Rougge — Cordes
As you can imagine we get a vast selection of different sounds( and sights) through M[m]’s doors for review, as because of course we are a proudly multi-genre webzine. So as a result week-in-week-out I personally get to listen to everything from the most extreme/ difficult type of sound, all the way down to retro pop reissues. And the thing that always catches my ear- is real passion & flare- be it in an emotional, funny, or bizarre manner. And I what I hate more than anything is pretentiousness- which I feel I can instantly pick-up, whatever genre it’s in. And sadly Cordes, both lacks any form of passion/ flare, and is literally knee-deep in its own pretension.
The CD album offers up eleven tracks, with a total album playtime of fifty minutes- and I must say this is one of the most excruciating & annoying albums I've listened to in a long, long time. Normally if something’s bad, I’ll give it a few plays…then put it on the not to review pile. But Cordes brought un-inspired & empty bland-ness up to a new, and at times comic highs- basically, the whole album consists of selection of plodding & clichéd piano craft, that's edged by meant-to-be forlorn, but ultimately empty & uninspired string work. Over the top of this Rougge moans, whines, and billows like a sub-par blend of Tom Yorke & Sigur Ros Jónsi.
I’m not really sure to who this album is meant to be appealing to, as it’s too teeth grating pained for your post-rock crowd. But it’s much to contrive & bland for a more experimental music fan. Sometimes you have to write a review to point out a truly terrible release, and warn a listener off…and you guess it this here review is such a situation. Avoid like the proverbial plague!