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Not that you'd expect anything particularly conventional from an act that apparently emerged from underneath the voluminous kaftan of Devendra Banhart back in the mid-Noughties, but of all the artists to be lumped into the "freak-folk" movement, CocoRrosie have surely turned out to be some of the freakiest.
Based between Paris and Williamsburg, New York, sisters Bianca "Coco" and Sierra "Rosie" Casady have pursued a studied sort of oddity that has entranced some just as it has bemused others–a hodgepodge of folk, blues and cabaret unafraid to mess with racial or gender roles, or toy with pastiche in its pursuit of hallucinogenic, cracked-mirror creativity.
Those who make it into Grey Oceans, the duo's fourth album, will first have to make it past the cover–a quite horrible concoction featuring energy crystals, faux-facial hair, and some of the worst typography ever to grace a record sleeve. While amusingly grotesque, it is something of a disservice to the record within, which is largely laidback in pace and gauzy in texture, even when it tosses in jaunty ragtime piano (see Hopscotch) or moody, hip hop-inherited boom-boom-clap beats (The Moon Asked the Crow).
Whatever fripperies are erected around them, much of Grey Oceans depends on the vocals and songs of the sisters themselves. Sadly, much of these feel a little lacking. Bianca sings in a child-like coo that doesn't totally irritate, but doesn't really connect either, and the soporific mood that hangs over songs like Undertaker and Gallows tends to come across as a lack of focus.
What saves Grey Oceans is the occasional good idea: the Eastern-tinged Smokey Taboo mixes tablas and wilting strings with Bianca's woozy, half-rapped vocal to impressive effect, while the very peculiar Fairy Paradise is, more or less, Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy as remixed by Paul van Dyk. The first minute or so is delicate music-box chimes and a quiet pulse of filtered synths–but then, as Bianca mutters that "trance music makes the fairies dance", the beat drops, and the weirdest rave-up ever kicks off down the bottom of your garden. --Louis Pattison
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
CocoRosie have more than a little Marmite to them. Those than love them do so for the same reasons as those that hate them. Freak-folk isn't for everyone, and it is fair to say that sisters Bianca "Coco" and Sierra "Rosie" Casady are sometimes freakier than most (see the artwork). It's interesting then that Grey Oceans presents itself as a crossroads in the relationship with their audience.
Combining electronic beats, decidedly operatic vocals and skittish asides under a banner of freak-folk was always going to polarise the public. The girls' catalogue prior to Grey Oceans comprises three albums. Each has dizzying experimental highs, and each has borderline annoying quirks and dalliances. The latter often bubbles down to focus on the childlike singing, which can grate, but always comes with some degree of temperance in the form of fluttery folk and/or scale-straddling soprano and beats.
On Grey Oceans, this childish chatter is kept to a minimum - only the 30 second intro to "Hopscotch" falls into this divisive camp. As a result, the sisters latest offering seems instantly more mature, and less pretentious as a result. Safe, folkish offerings such as the title track and "The Moon Asked The Crow" may not be for everyone, but further support this argument, but not just that of a maturing, also that of a mellowing.
Nevertheless, the sum of their efforts is still rather beguiling. With a mild ethnic flavour to proceedings that echoes the recent work of Taken By Trees, the Grey Oceans patchwork is more colourful than its name suggests. There is a skilled balance to the laser synths and delicate piano that decorate the opener "Trinity's Crying". A hazy and traditional oriental influence plays out over the strings and percussive tablas of follow up "Smokey Taboo".
The textural glitches provided by the dignified "R.I.P. Burn Face" add competent progression to the album, while the poignant piano and relaxed beats of the lead single "Lemonade" provide an alluring, near-Nordic sense of Balearica to proceedings. "Gallows" is a whispery exercise in eerie restraint, whereas the entirely danceable, beat-heavy glitches and pulses of "Fairy Paradise" are a late highlight. Really, only the album closer "Here I Come" disappoints, reprising the earlier piano against both helium-laced vocals and a deeper, spoken-word overlay.
Experimental music requires exploration and CocoRosie seem both to be exploring themselves, past, present and future, as well as dipping a toe into the murky waters of commercial appeal with their perhaps aptly-titled Grey Oceans. Those that prefer it strictly weird may leave these high seas feeling short changed, but for those that were never quite convinced, CocoRosie may well have just made their best album to date.
Combining electronic beats, decidedly operatic vocals and skittish asides under a banner of freak-folk was always going to polarise the public. The girls' catalogue prior to Grey Oceans comprises three albums. Each has dizzying experimental highs, and each has borderline annoying quirks and dalliances. The latter often bubbles down to focus on the childlike singing, which can grate, but always comes with some degree of temperance in the form of fluttery folk and/or scale-straddling soprano and beats.
On Grey Oceans, this childish chatter is kept to a minimum - only the 30 second intro to "Hopscotch" falls into this divisive camp. As a result, the sisters latest offering seems instantly more mature, and less pretentious as a result. Safe, folkish offerings such as the title track and "The Moon Asked The Crow" may not be for everyone, but further support this argument, but not just that of a maturing, also that of a mellowing.
Nevertheless, the sum of their efforts is still rather beguiling. With a mild ethnic flavour to proceedings that echoes the recent work of Taken By Trees, the Grey Oceans patchwork is more colourful than its name suggests. There is a skilled balance to the laser synths and delicate piano that decorate the opener "Trinity's Crying". A hazy and traditional oriental influence plays out over the strings and percussive tablas of follow up "Smokey Taboo".
The textural glitches provided by the dignified "R.I.P. Burn Face" add competent progression to the album, while the poignant piano and relaxed beats of the lead single "Lemonade" provide an alluring, near-Nordic sense of Balearica to proceedings. "Gallows" is a whispery exercise in eerie restraint, whereas the entirely danceable, beat-heavy glitches and pulses of "Fairy Paradise" are a late highlight. Really, only the album closer "Here I Come" disappoints, reprising the earlier piano against both helium-laced vocals and a deeper, spoken-word overlay.
Experimental music requires exploration and CocoRosie seem both to be exploring themselves, past, present and future, as well as dipping a toe into the murky waters of commercial appeal with their perhaps aptly-titled Grey Oceans. Those that prefer it strictly weird may leave these high seas feeling short changed, but for those that were never quite convinced, CocoRosie may well have just made their best album to date.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
CocoRosie are probably the strangest thing I listen to. Many people find their music pretentious and over the top, and I definitely disagree. Many people compare them to Bjork, and accuse them of trying to be like her; I strongly disagree with that too.
I really want to say that I love their music, not because it's "weird", and not because it's obscure. I love a lot of "weird" music, and have often been accused of "trying to be weird, and/or different". Most people (those who only listen to "Top 40" music, or music that sounds like it could be in the Top 40) think that people like me listen to this music because we want to be weird, and that listening to this music helps us fulfill our "weird" persona. I have often been asked why I like such "weird" music. To be honest, I don't know how to answer that question! Maybe I just am "weird", and that's why I like it. I cannot stomach most of the absolute trash that is played on the radio. I don't hate this music just because it's popular (I'm a big fan of many commercially succesful artists), I hate it because it lacks character, sincerity, and most of it seems to be about "pumping the club" and drinking.
Back to the Bjork comparisons; the only similarities between Bjork and CocoRosie are that they are both female, and are both very strange. Sadly, I think people tend to label many unique, or "strange" female artists as "trying to be like Bjork", which only shows that they haven't really allowed themselves to actually LISTEN to the music (there is a big difference between hearing and listening). I am a huge fan of Bjork and CocoRosie. I have all of their albums, and know their music very very well. I actually prefer CocoRosie!
The reason I love CocoRosie's music is that it's passionate and emotionally charged, it is, I believe, the most unique music I listen to. I believe that it's very spiritual, sincere, and it really is very beautifully crafted. I always say that, with CocoRosie's music, the best thing to do is to forget about how "weird" the vocals are, and just listen to the instruments, the melodies, and the atmosphere that these sounds create.
"Grey Oceans" is the duo's fourth album, realeased in May 2010. While their previous album, "The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn" was very electronic, this one is mainly accoustic instrumentation, with bits of electronics sparkling through. The first thing I noticed is how soft and spiritual the mood of the album is. The instrumentation is clearly influenced by their travels around the World, and their interests in different cultures. Their "weirdness", which was definitely full-blown in previous releases, is a bit more toned-down on this ablum (altough it is still very strange).
"Trinity's Crying" and "Smokey Taboo" start the album off with an accoustic, spiritual vibe. "Hopscotch" gives us the craziness we are used to. It's rather silly and fun, but so beautiful at the same time (a strange combination). "Undertaker" goes back to the accoustic, spiritual feeling of the first two tracks. The sisters then each take turns on singing their own ballads, starting with Bianca's "Grey Oceans" which is just Bianca's vocals and piano. Sierra's turn comes next with "R.I.P. Burn Face" which is made up of Sierra's vocals, sparkly electronics, and hip-hop beats. This is, easily, one of the most beauitful lullabies CocoRosie have made.
"The Moon asked the Crow" starts off with piano, and then hip-hop beats and Bianca's rapping are thrown in. I have to say that this combination of piano and beats is just genius! A fun, quirky, up-beat, and of course, beautiful track! "Lemonade" is the albums single. Dark, sad, and so emotional, it shows how good these girls are. The music video is really beautiful; worth checking out on Youtube. "Gallows" is sung by Sierra, and is made up of what sounds like a harp, and electronic sparkles, with sounds of bats and night-time creatures. A beautiful, spooky song that makes me think of a walk through a graveyard in the middle of the night. The mood goes up with "Fairy Paradise", which is, surprisingly, very dancey! Fans of hard techno or trance music will be inpressed! The last track "Here I Come" has an odd, almost jazzy feel, and ends the album very well.
"Grey Oceans" shows that CocoRosie are real musicians. It is defintely their most mature, versatile, and maybe even their most beautiful (altough that would be hard to pick) album so far. It's album cover (which, by the way, is incredibly ugly) doesn't do it the justice it deserves.
Another beautiful album from an amazing pair of talented artists...
I really want to say that I love their music, not because it's "weird", and not because it's obscure. I love a lot of "weird" music, and have often been accused of "trying to be weird, and/or different". Most people (those who only listen to "Top 40" music, or music that sounds like it could be in the Top 40) think that people like me listen to this music because we want to be weird, and that listening to this music helps us fulfill our "weird" persona. I have often been asked why I like such "weird" music. To be honest, I don't know how to answer that question! Maybe I just am "weird", and that's why I like it. I cannot stomach most of the absolute trash that is played on the radio. I don't hate this music just because it's popular (I'm a big fan of many commercially succesful artists), I hate it because it lacks character, sincerity, and most of it seems to be about "pumping the club" and drinking.
Back to the Bjork comparisons; the only similarities between Bjork and CocoRosie are that they are both female, and are both very strange. Sadly, I think people tend to label many unique, or "strange" female artists as "trying to be like Bjork", which only shows that they haven't really allowed themselves to actually LISTEN to the music (there is a big difference between hearing and listening). I am a huge fan of Bjork and CocoRosie. I have all of their albums, and know their music very very well. I actually prefer CocoRosie!
The reason I love CocoRosie's music is that it's passionate and emotionally charged, it is, I believe, the most unique music I listen to. I believe that it's very spiritual, sincere, and it really is very beautifully crafted. I always say that, with CocoRosie's music, the best thing to do is to forget about how "weird" the vocals are, and just listen to the instruments, the melodies, and the atmosphere that these sounds create.
"Grey Oceans" is the duo's fourth album, realeased in May 2010. While their previous album, "The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn" was very electronic, this one is mainly accoustic instrumentation, with bits of electronics sparkling through. The first thing I noticed is how soft and spiritual the mood of the album is. The instrumentation is clearly influenced by their travels around the World, and their interests in different cultures. Their "weirdness", which was definitely full-blown in previous releases, is a bit more toned-down on this ablum (altough it is still very strange).
"Trinity's Crying" and "Smokey Taboo" start the album off with an accoustic, spiritual vibe. "Hopscotch" gives us the craziness we are used to. It's rather silly and fun, but so beautiful at the same time (a strange combination). "Undertaker" goes back to the accoustic, spiritual feeling of the first two tracks. The sisters then each take turns on singing their own ballads, starting with Bianca's "Grey Oceans" which is just Bianca's vocals and piano. Sierra's turn comes next with "R.I.P. Burn Face" which is made up of Sierra's vocals, sparkly electronics, and hip-hop beats. This is, easily, one of the most beauitful lullabies CocoRosie have made.
"The Moon asked the Crow" starts off with piano, and then hip-hop beats and Bianca's rapping are thrown in. I have to say that this combination of piano and beats is just genius! A fun, quirky, up-beat, and of course, beautiful track! "Lemonade" is the albums single. Dark, sad, and so emotional, it shows how good these girls are. The music video is really beautiful; worth checking out on Youtube. "Gallows" is sung by Sierra, and is made up of what sounds like a harp, and electronic sparkles, with sounds of bats and night-time creatures. A beautiful, spooky song that makes me think of a walk through a graveyard in the middle of the night. The mood goes up with "Fairy Paradise", which is, surprisingly, very dancey! Fans of hard techno or trance music will be inpressed! The last track "Here I Come" has an odd, almost jazzy feel, and ends the album very well.
"Grey Oceans" shows that CocoRosie are real musicians. It is defintely their most mature, versatile, and maybe even their most beautiful (altough that would be hard to pick) album so far. It's album cover (which, by the way, is incredibly ugly) doesn't do it the justice it deserves.
Another beautiful album from an amazing pair of talented artists...
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The more I listen to this the better it gets. I suppose some people will say that this is similar to Bjork but to be honest she never did anything for me. But this album, I love. Weird, quirky, gorgeous.
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