Ora Cogan – Hard Hearted Woman – Album Review

March 27 – Galway, IE @ Roisin Dubh
March 28 – Dublin, IE @ Whelans
March 29 – Cork, IE @ Wavelength at Cyprus Avenue

Ora grew up on an island in the Salish Sea, with both parents involved in the arts. Her mother was a musician and ran a music studio, so there was a lot of music in her home growing up. Later, Ora was involved in Vancouver’s noise and experimental music scene, before moving to the remote landscapes of Nanaimo, B.C, where she now resides.

Ora Cogan has been releasing music since her self-released 2007 album Tatter. This album marks her first on the Sacred Bones label. The album is no radical shift, and follows those that have gone previously, with a mellow set of songs reminiscent of the likes of Mazzy Star, Cate Le Bon or Jessica Pratt. It’s a gentle folk sound, with occasional moments of heavier guitar.

The song that opens the album is the anthem-like Honey, with the chorus telling us, ‘You’re a hard hearted woman’ which is sung in increasing volume and intensity. The song is carried on her rich vocals and the gorgeous, building guitar line. The phrase Hard Hearted Woman has been used before in musical history, with Barclay James Harvest (1977), but never in this context. This song was written in response to anti-trans legislation, and you can hear the message in lyrics like:

“So many tears in this world
More than the stars in the sky
Love is stronger than hate
Love is alive” – Honey

Next up is the song Smoke, with plucked guitar and restrained percussion, before the lush chorus draws you in. Bury Me starts with a discordant feel, with a strained vocal waiting for the chorus to set things straight.

Division is another single from the album, a dreamy affair, with guitar, bass and synth telling a tale of a strained relationship.

“You hit a nerve to the core
We’ve all been here before
You’re always keeping score
The great jury and justice” – Division

Limits is reminiscent of Radiohead, with more high-pitched vocals over a repetitive and jazzy guitar and piano lines. Love You Better has more of a country twinge, with slide guitar as Ora ‘Drinks river water like Wine’. Final track Too Late follows the rules of final songs, with a stripped-back guitar and layered vocals,

While the high point of the album is definitely the opening track, there is much to enjoy here. There is a nice variety of sounds on the album, as Ora moves between genres, while keeping the guitar sound central, as well as her strong and haunting vocals. Artists like this just need a tipping point to move them into the public consciousness, and a song like Hard Hearted Woman could easily do just that. She’s more than paid her dues with a succession of low-key releases, so it’s about time the world sat up and paid attention.