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Album review
Corneille
The Birth of Cornelius
Paris
25/07/2007 -
Two years on from Les marchands de rêve, Corneille has made an eagerly awaited comeback on the French music scene (where he enjoyed a rapid rise to fame with his earlier work). His third album, The Birth of Cornelius, recorded between Montreal and New York and released on 2 July, marks a turning-point in the Rwandan-Canadian singer-songwriter’s work to date, featuring twelve songs all recorded in English. Corneille, who claims this linguistic turnabout is a return to his “musical roots”, has made love’s redemptive force the overriding theme of his new album. Songs such as Back to Life, Love is Good and Sweet Dependency find Corneille in a romantic mood following his wedding at the end of 2006.
Corneille, who escaped the 1994 genocide in Rwanda but lost all his family in the tragedy, has achieved a certain serenity in his songwriting and the tracks on his new album have more than a hint of optimism about them. The singer even attempts to heal old wounds on two cathartic tracks, The Murder and I’ll Never Call You Home Again. Meanwhile, musically speaking, Corneille has elaborated his style, calling on the services of Russell Elevado (a renowned producer who has worked with the likes of Keziah Jones and Alicia Keys). Corneille’s third album appears to be a clear bid to make a major impact on the international scene. And it has already reaped dividends in the first country where it was released, Japan. The single Too Much of Everything recently ranked as the third most frequently played track by an international artist there.
Stéphanie Secqueville
Translation : Julie Street
23/10/2009 -
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