Customer Reviews

Cousteau

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Nick Cave immediately came to mind when I first heard Liam McKahey sing the first notes to "Your Day Will Come". Although the songs were nowhere near as morbid or melancholy as any Nick Cave song, the vocal comparisons to him is quite evident throughout the cd.

I thoroughly enjoyed Cousteau's self-titled album. When I first listened to this album, my impressions were that this would be the perfect cd to listen to during the after hours, when all the bars and clubs have shut down for the night during the weekend. I could almost see this band playing ina smokey basement to a small crowd who are not ready to go home yet.

Every song on this album is a winner. Liam McKahey's voice is deep and warm. He also reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen at times. It shows in the songs that a lot of care went into the writing of the lyrics as well as song structure. I just don't hear that on the first listen with a lot of albums coming out today. I certainly recommend buying this album for anyone curious about Cousteau.

On this debut (actually, a remix of their 1999 debut which has become as mythically unattainable as the holy grail to fans of artists like Burt Bachrach, Jimmy Webb, and Scott Walker looking for a fresh fix), Cousteau deliver eleven of the best constructed pop songs I've heard this year. Davey Ray Moor, the multi-instrumentalist composer, may wear his influences on his sleeve--but what great influences they are. From the Beatles to Nick Drake. Liam McKahey has a stunning baritone voice and many of the songs were assisted by "Tindersticks" arranger, Ian Caple, no stranger to the romantic indie genre. Torch songs set to great rock backgrounds--buy this now. The single "The Last Good Day of the Year" with its "Walk on By" introduction and infectious fluglehorn will haunt you.It will be interesting to see where Davey Ray Moor will take this great group, as their debut displays an artistic maturity it took artists like Neil Hannon, Nick Cave, and the "Tindersticks" several albums to achieve.

Cousteau's self-titled CD sounds like a mature work, not a debut. The band has clearly honed an unusual style and is not just experimenting. The quality of the songs varies widely, but the good news is that the high points are very high. My recommendation to those sampling the album for the first time is to try Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9. I've seen several reviews that say this is "late night smoky lounge" music, and it is, but the best review was one that accused these guys of "shag-pile sensuality" - Yes! There are two lead singers. Liam McKahey is the musky baritone and Davey Ray Moor the delicate tenor, and both are effective. The first track "Your Day Will Come" is among the low-downest, smokiest of them all, and the best of this kind of song that they do. Liam sings as if he has seen everything, done everything, and he's weary of it all, but no, it's still not your time. "The Last Good Day of the Year" picks the pace up, but only a bit. Its gentle trumpet and "ch-ch" guitar scratch are pure Burt Bacharach, specifically "Walk on By", but unlike the preceding song this turns into a soaring song of hope, even if it is only the hope of memory ("There's something there among the fallen fruit and flowers..."). The third track, "Mesmer" is my favorite. There is nothing else I've heard like it, and it's what I call a "close your eyes" song. Sung by Davey, it has a "whirling, swirling" arrangement (from the lyrics), the insistent pulse of acoustic guitar picking and a one-note bass and best of all, a sweetly singing violin. Track 6 "Shades of Ruinous Blue", also sung by Davey, is the best one to enjoy down on the shag-pile. Robin Brown's sweet and simple repeating guitar phrase drives this one. Track 8, "She Don't Hear Your Prayer" and Track 9, "One Good Reason", both sung by Liam, are excellent, and it's worth noting that not until "One Good Reason" does the band show it can actually rock. They do it very nicely, and while they could easily have made this a three-minute song it just gets better and better as they take it to six. I don't care for the other songs on the CD, and the unevenness disqualifies it from getting 5 stars, but these six songs make it a bargain, and they make me wonder what Cousteau will do next.

I bought this CD 2 months ago, and it has spent very little time outside my CD player. It's like Burt Bacharach, Barry White and Chris Isaak got together and jammed. It's bluesy, jazzy, dark and sweet with a glorious lounge-singer, lava-lamp, velvet-and-dark-chocolate feel with brilliant, romantic and sometimes sarcastic lyrics. It's like nothing else out there right now. Everyone can relate to the sentiments expressed; they're universal and yet original (take "Wish You Were Her," for instance). The music is superb, the lyrics are sheer genius, and yes, my God, that voice...

I purchased this album when it was first released. I heard the song "Last Good Day Of The Year" on a late night video program. I was immediately taken by this mysterious song. I liked the fact that it had a mellow pop sense to it with a feel of modern rock. Every song on this album is spectacular enriched with an array of top notch musicianship including flugelhorn, violin, guitar, drums, etc. Although this album is extremely well produced Liam McKahey's vocals make this effort outstanding. He ranks with the all-time great male vocalists. His vocals are the finest on the scene, he's smooth and soulful. He sings his songs with ease, control and dynamics. He belongs with the luminaries such as; Marvin Gaye, Roy Orbison, Freddie Mercury and Stevie Wonder.
All the songs on this classy album were written and produced by band member Davey Ray Moor. The overall feel of this album is mesmerizing with a soulful easy jazz pop sound.

I'm jealous of this band's talent. It's rare that you play an album and it has the immediate quality of being a classic, a collection of smoky love ballads suggestive of riding a convertible speedster as you take a jaunt around the coast of southern Italy. The album reminds me of a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach a couple of years ago, which I liked. As with many great albums, all the songs blend so that you don't have some jarring, abrupt misfit song thrown in to ruin the magical spell. Finally, I appreciate that the band is not trying to be cute, self-conscious or campy about the "retro" quality of the album, but rather has seriously crafted finely structured songs with a wonderful mix and great sound quality.

Imagine the scene a late night,a very dimly lit and smokey bar and a band are playing -well this is the music you'd be hearing.Somewhere between Nick Cave-though not as melancholy and Tindersticks would be the best way to describe the music of Cousteau.

11 tracks running at just over 50 minutes and there are plenty of great songs on this c.d.The music isn't going to get you leaping around the place with excitement,but it's the perfect music for a certain late-night,time to unwind mood.The tempo of the songs are all pretty slow and there is a real mellow vibe to these songs.Songs of sadness but never complete anger,beauty but never too syrupy,songs of loss but also hope and they are all brilliantly sung by singer Liam Mc Kahey.The backing band are excellent too.Acoustic guitars,Chris Isaak sounding guitars combine with hammond organs,piano and gentle drums,not to mention quality bass.Then throw in songs with violins for songs of a slightly Celtic feel and flugelhorn for the amazing 2nd track-"Last Good Day Of The Year".Many of the songs of course have a real blues sentiment and a easy jazz sound to them.I would also say that these songs while they maybe similar in style to Cave and Tindersticks,they are far more accessible.This c.d. isn't hard work,that is not to say it gets a bit boring with repeated listens,there are songs of great depth here also-I've had this for over 6 months now and I still listen to it regularly.It's the sort of c.d. that suits a certain type of mood-and it suits this quiet mood just perfectly.It certainly is an album well worth checking out.

If you like bands such as Tindersticks and Divine Comedy you're very unlikely to be disappointed by this album. It's basically a collection of beautifully arranged songs in the vein of the overmentioned bands but what makes the record stand out is the singer's croon. His voice will get you in no time! People who saw them live described him as some sort of muscular boxer (completed with tatoos) dressed in a suit. A litle difficult to figure out maybe but I assure you, again, that his voice speaks for itself. This is late-night music, haunting and a bit cabaret-like if you know what I mean. Let's be content with saying that on the whole this album is simply great!

This is one of the best CD's I have listened to in a long time. And I mean it. Davey Ray Moor is a brilliant and talented composer/instrumentalist, though I do have to say his voice is a bit weak on tracks 3 and 6. Liam's vocals on the rest of the songs are enough to make you want to fall in (or out) of love with someone (yes, they are that good). "Last Good Day of the Year" is definitely the best track but don't pass up the sad yet hopeful "How Will I Know" which is my personal favorite.
And if you think their CD is good, I highly recommend seeing them live. They do a version of "Last Good Day" with a "Grazing in the Grasses" upbeat tempo.
Do get this CD.

Just about everything on this album is worth a listen. This is a refined effort, for sure, which suggests these guys have been working together for a while. As some of the other reviewers say, the album has a jazzy, bluesy, smoke-filled room quality. Highly recommended.