I heard Cousines like Shit the first time when some algorithm fed me “NO”, early in the year. It might be the first time I’ve heard the word “Egyptologism” in life, not just in song. I included it in the Friday playlist, and it really hasn’t left the rotation since. Absurd and charming with an anti-capitalist or even slightly punk-rock edge — like an indie pop take on a Cheekface or The Bug Club. It would be easy to write off the band as a gimmick act based on a cursory listen, but there’s a depth and charm to Cousines’ lyrics that keeps me coming back for this record.
Album opener “TO-DO-LIST” is a perfect example. The opening stanza begins like a joke but the anticapitalist sentiment follows pretty closely:
My to-do list tries to suffocate me in my sleep
So much to do / high expectations to meet
The pressure rises / Faces turn pale
Performance oriented society won’t allow you to fail
Cousines like Shit is made up of Laura and Hannah Breitfuss, accompanied by bassist Lisa Maria Weinberger and drummer Lilian Mira Kaufmann for gigs. The Vienna-based cousins started as a happy accident on a Greek beach, where they were stranded without a ride to a festival, leading to a Retsina-fueled songwriting session and their cheeky name.
The lyrics on Permanent Earthquake are often centred on social judgement and societal expectations. “BLOOD YOUNG” needles aging cool kids realizing that their parents were cooler them. The second single, “BORING”, is a post-punk banger with vicious lyrics, sung with an ironic monotone delivery:
The song I can’t get enough of on this record is the closer “HIGH” – a six-minute slow-burn that with hypnotic synths that likely serves as a cathartic and crowd-pleasing ending to the live set too:
Permanent Earthquake sounds more polished and synth-driven than their first record, 2023’s AVANT TRASH, which is a lot closer to a stream-of-consciousness lark, though songs like “Buy” and “Young and Online” feel like preludes to some of the songs on the new record.
Permanent Earthquake’s mix of post-punk energy and introspective lyrics captures the tension of living under societal pressures, and tracks like “TO-DO-LIST” and “BORING” balance critique with danceable hooks and smart one-liners. It’s hard to know how seriously to take Cousines like Shit, as it’s hard to know how seriously they take themselves. Their playful absurdity is part of the charm, but Permanent Earthquake reveals a sharp perspective beneath the surface.
