02 March 2016

Cornershop "When I Was Born for the 7th Time" (1997)

When I Was Born for the 7th Time
release date: Sep. 8, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Sleep on the Left Side" - 2. "Brimful of Asha" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 3. "Butter the Soul" - 5. "We're in Yr Corner" (4 / 5) (live on Later) - 6. "Funky Days Are Back Again" - 10. "Good Shit" - 11. "Good to Be on the Road Back Home" - 13. "Candyman" - 15. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"

3rd studio album by Cornershop released two years after Woman's Gotta Have It is a move towards mainstream pop / rock with more scratching, sampling and over-dubs. The production is made by Tjinder Singh with assistance of Dan the Automator (aka hip hop producer Daniel M. Nakamura) and 'Daddy Rappaport'.
This was the first album I bought with the band shortly after attending a concert with Tindersticks having Cornershop as warm-up band. The album rocketed the band up on international album charts. The hit-single "A Brimful of Asha" is fine - tiresome in the long run, though - it was, however, the song "We're in Yr Corner" that completely blew me away at the concert. It's great on the album, but the live version included earthquake drum & bass backing, which was like... nothing I've ever heard before or since then. Almost all tracks are once again credited to front man Tjinder Singh. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Select 4 / 5 stars ]


alt. cover (North American
issue on Luaka Bop)