Label: Cherrytree Records/Interscope Records
Review by Warren Mayocchi
Cœur de Pirate is the stage name of Béatrice Martin and it means Pirate’s Heart. Béatrice is a Canadian who loves French so much that she has recorded all prior albums in the language. For “Roses” she has expanded her style to have a majority of songs in English with four tracks in French. This is a conscious effort to allow a wider audience to experience her exquisite pop music similar to that of Sia, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and others.
There is a dark edge to “Roses”. It is evident just looking at the album cover; those roses are black. Musically the album is generally upbeat, but darkness sits below the happy surface. It is not hidden, more a reflective touch. Both the French and English songs are equally beautiful, my preference is for the ones in which I understand the lyric, but I am perfectly happy listening to almost everything on this album. My favourites are “Undone” for the sublime pop lines, “Our Love” for the deep dark drums/guitars/brass, “Oceans Brawl” for the emotional build-up (and for including wave effects), and “Tu oublieras mon nom” for being a beautiful piano/strings ballad. The song, “I Don’t Want to Break Your Heart”, is an enigma. It is an absolutely lovely song, but it has an annoying sound effect at the end of the chorus and also breaks into a male rap section two thirds of the way through the song. The male voice then supports the remainder of the song. Those effects, and the song, will probably appeal to many, but for me they don’t fit in with the feel of the album.
There is a video for “Carry On” and the song also has a French version on the album – “Oublie-moi”. The song represents “Roses” well. If you are in the mood for beautifully crafted music with a reflective edge check out “Roses”.
Rating – 89/100
Tracklist
- Carry On
- Crier tout bas
- I Don’t Want to Break Your Heart
- Drapeau blanc
- Undone
- Oceans Brawl
- Our Love
- Castaway
- Tu oublieras mon nom
- The Way Back Home
- Oublie-moi