The production gives this release a real kick into the stratosphere. It exemplifies the sound of a band ready to meet the general public head on.
The production gives this release a real kick into the stratosphere. It exemplifies the sound of a band ready to meet the general public head on.
CoCoRosie – The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
(Touch & Go Records http://www.konkurrent.nl/ http://www.tgrec.com/)
Never let it be said that there can be too much creativity. Frankly CoCoRosie knock any notions (or indeed accusations) of artistic overindulgence into a cocked hat with this release. Ghosthorse is a staggering justification of them both as a band and a creative force. It has to be said that the production gives this release a real kick into the stratosphere. It exemplifies the sound of a band ready to meet the general public head on.
All this is apparent from the opening track Rainbow Warriors, which successfully marries their ethereal meanderings with a very, very contemporary, danceable soundtrack. Oh, another thing; the chorus is utterly beautiful. If any track had to be taken as their battle cry, then this is surely it. Promise, Bloody Twins and Japan is a kind of playful trio; the "found sounds", hip-hop beats and breaks on Promise & Japan play off the spooky feel on Bloody Twins. Japan in particular is charming and hints at an in-band avowal to broaden horizons.
The melancholy on this LP is sugar-tinted… but never saccharine, which is something you could, at a push, accuse some songs on the other LPs of being. Noticeable love songs are Sunshine which is a beautiful old-style CoCoRosie composition stripped bare and allowed to operate without the mysterious flummery which they were so fond of previously. The same could be said of Black Poppies, though that is more of a throwback to their old ways.
Where this LP really takes off is when we encounter the tracks Werewolf and Animals; which are incredibly powerful incantations, sustained by a clear sound and hypnotizing riffs. Raphael is also a beautiful listen and has a brilliant crystalline feel to its harp meets break-beat groove (it is incredible to imagine that combination of instrumentation isn’t it?) The Girl and the Geese and Miracle present a suitably dreamy finale. Oh and is that A Hegarty esq. guesting on vox at the end? Sounds like it.
Brilliant. And highly recommended.
Words: Richard Foster