|
 |
CocoRosieNoah's Ark Rogue/Inertia Last year's 'La Maison de Mon Reve' by American sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady (aka CocoRosie) was a curiously warped record. Cracked boombox beats, fancy out of sync vocals, hushed guitar, harp, jingling percussion and kitschy toy sounds combined to make a magical girly downer FolkHop fantasy. Now we have 'Noah's Ark' and it's more of the same arty lo-gloss-cum-glammy pop with guests and the now nauseatingly affected vocals from Bianca, and more of those fucking toy sounds - I want to smash the cat on Bear Hides And Buffalo! The album smells aloof and fake, but is still attractive in parts. Antony sings a pretty melody on Beautiful Boyz but depending who you ask, his lauded vibrato is as irritating as it is alluring. Devendra Banhart's off-key, most likely phoned-in contributions are short and sweet (Milk and Brazilian Sun) while Jana Hunter and Diane Cluck, interesting singers both, are hard to find. French rappers Spleen and Zen too make brief appearances while French-sounding accordion joins detuned piano and in places bigger beats (Noah's Ark, K-Hole). In her defence Sierra Casady (who also arranges much of the music) has a beautiful voice. Her operatic soprano is artfully croaky and soaring and dripping with lament. Many of the vocal melodies are most striking (Tekno Love Song, Armageddon, The Sea Is Calm, South 2nd) but it's almost as if they are ruined by Bianca's consistently frustrating polecat mewing. And you thought Joanna Newsom was annoying: at least she sings in tune. Bring on the Sierra solo album.  |
|
The latest issue available now!     |
All content copyright dB Magazine