Here’s another review I found that I did in December 2010 for my university newspaper The Boar:
3/5
Fronted by 20 year old Eliot ‘Coco’ Sumner, The Constant is the debut album of UK band I Blame Coco, highly anticipated by the industry all year. It’s anticipation, sadly, is for largly the wrong reasons. Coco is the daughter of Trudie Styler and legendary musician Gordon Sumner AKA Sting, but don’t let that put you off listening to the record. Coco is definitely not just a celebrity kid trying to ride the wave of her parent’s success. Although Coco has, to some extent inherited her father’s cool, husky voice, the style she takes, she proves on The Constant, is distinctively her own. Coco wrote all the songs on the album, bar a Neil Young cover, along with the help of Swedish producer, Klas Åhlund, producer of Robyn, who incidentally, features on the track ‘Caesar.’
The Constant is largely an electro, synth-pop record with soft ska undertones which balance well against Coco’s deep, often androgynous, husky vocals. There are certain limitations present in her vocals however. Her low register prevents a great deal of range, making the album somewhat colourless at times, proving to be fairly inflexible and rigid at times. But despite this, Coco style is refreshingly unique amongst a sea of female British female-pop acts, like: Marina and the Diamonds, Florence and the Machine, and Ellie Goulding, meaning on, The Contstant, Coco cuts her very own distinctive place on a crowded scene.
In an album that is at times plagued by over-familiarity, stand-out tracks include the catchy electro-pop album opener, ‘Self Machine’, along with ‘Caesar’ and ‘Quicker’. ‘Self Machine’ and ‘Quicker’ are both songs with a strong 80s influence in terms of energy and rhythm. Their lyrics, although insightful at times, her references to the Lord of the Flies and the Miligram Device, seem somewhat overworked and contrite.
Other tracks worthy of a mention include the slower, more solemn, ‘Summer Rain’ and ‘No Smile.’ ‘Summer Rain’ is an emotive, melancholic ballad with a strong chorus, whilst ‘No Smile’, which Coco wrote at the tender age of fifteen, is simply hauntingly dark and beautiful. The disappointing tracks on The Constant suffer from a lack of distinguishing features and originality, ‘Party Bag’ and ‘Playwright Fate’ just seem to merge within the album, and are quite simply boring and easily forgettable with largely unrelatable lyrics.
It’s safe to say that this album is worth a listen. There are plenty of good, catchy tracks, thoughtfully balanced out by some slower, more sombre ballads. Coco is able to exhibit raw talent, some insightful lyrics and a unique, soulful voice. The album presents an interesting mix of electro, synth-pop and ska which somehow, rather unexpectedly works, setting her apart stylistically from other strong female acts out there at the moment.
The Constant, whilst not outstanding, is a commendable debut album by virtue of it’s distinctive and innovative highlights. Definitely a promising start for I Blame Coco, who are definitely an act to watch out for in the future.
feelalltheshades 