Obviously, I don’t just write my own reviews – I also read other peoples. It helps to steer me in the right direction and it helps to learn about the artists that I may or may not end up writing about. It is also interesting to see how other peoples opinions differ. Music is definitely down to personal taste and just because one person may love Marmite, that doesn’t mean the next person will.
This review is about an artist who goes by the alias “I Blame Coco” and I’ve got to her a bit late. The reason for this is that I read a review about her debut album “The Constant” some time ago and they basically said it was alright but not worth running out for. And with that, I left it there.
Luckily for me (and hopefully you), I’m a curious person and several months later, I’ve decided to give it a try.
The story goes that she was never really into writing music (she did have a record deal but her music wasn’t that great) but then she had a nasty accident at an LA restaurant when she was 19 and it all changed. Apparently, she fainted when she stood up and knocked herself out. It was only her dad that persuaded her to have a CAT scan that they realised she needed some extra care.
After she had recovered, apart from the curious loss of her ability to smell, she changed her approach to music and with it her style. She collaborated with a number of artists such as Mr Hudson (on “I Blame Coco”), Miike Snow and Robyn and produced The Constant.
As an album, it’s like a mix of lots of different things but with a clear influence from her dad. She says the name is a “stain” but that distinctive vocal sound and unmissable samples from her dad’s records are hard to miss. As it goes, I think the sound is great. It is a little like a new generation of Sting but more in passing rather than in comparison.
And when you consider the sounds of the people that she has worked with, there is a delicate mix of recognisable sounds whilst she still manages to carve her own tune. “I Blame Coco” and “It’s About to Get Worse” sound very Mr Hudson-esque. The digital backbeats scream of Miike Snow’s doing and with Robyn’s vocals on “Caesar” (her main single so far), you can see how she is shaping herself with those around her she sees as her peers.
The overall package, in my opinion is very good. It’s a little bit like when you find a great band and you go looking for a similar one to continue the enjoyment. Most of the time (Like the Go! Team), you can’t find anything. You just end up back where you started. I Blame Coco, is similar enough to some of last years great artists that she can pull that one off, whilst being different.
Having said that, to like her you will have had to like Miike Snow’s debut album (reviewed here), Mr Hudson, at least the first 5 or so tracks of Royksopp’s Junior, and of course, a little bit of Sting. But if that isn’t too much to bear, then this one definitely gets a recommendation. Oh, and listen to it a couple of times before you make a call on it!
3 G’s (out of 4).
GGG
Very pop-y but it’s growing on me!