Intense emotions fuel great art as any artist knows, and sometimes the epicenter of pain serves as a masterpiece’s muse. True to this paradox, the Cousin Mouth duo has dug into very personal themes and toiled in the studio to bring forth their debut album, Medusa.

Watch the music video premiere of ‘Take Care of Me,’ debut single off the upcoming album to be released this summer.

Primarily recorded at Detroit’s Assemble Sound with engineer, producer and musician Eddie Logix,  Cousin Mouth’s debut single ‘Take Care of Me’ expels the antagonizing pain of a fading love. Vocalist and songwriter Alex Burns elaborates, “The song itself is a good example of lyrical themes from the album, which are mostly about beautiful things turning ugly and the general confusion that takes place in the midst of losing things or people or feelings.” Concluding that the single also sets a motif for the album, he continues, “‘Take Care of Me’ asks a lot of questions lyrically… [it’s] pretty self reflective, so Lex and I tried to keep that going in the musical content as well.”

Working from the song’s lyrics, producer Lexi put a focus on making the musical content natural, yet powerful. “I wanted the music to feel just as real as the lyrics. The focus was on making really good songs coming from a place of authenticity.”  Using Reason and Ableton software to create musical content, as local musicians and singers they added a hint of accompaniment.

Cousin Mouth pushed hard in the studio to create the album, coming out with the profound impact of lasting guidance from working alongside veteran Logix.

“Eddie really helped us build patience- not stopping when we want to or when we think the song’s done- but stopping when it’s right. Through risk-taking, collaboration and taking our music to new levels, the album evolved but it’s kept the original integrity of the demos. Our constant thought was, ‘How can we keep the music true to the lyrics?’ And I think we achieved that,” Lexi explains.

Noting that working with Logix had a major impact on his recording experience and perspective as a producer, Lexi states that this project has given him lessons that he will to carry into future projects.

‘Take Care of Me’ video was shot in Detroit, directed by celebrated photographer Andre Moore. Moore’s debut in videography seems ambiguous upon first glance, but the story behind the visual closely mirrors the song lyrics and tone of the album. Symbolism and color both play major roles in dissecting the relationship between the video’s protagonist and antagonist. Lead roles include Cousin Mouth vocalist Alex Burns, and Detroit model Nisa Seal. Although Cousin Mouth hopes that viewers will draw personal interpretation of the video’s nuances, a deep or repeat look at the video brings its more covert conveyances to light.

Cleverly named ‘Medusa’, the forthcoming album is a “reference to the destruction of beauty.” The project has been almost three years in the making to be released June 1st, 2018 via Paramita Sound. With a ghostly, soulful, and jazzy sound, the sublime yet other worldly  production is the perfect ode to Lexi’s technical skill and breadth of musical knowledge. Burns’ unconventional cadence, genuine lyricism, and unmistakable voice serves as the perfect compliment. Although minimalist in nature, not much is needed to showcase Cousin Mouth’s raw talent and express their ideas. Throughout ‘Medusa’,  the duo creates an eloquent album, refreshing and meaningful in a contemporary sea of satisfaction with “fire beats. ”

Photo by Andre Moore

Medusa will be available on Apple Music and Spotify on June 1st. Copies will also be available at Paramita Sound. Stay on the lookout for this upcoming release and more details on live performances in Detroit.

The post PREMIERE: COUSIN MOUTH DEBUTS ‘TAKE CARE OF ME’ MUSIC VIDEO FROM ALBUM ‘MEDUSA’ appeared first on PLAYGROUND DETROIT.