Aug 9, 2002 By "sirena," Cousteau 1 min read

Cousteau takes a big step backward into the proverbial sophomore jinx with “Sirena,” a wan follow-up to the group’s sleek, suave and sophisticated 2001 debut. “Sirena” is no less polished than its predecessor, yet the mix of piano, strings and horns is more enervated this time. And the release suffers a near-fatal opening trio of mopey fussiness with “Nothing So Bad,” “Talking to Myself” and “Heavy Weather.”

Fortunately, there’s a measure of recovery and redemption as smooth-crooning vocalist Liam McKahey and the rest of the band glide into the tranquil elegance of “Peculiarly You,” “Please Don’t Cry” and “After the Fall.” That cosmopolitan charm may be a bit affected and harder to come by, but it hasn’t completely vanished.

However, Cousteau sinks again down the stretch as its Burt Bacharach-ish stylings get mired in lethargy with only stray memorable melodies seeping through. There’s nothing wrong with florid sounds, but some of “Sirena’s” cuts are as alluring as an arrangement of white plastic flowers.

The music industry could use more cultured pop acts, and Cousteau needs to rediscover its magnetism to lead the way.

Rating: 2.5

(Chuck Campbell is the entertainment editor at the News-Sentinel in Knoxville, Tenn.)