song of the day.
Ideas from our ears
We love the quality production in this track. A boost around 50Hz could increase the thump in the kick drum and a high shelf boost around 9kHz might add a little extra sizzle to the cymbals but isn’t necessary. There is a slight resonance at 550Hz in the vocal track and snare so a careful surgical cut here would solve that. As always, these are just some ideas from our ears
Final thoughts
We’ve found a new Send Me Your Ears favourite! Liquid Chicken’s latest single, Cougar, is a stunning indie rock track that seamlessly blends punk, grunge, and western styles. Highly recommended.
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