cr01's Full Review: Handcream For a Generation by Cornershop
2002 is proving to be one excellent year for music - my mouth literally drools at the thought of going into a music shop (although I confess that this may simply be an early sign of the on-set of old age). Apparently there is absolutely no shortage of stunning music to buy in 2002 - new albums from Doves, Lostprophets, Badly Drawn Boy, Gomez, Cornershop. The list goes on and on, and suddenly this choice and diversity makes me feel fifteen again (only with more cash). I don't have to choose that obscure last album by Tim Buckley to complete my set, simply because there's nothing new to buy!
Perhaps it's my reviewing at Epinions that's making me more aware of my experiences, but it appears to me that 2002 is the year where all the influences and styles of popular music from down the years are being taken and mixed into music - a huge melting pot of musical influences being tweaked and mixed into something new and hugely impressive.
Cornershop must be one of the most innovative British dance/rock acts around at the moment with their imaginative mix of influences incorporated into their music - ranging from 1970's disco and soul, to Reggae Dub, Bhangra, and traditional rock.
Although Cornershop have been around in one form or another since the late 1980's, "Handcream For A Generation" is only the fourth album from the band, and the first since 1997's "When I was Born For the 7th Time" (which spawned the UK chart topping single "Brimful of Asha").
Led by vocalist Tjinder Singh (the genius also behind dance band Clinton), Cornershop stands out as the most commercially succesful rock band to be fronted by a man of Asian origin since Freddy Mercury and Queen (although proud of his sexuality, Freddie strangely hid his ethnic roots).
It is a sorry indictment of modern British society with its large minority Asian community, that there aren't more Asian music artists to have become more popular and mainstream. For Cornershop, this Asian background is incorporated into the music, particularly with the Punjabi lyrics and sitar played on "SPECTRAL MORNINGS". Coupled with a guest appearance by Noel Gallagher (of Oasis) with his trademark searing guitar, "SPECTRAL MORNINGS" rocks and rolls on for over fourteen minutes of battle between rock guitar and sitar, with a pumping dance beat pacing the proceedings - this is a hightlight of the album - George Harrison could only dream of this seamless fusion.
Another track of asian origin, which is sadly short is "SOUNDS SUPER RECORDINGS", which brings to me fond memories of the Asian Mela's (festivals), which are held each summer in my part of the world, which celebrate the Asian (Indian and Pakistani) culture, with families at stalls selling home made curries, pakoras, lassi and Indian sweets, while being entertained by loud brash jangling live Bhangra music. These festivals are always a summer highlight.
Also at the fore of "Handcream for a Generation", is the sound of 1970's black funk. "HEAVY SOUP" opens the album with vocals from Otis Clay, with backing by brass - bass clarinet, trumpet and flugalhorn, and a catchy beat over the spoken almost James Brown 1970's style. The lyrics simply introduce the musicians, and the song titles on the album. "PEOPLE POWER" later in the album, (with vocals by Tjinder Singh) continues this black funk theme, with added sampled telephone rings, and morse code bleeps. "People power in the disco hour" lead the lyrics.
"THE LONDON RADAR", has a Philly sound, interspersed with aircraft noises and airport and aircraft announcements, to lend that sampled dance sound. Sadly for me, this song is simply filler, as it adds little to its predecessors.
"MUSIC PLUS 1" is an unashamed dance tune, obscured and muffled dance beat loop. This is a little too hard core and routine for my tastes - perhaps you have to be on the dance floor with the volume up loud to really appreciate it. "WOGS WILL WALK", by contrast is a dance cum ska fusion, a rolling steady gentle beat and a tale of Singh's asian childhood, sung almost in the style of a Lou Reed confessional.
Reggae Dub is next on the agenda, with "MOTION THE 11", with Cornershop doing a very passable impression of Misty In Roots or Aswad, both strong reggae dub exponants from the 80's Dub hey day.
Add a couple of ridiciously catchy mainstream tunes to the album, like "STAGING THE PLAGUING OF THE RAISED PLATFORM", with its swirling tongue twisting song title sung in chorus by a bunch of school kids behind Singh's sublime vocals (bringing the commerciality of even "Brimfull Of Asha" to shame), and "LESSONS LEARNED FROM ROCKY 1 TO ROCKY III", with its early 70's rock guitar and the best song title this side of World War II, the lyrics are a bitter criticism of soft-rock music and supermodels (I think!), and you have "Handcream for a Generation".
The disappointment with the album lies in the fact that the really cracking tunes, for me tend to populate the begining of the album. The ubiquitous "bonus track" (how can you have a bonus track, when all CD's seem to have one?), is an untitled jazzy backing track, and "SLIP THE DRUMMER ONE" which precedes it is unmemorable (I played it typing this last paragraph, and I simply cannot tell you anything about it!).
Perhaps "Handcream For A Generation" will be a victim of its own success - it is simply too diverse for us to like every single track on it.
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