MUSIC REVIEW . Frou Frou . Details

by Kris   ⋅   October 7, 2005   ⋅   Comment now   ⋅    RSS

Okay, I’m a little behind on this boat, but now I’m addicted. A bunch of years back (2002? 2003?) a friend (in the way friends want to force– I mean share– music) said “hey, you’d really like Frou Frou“. I immediately quipped about Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires by the second love of my life the Cocteau Twins. “No, they’re another band entirely.” He sent me some songles to listen to but I was unimpressed at the time. “Oh wow, Dido you can dance to.”

True, lead singer Imogen Heap’s voice is a distinct breathy yodel similar to Cranberries front Dolores O’Riordan or Sinéad O’Connor and the aforementioned Dido, and collaborator Guy Sigsworth mixed for Björk and wrote What it Feels Like for a Girl for Madonna. He adds the beeps, boops, manufactured fake drums and occassional toy piano clangs. It’s good enough to create infectious beats with lyrics involving the usual break-up/make-up you’d expect from Europop but with a polysyllabic twist à la Fiona Apple. There’s even some clever word-play. For example, in the cutesy repeatable Breathe In chorus: “Because I love you, no? Can’t help but love, you know.” I’ll continue with this song since you may have already viewed the MTV video. “I’m high enough from all the waiting/ to ride a wave on your inhaling”. Holding breath, mingling breath, worshipping a lover’s breath.. it’s all implied here and it’s worth a listen. I won’t force you, but you’d better do it now.

About the Author:

Kris Kobayashi-Nelson will listen to anything once. Her favorites include Cocteau Twins, Cardigans, Mixel Pixel, Deerhoof, Fiona Apple, Portishead, Sneakerpimps, Sonny Rollins, the Pixies, Autechre… but she has been known to groove to footfalls through November leaves, zipper pulls in the dryer, or ice clinking in a Summer glass.