Kosheen Albums (4)
'One Night with Kosheen DJ's'
Release Date 9/24/2007
Tracks 17
Label Godlike & Electric
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Four years after their last record, the guitar-driven Kokopelli, British trio Kosheen returned to the scene with their third album, Damage. On it, they attempt to bridge the drum'n'bass/electronica of their early work with the rock they explored in Kokopelli, ending up with something that, while not exactly satisfying, is successful in displaying the talents and influences of each member while still retaining the band's cleanly produced, hooky sound. Lyricist and singer Sian Evans approaches the songs from a pop standpoint, so there are clear delineations between verse and chorus, so even when things began to feel samey -- and they definitely do: there are only so many possible variations on the same basic minor chords -- there are enough catchy lines to keep the album from dragging because of it. The length -- over 80 minutes -- in fact, works as more of a hindrance to Damage than the actual pieces. It's just a little too much, a little too long, a little too dramatic, and put together it can be hard to stomach all at once. Not that there aren't some enjoyable pieces here. "Overkill" has an almost Teddybears feel, with more intense, darker electric guitars mixed with the programmed beats, while "Not Enough Love" reflects Evans' folkier roots, trippy yet very organic-sounding. Even the Madonna-esque "Like a Book" is fun enough, and as one of the few happier songs on the album (along with "Wish You Were Here"), it's a nice change from the rest of the trying-to-be-empowering breakup tracks ("Once upon a time/A spider ate a fly/She almost lost her web/Was biting off his head," Evans sings on the asinine "Guilty"). This is slickly produced electronic pop, and sometimes its driving beats and melodic hooks grab you, just like they're supposed to. But because it's slickly produced electronic pop, it can also sometimes seem like little more than studio wizardry, trying hard to be profound but having nothing to back it up. And when this happens, Damage can be hard to get through. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Putting drum'n'bass back on the map for the first time since Roni Size four years earlier, Kosheen's debut album, Resist, was a surprising commercial success back in 2001. Combining dark brooding basslines, high-octane breakbeats, and Sian Evans' distinctive vocals, it cleverly managed to appeal to both dance aficionados and mainstream radio, notching up sales of nearly half a million in the process. Follow-up Kokopelli, named after a mythical Native American flute player, sees the trio ditching its programming tools in favor of guitars to create a more expansive sound that often leans toward goth rock, with the menacing atmospherics still intact but the rough edges smoothed out. Indeed, the majority of the album follows a formula of crunching guitars, minimal electronica, and doom-laden lyrics that does not show off Evans, one of Britain's most underrated vocalists, to her best advantage. The album is convincing, however, when it abandons its Evanescence-lite attempts at metal. "Coming Home" may be a retread of the epic "Hungry," but its melancholic, acoustic vibe is welcome, while lead single "All in My Head," with its upbeat radio-friendly chorus, shows Kosheen are capable of producing great pop with strong melodies. ~ Jon O'Brien, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Kosheen, one of the new millennium's brightest junglists, makes a fierce introduction with their Kinetic Records debut, Resist. The title itself boasts a confidence and a desire to be unclassifiable, and Kosheen lives up to the test. They bring in classic new wave synths and mold breakbeat grooves into something dramatic. The first single, "Hide U," blasts with thick electronic breaks, and Sian Evans' soulful vocals are tragic but endearing with the fact that this track is tangible and raw. Kosheen is attuned with what makes them become a trio -- and that is emotion. The human quality found on Resist suggests their powerful disposition inside drum'n'bass, but also in tweaking electronic music. "Hungry" swirls in acoustic-friendly backdrops and kitschy house loops, and it's the anguish felt in Evans' voice that serves a warning of someone's spiritual disarray. "Slip and Slide (Suicide)" takes things a bit further. It's a massive bombast of syrupy jungle hits, a fall into club land, but a sophisticated call to poor behavior. Kosheen taps into what's internally affective. Resist is stylish and literate in doing so, but also a delectable addition to what emerged from Bristol in the early '90s. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
