---Ada Wofford
----Released 6 March 2020 on Ample Play
In my write up for England is a Garden single, “No Rock: Save In Roll” I wrote, “It’s exactly what you want…Just catchy-as-fuck, kinda funky, kinda corny radio pop with a hook that will bash its way into your brain and never leave.” The amazing thing is that Cornershop manages to maintain this sentiment throughout an entire LP. There isn’t really a lot to say about this album. It’s fun, it’s catchy, it doesn’t reach for new heights but what it does reach for it accomplishes. It’s one of those albums that will never be anyone’s favorite album but it will never be anyone’s most hated album. It’s a rare display of a band that’s completely self-aware of who they are and what they’re good at.
The album has a bit of a throwback ‘60s feel but it’s not forced or over the top. Songs like “St. Marie Under Canon,” “Slingshot,” and “Highly Amplified” are groovy jams that meander and wander about without getting stale or repetitive. The mix on the album is fantastic, with many of the tracks being densely layered but never sounding too busy or cluttered. “Everywhere That Wog Army Roam” has a children’s rhyme melody and a pastel-Wes Anderson vibe that’s sure to get stuck in your head and put a smile on your face. Little interludes such as “King Kongs” and “England is a Garden” add atmosphere and personality to the album.
There isn’t a single bad song on this album. But something about Cornershop’s self-awareness and perfection of craft leaves the album lacking a certain ambition. While everything on this album is great, there’s nothing exciting or daring. To use an old expression, there’s nothing to write home about (or a review about). Listen to “Everywhere That Wog Army Roam” below and purchase the album wherever you buy your music.
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