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Kosheen :: To set the tone, sit back and wait

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Kosheen,  having been named after Japanese words for “old” and “new”, is a band that have always impressed me, even if they are only popular within their own genre.  Sian Evans has a unique voice which can be haunting yet seductive and while their music may take a little getting used to, it has that uniqueness that is so rare yet very easily likeable, after a while.  I’m proud to be a Kosheen fan since the beginning, after seeing Hide U on MTV one night many years ago.  I’ve never seen Kosheen live or in a club venue, but it would be nice to, someday.

 

Their album Resist has so many songs that are singles it’s ridiculous.  Every track is an anthem, each song on the album is awesome.   Hide U of course is their biggest hit, while songs Catch, Cover, Harder, Slip & Slide Suicide, Empty Skies, Resist are all pretty memorable.  Face In The Crowd, Cruelty, Let Go, Gone, are also great.  It’s hard to find a song that doesn’t add up here, Kosheen’s knack for songwriting in the electronic genre never fails, at least for their debut album.  It’s an amazing CD, definitely one for the history books, or at least the aspiring CD album reviewers.

 

When Kosheen released Kokopelli just a few years later in 2003, I had high hopes.  Resist was so good, what could come next?  Unfortunately, Kokopelli didn’t live up to my expectations, but it still holds its own after all these years.  Blue Eyed Boy and Wish are my favorite tracks off their second album.

 

Damage is a great album that really gave Kosheen their sound.  Released in 2007, Damage, Overkill, Chances, and the ballad Cruel Heart are my favorites.  It’s definitely good, because it’s Kosheen.

 

Apparently Kosheen are releasing an album later this year called Independence.  Fitting for choosing this band to review over July 4th weekend.  Will it be more of the same Kosheen that we’ve been known to expect?  Only time will tell.  Let’s see what this band from Bristol, England will have to offer us soon!

 

- Dan Golden, July 2011 (as always, email any comments to [email protected])