When I Was Born For The 7th Time
Cornershop
1997
Album Summary
When I Was Born for the 7th Time is the third studio album by the British indie rock band Cornershop, released on 8 September 1997 by Wiiija. The album received high acclaim from music critics and features the international hit single "Brimful of Asha".
WikipediaSo bland. This is folk rock at its worst -- toneless guitar playing pentatonics, 2 chord songs, emotionless singing. Okay, maybe I'm being a little harsh, but it's not my cup of tea and I'm not really finding anything redeeming.
Funky times are indeed here again, though reconditioned in that distinctly Britpop way that sounds like listening to vinyl through Craig David headphones in a bedroom covered in posters of 60's bands. But for once the nostalgia trip is reinvigorated with purpose. Or at least with personality, which is purpose enough. The playfulness between live and sampled music, and between verbal and non-verbal communication, brings the everyday oddball at the helm to life, even when he's only talking through his record collection.
Je me souviens très bien du jour de la sortie de cet album. J'avais à l'époque deux mois passés et profitais pleinement d'une vie qui totalement dépourvue d'eltrapeze, mon compagnon d'écoute, qui ne naîtra que plus tard.
Nah. Liked the first two, then it just fell off for me and didn’t find anything substantial the rest of the album. 2/5
This one came out of nowhere and surprised me. It's a british indie rock band. The two founding members are brothers, and are indian. Their music fuses rock, electronica, and indian music to make a sort of amazing blend. I really liked this one
Very good album. Expected to only enjoy brimful of asha but, some very eclectic songs, great variety of sounds and rhythms mixing electronic, bass and Indian instruments to great effect.
This was a really interesting Brit Pop album. Seems to epitomize what Brit Pop was all about, experimentation and making poppy Beatle inflected rock, it also added a hearty serving of the break beat stuff that was getting popular in the 90s in the UK. When it started I was like, “holy shit, the 45 song” but this album was much more. Loved the Indian lyrics and Indian tunes peppered in. This seems representative of the Indian diaspora in London. Where did this band go? Chill sounds, good break beat, classic Indy, multi-genre, even a song that sounded like Devo. And most of all, solid drumming throughout. Great album, multi-genre, experimental, solid, lots of variety, every song was good. Can’t ask for much more. Albums like this are why I’m listening to 1001!
I only know the Fatboy Slim remix of \"Brimful of Asha\", which is an absolute banger and one of the top singles of the 90s. I had tried listening to the album version before, and found it uninspiring compared to the more upbeat and energetic remix. So I was not expecting to enjoy this album much. And yet, I find it charming. I like the laid back funkiness of it all, the mixture of English and Punjabi singing, and the way that diverse elements are incorporated into a whole that feels consistent and integrated. I quite like the instrumentals (like Butter the Soul, It's Indian Tobacco My Friend, or State Troopers). Good to Be On the Road Back Home and We're in Your Corner are highlights for me. Could they have trimmed 10-12 minutes off this to make it a really tight 40-odd minutes? That would have suited me, but this is an album that isn't in a hurry so stretching out a little is OK. It doesn't outstay its welcome. Surprisingly enjoyable.
Pretty diverse and funky world music, but i don't really love anything here. Brimful was a song i really didn't like in the late 90's and though it may be the catchiest song on this album, i'm still not a fan.
When will the British realize that smothering things in borrowed Indian flavors doesn't make up for their own boring cuisine?
I heard the word cock in one of the songs and that snapped me awake in the middle of this strange-ass snoozefest that was probably procedurally generated by an AI. So damn weird. It's like seven different albums mashed into eachother.
5 mins in...this is awesome I live this song 20 mins in.....ok this less awesome 30 mins in...I'm done now
I don’t know if you guys heard, but… There’s a brim full of asha on the forty-five. How did it get there? Is it supposed to be there? …also, what is a “brim full of asha”? This record leaves the listener with more questions than answers.
this was so cool and random. each song was completely different and I really enjoyed the range of instrumental songs and the indian influence. awesome !
Absolutely no clue what I was in for. When the accordion on “Sleep On The Left Side” started I had a pretty good feeling this was going to work out fine. Might this be love at first listen? As “Brimful of Asha” opened I knew this was special. Love this song even though I’m not entirely sure what a Brimful of Asha is. Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow? Hell yeah! The songs get even stranger and more wonderful. “Bitter The Soul” and “Chocolate” are utterly delicious. What colorful, trippy world have I stumbled into? “Funky Days Are Back Again”? I'm ready for a pair of dungaree cords! Turkey gravy? “What Is Happening”?! (Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous…don’t be alarmed.) “Good Shit” more than lives up to its name. “Good To Be On the Road Back Home”… how did this country song slide right in so naturally with the rest of the album?! Really love it. They end with an incredible cover of “Norwegian Wood” and totally stuck the landing. From the opening notes to the end this was a transformative listening experience that I will come back to again and again. I feel so much better for having experienced this.
I've never heard of 'em. I'm goin' in! All right! You wanna win me over quickly? Gimme accordion right from the jump! Or is it a harmonium? Either way, I am totally on board. Next song is the "everybody needs a bosom for a pillow" song! I know this one! (After looking it up, I know the Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) remix.) Yes! Love it! Love the trippy groove of We're in Yr Corner and the silliness of Funky Days are Back Again. Appreciate the reminder that, "Good shit's all around, good people." Definitely will listen to this one again and am already looking into their other albums, starting with Judy Sucks on a Lemon for Breakfast, which...is that a clarinet on the title track? Swoon!
I walked into work this morning with a huge grin on my face after listening to this on my commute. This is what I've been waiting for. It started with an accordion! "Sleep on the Left Side" hooked me right in. "Brimful of Asha" had slipped away from my consciousness in the last 20 years, but was a joyful reunion. Bosom is the best word! The rest is lovely, interesting, fun, and begs to be listened to again and again. Allen Ginsberg!?! Wow! "Good Shit" needs to be my aspirational theme. And I loved the perfect Punjabi "Norwegian Wood." Happy happy!
Brim full of Asher has a very solid solid place in my heart so I feel a loyalty to cornershop. I am very glad I got an opportunity to hear some of their other stuff properly. I did see them at the Godiva once and they were great but didn't get to properly appreciate the songs. Enjoyed a lot
Indian representation had a fleeting thing in the British music scene since the 60s yet hardly any Indians were making waves that could be considered equals to the groups that were poaching their sounds. That's were Cornership come in. Their 1997 masterstroke When I Was Born for the 7th Time sees them rise up to the now 60s fawning Britpop gauntlet and not only turn it on its head but give it new textures and shapes unmistakable in its originality. They cap it off with a faithful cover of a song that kickstarted the raga influenced craze of decades before. Hopefully people would familiarize themselves with this album when they get ahold of it, it's worth it. It'll make you feel born for the 7th time.
Je me suis prit a vraiment a8me ca, meme que j’ai reecoute, je vais mettre un 5 meme si c’est peut etre 4.85
I can honestly say I have never heard anything like this. Such a unique and creative album, and the eclectic mix of styles actually works pretty well.
Cool album that I hadn't heard before. Bit disjointed switching between the more typical 90s electronic (albeit with the Indian influence), and some classic indie pop tunes like Brimful of Asha. Still, I enjoyed this one.
i really enjoyed this album, it was a 90's brit band i had never heard of, with some insanely chill beats to game to, and found myself adding some songs to work playlists
Had no idea about this album. It was very hit-or-miss, but overall enjoyable!
kurwa dzień dobry, zajebisty indie rock ten album brzmi jakby THE SMITHS i THE JESUS AND THE MARY CHAIN mieli dziecko I to dziecko po separacji rodzicielskiej wychowywało się z wujkiem GEORGEM HARRISONEM bo czuć tam indyjskie instrumenty etniczne
Meer dan twintig jaar geleden heb ik Cornershop gezien op een festival. Het heeft toen niet echt indruk gemaakt. Nu vond ik het erg leuk. Gevarieerd met Oosterse invloeden.
Without a doubt, one of the most delightful experiences grilling chicken thighs. We grill chicken thighs in bulk, sometimes up to a dozen at a time, and save them for convenient eating throughout the week. You can do a lot with pre-grilled chicken thighs. Spice em up. Roll em in a tortilla. Cube em and salad em. Gyro em. Curry em. Consistent, tasty opportunities to easily blend diverse influences onto a protein with mass appeal. Floats on through the body and comes out clean. A-
interesting and eclectic 90s rock. funky rock mixed with music from the subcontinent. felt like it drug a bit in the middle but the beginning and ending were memorable
Sleep on the Left Side! Conhecia 3 musicas desse album e nao fazia ideia de quem eram esses caras.
Wicked. So much late-90s sample heavy goodness. After only knowing the Norman Cook remix of Brimful of Asha this was an awesome and welcome surprise.
Zanie work out stoners. Pretty enjoyable listen, nice one to get spaced out to
I liked this, it's strange and goofy in all the right ways. I like the richness of his voice, it reminds me of Robert Pollard. A couple duds on the album but overall strong, and turned me on to a band I didn't know anything about before.
Eat your hearts out, British impresarios: Here's how to actually-pleasantly combine "world"-or-what-have-you with British pop. It comes at the expense of textural depth at the front, and Singh's voice is so laid-back that it's impossible to hear it as punk. However, there's clear layering in the rhythm, clearest on the instrumental tracks: Hip-hop that's danceable and works with guitar music is hard to integrate, but it fits here without sounding at all forced. Funky. There are quite a few spots that I think would be improved by more dynamic recording or more interesting sequencing, but the toe-tapping and sheer density of music (with a taste of country, even!) convinced me of my opinion. I had already bookmarked several more of the band's recordings.
Great album. I really like Cornershop. Often seen as a one hit wonder but they have such an individual sound and still bashing out great albums today
The album of the day the day my mother passed away. Pretty chill vibes & groove overall.
The only thing that let this album down was the main single, Brimful of Asha getting treated like a novelty song after the Norman Cook remix. The album is full or really interesting sound excursions, sitting somewhere inbetween an indie, big beat and Trip Hop while having its own unique sound. I remember finding the album really refreshing in the post Britpop malaise
Late 90's indie rock - jangly guitars, muddy hip hop style beats. Maybe a few too many instrumentals slow the album down however, like everyone's local cornershop, it's well worth checking out. Best Tracks: Sleep on the Left Side; Brimful of Asha; Funky Days are Back Again
Really interesting album that blends a lot of interesting elements. Looking forward to exploring more of this artist's work.
This is a fine album mixing really great pop songs; Brimful of Asha, Sleep on the Left Side and Good to Be on the Road Back Home, in a really fluid listen. I really like their integration of Hindi language lyrics, gives it an qir of the exotic. Great stuff 4 🌟
I was really expecting not to like this album but, surprise surprise, it was actually really enjoyable. Brimful of Asha was great of course. Some of it was a bit weird and seemed like filler, and maybe it went on a little too long, but overall an enjoyable listen!
A bit overlong, but still an interesting album. It has more in common with Beastie Boys/Money Mark than their Britpop neighbours.
An album from my youth but one that I hadn't revisited for a very long time. I'm giving it a four, but mostly for the memories.
I'm not entirely sure what I was listening to? But it was fun either way. I enjoyed the different song styles they'd weave into the album and it kept you guessing!
Was there a better single released in the 90’s than Brimful Of Asha? I fell in love with it on the very first listen. And I feel the same way about this album. From the opening moments (Sleep On The Left Side) when you hear something that sounds like a piano accordion but probably isn’t, the soundscape here is intriguing. As with the instrumental Butter The Soul, which sounds like somebody whistling while trying to tune a radio. Great to hear Ginsberg on When The Light Appears Boy (he died 6 months before this album was released). His life was greatly influenced by Indian culture. Really enjoyed the duet with Paula Fraser (Good To Be On The Road Back) & the rapping by Justin Warfield on Candyman. And for me the great thing about the version of Norwegian Wood is that it reminds me of the cheesy cover of that song by The Folkswingers (sitar & all). I love this album.
Now here's something really interesting, various flavours of Indian-English cultural fusion and cultural commentary, frequently funky and generally very chill. I recently got into Garaj Mahal (jazz-rock-funk-Indian fusion) and love them; I wonder if they'd cite Cornershop as influence. I enjoyed this album, though not as much as G.M. That said, I have already started looking into their other records, and I *might* come back to this one ahead of those. Solid 3.5 stars, maybe even 4?
Hard to judge this album because it's so variable. But in the end the positive surprises are in majority.
It's rare to hear something after 1990 that is wholly original and also enjoyable. I really liked this a lot, and need to listen to it some more. 4 stars.
Really liked this a lot! The instrumentals were awesome, and the vocals were pretty decent too. Interesting album all around. Favorite track: We're in Yr Corner
Fun Anglo-Punjabi fusion, brilliantly bouncy and quirky. Everyone needs a bosom for a pillow!
I wasn't overly excited about another British pop\punk album - but I really enjoyed this one. It's definitely everything I love about 90s music, but with some obvious and interesting cultural and world-music influences that makes it unique. "Cool Shit" was immediately added to my Summer BBQ playlist and was a standout track for me. But, it was all good.
Very clear memory of a period where Brimful of Asha was dominating video and radio airplay. A fun and excellent album, though it gets into self-indulgent instrumental dicking around a couple times.
Pretty cool! “Good To Be On The Road Back Home” is a banger, and the Punjabi cover of “Norwegian Wood” is sick. Wild to think this is one of the last things Allen Ginsberg was part of.
I recently revisited this album and really enjoyed it! Looking forward to listening to it again! Love that it starts off with a mixture of so many sounds! Really great way to introduce your band and their sound! I thought Brimful of Asha was a massive pop hit but I don't think that's the case! Perception plays a big part of reviewing these albums! Love the instrumental interludes! Overall this record has a lot going on and it all works really well together!
This record starts off super strong, when it stays in a worldly indie rock lane that to me sounds like a proto Gorillaz. The album loses focus over time though, and while I wouldn't call it bad, I don't think it ever matches that opening stretch ever again.
Interesting without being super engaging. Some of the sound effects were cool--others were a bit annoying. I like the variety of it.
Highlights: -Brimful of Asha -Funky Days are Back Again -Norwegian Wood
I've tried getting into this album a couple of times, and I've come to the conclusion that, for me, this is a more interesting album anthropologically than musically--or at least it is (as an America) out of the context of where and when it was made, and by whom.
Very cool Indian Indie sound, kinda like Talvin Singh blended with Thievery Corporation. I can see this album being very influential in Raga Rock