Molly O’ Poverty

KOOP » Whenever There Is You

December 3rd, 2006

Those cross-dressing Swedes have done it again. The Koop boys, Oscar Simonsson and Magnus Zingmark, are back with their third release and follow-up to one of my favorite-ist albums, “WALTZ FOR KOOP” (and also the genius remixes of “WALTZ FOR KOOP - ALTERNATIVE TAKES”), called KOOP ISLAND. While their press release states there is a “Caribbean” flavor working it’s way through the tracks but I’m hard pressed to hear it. It’s decidedly Parisian sounding, straight out of the 1930s-40s. Luckily, they continue to work with the most amazing vocalists to be found anywhere. It’s also refreshing to hear a wide range of instruments (clarinet, xylophone, accordion and jazz flute) in the mix. The entire album is a true gem. And our friends at Compost Records are offering “Whenever There Is You” FREE to whet your whistle for more Koop. Sadly, the album has not been made available at the U.S. iTunes Music Store yet but you can grab it at Amazon. (Somehow I managed to download the entire album at eMusic but it has since been removed.)

Here’s my breakdown of all the stellar tracks:
Koop Island Blues (feat. Ane Brun) - A sad tale made palatable and pleasing.

Come To Me (feat. Yukumi Nagano) - An intro straight out of Glenn Miller era but completely modern at the same time.

Forces … Darling (feat. Earl Zinger) - I wonder if Woody Allen knows about this? He’s so fond of using old-timey music in the openings of his movies. I’d love for him to hear this and recognize that Koop is a musical force to be reckoned with.

I See A Different You (feat. Yukumi Nagano) - Lush orchestration, xylophone and horns make this jazzy little number sparkle.

Let’s Elope (feat. Mikael Sundin) - Features some of the best lyrics on the album, particularly: “I’ll cook the dinners if you bring the wine. Youth has gone now but we still shine.”

The Moonbounce - My favorite track on the album. Contrary to it’s nocturnal name, I find this ditty to be rather sunny, and yes, bouncy. It’s refreshing to hear jazz flute played seriously instead of for laughs, as was the case in Will Farrell’s portrayal of Ron Burgundy in “Anchorman”.

Beyond The Sun (feat. Earl Zinger) - A gorgeous spoken-word letter to a friend.

Whenever There Is You (feat. Yukumi Nagano) - A swirling torch song styled by the incomparable Yukumi, whom your ears will immediately recognize from the WALTZ FOR KOOP’s stunner, “Summer Sun” (FREE download in the link). She’s more Lena Horne than Corinne Bailey Rae. I think it’s a real shame that more people don’t know about Yukumi but laud the second-rate Corinne for her Billie Holiday/Macy Gray/Norah Jones impersonation. Frankly I think Corinne is a bland, boring sham. I guess those of us in-the-know about Yukumi can feel a little smug for not being taken in by second-rate impostors… but I digress.

Drum Rhythm A (Music For Ballet Exercises) - The one track I’m not crazy about. But whenever 99% of an album is a listen-able as this, I’m willing to overlook this one misstep.

pro: Gorgeous homage to sounds of the past, lovingly recreated and modernized. A perfect holiday music gift.
con: Too Short! Only 9 tracks averaging about three minutes apiece. Makes me wait impatiently for the remixes.

Learn more about KOOP at their official site or at Compost Records.

Entry Filed under: FREE DOWNLOAD(S)