When I Was Born For The 7th Time

Absolute belter

Indian diaspora brit pop with just a little electronica is perhaps the coolest fusion ever

So many different genres come together wonderfully here. It’s so unabashedly 90s and yet has an impressive staying power. I’ll definitely be coming back to this one.

This album is something else. What an incredible fusion of styles. I'll admit, I never heard anything from this band other than Brimful of Asha. I was definitely doing myself a disservice. This whole album is worth a listen - especially the expanded edition.

Wow, surprised by this one! Brimful of Asha added to Liked Songs!

A forgotten gem! Everybody *does* need a bosom for a pillow.

Brought me back to 97'. Playing card in my sisters room with out SO's.

loved it

Good mix great record

I enjoyed the Indian spices with the British fare so much that I went back for seconds. And thirds. Eclectic but solid album. I had a good time listening.

Banger

Great album. Very funky and drumming is amazing. The cover of Norwegian Wood is superb. Not sure why you would not like this unless of course you were a supporter of Farage or Trump. But unfortunately that's where we are now. I, for my part, love the cultural mix and Anglo/Punjabi fusion of this album.

I may be influenced by personal nostalgia here but I love this album. It’s a great example of style mashups that results in great songs

Well hot diggety damn this takes me back. I played this CD a lot in my junior and senior year of college. Some sentimental shit. And, unexpectedly, I like it more than I liked it then. Back then it was all about Sleep on the Left Side, Brimful of Asha, and then often skip to Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again. But the whole thing sounds pretty perfect to me now. And somehow I feel nostalgia without too much painful longing which is kind of a rarity, or maybe the therapy worked.

Loved it all the way through. Upbeat and easy to listen to. Didn’t want to skip any of them

Great album!! When I first heard this album in 1997 it was original and unique!!

An explosion of genres, creativity, positivity, and catchy hooks. A love letter to musicians and the people that are affected by their music. This album is full of wonderful surprises and keeps pulling more tricks out of its bag through the very last track.

love

Hm, haven't heard of Cornershop. But boy does this first track scream mid 90s. Love it! Oh WTF!! Of course I know these guys, no wonder that first track sounded so familar!! They sing Brimful of Asha!! Awesome.

This is a much more interesting blending of South Asian and Western music than the sort of anonymous techno Talvin Singh served up on OK. Still, this is probably only a 4 star, but bumping up to 5 because it was a maintain of one of my years in College.

What a fantastic album. Fatboy slim adjacent but with influence of traditional Indian instrumentation. I will keep this album for many return visits.

So 90s in the best ways

What a pleasant surprise, this wild corny, at times had me, going one hundred percent and you have to admit that this is basically turn on-able at any time

What a surprise! When I get albums like this that come out of nowhere, with no expectations, and yet they delight! This is why I continue to do this project.

Sure, this group may be only really known for a remix of one of their songs, but damn if the album doesn't hold up as well. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

Great

OK, I admit it - I like the original Brimful of Asha better than the Norman Cook remix. Sorry! I also really like the opener (sleep on the left side), which was their follow-up to their huge number one single. The album tails off a bit, then finishes with an astounding cover.

Catchy and very fun. Not one I'd heard before, but I'm a sucker for indian inspired pop.

This album really surprised me as i was only aware of the norman cook remix of brimful of asha before listening.

I had definitely never heard of Cornershop or this album (although maybe I had heard Brimful of Asha somewhere). But I found this album from 1997 refreshing. It sounds like it was made yesterday. The fusion of indie rock with Indian sitar is super unique. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Sign me up! So glad I listened to the album. Brimful of Asha is a fun song but one of those overplayed ones that kind of makes you cringe when you hear it now because you know that loop is in your ahead again even if you turn the song off right away. The rest is so much better!

Cornershop - When I Was Born for the 7th Time The onlything I knew about Cornerhsop or this album was the song "A Brimful of Asha." This song is one of my favorite 90s songs. I just never took time to actually listen to the entire album. Well, I did jus that today and I have to say that it is a really good album. It mixes alternative and Indian music to meld into an amazing sound. Lots of great songs on this album and I'm really glad that I was tasked to listen to it today. 5/5

Wow! I really liked that!

I need to listen to this album more often.

😁cool

I had somehow never heard of this band but very much enjoyed the listen!

I remember being in love with Brimful Of Asha when it was released (I would have been 7 years old). However, being a child, I had no extra thought of wanting to find the album to hear more. Also, as a silly child, I thought I had the lyrics said “Everybody needs a button or a pillow.” Not sure what situation would require a button or a pillow, but it made sense to me at the time. Songs I already knew: Brimful Of Asha Favourites: Brimful Of Asha, Funky Days Are Back Again, Norwegian Wood This album is fantastic. To start, if you’re familiar with the track title of Norwegian Wood, it is indeed a cover of the Beatles song and is a delight. I’ve found through this album listening experience that I tend to really enjoy music from India, and this album has elements of that while still having the Western familiarities that I’m used to, so is a very nice blend for me. I’d be interested to know, what is your preferred Brimful Of Asha? Cornershop or Fatboy Slim?

Incredible sampling album

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 love this album. Saw them at Glasto 1997 in the new bands tent.

LOVE IT, Brimful of Asha closing credits theme version

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.

I've loved this album since the 90s

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

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!

An insanely original and timeless sound, blew me the fuck away

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 !

This is a great album, marred only be having at least one irritating clunker (Good to be Back on the Road Home). Overall, it would have been a 5 but for its length and the clunker. Brimful of Asha is a real earworm...

This is an old favorite of mine. Why does this direct to the censored version of the album? I want to hear "Good Shit" not "Good Ships." Anyways, it's a really good album that I enjoyed revisiting.

What a great mix of sounds. It doesn't sound overly 90's either. Thankful for getting exposure to this and i will listen to it again, but not quite enough oomph to rate it a 5.

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It went in a lot of different directions, occasionally not so good but definitely entertaining. I knew two songs but very happy to listen to the rest of it. The biggest hit "Brimful of Asha" got very well played on triple J here in Australia and perhaps exceeded it's welcome but is still good. Having listened to the whole album and enjoyed it I am fairly sure I will rate it higher than the average here.

third album release by british rock group cornershop, a cool weird alternative album that takes influence from all sorts of stuff. the album peaked considerably high on uk charts and most people on online platforms gush about how weird and wonderful it is. this is essentially some indie britpop with a sense of style and a sense of humor too. it's another one of those albums where it can be classified under 15 different genres. sometimes it's silly and kitschy, sometimes it gets kinda spacey. plenty of plunderphonics. a large amount of punjabi influence is also present here, both traditional instruments and singing styles are scattered throughout. it's a wide and varied set of music, and to be honest with you, it's difficult to find the words to actually describe it. thankfully i can say that this record is pretty solid. it was a fun little ride.

Very unexpectedly good

This was another case of being very pleasantly surprised despite having no expectations or idea who the artist is. That opening track is so cool and it’s so inventive and original. Kinda has an Odelay by Beck vibe (which is a very good thing). Honestly the first half of the album I was so into it and sold. The second half of the album does fall off alittle for me. But then it ends on Norwegian Wood which is a great song and I love the Indian sitar. And there’s so much variety!! None of the songs sound like the last song, and there’s a ton of songs I really loved including “sleep on the left side” “brimful of Asha” “butter the soul” “we’re in your corner” “what’s happening” “when the light appears boy” “good ships” and “Norwegian wood”. Nothing wins me over like a ton of variety, and it never gets boring. This is an album I’m going to be looking for in the future.

4 stars

Sounds like British Cake or Beck

I was already familiar with the song Brimful of Asha, but the rest of the album was new for me. This is a rock album with some electronica and Indian elements. I really like the Indian influence here. I knew I liked Brimful of Asha, but I enjoyed the whole album. I would listen again for sure.

Cool sound, Beatles-esque

A long time since I listened to this. It has aged really well. They were so scrappy when they started out, lovably so, but this is the one where they elevated to a new level. The Fatboy Slim mix of Brimful Asha served its purpose in being them a wider audience but it does such a disservice to the soulfulness they possess as a group.

Love it. So many people on this list are given an album that is fun and different, and they hate it. Open your ears people!

Really enjoyed this one!

Hey, what do you know! A British Indie album on this list that isn’t putrid. Bravo!

Awesome

I had no idea that song was called Brimful of Asha... we called it the forty-five song. During my undergrad years I had a summer job waiting tables at Perkins. I remember this song would come on while we were working, and we'd make up our own lines... The speed limit out there is forty-five John just had a birthday now he's forty-five The POS code for rye bread is forty-five You get the idea... good memories from a simpler time. I really enjoyed this album. The accordion in the opening hinted that this album would be a fun trip,. The Indian influence is really cool. It seems like every time I started hearing a sitar, it was going to be really good.... especially the Punjabi rendition of the Beatles' Norwegian Wood. But even the non-sitar guitar driven songs were cool like Good to Be on the Road Back Home, Good Shi** and Brimful of Asha. The biggest weakness were some of the lo-fi tracks that took that concept to an extreme. Funky Days are Back Again sounds like it's played on a toy keyboard someone found on clearance at the dollar store -- it's so bad. Thankfully the good moments are far more frequent than the egregious missteps.

Wow, this was a trip. This project is often difficult to digest, yet alone analyze, but it bleeds ambition. With a chaotic blend of genres and of the west and the east, Cornershop manages to make a messy, potentially bloated project altogether interesting, which is easier said than done. If the strange, hypnotic trip hop instrumental tracks and the best folk and hip-hop inspired tracks had been mixed and, possibly, sequenced better, this had the potential to be something special. Against my better judgement, I enjoyed most of the tracks and the general idea and direction here, so I’m in favor of this perplexing experience. The best tracks I expect to return to regularly (the cool Beatles cover included), which I can’t say all that often with the number of different tracklists I’m experiencing weekly now. 2 listens Favorite Tracks: Brimful of Asha, Good to Be on the Road Back Home, Sleep on the Left Side, Candyman, Norwegian Wood - This Bird Has Flown, Good Sh**

I like most of this, only knew brimful of asha before this. There were just a few really weird tracks sprinkled in there I didn't much care for bringing it down to a 4 for me.

Doesn’t get talk about enough in influencing albums of the 90s

Brimful of Asha is really an outlier on this, the rest is a fusion of traditional South Asian music and hip-hop beats, soundscapes and spoken word. A great surprise!

Parfois long, parfois chelou, mais bonus pour l'originalité.

ziemlich gut

Better than I remember. Goofy, stoney, good fun.

Hyvän mielen levy. Jotain muistikuvia Cornershop-nimi herätteli Mikkeli-ajoilta ja kyllähän Brimful of asha olikin tuttu biisi. Oli todella iso hitti aikoinaan, milloinkohan olen kuullut sen viimeksi…? Hauska levy ehdottomasti. 4/5

We all know Cornershop for "Brimful of Asha", which appears on this album. Personally, I think the version that appears on "When I Was Born for the 7th Time" is best suited when I'm relaxed. As for Fatboy Slim's remix, it's great in most situations. The rest of "WIWBft7T" has some good songs like "Sleep on the Left Side" At the end of the album, there's a neat Punjabi cover of "Norwegian Wood". 4 stars for "When I Was Born for the 7th Time".

Wonderful album. The mix of Punjabi, Britpop & electronic elements makes this album so interesting and unique. I absolutely love the addition of the tamboura and sitar, and find myself most drawn to the songs with obvious Punjabi elements. This was so fun & creative and I will definitely revisit.

Favorite Track: Brimful of Asha

Интересные мотивы появляются, волшебный инструментал но я мао запомнила

Achei bem diferenciado o rockzinho com música indiana. Deu vontade de procurar mais sobre a banda. Pior que gostei da Good Chips, finalmente uma banda que tem um pouco de um estilo único, que foi legal de ouvir. Vou dar 4*, talvez seja pelo timing que ela veio. Mas é melhor que muito 3. Po, gostei muito da Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again também. Que interessante. Não foi o álbum todo que eu curti, mas ele me impressionou por um som diferenciado, ousado. Porra, terminou com Norwegian Wood em indiano? Foda. Curti muito a jornada do álbum.

Always been an album I’ve liked…

Brimful of Asha was my jam back in the day. For some reason I heavily associate it with the dandy warhols’ “not if you were the last junkie on earth.” I think both were very popular on MTV2 at the time but never quite got the recognition I felt they deserved. But I don’t think I ever listened to this whole album? Or maybe just once in passing a while ago? I liked it well enough.

When I first saw the album cover, I was convinced I had never heard of the band before but the second Brimful of Asha played a ton of middle school memories flooded back! Had I been in college when this album came out, I definitely would've been interested in this band. I really liked the Indian influence and cover of Norwegian Wood. I'd definitely check this album out again.

Really good!

great production! i may even prefer the instrumentals on this?

This is a genre I don't like, generally. But then every once in a while, something from such a genre can grab me, and this did years ago when I first heard it. Good, quirky music.

A MASSIVE breath of fresh air after coming of 3 1’s that should never have been in the selection to begin with. Sleep on the left side is a warm and refreshing opening after assaulting my ear with “alternative music”, this opens to south both the ear and soul. Rest of the album is a bit weaker but still really good overall.

Thought we were in for a right treat after the opening couple of songs. Not sure the rest of it quite lived up to it, but there was some very good tracks here. Very eclectic as well, which can be good, but I do think there were a few not so good songs too. My favourites: Sleep on the left side Brimful of asha Good to be on the road back home again Not sure I've ever heard the original version of brimful of asha before 3.5

I was familiar with Cornershop before this, but only aware of a few of their songs (such as Brim Full of Asha). This album lived up to my expectations: a mix of British indie-rock, Britpop, and Punjabi sounds coming together to form a varied but cohesive whole! The only thing holding this album back from getting a perfect review is the slight slump in the middle. There was a stretch of about 4-6 songs that felt very repetitive, and where I found it difficult to pay attention at times.

4/5

Indian Moby? Why not?

Normally I would rate these kinds of "melodic beats" albums a 3, but this one was actually pretty interesting to me. It felt different from the other ones I've heard on the list, I really enjoyed it.

4.5

Blending of indian music and british pop rock. Cool.

Really big fan of this one and how it is structured, it goes all over the place while still sounding quite cohesive

Solid record, great vibe.

Nice

Very good stuff, very underrated i think. It's Sikh britpop and that's pretty fucking cool. I don't think much has sounded like this since, it feels like an incredibly important British album, they sound like a Desi version of the super furry animals. Also what the fuck is allen Ginsberg doing here.

Still sounds great, a very under-rated album

Missed this the first time round. What a treat though. Thought the album would peak with the two singles as track 1 and 2 but the quality was pretty consistent throughout.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ - Genius…Tom.

Those first two tracks hit big nostalgia buttons for me. I also really enjoyed their cover of Norwegian Wood. The rest is quirky enough to enjoy it as well.

This was a nice surprise. Bit 90s and dated in places, but I loved the mix of styles and really wasn’t just about ‘the hit’.

BOM álbum e nunca tinha ouvido falar. Musiquinha p se escutar no fininho durante a viagem de viação da prata pqp

En nou wat vrolijks. Een jaren-negentighitje met een album eromheen. Nooit begrepen wat er precies met het getal 45 is, maar blij word je nog steeds van dit kundig in het elkaar gestoken nummer. Uit de rest maak je iets meer op van de etnische achtergrond van de makers, Brits-Indiaas zo te horen. Uit de tijd dat er vrolijk met muziekculturen werd gemixt en dat daar allerlei fantastische combi's uit kwamen (Manu Chao, maar ook fado in het Fries, bijvoorbeeld). En daarna trok iedereen zich voor mijn gevoel weer terug op zijn eilandje, voor mijn gevoel. Maar hier is de toekomst nog zonnig. Fijn.

cool! One of my favorite discoveries.

virkelig vireklig cool album der blander hip-hop beats, punjabi indisk lyd og indie rock. Der er så mange fede tracks på det her album og jeg skal faktisk lige lytte til det én gang mere tror jeg. det er en hyldest til indisk film og sangkultur. Det er en plade som angiveligt bevæger sig lidt mellem det britiske og indiske og ikke rigtig kan finde sig til palds nogle steder. Det er sgu meget symbolsk. Så tror der hvor det virkelig skilder sig ud er fordi det er et krydsfelt mellem race, kultur musik og identitet. Disse genreblends er meget mere noramle i dag, men det var det ikke tilbage i 1997. Derfor er det lidt af et tidsdokument og forud for sin tid. Det er indie rock blandet med samplebased pop og eletronica. deraf loops og beat samples Raga rock som er vestlig rock/pop blandet med collage agtige teksturer og samples osv. det man skal lægge mærke til er dholki, tamboura, sitar, harmonium og scratching samt løsse trommegrooves og popmelodier. Det er solvarmt, eklektisk som er et nyt ord jeg har lært som betyder at man blander genre, stilarter, ideer, elementer og ideer osv. sammensætte noget godt fra forskellige verdener. DEn blander virkelig ting på en organisk måde som har sneget sig ind i musikverdenen i dag.

I liked this a lot, only spoiled slightly by the unnecessary Norwegian Wood.

Nice little harmless album. Quite fond of how eclectic it is, really.

I owned this back in the day but didn't remember anything other than the first 2 songs. Bangers of course but there's a lot of other good songs here.

Great Alternative

Super cool sound! I will most definitely be listening again.

This is my shit. I love mid nineties British eclectic-electronic stuff, and this really scratched the itch. I had only heard the Fatboy Slim remix of Brimful, and though the original is slower and less dancy, I enjoyed the laid back nature of it all. It's a real groove you can hang out it. Feels very Mr. Scruff/ Ninja Tuna adjacent in the best way. I'm gonna go 4/5.

#49/1001 🇬🇧🇮🇳🐺 Although i heard the singles at the time, this was my first listen in full. Blending Indie Rock, Hip Hop Beats and Punjabi music was something that really stood out at the time and i think that my impression of them was that they were a bit of a novelty act on the basis of the remix of the Brimful of Asha track. As ubiqitous as that track was back then, hearing the original here without the whistles and bells is really fresh. There is a lot of variation on here including collabs with Paula Frazer (Tarnation) and Allen Ginsberg. The cover of Norweigen Wood is fab too but then i'm just a sucker for that song. I'm a bit cross that i didn't spend more time on these guys in the 90s, they were definitely doing something more interesting than the likes of Oasis. I'll certainly come back to listen again. Best Tracks: Sleep on the Left Side, Brimful of Asha, We're in your Corner, Good to be on the Road Back Home.

3.5

Fun

I like it. There's stuff you expect and some slightly more experimental tracks. Didn't just try to cash in.

It's quirky, a bit long, but not half bad!

"When I Was Born for the 7th Time" remains an eclectic listen. While some tracks hit the mark more than others, the overall experience is one of upbeat, mellow charm, defined by laid-back grooves that perfectly evoke the feeling of languid summer days. It is a nice blend of genres and cultures, seamlessly weaving in songs sung in Punjabi. Despite being nearly thirty years old, the production feels remarkably fresh. Tjinder Singh’s vocals are refreshingly understated, charming, and at times almost conversational. The standout tracks, the original 'Brimful of Asha' and the alt-country 'Good to Be on the Road Back Home', these showcase the band's range. Although the hour-long runtime could have benefited from a little pruning, it remains a thoroughly engaging and joyful record. Four stars. 1 "Sleep on the Left Side" (4/5) 2 "Brimful of Asha" (5/5) 3 "Butter the Soul" (3/5) 4 "Chocolat" (3/5) 5 "We're in Yr Corner" (4/5) 6 "Funky Days Are Back Again" (3/5) 7 "What Is Happening?" (3/5) 8 "When the Light Appears Boy" (3/5) 9 "Coming Up" (3/5) 10 "Good Shit" (4/5) 11 "Good to Be on the Road Back Home" (5/5) 12 "It's Indian Tobacco My Friend" (4/5) 13 "Candyman" (4/5) 14 "State Troopers" (3/5) 15 "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" (5/5) Total - 56 Average - 3.73 247/1001 136/247 albums reviewed were new to me

I really enjoyed this. Brimful of asha is a bop. Also I liked the dylan cover

Look… you can either have Dee-Lite or the “Everyone Needs a Bosom for a Pillow” guys. You can’t have both. And even though I enjoyed this album (and it led me to their album “Woman’s Gotta Have It” which I really enjoyed) I already loved Dee-Lite so this album has to go. Sorry that’s just the law

J'ai beaucoup aimé l'album il est très très particulier mais melange tellement de sonorités intéressantes et d'influences fusionnées, le résultat est très surprenant (c'est quand meme assez particulier de retrouver une forme d'influence reggae sur Norvegian Wood) mais très intéressant. Après le seul soucis est peut être le fait qu'il fasse extrêmement daté pour un album de 97, ça peut éventuellement repousser

Brimful of Asha is an absolute banger 10/10 The rest was a bit dissapointing

This remains a lovely little album.

Creative and surprisingly catchy for an “indie” band.

Indian hip hop is interesting; I prefer those with lyrics, but the instrumentals challenge the classic Indian traditions. Rounding up.

Pretty good, actually. Variety of musical styles and instrumentation. And everyone DOES need a bosom for a pillow.

ts so fire pero wtf is going on que es esta verga tan árabe JAJAJA no se si me gusta está muy extraño pero pues si está bueno. mk es que tiene unos temas medio mierdas pero unos demasiado chimbas que putas

This album was all over the place. So many styles were included, and so many different parts of the world were represented. Brimful of Asha was the only song I knew going in but I was grooving throughout, and I also enjoyed the Norwegian Wood cover. A pleasant surprise.

"Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow." might be my new favorite lyric. Awesome album! I loved the variation in style and sound. Feels like a lot of influence is being blended here.

I saw Cornershop around the time this was released, and they were probably the dullest live band I've ever seen. Maybe they were just having an off-night but I do wonder if that lack of charisma held them back because this is such a fun, genre-hopping album that they deserve to be known as more than one-hit wonders. (The gig didn't put me off though - I also bought and loved the follow-up album, Handcream for a Generation.)

Is this the most 90s album of all? I think so. It's really uplifting, makes you feel like it's 1997 and Tony Blair's gonna be great and we've ended racism and everything's gonna be OK with no disappointments / war crimes on the horizon. Hot take but I actually like the Brimful of Asha version here more than the Fatboy Slim remix (although the Phoenix Nights version will always be my number one). It's not like, groundbreaking musically, and every now and then we verge a little bit into dreaded electro swing town, and there's quite a bit of filler, but it's got so much charm that I don't really mind.

This is one of my favorite albums to come out of the late 90s. The first 2 songs, "Sleep On The Left Side" and "Brimful Of Asha" are fantastic. There are a couple of instrumental tracks which are good, but other great songs are on here such as "Funky Days Are Back Again" and "Good To Be On The Road Back Home Again." The cover of The Beatles "Norwegian Wood" is a great capped to the album.

I didn't know this band. (I had heard Brimful of Asha, music seemed so slight that I was not at all motivated to find out what it was about.) So I read a bit before listening, then found the album more pleasant than I had expected. Some fun glitchy riffs, danceable old school acoustic funk loops, punk style simplicity (reminded me of Happy Mondays), a bit of dub was nice; some of it was just inoffensive background music (ie couldn't hold sustained attention). Feeling generous towards the good vibes, I'll say Good rather than just Okay. My favourite song: Candyman.

kinda expected this to be way more of an electronic album but its p much indie pop with a very very eclectic sense of arrangement, from a band that (at least according to the writeup in my copy of the book) originally played the fall-inspired post punk. actually the whole trajectory described in the writeup is p interesting....the frontman, a british-born sikh, became more and more interested in punjabi and indian music, and while the resulting mix sounds (to my very uneducated ears) more like the deployment of appropriate instruments/timbres/melodic ideas on top of what are ultimately western song structures, its a very smooth and loving mixture all the same. brimful of asha and we're in yr corner are stellar, and the whole album is Maybe a little overlong (tho given 90s cd-itis, the fact it doesnt break an hour is nice) p enjoyable in a Quirky But Sincere sort of way.

This is great. Kind of reminds me of Beck. Indian and hip hop influenced indie rock album. Gotta add this to the collection

8/10 Favorites: Sleep on the Left Side Brimful of Asha

I loved the Fatboy Slim/Norman Cook remix of Brimful of Asha, and I was delighted to listen to the Cornershop original. I just added a new band to my best-of-the-90s list. I agree that "When I Was Born For The 7th Time" is one of the greatest British albums, and anyone who wants to listen to exceptional indie rock needs to tune in.

Interesting. Pretty good.

Pleasant

Actually quite a neat album with tuneful melodies and strong rhythms. Wasn’t expecting much but was into it. Discovered some great Indian/Indian-influenced music on the generator. Best song: Good to Be on the Road Back Home

Indian rock fusion, some drums, enjoyed this one.

Really enjoyed most of this album, brimful original version - excellent- couple of other real crackers - nice surprise

God, I hate Brimful of Asha, but I sort of love that it became a huge hit. Still, I wasn't all that excited to hear an album full of that song. What a nice surprise to get an album that feels far more like The Thievery Corporation than schlocky 90s gimmick pop.

What a surprisingly nice album

Listended to the first half, really liking it thus far. Something about the somewhat plain tones mixed with a slight upbeat tonality and hints of the start of electronic sounds creates an intresting and totaly non offensive sound. Might be too plain for some but even if so an amazing pallete cleanser in my mind. Mix of western and non western influences, of old and new. Its a very intresting album with diversity in its songs. Chilled out but still energetic in a way. It has something going for it that i find hard to put to words but i like what it provides.

Not always good, but always interesting. I don't often hear Indian influences in music so this was actually refreshing I don't like when albums have track with just some noise like "when the noise appears boy", but other than that I enjoyed it. Would give it a 3.7/10, but I'll round it up to a 4

Starts off really strong and really fun. After the second song they become more and more experimental and after a few songs it starts to lose me, but they do pick it up decently at about halfway through the album. A great album with some banger songs, even though it didn't all work out, I loved what they went for.

80

Really liked this one. Laid-back, psychedelic britpop with ethnic textures on half the tracks, upbeat electronic on the other. Really nice casual listening and some neat artistic choices that make it stand out from a lot of the other albums we get like this.

Great fusion of musics, generes and parts of the world

First time listening

nice

It makes me yearn for a 90s childhood I never had

Who knew an Indian-British Rock-Pop-Hip-Hop album could work so well? It overstays its welcome, but I was pleasantly surprised. Favorite Track: "Butter The Soul".

There are some great grooves on this, and now I finally know what album "Brimful of Asha" is on (I know it's a disgrace that I didn't know that). People don't seem to put Cornershop in the acid jazz basket, but I think they definitely have some DNA in common with that genre, and I like it.

the music equivalent of chicken tikka masala but hey, i like it

I should have listened to this a lot earlier. Great Album "It's indian tobacco my Friend" is a find.

Yesssss! Brimful of Asha album. On the way to a perfect score. Perhaps a 4.

I enjoyed listening to this one. Not all of it was for me, and some of it was pretty out there. However, this album’s got range, and there were times when I had to check and see if I accidentally started listening to another album. A huge fusion of genres.

Bouncy summer pop

This was pretty cool. A lot of big hooks and divers sounds. A good album

I do like this album and may revisit or look at some later albums.

Some cool ass beats in this

Had never heard this one. It was out during a really busy time in my life: raising children, moving, new work. So, wish I had heard it before. Nice sound.

Loved this album back in the day. Nice 90’s alt/indie rock. Favorites include Sleep on the Left Side, Brimful of Asha, Butter the Soul, Funky Days Are Back Again, Good Shit, Good to be on the Road Back Home Again. Really enjoyable straight through listen.

A much better listen than I was expecting. "Brimful of Asha", specifically the remix, was a massive hit at the time but didn't particularly excite me. I expected a generic Brit-Pop adjacent offering here, but it's not that. The last few tracks of the album display some trip-hop and hip-hop influence which is very unexpected. The variety of influences makes this far more interesting than I expected. It's not perfect and it's not a masterpiece, but it's good.

I like The cornershop good b ban brin full of ash is a fun song

This one caught me off guard. What I got was a globe’s worth of sounds colliding. Honestly, pretty damn cool. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Brimful of Asha - Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again - Candyman - Norwegian Wood

Very surprising album. I really liked the wacky genre fusions going on here. The album-is-a-radio-broadcast-concept has been done before and after, but it doesn't matter. This era of music, the late-90's, produced many stuff like this. Pan-genre, psychedelic, futuristic, dance-y, colourful, fun. And all of it still sounds great. Key tracks: Brimful of Asha We're in Your Corner

Really enjoyed this, I think it contains much of what made the 90s a good decade musically - eclectic, irreverent... Older me may even prefer this OG Brimful version. Last track Norwegian Wood a genius touch - taking the 1st modern Western song to include Indian instrumentation, and throw it back updated with Punjabi lyrics (sounds a little like Portuguese to my tin ear!) - the cyclical nature of culture and the benefits of multiculturalism.

We all heard "Brimful of Asha" because it's an undeniable song. But it's a song that really makes sense inside of the pastiche that makes this entire record. Also, "We're in Yr Corner" should have been a second hit. It could have been a brilliant career.

low 4s for me

This was awesome.

Think I bought the CD when it came out and barely listened to it. That was a mistake! Great album full of crackers and you're never sure what's going to happen next.

brimful of asha is incredibly catchy but like it's to the point where the chorus randomly pops into my head unusually often. very fun song regardless

I didn’t know what to expect but it certainly wasn’t this! A wild variety of songs on the album, including lots of instrumentals that lean towards electronic loops. I was pleasantly surprised and happily listen again

cool

Yeah really enjoyed it, good fun times good lyrics

Loved all the mixed genres and a solid Norwegian Wood cover!

Upbeat pop, with heavy indian influences

Got a bit long, but it's good.

New to me and I like it.

Initial thoughts were there were some good moments but unfortunately it all felt a bit too disjointed with so many different styles of song. But then I listened to it a second time and it grew on me. More songs sounded like they worked. Third listen I was really starting to enjoy a lot more of it. Ok so a couple of songs still seem out of place and I think had a few songs been chopped and the album slightly shorter it would have been even better. One to revisit for sure.

A unique and innovative sound that really sounded fresh when it was released. Love the first two tracks - the album version of Brimful is better than the saccharin sweet Norman Cook remix! Other great tracks are Good Ships and Good to be.. A few throwaway tracks diluted it but a decent listen all these years later.

I've never heard of this group/arriving before but it was lots of fun!

a couple of summers ago i was ADDICTED to the song ‘sleep on the left side’ for some reason. idk why but it is sooo catchy and sunny and i still really like it. the whole album is fun and deserves to be included in the britpop-adjacent canon IMO. fav tracks: sleep on the left side; we’re in yr corner; funky days are back again; brimful of asha; norwegian wood; candyman; good to be on the road back home

I enjoyed! I had heard their cover of Norwegian Wood but not the rest of the album. I like the combination of influences here but there weren't too many songs in particular that stood out to me but that probably has more to do with what I'm doing at the same time and I'm sure on a relisten would find some more I liked on their own. Fav tracks: Funky Days Are Back Again, Norwegian Wood

Favorite Track: Brimful of Asha

👍🏽

Really liked this. Such a mellow groove.

Really nice, interesting blend of styles, language and instrumentation. Nostalgic 90s feeling and a cool inclusion on this list.

The Funky Days, They're Back Again 1001 Albums Generator 69 (nice) (07/08/2025) Cornershop are an indie band out of the UK that I was not previously familiar with. Formed in 1991, Cornershop were part of a growing wave of indie artists that maintained the underground feel of the indie OG's in the wake of the mainstreamification of indie through the grunge scene in the US and the britpop scene in the UK. Founding members Tjinder and Avtar Singh were British-born Sikhs that wanted to take their inspiration from both the British indie rock/pop of the time and from Punjabi music. Although their first two albums were not widely accepted commercially or critically, their third album, When I Was Born For The 7th Time, was a hit and is often seen as their creative peak. Amazingly, Spin Magazine had When I Was Born as their top album of the year in a year that included OK Computer, Homogenic, Dots And Loops, F#A#∞, and many other albums that are seen as all time classics nowadays. This had me very interested in this album. And what an album it is. This is really quite difficult to categorize. From the accordion in the intro of Sleep On The Left Side, this album is clearly not your standard indie slop affair. It is quite psychedelic and showcases some trip hop elements as well. I just love the accordion solos that appear throughout. Brimful Of Asha is Cornershop's biggest hit, but I hadn't heard it before. It's fun, but it's honestly not my favorite song. That chorus is the catchiest earworm on the album though. This is where the album gets truly strange. This is probably a hot take, but I love Butter The Soul. Cornershop decided that the third song on their indie rock album should be a strange bit of turntablism interspersed with raga. It's so cool, but I get why some people wouldn't enjoy it. We're In Yr Corner is the best song on the album. The way the sitar drones on with the rock instrumentation (expecially drums) in the background is great. The song ends on a wonderful jam. Unfortunately, the middle of When I Was Born For The 7th Time takes quite a dip in quality. Funky Days Are Back Again is kind of fun, but also kind of annoying. What Is Happening?, When The Light Appears Boy, and Coming Up all feel like experimental interludes that could perhaps have been better if not placed subsequently on the tracklist. But, we return to form with Good Sh**, which is another song on the poppier side of things, and while not as memorable as the earlier indie pop songs, it's still fun. It almost has an island vibe in the guitar and the synth at the end is great. Good To Be On The Road Back Home is relatively unremarkable except for the wonderful addition of female vocals that sound beautiful on top of the almost country-esque instrumental. It's Indian Tobacco My Friend is another really weird experiment, but this one really works. I don't know what it is about this song, but the constant 7/8 beat over the psychedelic pads and weird reverbed wordless vocals just really does it for me. The last song I will mention is the wonderful Beatles cover that caps off the album. Norwegian Wood is one of my favorite Beatles songs ever (I'm sure I will get Rubber Soul one day), and the emphasis of the Indian elements of that song in this cover are really nice. I won't say that this is better than the original, but it is a worthy homage. When I Was born For The 7th Time is not the best album of 1997 (sorry Spin Mag), but it is really quite an underrated one. Cornershop are a truly creative force that blend genres in a way that I have not ever heard before. Although these experiments don't always work, when they do, they really do. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Sleep On The Left Side We're In Yr Corner It's Indian Tobacco My Friend Least Fav: When the Light Appears Boy

I liked the mix of styles. I'll listen to this one again

This album is so much more than the one song that got air time in the 90s

Me ha encantado la mezcla de generos de rock funky, hiphop y musica oriental

Cornershop pulls off something I did not expect. Making a Punjabi cover of “Norwegian Wood” feel both reverent and revolutionary, while dropping Beck-esque oddities like “State Troopers” along the way? I'm here for it. Who knew I had a sleeper appreciation for the Sitar. Doesn't get a full 5 stars from me because let's be honest, that was some weird shit.

Pleasantly weird. Just the right amount of diversity

Favorite songs: Brimful of Asha, Sleep on the Left Side, Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again, We're in Yr Corner, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), Butter the Soul, State Troopers (Part 1), Good Shit Least favorite songs: Funky Days are Back Again 4/5

Really great. Would be a 5 except I felt there were a few too many Raga freak outs watering it down. 4.5/5

Loved this when I was in High School - still one of the worst concerts I've ever seen but a good album

Wow, this one's all over the place, and lots of fun. I really like it.

One day I was enjoying a burger in Five Guys and Brimful of Asha comes on the sound system in the restaurant. Sounded great so I Shazamed it and that's when I discovered Cornershop. Of the 15 songs on this album 6 are instrumental explorations that make the album a difficult listen. None of these instrumentals are bad, but they're charms are not always redily apparent. However when the decide to display their pop-craft the results are almost always absolutely first rate. Highlights for me are the afore-mentioned Brimful of Asha, Sleep on the Left Side, We're in your Corner, Good Shit and the gorgeous country-tinged Good to be on the Road Back Home. A happy discovery that reveals morenuance with each listen. 4 stars

Very different, very enjoyable.

7.5/10

Wow, this was a treat! Brimful of Asha is an incredible ear worm. Great album which reminded me why I did this project: I'd never heard of these guys and now I want to listen on repeat.

I love the deliberate wonkiness on this album. It's as though the band are trying to slow down their pace, yet can't resist the odd sprint here and there. This is proper DIY music. There's an inspired choice of covers. Norwegian Wood comes close to bettering the original.

I think this is above average Britpop. It's a 3.5, but I'll give it a 4 for creativity.

Surprisingly enjoyable on the first listen. Not sure how it will hold up over time, but for now I enjoyed it a lot.

I'd never heard of Cornershop before, but this was great. It was a nice, light, poppy sound with cool-sounding lyrics and great production value. My only complaint was that it was too short, but I listened to it twice to help make up for it. Four stars.

Would I come back to this? Yes. Never really listened to them or really heard anybody talk about them but I liked it. A little too long, as everything in the CD era is though it has a groove and you can just let it play out

Revisit this

## In-Depth Review: *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* by Cornershop Cornershop’s third album, *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* (1997), stands as a landmark of late-90s alternative music, fusing genres, cultures, and eras with a confidence and ease that still feels fresh decades later. Below is an in-depth analysis of the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, followed by a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## **Lyrics** Cornershop’s lyricism on this album is both playful and pointed, often blending social commentary with wry humor and everyday observations. Tjinder Singh, the band’s frontman and principal songwriter, uses his multicultural background to explore themes of identity, displacement, and cultural fusion. - **Cultural Commentary:** The international hit “Brimful of Asha” is a celebration of Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle and, by extension, the power of music to transcend borders and generations. The lyrics, “Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow,” are both a literal nod to comfort and a metaphor for the nurturing role of music in diaspora communities[6]. - **Subtle Politics:** The album doesn’t shy away from political undertones. Singh’s lyrics often reference the immigrant experience in Britain, touching on issues of belonging and the blending of identities without resorting to didacticism[1][4]. - **Playfulness and Irony:** Tracks like “Good Shit” use irreverent language and tongue-in-cheek delivery to critique consumer culture, while “Funky Days Are Back Again” radiates optimism with a sly wink at the cyclical nature of pop trends[6]. The lyrics are rarely overtly confessional or narrative-driven; instead, they function as snapshots of multicultural Britain, filtered through Singh’s unique perspective. --- ## **Music** Musically, *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* is a kaleidoscopic blend of styles, reflecting Cornershop’s refusal to be pigeonholed. - **Genre Fusion:** The album is a melting pot of indie rock, funk, hip-hop, psychedelia, lounge, and traditional Indian music. Sitar, tabla, and dhol rub shoulders with breakbeats, guitar riffs, and record scratches[4][6]. - **Groove-Oriented:** Many tracks are built on infectious grooves and repetitive hooks. The band’s shift from their earlier, rougher indie sound to a more groove-driven approach results in a laid-back, hypnotic vibe that dominates the album[5]. - **Instrumentals and Experimentation:** About a third of the album is instrumental, showcasing Cornershop’s skill at creating atmosphere without words. Tracks like “Butter the Soul” and “Chocolat” are filled with funky congas, psychedelic flourishes, and playful sampling[5][6]. - **Global Influences:** The album’s cover of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” is sung in Punjabi, a bold reinterpretation that both honors and subverts the original’s East-meets-West spirit[6]. The result is an album that feels simultaneously cohesive and adventurous, with each track offering a new twist on the band’s multicultural palette. --- ## **Production** The production of *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* is both polished and eclectic, reflecting the album’s genre-hopping ambitions. - **Producers:** Tjinder Singh co-produced the album with Dan the Automator (noted for his work with Dr. Octagon) and Daddy Rappaport, bringing together indie sensibilities and hip-hop production techniques[2][5]. - **Layered Arrangements:** The album is rich in sonic detail, with layers of samples, live instrumentation, and subtle electronic touches. The mix is warm and inviting, never cluttered despite the dense arrangements[4][5]. - **Effortlessness:** Despite its complexity, the album never feels forced. There’s a sense of ease and spontaneity, as if the band is simply channeling the music they love without overthinking it[4]. - **Studio Anecdotes:** The recording process was reportedly intense yet relaxed, with long hours and a lot of experimentation. The engineer’s experience—so intense it required medical assistance—speaks to the immersive, boundary-pushing atmosphere in the studio[2]. --- ## **Themes** *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* is thematically rich, weaving together ideas of identity, migration, nostalgia, and cultural hybridity. - **Global Citizenship:** The album anticipates the experience of global citizens—those who move between cultures and never feel entirely at home. Its soundscape reflects the compressed, interconnected world of the late 20th century and beyond[1][4]. - **Celebration of Hybridity:** Rather than appropriating, Cornershop absorbs and reinterprets musical traditions, creating a tapestry that feels authentic and lived-in. This approach was ahead of its time, predicting the post-genre era of streaming and curated eclecticism[4]. - **Resistance to Categorization:** The album’s refusal to stick to a single genre or identity is itself a statement, challenging the Britpop orthodoxy and the narrow definitions of “Britishness” prevalent in the 1990s[4][5]. --- ## **Influence** *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* was both a critical and commercial success, and its influence has only grown with time. - **Critical Acclaim:** The album is consistently ranked among the best of the 1990s and is considered Cornershop’s definitive work[3][6]. - **Mainstream Breakthrough:** “Brimful of Asha” became an international hit, especially after the Fatboy Slim remix, bringing Cornershop’s multicultural sound to a global audience[6]. - **Legacy:** The album’s genre-blending approach paved the way for later artists who would similarly blur boundaries between rock, hip-hop, and world music. Its celebration of multiculturalism and refusal to conform to industry expectations have made it a touchstone for artists interested in exploring identity through music[4][5]. --- ## **Pros and Cons** ### **Pros** - **Inventive Genre Fusion:** The album’s seamless blending of indie rock, funk, hip-hop, and Indian music is both innovative and accessible, offering something new with each listen[4][6]. - **Strong Songwriting:** Tracks like “Brimful of Asha,” “Good to Be on the Road Back Home,” and “Funky Days Are Back Again” are memorable and catchy, with hooks that linger long after the album ends[3][6]. - **Cultural Authenticity:** Rather than feeling like a gimmick, the album’s multiculturalism is organic and deeply felt, reflecting the lived experiences of its creators[4]. - **Timeless Production:** The warm, layered production has aged well, maintaining its freshness and appeal decades later[5]. - **Influential:** The album’s impact on both mainstream and alternative music is significant, helping to open doors for more diverse voices in British pop[4]. ### **Cons** - **Inconsistency:** Some listeners and critics have noted that the album loses focus in its middle section, with a few tracks feeling like filler or lacking the inspiration of the standout songs[3]. - **Length:** At over 54 minutes and 15 tracks, the album can feel a bit sprawling, and a tighter edit might have resulted in an even stronger statement[3]. - **Vocals:** Tjinder Singh’s understated vocal delivery, while charming, may not appeal to those who prefer more dynamic or emotive singing[4]. - **Experimental Detours:** The instrumental and experimental tracks, though interesting, may not resonate with all listeners and can disrupt the album’s flow for those seeking a more conventional pop experience[3][6]. --- ## **Conclusion** *When I Was Born for the 7th Time* is a singular achievement: a vibrant, boundary-blurring album that captures the spirit of multicultural Britain at the end of the 20th century. Its inventive fusion of genres, thoughtful lyrics, and warm production make it both a product of its time and a prescient vision of pop’s future. While not without its flaws—occasional inconsistency and a few weaker tracks—the album’s strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. It remains a testament to the creative possibilities that emerge when artists embrace their hybrid identities and refuse to play by the rules.

The first two tracks were okay, but had me thinking this was going to be a bit of a generic rock album. I'm so glad I was proven wrong - everything that followed was weird, psychedelic, funky and fun. Some instrumental tracks (such as Butter the Soul) had me thinking, "this would go hard with Damon Albarn vocals and a guest rapper" - well damn if Candyman didn't deliver on that exact vibe later in the album🔥🔥 Lots of different genres at play here, but all around it was an enjoyable listen

Good old classic

4.25

Solid 90s indie rock. Sleep on the Left Side and Brimful of Asha are great and there’s a nice little Norwegian Wood cover to close it out.

This is one of my favorite surprises so far. Have never heard of the group or any of the songs but a ton of fun. I can see myself returning to this one for a good pick me up. I ended up adding a little over half the tracks and didn't hate the other tracks. Rating: 4.2

"When I Was Born for the 7th Time" is the third studio album by English indie rock band Cornershop. Indie rock, electronica, raja rock, Britpop and avant-pop are the Wiki-listed genres. Yeah, they hit a number of styles. The band members include Tjinder Singh (vocals, guitar, scratching, dholki), Ben Ayres (tambourine, guitar, keyboards), Anthony Saffery (sitar, harmonium, keyboards), Nick Simms (drums) and Peter Bengry (percussion). Commercially, the album reached #17 in the UK and was critically well-received. "Sleep on the Left Side" opens with a harmonium and constant beat. Singh is both singing and rapping. There's some sort of fluttering instrument giving this a whimsical vibe. Hey, I've heard "Brimful of Asha" lots of times before. Rap at the beginning and that catchy guitar riff and chorus. Handclaps. A pop song and strings at the end. The song was inspired by the history of film culture in India. They finally bring the sitar out in "We're in Yr Corner." A steady beat and great drumming. It's bouncy, pyschedelic with other Indian instruments, funky and sung in Punjabi. "Candyman" begins with a hip hop beat. Distorted vocals which eventually begin rapping. A great funky guitar riff. The album closes with a nice rendition of the Beatles "Norwegian Wood." The sitar and acoustic guitar are loud and clear. Another song Singh sings on Punjabi. This is a solid album. There are interesting beats and catchy melodies. They jump around styles which included pop, folksy, hip hop, raga, funky, pyschedelic and even a Ween type of experimental. There's three instrumentals songs. The album was very well produced and mixed. If you just bought or listened to the album for "Brimful of Asha" what a surprise finding out the rest album is pretty good as well.

An eclectic album that was all over the place. I liked it

I remember when this came out and thought, this is interesting. I wonder where will it go... and as far as midwest US - gone! Thinking most places just played Brim Full of Asha for the novelty too bad. Listen, really listen to the melody and you can find complexity within the simplicity.

I was really not expecting to like this album other than the first two songs, but I was impressed throughout

Quite funky and refreshing compared to my usual taste. I will give it 4/5

I disavow song 7 and 8 but everything was really good. Nice addition to the list.

This just kept getting better the further I got into it, I appreciate how this wasn’t really limited by genre. Rating: 4.0

Feels like this inhabits a similar space as Primal Scream and Fatboy Slim with a sort of vaguely Blur vibe to it. Dancey, but also pop-forward with some international (Indian) elements interspersed. Makes for a varied and kooky listen that is generally enjoyable. Coming Up and Good Shit are two standouts in the back half. The former is more electro-hip-hop and the latter plays more like a straightforward pop-rock (a la Blur). It's Indian Tobacco My Friend scratches a similar itch to Coming Up. I can get down with spacey shit like this all day, any day. Candyman plays like a cleaned up Hendrix loop (can't place the song) with some rapped/sung sections over top. Overall I'd say this was an enjoyable listen. Low 4 / 5.

"It's Indian Tobacco My Friend" ya... that's what I'm gonna tell people from now on when they ask what I'm smokin. Why do the first two songs sound like Paul Simon to me? What does Brimful of Asha mean? I tried to look it up. It has something to do with lip syncing in Indian movies and also someone named Asha which also means Hope and a 45 refers to a small vinyl record with usually one song on each side. WHAT? Now I'm just more confused but yes, "Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow" you Paul Simon love child. My only criticism is that it gets a little repetitive in parts. The songwriting isn't that great but what it lacks in songwriting it makes up for in creative instrumentation, groovy beats, creative recording, and elctro quirkiness. Fun vibes with an Indian flavor that keeps your ears on their toes.

I picked this album up in a used CD bin a few years ago and ended up being pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. It is an album that I was well aware of when it came out in ‘97 but was never compelled to seek it out. It definitely has the de rigeur slacker vibe of the time with an Indian twist. I’d say listening to it now that it’s far more of a vibe record than it is a record full of great songs, which it is lacking, and that is ok by me. The vibe is cool enough to stand up on its own. Brimful of Asha is the clear highlight.

Only knowing Brimful of Asha prior to listening to this, and knowing nothing about Cornershop, I'm not sure what I was expecting. Some more 90s indie jams I guess, that would conjure up the vibes of ye olde college days, like the hit single did. I was not expecting the creativity, the Eastern influence (had no idea where these guys were from), or the diversity in sound. Fave song is Good To Be On The Road Back Home Again. Other top songs: Candyman was fun and funky, the Norwegian Wood cover in Punjabi was really pretty, Brimful for nostalgia and overall groovy-ness, and Good Ships. Pretty cool stuff!

Never heard the album, was only familiar with the Brimful of Asha song (which had personal significance), really enjoyed as an album, solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐, would seek physical copy 😁

Very good

It was boring and enjoyable at the same time. I enjoy it as background music, but not sure I enjoy listening to the entire album through. I do love background music so I'm rounding it up.

Really intriguing stuff . Very diverse. Now I can stop mumbling “mmm bm bm mm mmm mmm mmm FORTY FIVE”

I knew Brimful of Asha but did not know anything else about Cornershop before this listening. Was positively surprise. I like the mixture of pop and the Indian sounds/beats. Good idea and nice album.

I've been putting off a few albums I either know nothing about, or know I'm not going to enjoy. This is the last remaining "I know nothing" album to get me caught up. Hmmm. Okay, first impression was not great - indie rock/Britpop isn't my favorite - but I kept going, and then the South Asian elements really kicked in and it got good.

I always liked Brimful of Asha even though it was overplayed, but I never checked out the rest of this album. My loss. I suspect it would have been on repeat for a while -- if I weren't already trying to plow through 1001 albums!

There's dancing behind movie scenes Behind the movie scenes, Sadi Rani She's the one that keeps the dream alive From the morning, past the evening To the end of the light Brimful of Asha on the 45 Well, it's a brimful of Asha on the 45 Normally I shit on the British-dominated nature of this list, but I'm OK with this one. Good album, one huge hit and the rest are on theme. 4/5

8/10. Loved the short transitional songs and the overall vibe of the album.

I was not expecting this one! I was anticipating some stereotypical 90s grunge rock, but this is not that. It's way more poppy and funky than I would've anticipated. Never judge a book by its cover, y'all.

Sehr interessant, genremäßig durchmischt, country/folk/Indie und indischer musik

Enjoyable listen, one of those where you’ve heard the songs just never knew who it was. Feels like I was in early 2000’s teenage comedy like an American Pie.

Very cool mixture of different styles and cultures, this is the stuff I enjoy finding on this project.

Enjoyed this more often than not, though it got a bit too wacky at times. Overall a solid listen, especially the uptempo pop work.

me like :)

Very good!

Mostly fun up until "Good to Be On the Road Back Home." Had to blow past that one. Brim Full of Asha is a killer pop tune, and I LOVE the heaping scoops of Indian classical. I'll definitely be playing this again, really innovative. Danceable, brings in some Dub style production. Has some really good heaviness to it, a good sense of humor (sorry: "humour"), surprising sound design, and moves at a nice tempo. Lots of variety.

Catchy

Never heard the whole album. I really enjoyed it.

Raga rock. Un megahit. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

My ears were ringing this morning from a very loud gig in a very small room, and this was an absolute balm. This album, while it's quite of its time and possibly runs the risk of looking a bit culturally appropriated in 2024, is just great pop, well made and with a huge amount of nostalgia value.

Pretty interesting and unique. This was fun to listen to but I probably wouldn't put it into my regular rotation. The blend of western and South Asian music is really well done, and Brimful of Asha is a classic

Like 99% of the world, I only knew one Cornershop song. This was a pleasantly surprising listen.

Loved this album. Brimful of Asha was awesome but I never knew the band. Great chill rock grooves. Sweet Indian vibes. This is a perfect example of why I did this!

3-4 Brimful of asha

Sweet and swinging. Original, though obviously a blend of things, and entertaining, especially for Indophiles and most particularly for Anglo-Indophiles. Four or five first-rate cuts and the all-time line "everybody needs a bosom for a pillow."

Some seriously funky Bhangra beats here fused with mid 90s indie energy. And, like a lot of 90s music, sounds somewhat dated now. Still well worth a listen though

Groovy

So many amazing songs what a great album, another example of mid 90's excellence / brilliance

I like this, 90s alternative but with some really creative influences!

I really dig this. Will totally listen again and seek out their other music.

An incredible slice of a collision of worlds. Indian and 90’s dance. Mesmerizing!

Quite charming

At first I was like… ok another British indie band on the list… then I recognize that Brimful of Asha from the popular remix but I never listened to these guys. It’s actually really fun and interesting, the mix of instruments and style! I dig it. 4/5

this shit rocks

This album is so good!!

Day187 - very enjoyable. what a great album title. there’s 3 or 4 really fun songs on here

Didn’t know this band. Music thoroughly enjoyable. A few pieces were a bit long. Some unusual pierces. Easy to listen to.

4/5 - that was surprisingly fun

Put me in a good mood. I was humming "Brimful of Asha" for a long time afterwards.

This was pretty enjoyable! There was a good amount of variety on this album, and I liked the "Norweigan Wood" cover. I had never heard of Cornershop and did not know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Another one that I think is totally new to me that I'm glad I found through the project. I will have to try to remember to listen to some of their other work, these didn't all hit for me and it was maybe more of a 3.5 but it can have the extra half-star for being a nice little treat dug up by the generator.

This caught me off-guard. The description of "late 90's indie rock" had me worried. It was pretty cool!

Great album

Everyone will remember Cornershop for Brimful of Asha but I did a little more digging back in the day so I remember this album and it is a brilliant, colourful cocktail of indie rock and electronica with its British Indian influences worn very proudly throughout. It was a joy to revisit and has held up extremely well.

I'm not quite sure what a Brimful of Asha is, but I will agree that everybody needs a bosom for a pillow. I liked this one! It's a really out-there, but still grounded blend of electronica, folk rock and Indian influences that make for a neat little record. I think it loses a bit of momentum about halfway through (Candyman rips though), but it's certainly something we didn't get a lot of back in 97.

This is really fun! Love the mash-ups of genres and cultural influences.

01) Sleep On The Left Side - 8,5 02) Brimful Of Asha - 9,5 03) Butter the Soul - 8,5 04) Chocolat - 7,0 05) We're in Yr Corner - 8,0 06) Funky Days Are Back Again - 7,0 07) What Is Happening? - 7,5 08) When the Light Appears Boy - 6,0 09) Coming Up - 6,5 10) Good Shit - 7,5 11) Good to Be on the Road Back Home - 7,5 12) It's Indian Tobacco My Friend - 7,0 13) Candyman - 7,5 14) State Troopers - 7,5 15) Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,57 (76/100) Current ranking: 99/187 Honestly, I thought I would only like the first two songs because I knew them, and I didn't have too many expectations for the others. And then a bunch of interesting things with an Indian flair followed. Some more and some less impressive, but nevertheless very interesting.

Chille cover band

3.5 stars. Pretty enjoyable 90's indie rock album. Weird interludes. Standout is the catchy and memorable "Brimful of Asha". "Good Ships" and their "Norwegian Wood" cover also good.

Pleasant but a bit boring I found. Brim full.. is a great song but was so overplayed at the time of release that it irritates me still.

cornershop massive represent even if i dont fw them heavy only 4 stars because of bias

I think “eclectic” applies here. A blend of Indian, alt rock, spoken word, and other oddities but all enjoyably unusual.

This album (and band) will always sit under a massive Fatboy Slim-sized shadow. It's impossible to listen to this album without thinking of Norman Cook's remix of 'Brimful of Asha'. It's a shame because it's quite a good album on its own. While the blending of Indian and rock styles is nothing new, Cornershop revived it for the 90s in a more unique and contemporary way. The fact that it's made by British Asians also feels more meaningful than George Harrison picking up a sitar. The balance of Indian and Western sounds shifts from track to track but always feels very modern. I really enjoyed this album, despite a bit of filler. Production by the amazing Dan the Automator definitely doesn't hurt.

Interesting - first time I’ve ever heard of this group

4.25 stars. A little psychedelic, a bit funky. The album fits well within the sound of the late 90s with added influence of Indian music. "Good Sh**" is interestingly put together. "Good to Be Back on the Road Again" has a beautiful female vocal performance. The instrumental tracks also provide cool soundscapes with steady beats. An engaging listen with frequent use of sitar

Not just a Brimful-Of-Asha band

Candyman is great, but much of the rest of the album is dull

This was surprisingly fun to listen to. What a mix of genres! Heavy Indian influence (no wonder) and obviously a lot of smoking.

Indie Indian!

Genuinely odd. Really fun. Thank you 1001 for introducing us.

Charming folk fusion

Really, really enjoyed listening this

Forgot about this one fro the 90s. Some good stuff here among the filler

Rating: 7.5/10 Very good album overall. Really enjoyed the mix of genres, especially indie rock and Indian music. There were plenty of catchy melodies throughout the album and enough variety to never get boring. Some of the shorter songs felt pointless though, more like extended interludes than actual songs. Favorite songs: Sleep on the Left Side, Brimful of Asha, Butter the Soul, We're in Yr Corner, Funky Days Are Back Again, Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again, Candyman, State Troopers. Worst songs: What Is Happening?, When the Light Appears Boy.

Surprisingly more interesting than I was expecting, I knew Sleep on the Left Side and Brimful of Asha (I'm British, I have to) and wasn't expecting to like the whole album as a result, I thought they'd be a bit of a novelty group, but it's surprisingly deep, layered and unique, I'll have to check more Cornershop out for sure.

Mér fannst svolítið hressandi að fá að hlusta á indverskt-indí-rokk-popp. Alls ekki leiðinlegt og ég er alveg líklegur að setja þetta aftur á fóninn og muna eftir því. Ef eitthvað þá fannst mér platan mögulega heldur löng en hún náði einhvern veginn að sleppa við að vera endurtekningarsöm miðað við þá lengd.

Really interesting riffs and/or sampledelia used in a very unique way.

So much more than Brim Full..... Decent, eclectic album.... Is their version of Norwegian Wood better than the original?????😅

C'était très cool.

I was expecting more English rock but I actually got a lot of Indian inspired music. It was tastefully fun. 7/10

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Les influences indiennes sont ici travaillées sans folklorisation; cette réappropriation patrimoniale apporte une touche distinctive sans complaisance.

Too many fillers to be a 5