C.O.C.O.'s self-titled debut is a tightly knit collection of well-crafted
pop tunes from
Chris Sutton and
Olivia Ness. Performed with only bass, drums, and vocals, each of the record's ten tracks is a
pop gem -- quick, tight, simple. Nothing too fancy ever finds its way into the mix as
C.O.C.O. delivers clever and upbeat
pop music. Simplicity never sounded so good. Occasionally, the clumsiness of the recording process stays on the album in true
K Records do-it-yourself fashion. The little mistakes bring out the character of the record sometimes more than the songs themselves. The only problem is that many of the tracks are formulaic and have the tendency to become indistinguishable from one to another. Perhaps
C.O.C.O. could benefit from a bit more experimentation, but that's not really the point.
C.O.C.O.'s aesthetic isn't the most forward-thinking in modern music, but the duo does what it does quite well. And the record does occasionally veer somewhat from the typical
indie formula (as when
Sutton breaks into an
old school rap on
"You Knew It"), but for the most part
C.O.C.O. is a predictable, yet still enjoyable, record. ~ Ken Taylor
