CocoRosie (lyrics, electronic, great song)

La Maison de Mon Rêve. 2004.



The debut album from sisters Bianca and Sierra Casady under the moniker of CocoRosie and is a very good one at that. With Sierra bringing operatic vocals and Bianca the complete antithesis of that, this strange mix has provided a startlingly different oddball of a folk album that comes across as rustically dreamy with lo-fi production and an array of weird found sounds.
Opening track Terrible Angels is a wandering folk song with just an acoustic guitar gently played with the sisters singing in harmony, though maybe disharmony would be the better term, though with the found farmyard sounds and the electronic found sounds appearing at the end we are of to an intriguingly beautiful start. By Your Side shows that the intrigue is just not the first track as we have another oddball vocal by the sisters with Bianca's nasally vocal and a piano sounding distant as if 78rpm vinyl is being played. Over the top we have the sound of Sierra singing sweetly with lyrics that are strangely attractive but also chilling
I'll be the best girl you'd ever meet
And for a diamond ring
I'll do these kinds of things
I'll scrub your floor
Never be a bore
I'd tuck you in
I do not snore
I'd wear your black eyes
Bake you apple pies
I won't ask whys
And I try not to cry
Jesus Loves Me starts with Bianca singing softly the chorus and with the sweet vocal and simple guitar we are challenged again
Jesus loves me
But not my wife
Not my nigger friends
Or their nigger lives
But jesus loves me
Dat for sure
'Cause the bible tell me so
A certain attitude is being satirised.
Good Friday is more simple sweetness and a love song that has more of the guitar played simply and slowly along with the sisters disharmony. Again found sounds simmer away to cut the sweetness. Not For Sale has a harp playing away with a simple lyric and at just over a minute is finished before it has begun. Tahiti Love Song has found sounds of the pouring rain and a flute sounding in the distance. We again have the 78rpm minute effect that makes the song sound distant and ancient but then a pot and pan being beaten out of time and what sounds like an air raid siren brings us back to the now. But as the harp segues into Candyland we are presented with a simple sounding tune with ever so light vocal harmonies and the sound of the farm and an aria. This no doubt sounds ridiculous but there is an effectiveness that works. Butterscotch has more vocal disharmony and found sounds of ****erel's crowing and weird electronic sounds under a folk guitar. It has now reached a point in the album when nothing is surprising. West Side has what sound like a toy piano and more found sounds with a strong beat and the sisters sweetly singing for another short song with Madonna giving more lo-fi sounding production and folk like acoustic and more intriguing found sounds. Haitian Love Song is a magical and beautiful song that has a wonderful lyric. The pronunciation of the lyric is of a rustic style, "And I knowed your home" for example. With the odd sounds trundling away over the gentle acoustic guitar somehow it all sounds mysterious and rural and compelling. Lyla finishes and we get the piano sounding old and distant with what sounds like hand crane as the sisters sing dreamily about Yugoslavia.

A fine debut album that is for me the best of the three CocoRosie albums. It is a gentle album though the rough and tumble of the found sounds and the rustic approach give it an experimental edge that 4 years later still sounds fresh. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary within the folk field this weird one could be for you.



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