Cousins

Nova Scotia quartet Cousins is a lo-fi garage band that manages to pack a major punch for its stripped-down setup. Fluctuating from introspective, laid-back cuts to high-energy drum and guitar tornadoes, Cousins still manages to retain a concise sound dynamic. The band is fronted by primary songwriter Aaron Mangle, whose harrowing vocals provide an appropriate accompaniment to the hard-hitting instrumentals of the backing musicians--who have all spent time playing in various other Canadian bands. Cousins formed in 2006 and is slowly building up its reputation.