Dave Miess
Distant Cuzins, from left, Ben Lokuta, Sam Miess, Nic Tierman and Nate Krause.
By now, followers of Madison’s rock scene should be familiar with Distant Cuzins. The quartet of Oregon High School alums has emerged as a local success story, twice winning the statewide garage band competition Rockonsin and releasing three albums in four years.
Distant Cuzins follows up its 2016 debut Big. and last year’s Need A Light? with another independently released album, Songs About Girls, which the band officially will launch with a CD release party on Aug. 4, at the High Noon Saloon.
Like its predecessors, Songs About Girls — which includes such ditties as “She Ain’t
Sweet,” “Let’s Sleep Together” and “I’m So Drunk” — is more of an EP than an LP, packed with seven classic rock- and punk-influenced songs that collectively don’t even crack the 25-minute mark.
Rousing opener “Just Remember” sets the album’s tone, with heavy riffs and hooks that would make the Violent Femmes proud, while the first single, “Everything’s Fine,” grooves like Lynyrd Skynyrd jamming with Red Hot Chili Peppers. “C’mon Claire” mixes manic and melody into a desperate plea for love while also working in a reference to food (which has become a common theme on the band’s albums), and “Dance in the Moonlight” is propelled by an unexpected off-kilter sway that makes it this collection’s most intriguing track.
Singer and bassist Nic Tierman’s voice appears to have reached full maturity with an impressive swirl of attitude and aggression, and guitarists Sam Miess and Nate Krause and drummer Ben Lokuta have hit their stride, too. On Songs About Girls, Distant Cuzins reaches new levels of snotty sophistication, despite the adolescent lyrics that suggest these boys are still growing up.
Since the band’s Rockonsin-winning performances at Milwaukee’s Summerfest in 2016 and 2017, Distant Cuzins have played gigs all over Wisconsin and in the Chicago area. With this new album and a rambunctious live show, the band is poised for the next level.
But they also respect their roots; Distant Cuzins will share the High Noon bill with Rockonsin’s 2018 and 2019 winners, Quick and Painless, a band with broad influences ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Howard Jones and featuring members from Lake Mills, Waunakee and Verona Area high schools. Madison hard rockers Mortality Play also will perform.