Sirena

Cousteau | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Palm Pictures (Audio
• ASIN: B000066T3F
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,504 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Sirena, the second album from Cousteau, further demonstrates this group’s debt to Scott Walker, the Tindersticks, and, indeed, any young man who has ever put on a suit, turned the lights down low, and crooned sadly, sonorously, and edgily. Buoyed by dramatic pianos, subtle strings, and even the odd keening steel guitar, these anthems of bruised machismo frame singer Liam's rich and relaxed slides between warm baritone and caressing falsetto. If there's a drawback, it lies in the rhythmic and textural sameness of much of the material. But, at its best--"Nothing So Bad," "Heavy Weather," "Talking to Myself," and the deliciously sensual "Salome"--Sirena is an album of bittersweet bliss and old-fashioned swoon-pop values. --Garry Mulholland

Product Description

Cousteau describe their album as 'Sleazy Listening'. While building up a loyal fan base that stretches from the States to France to Australia and to Italy (where their debut achieved Gold status). Flying in the face of all that's formulaic and shallow Cousteau return with 'Sirena' - real songs, real emotional power, real musicians. Palm Pictures 2002 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Darker Side of Cousteau (If That's Possible), July 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sirena (Audio CD)

I just got a copy of Cousteau's "Sirina" yesterday, and I was kind of afraid that either the songs would not be as powerful as thier first album and it would have that kind of cranked out follow-up feeling to it, or that it would maybe reflect too much of the influence of what critics have been saying about their music. But, wow, was I surprised when I listened to it. It still has that destinctive Cousteau sound to it, the lushness and atmosphere, but this time around the sound is much more exclusively DARK, I mean the frist album was very dark, but in more of a meloncholy and longing way, this album reflects a mood more world-weary and sorrowful. More deprivation-like. This time around they sound so much more jazzy and funky, kind of like the whole album takes on a tone similar to the first album's "How will I know" and "Of this Goodbye." More piano, jazzy drums, jazz guitar, with the addition of saxiphone and even some accordian, but much less flugal horn and violin, so the sound's much less fantasy dream-like and more smoky, late night, jazz club, sexy. Really overwhelmingly sexy, in fact some of the songs on here are almost unbearably sensual, like "Please Don't Cry" and "Peculuarly You." Liam's voice was already amazingly smooth but now he seems to be singing in a much broader vocal range, and with so much more unrestricted emotion. Wow. There's pretty much one unified tone to the album, unlike their debut, which was pretty much a collection of all of their tracks, which swayed from mood to mood. This time it's just one continuous opus of sorrow and regret, there aren't any uplifting tracks like "One Good Reason" here. Davey Ray Moor must have been pretty depressed when he wrote this collection of songs, the lyrics are so unbelievably and shamelessly emotional, a reflection of a wounded soul screaming out. What an unbelievable songwriter, to capture such complex and strictly non-verbal moods. I think truly that this album prooves that Cousteau is capable of becoming all that they show such promise of becoming, and possibly much more than we might expect. It's probably pretty obvious from this review that I'm a giant Cousteau fan, but this album really has made me see them and hear them in a much different light. I mean it's not redundant like I was afraid it might be, it proves that there is so much range here, so many possibilities for different avenues that they can take. I was afraid they might get stuck in one particular style. Oh, and also, though the production value on "Sirina" is much better than their first album, it still kind of has to be heard on a quality sound system, there are so many nuances to their sound that are so important to the work that are just missed otherwise. I've only listened to it a few times so far, but I'm certainly going to keep returning to this album to fully absorb it, if I can. But it is all very depressing, so be prepared for that. But depressing in such a overwhelmingly tragic-romantic way that you almost want to cry tears at it's beauty, like you would to viewing a marvelous sunset,or to viewing a fine artist's masterpiece. But there's an edge to it, so it's not exclusively artful. And you kind of have to be in the right mood to hear it. I really wasn't expecting this album to be like this, so dark and all, but I'm so pleasently surprised. The world needs more music like this, music that you can emote to and relate to. That you can CONNECT to. Powerful. Affecting. A must have.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Listen, March 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sirena (Audio CD)

Can't believe that there's only 10 reviews for cousteau. I stumbled upon Cousteau with their first album and like their songs alot. Their music is very loungey, smokey, and should be listened to with a good drink in your hand. This new album picks off where they left off on their first album and after repeated listens, will have you singing along. There are definite highlights in this album which would be late september rain, nothing so bad, damn these hungry times, heavy weather, and she bruise easy. My favorites however, come from their first album with how will I know, and she dont hear your prayer.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonder follow up to their self-titled album, August 17, 2002

By 

Erica Anderson (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sirena (Audio CD)

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to get Cousteau's second album "Sirena" because there are a lot of cds that I wanted to get, and "Sirena" really wasn't a priority, nor did I had any interest in getting it at the time. I absolutely thought their first album was a classic. I suppose my then lack of interest in buying "Sirena" had to do with fear that the album would not be any good. Needless to say my attitude all changed when I listened to some of the album. I just really flipped over this album, especially the first four tracks. I thought the material was much tighter than the band's first album. I really loved the catchiness in "Nothing So Bad" and "No Medication". I think the difference in this album is that Cousteau rocks out a bit more (in their own manner) than on their self-titled debut album. The same lush, smoky, atmosphere from the first album is still evident on "Sirena". Liam may still sound like Nick Cave and the Tindersticks' lead singer but I have no problem with that. I absolutely love Cousteau. I'm really glad that I changed my mind and bought this album.