Butterfly Forest

Album Artwork for Coco by Colbie Caillat

More than once, you’ve probably heard that song on the radio; you know, that one that goes “And it starts in my toes/And I crinkle my nose…” Well, one day, we were driving in the car, and that song came up–that song I’d heard a billion times but never knew the title of.  “Don’t you have that song on your iPod?” my mom asks.  “No,” I replied, but I guess she supposed so because (1) we’ve heard it so many times and (2) it sort of seemed like the kind of song I’d listen to.  Well, a few weeks later, I heard that song again on TV, and just had to look it up.  What do you know?  It’s this little song called “Bubbly” (that word being mentioned only once in the whole song), and, not long after, I bought the album.  It was a debut album of a new artist from my own state of California, Colbie Caillat, and boy, was I greatly impressed!  Unlike most debut albums, it was a solid start for the rising guitar-playing star.  Just take a look at my comments on each song below:

*1. Oxygen (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): such a beautiful song from start to finish. Much like when you read a really good book with a fantastic start, this song makes you want to listen to the other tracks. The tune actually sounds as light as oxygen. Love it. Score: 5

*2. The Little Things (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): after listening to a breezy tune, leans more towards R&B. I myself am not a big fan of that genre, but this song was so rhythmic and neat to listen to. Score: 5

3. One Fine Wire (Colbie Caillat/Mikal Blue/Jason Reeves): after two such strong songs, this one seemed a little too weak to me. Perhaps if this wasn’t sandwiched between two hits, I would have preferred it. What I did like about it was that it did have a sort of “lilt” that it seemed like you really were trying to balance on one fine wire (if that didn’t make sense, go listen to it).  Score: 4

*4. Bubbly (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): obviously, this is the hit that I was talking about in my introduction. ”Bubbly” has such a light, flowy, catchy, and sometimes even a bouncy tune. I absolutely love this song, period. Score: 5

5. Feelings Show (Colbie Caillat/Mikal Blue/Jason Reeves): I wasn’t a huge fan of this song, perhaps because it, like “One Fine Wire”, was sandwiched between two really great songs. The tune was a bit too uneven to fit on this album; the verses are really slow, and then the chorus suddenly gets quite fast that it doesn’t really fit the song too well; however, Colbie’s vocals are still as solid as ever in this track as in any of the others. Score: 4

*6. Midnight Bottle (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): I loved this song! The beginning has a jazzy touch to it, and it did sound ”night-ish” (that’s the best way I can explain it; just go listen to it!). Like ”Bubbly”, it also has a light and flowy tune that’s enjoyable to listen to. Score: 5

*7. Realize (Colbie Caillat/Mikal Blue/Jason Reeves): The first time I listened to it was on the computer, and, well, maybe the computer sound wasn’t that great and I maybe I wasn’t really listening, but I didn’t care for it that much, especially right after listening to “Bubbly”. But when I listened to it on my CD player and iPod, I found how amazing this song is. It has a melancholy yet hopeful tune, and has such a pretty acoustic sound. The chorus is quite catchy as well. Score: 5

*8. Battle (Colbie Caillat/Mikal Blue): Sometimes background vocals are unnecessary and get too corny. Some might say the same for “Battle”. OK, before I explain, let’s back up a little. The introduction I loved. It reminded me of the soundtrack to the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Then the song shifts from classical to pop to classical and so one throughout the rest of the song. I enjoyed listening to this one, and, the background vocals (which are also Colbie, by the way) were still amazing. Even though they kept repeating until the end, they didn’t get overly annoying. Awesome, neat track. Score: 5

9. Tailor Made (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): At this track, the album’s sturdiness starts to slow. Yes, this track was peppy, but it didn’t sound very “Colbie-ish”. I like this song, but it’s just not my favorite from the CD. Score: 4.25

10. Magic (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): Not sure if anyone else experienced this when listening to Coco, but this sounded like a repeat of “Bubbly”–a sort of slower, lighter, less pop and more acoustic remix of the hit. I kind of hoped for something a little fresher (but of course, still having the Colbie sound to it), but was slightly disappointed by this track. Don’t get me wrong, “Magic” is still a great song, but it wasn’t my favorite. Score: 4

11. Tied Down (Colbie Caillat/Jason Reeves): This was a pretty neat song; everytime I hear it, it reminds me of a lazy sunset on a Hawaiian beach (ok, maybe it’s because of the ukelele in the song). It was also a little uneven, with the slow verses and the a-tad-bit-too-peppy chorus. Not a Score-10 to get an asterisk, but still pretty good for a song that’s towards the end. Score: 4.5

12. Capri (Colbie Caillat): This is such a sweet song about a mother expecting her child, and a sweet way to end Coco. “Capri” wasn’t my favorite, but it was still a very beautiful song. In fact, it reminds me of something I read that was written by a friend–a friend who actually was the first to recommend me Colbie’s music (thanks, Faith! ) Score: 4.25

Producers: Mikal Blue, Ken Caillat, Colbie Caillat, Jason Reeves

Genre: Pop, folk-pop, acoustic, surf pop, blue-eyed soul, adult contemporary

Record Label: Universal Republic

Release Date: July 17, 2007

Length: 48:10

Red Flags: None

Also Recommended: Eye to the Telescope by KT Tunstall; Feels Like Home by Norah Jones; Taylor Swift by Taylor Swift

Trivia:

• Though she began piano at a young age, Colbie didn’t learn the guitar until she was 19.
• Colbie once auditioned for American Idol, but didn’t make it to the Hollywood rounds.
• Her MySpace profile made her the #1 unsigned artist in her genre for four months.
• The reason why Colbie named her album “Coco” was because that was the surname her parents gave her, which was then adopted by her friends.

Grading:

Songwriting: 5 (Fantastic songwriting, and it’s even cooler that Colbie herself wrote or co-wrote most of them. She’s a true example of a singer-songwriter.)

Vocals: 5 (Colbie has such a unique voice and such a unique style with her music!)

Lasting Value: 5 (It’s not easy to tire of this album. There was one point where I listened to Coco twice a day. Seriously.)

Overall: 5 (One of my favorites from my CD collection, definitely.)