Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cocorosie have always been weird -- their first album was utterly bizarre, and so was their second.

But their creepy freakfolk sound is taken a step further in their third album, "The Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn." The sister duo's sound is more polished and complex in this one, but remains eerie, bizarre and enticing -- like a fantastical child's dream.

It opens with Bianca crooning "Of aaaaaalllll the white horses," over rattly maraca, keening guitar, chittering birds and a smooth keyboard melody. But by nature it's hip-hop oriented, with some childlike rapping:

"He's moved a little nearer/to the master of our laughter/to the master of our song... then we gathered in a circle/still drown the rainbow fire/burning amber's not united/we remember mystical beauty." It's gloriously catchy, but kept from being merely poppy by all those odd sounds and extra melodies.

Things get less openly catchy with the songs that follow -- skittering ambient rap, clattering pop tunes that are crammed with keyboard tones and scratchy samples, music-box ballads, wistful little meandering freakfolk tunes, and delicate guitar pop with a soaring keyboard edge.

The music in "The Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn" is almost TOO full at times, like a dusty room filled with old dolls and ornate toys. But it's never predictable -- there's always a weird new melody draped in oddball sounds for them. You never even have the chance to get bored.

The instrumentation is a bit more electronically oriented this time around, with waves of organ and keyboard over the smooth piano, rattly drums and ringing guitar. Sometimes these girls throw in some random samples (is that a duck?), bicycle bells, and some toy instruments -- it's a little cluttered, but it makes every song wildly unpredictable.

The songs are just as unpredictable -- sometimes silly, somtimes somber. They're filled with crystals, rollercoasters, werewolves, witches, wanting to go to Japan, and girls who talk to geese. All these are sung in Bianca's versatile voice, which can flip from opera to rap, and back to a high, rambling crack-pixie voice.

Cocorosie go into stranger, eerie territory with their polished third album, a checkered mix of freakfolk and crazy pop. Definitely a must-listen.

No insult to either songstress, either -- it's just that these chix are so unbelievably, weirdly cool, that there's really no way to define them. Perhaps "best possible fusion of ambient, foundsound, rappish electronica." Cocteau Twins fell into a Jean-Pierre Jeunet dream. Do yerself a favor and try out one of these: Animals, Werewolf, Rainbowarriors, Japan. The more you listen, the more you like.

Well, I certainly didn't dislike this album, but as someone who adored CocoRosie's first two efforts, I'm a little bit disappointed by The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn. This album has a much more cleaned up sound than anything I've previously heard from CocoRosie. I think that the production kind of sucks. I feel like whatever wonderful element that made La Maison de Mon Reve and Noah's Ark so endlessly enchanting to me is hardly even present here.

My friend introduced me to CocoRosie and I have been addicted. I'm pretty open to music and you'll need to be to get this sister duo. Their music is magical, spiritual and beautiful, although it is mostly about darker times in these ladies' lives. I can relate and there are almost hidden sayings of hope and inspiration throughout. If you want to try something different this is definitely different, I was pleasantly pleased. :)

This does not fall short in any respects!
Cocorosie's imagery is beautiful and frightening, like the hypnopompic state of not-quite-awake. Definitely have they not at all declined over albums. Ever strengthening their abilities in storytelling and musicianship, Cocorosie leads the listener inward to a tiny, new world of romance and creepies. The whole disc seems so natural and carefree, but at the same time every word and sound is so, so perfectly placed. It's real enjoyable.

This sounds like it could be the soundtrack to the Jean-Pierre Jeunet film "City of Lost Children" with a dash of hip-hop thrown in for good measure but be warned, on first listen this feels somewhat slow & lumbering but after quite a few listens that all changes & each song beautifully stands out from the next. You know those albums you didnt care for on first listen but you knew something interesting was going on & 10 years later you listen to it again & suddenly realize its amazing, timeless, & underrated. This is that album! Easily the best of 2007.

got this today (along with timbaland's 'shock value', and an interesting comparison).
the timbaland (my fave beatmaker) is all state-of-the-art, with big pop-star guests and tim's own (unfortunate) turns on the mic. it's glossy, paint-by-numbers, and disappointing. no revolution here...

now i'm listening (again) to "the adventures of".
i worried that better production would polish the edges & quirks of cocoR, but all is well: this cd just SOUNDS better than the earlier ones.

clarity is a great thing here; songs are fun(ny), smart, odd. the toys are there, but blend into things better.
the voices are stronger (but no less unique); the sound is rich, airy...

this is what i want from music: adventure, twists & turns, color. invention.

for fans of the earlier cds, this is essential. for anyone else: also essential.

Cocorosie has never been a group for the mainstream. Since their inception, the Casady sisters have captivated their audience, not by catchy hooks or flashy productions but with their unparalleled sound. For better or for worse, Cocorosie has sacrificed much of their success to remain true to the sound that they wished to create. "The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn" is a step towards accessibility and the success that follows it, yet at the same time, it doesn't even feel like the group is sacrificing what has kept them unique all this time. If anything, the album is proof that the group is evolving and maturing as artists. The result is fantastic!

Beginning with the first single "Rainbowarriors," the album starts on a high note. While not the highlight of the album by any means, the song features the group's typically quirky lyrics over a half sung, half rapped melody. The chorus itself is less than catchy, but the real value of the song comes from it's incredibly deep production. "Promise" is a much better song, all around. Bianca's rap in this song is amazing, and surprisingly and uncharacteristically catchy. The beat box-esque drums in the song blend perfectly with the fluttering synth arpeggios that flood the song to form something that is really solid.

"Japan" is classic Cocorosie. It sounds more like a children's song gone awry. Here, Bianca quips "Everybody wants to go to Iraq, but once they go they don't come back." Of course, the song isn't about Iraq. Apparently everybody also wants to go to Japan, Californ-i-a, and Jamaica. It's humorous in it's simplicity, but that's really what makes the song work. It winds up being a stand-out on the album.

The best song on the album, by far, is "Werewolf," and it's an early front runner for song of the year in my book! The beat box drums make another appearance here, this time over a well-composed piano loop. The song starts off quite slowly, but by the time the chorus comes in at full force you will have already fallen in love with it. When the sisters sing, "I'ma shake you off though, get up on that horse and ride into the sunset, look back with no remorse" you can't help sing along. It's such a beautiful song, but one that is also incredibly entertaining. That song is followed quite splendidly by "Animals," a song that is pretty simple and straightforward. However, it's also quite moving and one that you'll want to listen to over and over again to get every last bit of magic out of it.

"The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn" is no "Noah's Ark," that's for sure! But that's not a bad thing at all. Personally, I could see the appeal of Cocorosie's previous efforts but could never get into them like I felt I should have. This album is different. From start to finish, I found myself captivated by the sheer versatility that Bianca and Sierra demonstrate throughout. The songs here are brilliant in their approach, and are simple yet seemingly complex at the same time. Anyone who devotes time to this album will not be disappointed. It is a work of art, and one that should be appreciated. One thing's for sure...they won me over.

Recommended for fans of Cocorosie, Xiu Xiu, Joanna Newsom, and anyone who thought that there was no originality left in the music world.

Key Tracks:
1. "Promise"
2. "Japan"
3. "Sunshine"
4. "Werewolf"
5. "Animals"

7 out of 10 Stars

Let me state upfront that it was my (now 18 yr. old) daughter who found out about Cocorosie some years ago, and she was really into them (still is). Of course, that peaked my interest so I had to check out the band (consisting of the 2 Casady sisters). After the 2004 debut album "La Maison de Mon Reve" and 2005's "Noah's Ark" comes the third album, which was released in April, 2007.

"The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stilborne" (12 tracks, 41 min.) starts off with "Rainbowarriors", about as accessible a track as Cocorosie has ever done. It is followed by "Promise", which reminds me of Bjork in one of her more experimental moods. In fact, the off-beat Bjork comparison comes back to me more than once on this album. "Japan" follows shortly, my favorite track of the album, an imaginative track with a harp lead-motive, but with a slight reggae undertone, just beautiful. "Animals" (at 6+ min., the longest track on here by far) uses spare instruments but with lots of underlying musical scratches and sounds. There are many dreamy tracks on the album, with not much, if any, of a melody to speak of, and if you are in the mood for it, it works great, but this is not for anyone in a hurry. In all, this is quite the album, one that I have come to play a lot more than I ever expected.

Cocorosie played at the 2007 Bonnaroo festival, in support of this album, and while my daughter and her friend saw them (and subsequently raved about it), I somehow missed them. Shame on me! I can't wait to see the Casady sisters live at some point, and I'm just as eager to see where they will take us on their next album.

I have no history of Cocorosie, and approached this album without hearing a single song off their earlier two albums.

First off, I have to say, this is one of the most beautiful album covers I've ever seen. I am a huge fan of album art as I feel its a very integral part of every album, and the time and effort spent on this particular album cover is of particular note. As a side note, the cover works especially well as Desktop Wallpaper if you can find it in HQ - its just so beautiful.

The music - well, many people have compared this to Tori Amos and Bjork, but that isn't right. I think comparing anything to Bjork these days is an insult anyway, as Bjork is no longer the revolutionary she used to be. This year, the toss up for me is between Cocorosie's album and the one by Bat for Lashes (you should get that album as well). The music on this CD is very atmospheric, but very Vaudeville as well - it goes from operatic to minimalistic all within one song. As a musical genre, I guess this would still fall under 'alternative pop' but that isn't really the best way to describe it. The one thing I CAN say is that both lead vocalists sound amazing - hitting every note just right.

This is also a very dark album. Very little joy or happiness here. In fact, within the first six songs I was entirely spent and quite low in spirits. Is this something thats on every Cocorosie album? I don't know, but over here I was left thinking that they should have added on a few happy tunes at least.

If you like deep, dark goth music thats accessible and even 'pretty', then this is the one for you.

The best way to describe it is - if you could imagine Neil Gaiman's 'The Sandman' set to music, this would be that CD. Hope this helps. Also, I've got to say that this holds up beautifully with repeat plays - I'm currently playing this, Bat for Lashes, and Jeff Buckley almost exclusively.