CocoRosie

Coco Rosie's sophomore effort is much better than their first, the minimal weirdo-folk release Le Maison De Mon Reve. The two sisters who comprise the band, Bianca and Sierra Casady, specialise in lullabies for the haunted, and it feels like now they've finally got it just right. From the delicate harp plunks of opener "K-Hole,” it’s apparent that the rest of the album is a beautifully crafted, beautifully fey little music box. Noah's Ark is one soft, enticing siren song that floats like a little boat through dark chutes ("The Sea is Calm”) and patches of bright light ("Noah’s Ark”). The music is minimal, a collage of sound effects, sparse, distinct harp notes, acoustic guitars and piano. It sounds like the mental refuge dreamed of by victimised children in nursery fables, thanks in no small part to the sisters’ scratchy, lost-little-orphan vocals, and the juxtaposition of lyrics grounded in dark reality ("somebody's baby boy ain’t coming home tonight”) with sweet, gossamer sounds. Some could dismiss Noah's Ark as pretentious, but what critics are missing is suspension of disbelief – making peace with the album’s fanciful shading is quite rewarding, musically and otherwise. Antony Hegarty's guest vocals on "Beautiful Boys” are welcome, the album is replete with Eastern and even classical influences that are beautifully integrated into the sprawl of fantasy and the accompanying lyrics are surprisingly well-written. Coco Rosie’s debut may have been their artist’s statement, but this is the real piece.