The Cuza – Manchester, England, United Kingdom
The Cuza and the debut ‘Bite Ya’ is notable for a number of reasons. Firstly and most humorously, the word ‘Cuza’ is often used as a slang term for Curry. Now, at least to me, the idea of Curry achieving sentience, turning rabid and biting my face-off is the stuff of nightmares. Secondly, they are a band based in Manchester. Furthermore, thirdly and most importantly, they are arguably injecting raucous rock and or roll back into Indie-Rock.
The moniker of “Cuza” is actually something of a prominent name in 19th Century Romanian History, not the name of an Asian foodstuff given the name “Curry” by silly English people.
I said arguably, so read on. Indie-Rock to me at least is “one of those”. The genre took the initial raucous rambunctiousness that was Rock n’ Roll as you’d expect. It then plied itself with the wanton energy of Punk-Rock and glossed it with the comparatively refined precision of Post-Punk. When most people think of the genre they think of the early 2000s and 2010s where being Indie was the new Punk, at least when I was growing up anyway. The music back-then had this rough-cut quirk that exuberantly took many peoples tastes by the buds.
Enter The Cuza and their debut single, ‘Bite Ya’.
Low-ridden almost Blues-esque bass-fuzz momentarily leads you unto crunching Indie-Rock flirtatiously existing nearer its Indie-Punk cousin. Tudor’s melodic vocals contrast this over-reverbed fuzz while purveying the Blues-Rock n’ Roll twang further. Wailing, backing vocals only embody this Rock n’ Roll penchant even further in a manner that would get Elvis moving; when he could move anyway. Indie-Rock is where the band’s sound is rounded too though despite this, both cleverly and aesthetically.
The band maintain this Indie-Rock sound throughout but rather than just focus on thinly spliced layers of bubbling basslines and intricate noodling guitars, utterly go for it. The bridge for the final chorus and the addition of the excellent backing vocals does nothing but foundationally entrench the Rock n’ Roll proceding the prefix of “Indie”.
If you’re going to release a debut single to reinvigorate a genre, get The Cuza on the phone.
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