Noah's Ark - Cocorosie

Noah’s Ark

Cocorosie
Touch and Go Records.

SCQ Rating: 77%

The white-washed elegance of La Maison De Mon Reve not only blindsided the indie press into a fervor, but offered a duo who hinted at being a great many things. Their production was so archaic, their voices such throw-backs, that the mysterious women behind it all became the most alluring break-through of 2003. Cocorosie return with Noah’s Ark; a sophomore effort burdened with the heavy decision of which route to carry on down - Parisian songbirds or lo-fi oddities?

Noah’s Ark, then, is a double-edge sword; while this new collection will only magnify our fascination with the Cassidy sisters, it cannot focus their many talents into one cohesive statement. Where La Maison De Mon Reve was moving in its ability to combine weirdness with timeless melody seamlessly, here we find these two styles polarized to the farthest opposing poles. ‘Tekno Love Song’, despite the misleading title, would fit nicely among their earlier dreamy material, while ‘Bear Hides and Buffalo’ is super-bizarre - creepy tenors, meowing cats and, for good measure, neighing horses. Ranging from inspired (‘Brazilian Sun’) to underwhelming (‘Armageddon’), these excursions might earn their controversial cover-art (unicorn sex-acts, Jesuit Carebears, rainbow vomit) but overall hinder a potential that could’ve seen Cocorosie top their debut.

When Noah’s Ark is focused, it’s spectacular; most notably in their hypnotic use of old-school drum machines. Providing a hushed but metronomic electronic backbeat, ‘K-Hole’, ‘Beautiful Boyz’ and the title track affirm this sophomore as an urban and mechanized retort to La Maison…’s idyllic mood. Having Antony Hegarty and Devendra Banhart lend their creativity only ensures this record’s varied melodic scope. And although the most adventurous tunes tend to go awry, I’m not the critic to pan them for it; there isn’t a single disturbed moment on record that feels embellished or inauthentic. Cocorosie aren’t a band I entirely understand but that’s something to cherish amid the objectives of such a linear music industry.