The Army, The Navy : Fairies Make Music Too !

I have mentioned, of course, my pink iPod (whose possession was clearly an act of theft against my mom). However, I have not yet mentioned its original contents. The first band to play on the iPod was Cocoon, a French folk/pop duo creating whimsical sounds layered with darker lyrics. I would hide under the covers and listen to their albums, because they were the only downloaded tracks that I liked. Perhaps less timeless than the band at the center of our attention today, they immersed me with delicate violins, finger-style guitar, and surrealistic harmonies, with songs spanning from criticism of religion or longing for places outside of Oklahoma. I believe they constitute the root of my appreciation for the “The Army, The Navy”. The insect-driven duo has, with the delicacy of the spider or the colourful gleam of fireflies, created a thin world, one through which you peep and bind your breath so as not to disturb. « It’s our magic » they state in the opening track,, as the subtle mesh of their voices are like fairies sleeping in orchids. The track, named after an injunction to “play the music”, begins powerfully with one singer starting with “I’m incomplete”, and a few lines later, is joined by her duo. I was first delighted by the beauty of the more pop-enclined voices extending over the finger-style guitar. Obviously, the voice control of their constant harmonies is incredible both in skills and texture; the restraint inside their voice, especially on ‘Persimmon’ somehow recalls a certain Elliott Smith-ness or Sufjan Stevens-ness. The quiet jazzy drums and occasional sax interventions float us through; their album truly feels as a gentle hand combing through your hair. In this realm, I less enjoyed their punk/rock endeavours, on tracks like ‘Gentle Hellraiser’ and ‘40%’, which seem to break away from the fullness of their concept and, to put it simply, sound more basic. The intentionality of their sounds also takes breath in the lyrics, genuine, spontaneous and precise. I would I would be excited to see the life-long friends duo craft their ascents further, especially exploring the jazzy undertones of their work. I will leave you with an excerpt from my notes : It feels good to hear smth truly original