Grrrl Gang "Spunky!" (2023)

Spunky!

release date: Sep. 22, 2023

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]

producer: Lafa Pratomo, Grrrl Gang

label: Green Island Music - nationality: Indonesia

Track highlights: 1. "Birthday Blues" - 2. "A Fight Breaks Out at a Karaoke Bar" - 3. "Rude Awakening" - 4. "Spunky!" - 5. "Cool Girl" - 9. "Blue Stained Lips" - 10. "The Star"

Full-length studio album debut by Indonesian trio Grrrl Gang. The album follows the compilation Here to Stay! (2020) and the ep debut Not Sad, Not Fulfilled (2018). Grrrl Gang consist of lead vocalist and guitarist Angeeta Sentana, bassist and vocalist Akbar Rumandung, guitarist and vocalist Edo Alventa, and together they formed the power pop trio in Yogyakarta, Java in 2016 - since then, they have relocated to the capital city of Jakarta.

Spunky!" is a ten track album; however, running for less than 25 mins. it's a rather short album. And frankly, that only makes you wish they had more songs on their repertoire 'cause it's really a fine addictive list of power pop tunes you probably wouldn't expect to originate from Asia - and say least of all: Indonesia. The three met and formed at Gadjah Mada University but might as well have formed in Seattle, or somewhere else in the US, which is like the living proof of how the world has become much smaller when speaking of music culture. Grrrl Gang play power pop and indie rock - in the 90s often referred to as college rock with bonds to The Breeders, Pixies, Echobelly, Throwing Muses and the like.

It's straight-forward and simple, and then it reminds us of how you could just go on and form a band back in 1977/80, or say 1990, just as long as you had some fundamental skills in place, and Grrrl Gang surely know one or two things about composing energetic indie pop.

Spunky! is already an acclaimed album - NME puts it at number #48 on its list of the 50 best albums of the year. I guess all three band members could very well have found, or hoped for another type of living than what they sat out for when deciding to relocate to the capital to find day jobs, and then instead ended up in a successful band.

Highly recommended.

[ NME 4 / 5, Under the Radar 7,5 / 10, 👍Loud and Quiet 3,5 / 5 stars ]

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 ]

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 ]