Customer Rating: 
Summary: Subtle agenda taints excellent CD.
Comment: Speaking as a jazz/lounge musician, I think Koop produces some of the most well crafted, subtley infectious music in this idiom. Anyone who equates "Lounge" music with the 50's-60's will find that this style, like anything well done, is classic in that it knows no time period. Koop point the way with "Islands" and "Waltz". More power to them. Now, about their "agenda." When I first got "Waltz" in '03 I was slightly taken back by the cover featuring two guys (Koop I assume) in dresses. Oh well, I've seen more shocking images on Rock CD covers. Nevertheless, the image is, IMO, incongruous with the music and, to this straight male, vaguely uncomfortable. Maybe I missed the joke. Or so I thought. Now, in '08 when I ordered "Islands" on Amazon, I noticed the CD cover features two beautiful female models. Their pose might be considered vaguely "lesbian" though it depends on the individual.
I also noticed the CD with an alternate cover featuring two men (again Koop I assume) in the same makeup and pose as the two girls. This image is far more direct in it's suggestion of homosexuality and borders on the offensive. Oh well, it's a big world with lots of different people. Needless to say, I ordered the "female"
version . But leave it to these guys to get their two cents in. Having received the CD, I opened the booklet to find a picture of the two female models seductively stretched out on their respective divans and beneath each, the names of the two Koop members. Oh, ha! ha! I get it guys! You're gay! Gee, it really lends your music a whole new perspective. (The previous sentence should be read with an air of sarcasm.) Seriously,
Koop, you're doing terrific work and I look forward to future releases. However, I find your imagery cloying,
manipulative and unnecessary. We get your "little joke". Who really gives a damn what you are ? Your music is
marvelous and being Gay had nothing to do with it. Why not save your "subliminal Gay promoting" for elsewhere. It does not belong on your CD covers. In fact if your next CD cover continues to move in this direction, I probably will not buy it no matter how good the music. Perhaps I'm being Politically incorrect.
Too bad. That's how I feel and I don't think I'm alone in my feelings. Keep up the great music work and quit letting your gender preference get in the way. P.S. I occasionally perform "Summer Sun" on gigs. Great tune!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Caribbean christmas jazz -- with a hint of summer
Comment: Another amazing album from what might just be the best nu jazz band out there. Koop continues to make music with a personality, because they bring in live vocals and write entire lyrics instead of sampling a line or two. While I don't normally like Ane Brun, her vocals on the intro are very fitting to the music. And Earl Zinger's voice is as sexy and deep as ever.
What makes this album especially great is that it continues in the same vein as Waltz for Koop but without sounding like remake. Like it says on Koop's web page, this album is " Swedish summer solstice meets a Caribbean christmas." It's the sort of music that's suited for the background when you're entertaining guests, but also to be played a little louder when you're by yourself daydreaming.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: No better than Koop
Comment: Hearing the new one item by Koop my advice is to have it, but expect something completely different than the first one...
I don't like the sound of the 20`s , 30's & 40's jazz, 'cause I like specially trios and piano than orchestras...but this record has 3 or 4 little gems...and that's why it worths to have it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: I have not received the CD yet
Comment: I have not received the CD yet, so I cannot complete my answer but as soon as I received it I will be sending my rewiew
Customer Rating:
Summary: Jazz, its not from Sweden.
Comment: I dont know, I think these guys lost it and went ahead and maybe consumed some of their own kool aid? This is cute but its missing something. Its like they listened to a lot of music and are influenced by the right things, but its just missing the soul. It might be because they arent really musicians and this is an album based on samples? They sample nice stuff,I just think a deeper understanding of the music is missing.Guys and computers sometimes miss the point. I dont know what it is. I love their other work. This album leaves me flat. I went to see them live. Their band was great, incredible sidemen and a charming female lead singer, it was well put together but it was the same thing over and over. Very tight, very well done, just cold and boring at the end of the day. The level of musicianship was very high but it felt like we learned how to play music from books. The two main members of KOOP just stood there in the back, wearing black shirts and seemed angry ( it's like they ate lemons for breakfast, not a smile to be found ) and odd and uncomfortable, it was like the snl skit "SPROCKETS". They ( the two guys that make up KOOP to be clear ) left me cold they introduced the singer as "she is not the singer on the album but she joins us tonight" A cultural thing Im sure, as I have some Swedish friends and they have a different take on comedy. Ever heard the following phrase "famous stand up comedian from sweden"?? Didnt think so. Buy this album if you want a light , simple , shallow escape....get it, you'll enjoy it for that. But dont buy it because other reviewers say its brilliant. Its not, John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" is brilliant, this is cute. I know Im speaking more about the act than just this album so a lot of folks may say this review wasn't helpful. I dont blame you for that. Im using this forum to react to their new album and their live show. Fair enough. Im just getting sick of albums made by european artists based on jazz an american art form that just miss the soul of the music. The best jazz is still made in the united states. The best "Electronic jazz", is actually also made in the states, we just loathe our own electronic community so much we look to europe for an identity. Sorry folks. KOOP lost it on this one. I dont expect to see them get it back either. One trick ponies. Look to domestic acts such as Thievery Corporation , Ursula 1000 , Mocean Worker ( who I saw open for KOOP and blew them away )and give them the love. KOOP ISLANDS... 2 Stars. Sorry boys , its time to go back to the drawing board, show me some development, do something different and dont take 5 years in between albums to make me wait for essentially the same thing. Set the bar higher please. Maybe your aren't able to, thanks for the other work if that's the case.
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