Girl by Coco & Clair Clair

Review by Cassiopeia

Lots of musical groups have reputations for totally hating each other but coming together for the music. Coco and Clair Clair are here to change that. These two best friends are climbing the industry ladder hand in hand, and their music wouldn’t be the same without it. Their new album Girl, released August 30, 2024, blends their dreamy soft sound and don’t-fuck-with-me attitudes. It’s about finding love and heartbreak and kicking ass with your best friend, and looking pretty while you’re doing it.

“Martini” acts as a preface to the album, the arrangement is quite unique with two verses and no chorus. The beat provides a looping melody, with a sound we’ve come accustomed to from Coco and Clair. Melancholy lyrics in the first verse sung by Clair wrap around the beat, telling the story of a failed relationship. “I thought everybody liked affection/I thought I’d pay you some attention,” implies that Clair was the initiator, leaving her in an even more vulnerable spot. These lyrics give us a peek behind the curtain of their it-girl personas. In the second verse, we’re back to the valley-girl-mean-girls we all know and love. With lyrics like, “‘Cause silly bitches running ‘round/’Cause the block got my dick hot ‘n alladat,” we’re introduced to a pattern that runs throughout the album. Beneath the layers of persona are also two best friends facing the harsh human experience together. “Girl” provides flashes of both, giving us a more rounded idea of who Coco and Clair are beyond the music.

The next two songs “Kate Spade” and “Gorgeous International Really Lucky” act as foils for each other. “Kate Spade” transports us somewhere else. First, you hear a singular keyboard beat, and when the synth floods in you’re suddenly in a seedy smokey club somewhere in upstate New York. You feel the jealous eyes of other women around you on the dance floor, and you sing, “Fuck all of the bitches who wanna fuck on my boyfriend/I make him lose his mind every day and every weekend, yeah.” It’s a much different attitude than “Gorgeous International Really Lucky,” which has the most vulnerable lyrics of the whole album. Coco raps, “I just wanna be enticing. tell me I’m enticing/That’s enough okay don’t even care if I’m even enticing,” as if she’s frustrated with herself for needing this affirmation. They go from showing off their relationship to revealing the insecurities underneath. The vulnerability continues in their cover of “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They bring a modern touch to the 70’s song, trading folk instruments for a house beat. Romantic strings are sampled throughout, but ring through the chorus and outro melodically. A picturesque scene comes to mind, like a nice cottage in a painting, with flowers always blooming and the sun always shining.

“Everyone But You” is the most experimental song for Coco and Clair. This is the first rock inspired song for the pop/rap duo, and it left me immediately excited for more. As a bass player myself, I was itching to start learning the melody. This song also signifies a change of tone for the rest of the album. Any fuzzy feelings from “Gorgeous International Really Lucky” have gone. Now, the girls are looking for revenge. In the pre chorus, Coco raps, “You like it when you think that I’m dumb/I bet you like to think that I suck on my thumb/Oh I know, I know, I know about your kind/And so, and so, and so, I’ll have to play.” Coco and Clair know how to deal with men that underestimate them because of their femininity. The duo shows once again that they are strongest together, joining together in the chorus for the first time at the end, “Talk to everyone but you/Talk to myself in my room/Pretend you’re in the mirror/Practice how to shed a tear.” Their attitudes carry into the next track. “Bitches pt. 2” is the only song on the album with a feature, from W.C. Sinclair. The beat is much harder than what we’ve heard so far. Coco and Clair’s rap is fun and daring. I’m ready to slap a bitch, and I’m in my pajamas! Coco and Clair aren’t afraid to put their humor into their work, with lyrics like, “Got a hunty that’s a Gleek and still think you’re a freak,” Coco and Clair aren’t afraid to put their humor into their work. Sinclair’s verse is a break from the clear and breathy vocals we are used to. Their voice is deep and gravelly, and their words come out in one breath. Their lyrics are clever and heavily symbolic, representing a chaotic life led by Sinclair. While I admire their lyricism, it differentiates heavily from what Coco and Clair are rapping about. The song ends with a reference to “You’re so Vain” by Carly Simon, another folk song from the 70’s.

Now that Coco and Clair have gotten what they needed off their chest, it’s time to go out and party with friends. The last three songs are a resolution to the album. They’ve experienced love and heartbreak, and now they’ve made their amends, and are off to party into the sunset. The beats are fun and the lyrics are clever, and often funny. Coco and Clair have mastered the art of the playful diss. If I was the target of, “Broke ass with no job/Grown ass thingamabob/No TP at his spot,” I would laugh, and then I wouldn’t leave the house for a while. “My Girl” pays homage to female friendships that get you through the hard times and dance with you at the end. The beat is reminiscent of an early 2000’s nightclub (which is very in at the moment).

“Graceland” continues the trend of the playful diss. Coco and Clair are tired of basic bitches copying their style! In the first verse, Coco raps, “Got an IUD you bitches must have crawled under/I’m an absent mom y’all can get off my udder.” Not only is the diss clever, but it’s funny. “Aggy” concludes the album with a white flag of sorts. Coco and Clair don’t want to diss anyone anymore, and are ready to enjoy the good times with everyone. It’s a great way to end the album, creating a fully rounded journey for anyone listening in order. As Coco and Clair round off their album optimistically, it leaves me excited to see where they will take their sound next.