Cornershop "England Is a Garden" (2020)

England Is a Garden

release date: Mar. 6, 2020

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]

producer: Tjinder Singh

label: Ample Play Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "St Marie Under Canon" (4 / 5) - 2. "Slingshot" - 3. "No Rock Save in Roll" - 4. "Everywhere That Wog Army Roam" - 6. "Highly Amplified" - 10. "I'm a Wooden Soldier" - 11. "One Uncareful Lady Owner"

9th studio album by Cornershop following five years after Hold on It's Easy (2015) is the band's first album with new songs in eight years as the 2015-album presented acoustic versions of songs from the debut album Hold on It Hurts (1994) making Urban Turban - The Singhles Club (2012) their so far most recent album with new material.

The band primarily consists of the two founding members: vocalist, multi-insrumentalist, songwriter and composer Tjinder Singh and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ben Ayres. The two are here supported by the two guitarists Adam Blake and Pete Downing, bassist James Milne, drummer Nick Simms and percussionist Peter Bengry. Also former keyboardist of the band Anthony Saffrey, guitarist Duncan Whyte and keyboardist Alan Gregson participate on the album, and the official line-up remains a bit of an uncertain issue. When visiting the band's Facebook-account the band photo consists of only Singh and Ayres, and it seems the two represent the band and invite various stable musicians to assist when recording new songs and also to make up the band while touring.

England Is a Garden has been released to mostly positive reviews, and it appears to be a collection of songs that more or less sum up most of their career. It's a nice return to the more simple fusion of indie pop, rock & roll with bits of traditional Indian folklore world-music that you also find on the band's 1997 breakthrough album, and it's basically a nice coherent release with good vibes and some fine lyrics.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Independent, 👉The Guardian 4 / 5, musicOMH, NME 3 / 5 stars ]

The Church "Sometime Anywhere" (1994)

Sometime Anywhere

release date: May 31, 1994

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]

producer: The Church & (Andy) Dare Mason

label: Arista Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Day of the Dead" - 2. "Lost My Touch" - 3. "Loveblind" - 4. "My Little Problem" - 5. "The Maven" - 9. "Two Places at Once" - 10. "Business Woman"

8th studio album by The Church released two years after the significant change in style with Priest = Aura (Mar. 1992) may have been released under the moniker of The Church, but a lot has changed since the rock-solid quartet of Kilbey, Koppes, Wilson-Piper, and Ploog released the international breakthrough album Starfish in 1988. The record company was in control when shaping the sound on Gold Afternoon Fix (Feb. 1990), and with the daring '92 album, you saw the first cracks in a quartet that had only been on a rise since the beginning of the 80s. The drummer was replaced, and then guitarist Peter Koppes left after the 1990 album - and for a time he formed the band The Well together with Richard Ploog, among others, and both Kilbey and Wilson-Piper were busy on their own music projects. Wilson-Piper played in the band All About Eve and Kilbey had started the collaboration Jack Frost with Grant McLennan from the Go-Betweens, so that The Church still existed really could be seen as the last convulsions. Arista still stood behind Kilbey and Wilson-Piper, even though the band was in some sort of disbandment. When it turned out that neither new drummer Daugherty wanted to continue, Kilbey and Wilson-Piper met alone and took advantage of having more freedom to shape the music they wanted. In this way, Sometime Anywhere is the result of a new perspective on music created with bold use of drum machine and synths, although there is also room for traditional drums - here played by Tim Powles, who later ended up as a permanent member of the new formation of The Church and he who also features on the second Jack Frost album Snow Job (1995).

Although the album is largely created through improvs and experimentation in the studio, it appears tighter and on the one hand as more closely connected to the band's previous albums than as a direct continuation of the looser Priest = Aura - and on the other hand, it appears as a mix of the band's previous characteristics and by doing so actually addresses the '92 album - or: somewhere in between. Sometime Anywhere has a duration of approx. 77 min. - something close to the absolute maximum for CD releases, and most tracks have a playing length that challenge the traditional three minutes in popular music. Also, there is no focus on single hits, and only one single was chosen for single release: the song "Two Places at Once", which has not charted on any singles charts. Despite positive reviews, the album didn't perform well, and it became the band's final with Arista, who by then no longer saw potential in the band's music.

Unlike the band's previous album, I actually acquired the album when it came out. After a single listen, I thought the band was once again embarking on an exciting development. Afterwards, I didn't listen to it that much - I found it a bit unstructured, but still with a certain originality, although, I could also found it had the touch of a special production, not far removed from U2's Achtung Baby (1991).

In retrospect, the album hasn't aged as one of the band's best, but it's part of the new improvisational approach Kilbey established in the early 90s and which he has since continued in the many musical projects he has been involved in.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of" (2011)

Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of Featuring Bubbley Kaur
release date: Mar. 14, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Ample Play Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "United Provinces of India" (4 / 5) - 2. "Topknot" - 3. "The 911 Curry" - 4. "Natch" - 5. "Double Decker Eyelashes" - 6. "The Biro Pen" - 10. "Don't Shake It"

6th studio album by Cornershop released as 'Cornershop Featuring Bubbley Kaur' follows two years after Cornershop's Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast.

Where the band's previous albums have had its roots grounded in indie pop and Western popular music this one reflects a stronger move towards Indian folk and South Asian music, although, the music by Cornershop (Tjinder Singh) always reflects a huge fusion of styles with traces of neo-psychedelia. All compositions here are credited Singh and Bubbley Kaur with the latter singing in Punjabi. Apparently, Singh was introduced to Kaur, as someone without connection to the music industry but just had a beautiful singing voice. And the name 'Bubbley Kaur' was invented by Singh to protect her privacy.
Cornershop & the Double 'O' Groove Of is a fine and quite original wrap, both paying hommage to traditional Indian folk music and simultaneously producing a new fresh sound.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast" (2009)

Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast
release date: Jul. 27, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Ample Play Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Who Fingered Rock 'n' Roll" - 2. "Soul School" (4 / 5) - 4. "Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast" (live) - 6. "Free Love" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "The Roll Off Characteristics (Of History in the Making)" - 8. "Operation Push" - 9. "The Mighty Quinn" - 10. "The Constant Springs"

5th studio album by Cornershop released seven years since the most recent studio album Handcream for a Generation (Apr. 2002). Apparently, the band was dissatisfied with their label Wiiija in terms of promoting the previous album, and they went on a hiatus focusing on issuing new music and meanwhile formed their own record label, Ample Play Records for future releases.

Stylistically, it doesn't seem like seven years 'cause these two albums actually seem closer to each other than any other two albums I can think of by Cornershop. As was the case with the 2002 album this is with focus on a unique fusion of styles - in fact, I find that this sounds much like a big mix of the band's best selling album from '97 When I Was Born for the 7th Time and their fourth album in the way that the indietronica has been put slightly more in the background allowing more focus on sheer melody structure. Aside from the usual elements of soul and funk in a playful mix with British britpop the album also contains elements from glam rock. As always, Tjinder Singh is credited as songwriter of all songs except from a warm and fine cover of Dylan's "The Mighty Quinn".
The album kicks off with two strong tracks but my favourite here is the indietronica-shaped: "Free Love", which is nothing more than an absolute amazing progressive composition playing with lyrics in both English and Punjabi - like a modernised version of "6 a.m. Jullandar Shere" without plagiarising their own hit.
Imho, this is no less than the so far best album by Cornershop.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, The Observer 3 / 5, Daily Mirror, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Cornershop "Handcream for a Generation" (2002)

Handcream for a Generation
release date: Apr. 1, 2002
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform" (live on Later) - 3. "Music Plus 1" - 4. "Lessons Learned from Rocky I to Rocky III" - 6. "Motion the 11" - 10. "Spectral Mornings"

4th studio album by Cornershop follows 4½ years after the acclaimed When I Was Born for the 7th Time (1997) is the band's final album on the Wiiija label. With this the band introduces a sound built more on indietronica, electronica with a bolder use of samling combined with the usual blend of indie rock and South Asian Music with a stronger dance appeal. Guitarist Noel Gallagher and bassist Guigsy [aka Paul Francis McGuigan] both of Oasis make guest appearances on two different tracks (#10 and #4 respectively).
For some time I found this poor or mediocre, and of little interest compared to the break-through album When I Was Born for the 7th Time, which preceded this, but it's more than just Okay, actually. With Cornershop one must realise that Tjinder Singh and Ben Ayres, the two founding members, always have sought to move on and to create new music - including new mixtures of sound. The change of style on this album comes out as a more big beat / house-inspired sound - I hear Chemical Brothers and or Underworld in tracks like "Music plus 1" and "Spectral Mornings" but also classic disco inspiration, which only adds to the band's soundscape. Cornershop already represents a huge blend of funk, soul, reggae, and rock - mostly garage-inspired rock. It's Western popular music on one side and Asian-inspired folk on the other with a fusion of Indian folk / Punjabi folk music.

Handcream for a Generation may require more than a few listens to sink in. At least it took me some time to fully understand that it's much better than my initial verdict told me. I really enjoy it and have come to think of it as one of the band's better albums.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

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 (Oct. 1995) 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 act. 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)

Cornershop "Woman's Gotta Have It" (1995)

Woman's Gotta Have It
release date: Oct. 24, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Tjinder Singh
label: Wiiija Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "6 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4,5 / 5) (single version) - 2. "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu" - 3. "Roof Rack" - 4. "My Dancing Days Are Done" - 7. "Wog" - 9. "Looking for a Way In" - 10. "7:20 a.m. Jullandar Shere" (4 / 5) (live)

2nd studio album by Cornershop following nearly two years after Hold On It Hurts (Dec.? 1993) is with songwiter and primary vocalist Tjinder Singh as producer.
With this, the band introduces an original style associated with the band on future albums, which is a huge mix of influences. It's a blend of South Asian folk / Indian folk, indie pop, alt. dance, funk and soul with bits of electronic - mostly sampling. It's also evident that the initial inspiration from alt. rock, noise rock and post-punk-influences are heavily reduced, or no longer present. The band remains a sextet but the line-up has changed as drummer Nick Simms has replaced David Chambers. At times, as e.g. on "Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu", the band reveals a bond to the 'baggy / madchester' style with traits that ressemble the fusion-style of Happy Mondays.
All tracks are now written and composed by vocalist and bassist Tjinder Singh. The opening track, which is found in an alternate version at the end, is a modern classic.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

<  alternate cover >

US cover

Cornershop "Hold on It Hurts" (1993)

Hold on It Hurts [debut]
release date: Dec.? 1993
format: cd (1995 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: John Wills; Tjinder Singh
label: Merge Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 3. "Readers Wives" - 5. "Inside Rani (Long Version)" - 4. "Change" - 6. "Born Disco, Died Heavy Metal" - 8. "Where D'u Get Your Information" - *11. "England's Dreaming"
*Bonus track on '95 US-issue

Studio album debut by Cornershop originally released on Wiiija Records. Cornershop consists of songwriter Tjinder Singh on vocals and bass, his brother Avtar and Ben Ayres (aka Benedict Ayres), both on guitar and vocals, Saffs (aka Anthony Saffery) on sitar, Wallis Healey on guitar, and with David Chambers on drums. All music is credited the band, although, Tjinder and Ben are at the centre of the band with Tjinder as primary songwriter as the natural leader. The album was released exclusively in the UK in '93.
The style is rather hard to narrow in - alt. rock, indie rock, and raga rock are definitely embracing it but those terms may not suffice. Several tracks are definitely punk rock, noise rock, or grunge rock-styled, whereas others share traits from post-punk, gothic rock, dream pop and alt. dance as a new kind of fusion rock embracing elements from funk, soul and South Asian folk. This huge melting pot of styles is not entirely mediocre as it contains much originality, although, it may be a difficult first listen.
The '95 US-edition released on Merge also contains an additional 5-tracks taken from the ep Lock Stock & Double-Barrel included as bonus tracks at the end.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Andy Summers "XYZ" (1987)

XYZ [debut]
release date: Dec. 1987
format: vinyl (254 783-1) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Andy Summers, David Hentschel
label: MCA Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Love Is the Strangest Way" - 2. "How Many Days?" - 3. "Almost There" - 4. "Eyes of a Stranger" - 6. "Scary Voices" - 7. "Nowhere" - 10. "Hold Me"

Solo studio album debut by former The Police guitarist, Andy Summers (aka Andrew James Somers) who had previously released two collaboration albums with Robert Fripp: I Advance Masked (1982) and Bewitched (1984), and contributed on soundtracks for films: The Wild Life (1984), 2010 (1984) and for the TV-series "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (1986). Aside from being primary songwriter and composer - four tracks (tracks #2, #7, #8, and #10) are co-composed with producer Hentschel, who also provides keyboards and drum programming - Summers is credited as vocalist, which actually works more than just Okay, however, it's nevertheless his first and only album on which he provides lead vocals.

Musically, this isn't closely linked to the music by The Police. In fact, it has more in common with music by John Cale and Peter Gabriel with its bolder fusion rock and jazz fusion elements and a more obvious art rock approach. Yes, you can easily detect the guitar-sound of Summers, which has always made me wonder why he was never credited the music by The Police, 'cause how could Sting have written and arranged the songs telling Andy how to play the guitar?!

"Love Is the Strangest Thing" is the only single taken from an album, which wasn't exactly met by positive reviews, and it was basically seen as a commercial failure, which didn't have MCA invest further in Summers' career.

Personally, I purchased the album only to hear what the great guitarist of The Police could do on his own. Had I listened to it first, I may not have used money on it but I'm glad I did. No, it didn't sell and it wasn't met by acclaim, but in retrospect, I do think it's much better than rumour has it. Summers may have givin up singing after this, and because of this - the following tour and the sales numbers from the album didn't exactly encourage him to persue a career as vocalist, which I think is a shame. On this, he actually comes close to the sonic of Peter Gabriel. The music is close to that - perhaps too close - which may have had critics reject it as an original work.

XYZ is Summers' first solo album. It didn't turn out as intended - the music industry leeds its own unpredictable life. Overall, I think it's worth much more than a listen or two. It's flaw isn't because of the production sound, the mixing, nor in the song material but may likely be a result of missing personnel. A featuring artist (say Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, John Cale) here and there could likely have lifted this album from obscurity and brought it into the starlight. I do believe this very album is an example of how there's only a thin line between failure and success. "How Many Days" and "Nowhere" are both strong enough to make it to popular radio choices, but they weren't chosen as singles. The album is more than a decent first one out. It could arguably have been better arranged but the song material is there.

[ 👎allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

David Sylvian & Robert Fripp "The First Day" (1993)

The First Day
release date: Jul. 5, 1993
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: David Sylvian, David Bottrill
label: Discipline Global Mobile - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "God's Monkey" - 2. "Jean the Birdman" - 3. "Firepower" - 4. "Brightness Falls" - 6. "Darshan (The Road to Graceland)" (4 / 5) (live)
[ full album ]

1st collaboration album by David Sylvian & Robert Fripp. The album is released after several other collaboration projects following his probably best-received solo album Secrets of the Beehive (1987). Before this he made two albums with Holger Czukay (1988 and '89) and one in '91 with multi-artist Russell Mills (who also designed the cover art for Sylvian's '86 album Gone to Earth and Dead Bees on a Cake, 1999), and he contributed on former Japan bassist Mick Karn's second solo album from 1987, a Ryuichi Sakamoto album in '91, the first and only Rain Tree Crow studio album (featuring all former members of Japan) in '91, AND on an album by French composer Hector Zazou in '92, which means: he was extremely productive, although he wouldn't release a new studio album until 1999.
The music on The First Day is yet again "something else" one could be tempted to suggest. Sylvian works his own ways but it's evident that with a progressive rock and jazz fusion guitarist it has to be different from Sylvian's previous releases. It wasn't an immediate favourite but it kept growing on me and simply has its special moments. Initially, I found it fuelled with too much jazz fusion and a certain ambient touch but frankly, I stopped hearing that long ago. All tracks have that Sylvian laid back art pop attitude and then Fripp adds a jazz rock elegance, that both points to his prog rock legacy but on the other hand gives it all a touch of magic with his heavy distorted notes. Especially "Jean the Birdman" and "Firepower" are very fine compositions, but "Darshan (The Road to Graceland)" with its playing time of more than 17 minutes is the album's brilliant stone.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Mokoomba "Rising Tide" (2012)

Rising Tide
release date: May 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Poney Gross
label: Igloo Records - nationality: Zimbabwe

Track highlights: 1. "Njoka" - 4. "Mwile" - 5. "Misozi" - 8. "Ndundule"

Studio album by Afro-funk, jit and urban grooves band Mokoomba from Zimbabwe. This is truly music with many sources. You can spot African traditional folk, reggae, funk and a mix of r&b with hip hop and parts of jazz making it sheer fusion music, but the term fusion often refers to popular music in a Western tradition - this is really not, although, the term would be suited here if not it was so undefinable, like an umbrella term used when you can't really tell exactly what it is. Afro-funk seems more precise, and from my perspective, this is better than traditional funk, which is a genre I have never liked much.

The Police "Ghost in the Machine" (1981)

Ghost in the Machine
release date: Oct. 2, 1981
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,43]
producer: The Police & Hugh Padgham
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Spirits in the Material World" (4 / 5) - 2. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (5 / 5) - 3. "Invisible Sun" - 4. "Hungry for You (J'aurais toujours faim de toi)" - - B) 2. "Rehumanize Yourself" - 3. "One World (Not Three)"

4th studio album by The Police follows the schedule of releasing a new album after one year. As replacement for Nigel Gray, the band here introduces Hugh Padgham as co-producer. As on Zenyatta Mondatta Sting maintains the role as primary songwriter. He is once again sole songwriter and composer of eigth out of eleven compositions with Andy Summers being limited as provider of one song only (track #B4) and Copeland as co-composer (with Sting) on one track (track #B2) and solely credited one song (track #B6).
A new style is introduced with the strong opening track, the keyboard-driven "Spirits in the Material World". The track really opens the album in a way that makes you curious for the rest of the album, but it quickly turns out as the band's least coherent, imho. The following track "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is the album's strongest hit but with only two great tracks, the album as a whole remains a bit of a disappointing affair.
Ghost in the Machine has been lauded as great, as a daring and fine artistic work by great musicians, but aside from the first two tracks, I find it a difficult listen, throughout. As was the case with the band's previous two albums, this also topped the albums chart list in the UK, Australia, France, and in a number of other countries, thus being a highly successful release. Altogether, the album demonstrates a huge change of style with synthpop, experimental jazz, and fusion rock, but as a whole, and despite fine work on the production aspect, I find it... of only little interest and also the band's weakest album.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 ]

Supertramp "Supertramp" (1970)

Supertramp [debut]
release date: Jul. 14, 1970
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5]
producer: Supertramp
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Words Unspoken" (3 / 5)

Studio debut album by Supertramp. I have only come across the album in recent years, and really cannot see anything of interest in the album. The style is piano-founded pop / rock or soft rock with too much fusion. I have really never enjoyed a fusion of jazz and pop / rock much and this is for its time a typical blend with Hammond organ and various vocal harmonies blended with bold use of percussion, horns and elements from classical compositions, but in my ears, without much success or clear direction. It's a jam session of harmonic arrangements. At best, it's supermarket muzak.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Japan "Adolescent Sex" (1978)

Adolescent Sex [debut]
release date: Apr. 8, 1978
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,04]
producer: Ray Singer
label: Hansa Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Transmission" - 2. "The Unconventional" - 8. "Adolescent Sex" - 9. "Communist China"

Studio album debut by Japan consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist David Sylvian (aka David Alan Batt), lead guitarist Rob Dean, bassist Mick Karn, keyboardist Richard Barbieri, and with drummer and percussionist Steve Jansen (aka Stephen Batt, younger brother of Sylvian). All tracks are composed by David Sylvian.
The style is primarily glam rock with some art pop and funk rock elements, and differs from the band's later albums. Some tracks are dominated by a fusion of funk glam and r&b styles, whereas others are more new wave-based, which makes it hard to describe fully. There's also a distinct inspiration from David Bowie, who had fusioned styles on his Young Americans 1975 album.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]