The Coo - A Different Life (2024) Hi-Res

After a seven-year cross-channel collaboration and four years after their first ‘Live in Amsterdam’ EP Matt Arthur and Jara Holdert release their first full-length album ‘A Different Life’. Despite living in different countries, in the time that followed their first meeting they managed to continuously build upon the immediate bond they’d shared after a chance encounter in Holdert’s native Netherlands. Through the wonders of video calling and voice messaging, as well as countless Eurostar train trips, they turned a long-distance connection into a wonderfully harmonious musical alliance.

With songs dealing with themes such as love and loss, mental health, friendship and the day-to-day struggles of life, The Coo keep returning to the idea that things could always have been different. It is a wistful and nostalgic sliding doors type approach. A different life is forever around the corner but, at the same time, often out of reach

The songs themselves have an indie/folk flavour to them with those harmonies the common denominator. Whether switching seamlessly, one lead vocal to the other, or gloriously in sync from the start, these are voices made for each other. The overall sound and feel of the album owe much to multi-instrumentalist producer and sound engineer Sean Gascoigne, who they met on the indie scene in Amsterdam. Among his many talents Gascoigne plays drums on the album and they feature prominently on a number of tracks including ‘Promise Me’, the single that was released in the summer and featured on these pages in July.

Outside those drum heavy tracks, the songs vary in pace and tempo, often accompanied by clever guitar work. ‘Life of the Party’ is a classy example of one of the quieter and more pared-back tracks. Holdert takes the lead here with Arthur’s backing and some low-key but distinctive guitar work giving the song an unusual and ethereal feel. Opening track ‘Something’s Turned’ probably gives as good a taster as any as to what The Coo are all about. With those two-part harmonies and lovely guitar work, the song dips and rises with subtle shifts in tempo.

‘A Different Life’ features intricately crafted songs, the harmonious melding of two fine vocalists with some first-rate musical accompaniment and is a perfect summary of seven years of deepening musical connection and friendship.

The latest single from Americana/folk duo The Coo. The song begins delicately, with just Jara Holdert’s acoustic notes and beautifully pure voice, while Matt Arthur’s subtle electric guitar is in the background. Then, the song bursts into life with upbeat percussion, mellow bass and Arthur’s electric soaring. When the pair sing together, their voices combine brilliantly – it’s great to listen to but it’s a particular joy to actually see them play together, taking pleasure in the performance and bringing out one another’s energy. The song is about, “…love when it works out – an ode to hope, shining through doubt. It tells the story of someone who feels lost amongst all the romantic possibilities of the big city, falling in and out of connections that don’t quite meet – only to find that special person when they least expect it.” It’s a positive theme and we all need a bit of positivity these days. Writing authentically about happiness and hopefulness can be a challenge but, just like their lovely harmonies, Arthur and Holdert pull it off with style and grace.