Columbus alt-rockers Cousin Simple are back with some rock-n-roll tunes that—as always—will brighten your day. The band’s lineup currently consists of Harsh Hoag (vocals), Ryan Ulibarri (guitar), and Mitch Whittaker (bass). A group that has been on the scene for some time now but is still very young in terms of age, Cousin Simple released the six-song EP All My Movies on June 17. It features production by Spirit of the Bear’s James Harker and Jon Fintel of Relay Recording.

All My Movies has a very ‘80s feel to it. It doesn’t necessarily contain the synthy textures you’d usually associate with hits from this time, but more so in the glimmering guitars and the way Hoag’s voice oozes and slithers on each track. It also helps how purely polished these songs sound, an improvement that is evident with each Cousin Simple release. Upon first listen it definitely aligns with the catchy pop sensibilities of Foster The People, who also have a tendency to lean toward the ‘80s sound without being an ‘80s band. Upbeat love songs like “Boy.Girl” and “Let’s Be Together” from All My Movies are perfect examples of this.

“Let’s Be Together” and “Chapstick” are also evidence of the band stretching its sound, testing out the emotional palette of varying vocal effects. On both of these songs, Hoag’s voice sounds like it has one foot in the past and the other in the present. These seem to be nods to Twenty One Pilots, with emotional overdubbing and Hoag even referencing specific songs on the title track. Cousin Simple is aware of what came before them but determined to figure out what lies ahead. Cousin Simple are a group of young go-getters who won GrooveU’s InstaBand contest four years ago, so it tracks. 

All My Movies is the first non-single release by the band since 2017’s And We Would Never End. It’s simple and motivating to track the band’s progress since this time, with even the handful of singles coming out between then and now showing significant improvements each time around. The Cousin Simple sound is becoming more rounded in that they’re truly starting to encapsulate how they want to sound as a band. That also sets them apart from other Columbus bands. 

The title track is a glimmering example of this. The pop-rock anthem is an encore that will have you swaying one minute and having a dance party for one by the end. It has a catchy chorus: “Hey now, what’s your feeling? Is it over, or am I dreaming?” It also features some of the most evocative vocal prodding of Hoag’s voice, which drips with much more emotion with these enhancements. 

All of the improvements mentioned in this review are encouraging, making me curious and hopeful of what the future holds for Cousin Simple.

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