This Can't Be Life
| This Can't Be Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Genre | Alternative, folk rock | |||
| Length | 45:07 | |||
| Label | DGC[1] | |||
| Producer | Tony Berg, John Porter | |||
| Wild Colonials chronology | ||||
| ||||
This Can't Be Life is the second album by the American band Wild Colonials, released in 1996.[2][3] The first single was "Charm", which was an alternative radio hit.[4] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included stints with Los Lobos and Chalk FarM.[5][6][7] They also headlined the second stage at the inaugural 1997 Lilith Fair.[8]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Tony Berg and John Porter.[9] The album cover used artwork from a lithograph from the 1700s, which was discovered on a postcard.[9] Bandmember Scott Roewe played a penny whistle, melodica, and didgeridoo, among other instruments.[10] Rickie Lee Jones contributed to the album.[11] "Want" is about the death of singer Angela McCluskey's mother.[12] McCluskey had a practice of starting to compose songs during year-end holiday seasons.[13]
Cover Artwork
[edit]The cover image is from a 1917 German postcard. The sleeve design and photos were taken by Wild Colonials' violinist Paul Cantelon's brother Lee Cantelon. After a photo session at Rickie Lee Jones's house, Lee noticed the postcard on Rickie's kitchen wall.
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [15] |
| San Jose Mercury News | [16] |
The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album a "catchy, Eastern-flavored second effort."[17] The Los Angeles Times wrote that "McCluskey sings messages for the lovelorn and the bitter over sounds that run from jazzy torch epics to the vaguely Middle Eastern."[15] The San Jose Mercury News noted the "same low-range vocal ground" as 10,000 Maniacs.[16] The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette dismissed This Can't Be Life as "fuzzy acoustic vaguely Irish folk jazz."[18]
The Orange County Register advised: "Imagine an Out of Time-era R.E.M. fronted by a raving mad Deborah Harry and you begin to get the idea of the punch Wild Colonials can pack."[12] The Star-Ledger stated that "McCluskey's husky, intelligent, sultry voice is the right vehicle to carry the band's jagged, edgy, Celtic-flavored alternative folk-rock that's as much Roxy Music as it is 10,000 Maniacs."[19]
The Oregonian listed This Can't Be Life among the 10 best albums of 1996.[20]
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by the Wild Colonials
- "This Misery" – 4:13
- "Spirit" – 4:50
- "Coy" – 3:44
- "Wake Up Sad" – 5:05
- "Charm" – 3:17
- "Want" – 5:14
- "If" – 4:05
- "Blue" – 5:36
- "Different" – 3:54
- "Childhood" – 5:49
Personnel
[edit]- Angela McCluskey – vocals
- Shark – guitars, vocals, percussion, ambient bass
- Paul Cantelon – violin, piano
- Scott Roewe – bass, piano, organ, melodica, wurlitzer, casio, didgeridoo, bass clarinet, penny whistle, tenor sax
- Thaddeus Corea – drums, percussion, vocals
With
[edit]- Martin Tillmann – cello
- Jon Brion – chamberlin, guitar, organ on "This Misery"
- Juliet Prater – world percussion
- Tony Berg – optigan, guitar, tambura
- Andrew Scheps – mütes galore on "Wake Up Sad" and "This Misery"
- Rickie Lee Jones – Guest vocals on "Spirit"
- Eric Reigler – uilleann pipes on "Want"
- Ethan James – hurdy-gurdy on "Childhood"
- Robert Burns – vibraphone on "Wake Up Sad"
- Whitney Wade – additional vocals on "If"
Production
[edit]- Producers: Tony Berg, John Porter
- Mixers: Tchad Blake, Jim Rondinelli
- Recorded by: Brian Scheuble, Joe McGrath
- Additional engineering: Howard Willing
References
[edit]- ^ Moon, Tom (23 Aug 1996). "AND THEN THERE'S . . ". FEATURES WEEKEND. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 19.
- ^ "Wild Colonials Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Maestri, Cathy (August 18, 1996). "It's been a tough climb for mountain show". The Press-Enterprise. p. E3.
- ^ Ehrbar, Joe (10 Jan 1997). "WILD COLONIALS FIND TOURING ALL THE TIME FOSTERS SUCCESS". Weekend. The Spokesman-Review. p. 2.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (30 Sep 1996). "In Performance: Unabashed Sincerity". The New York Times. p. C12.
- ^ Rosen, Steven (November 1, 1996). "Bands get into rhythm of playing Denver and Boulder". The Denver Post. p. F17.
- ^ Renzhofer, Martin (January 17, 1997). "Colonials: Wild Music, From Scotland To Corea". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. D14.
- ^ Mehle, Michael (July 11, 1997). "FAIREST OF THE FAIR". Rocky Mountain News. p. 18D.
- ^ a b Shuster, Fred (August 9, 1996). "WILD COLONIALS GET BUSY". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L21.
- ^ Elkins, Elizabeth (October 11, 1996). "Scottish band likes to thrive on wild mix". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. P4.
- ^ Renzhofer, Martin (September 15, 1996). "CD Reviews". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. E3.
- ^ a b Wener, Ben (August 23, 1996). "Wild Colonials 'This Can't Be Life'". Orange County Register. p. F54.
- ^ Healy, James (December 19, 1996). "Glasgow native finds her singing voice, again, in Hollywood". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 12.
- ^ "Wild Colonials – This Can't Be Life Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ a b Appleford, Steve (29 Sep 1996). "Wild Colonials, 'This Can't Be Life'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 94.
- ^ a b Kava, Brad (October 4, 1996). "HALF OF HUMP DAY LOOKS FOR SOME GEMS AMID THE JUNK". Eye. San Jose Mercury News. p. 19.
- ^ Beckley, Fred (13 Sep 1996). "WILD COLONIALS". FEATURES WEEKEND. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 19.
- ^ Martin, Philip (October 11, 1996). "Wild Colonials, This Can't Be Life". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. p. 19W.
- ^ Horowitz, Ben (September 23, 1996). "Wild Colonials are anything but with a room half-empty". Today. The Star-Ledger. p. 25.
- ^ Foyston, John (December 29, 1996). "EAR TO THE YEAR". The Oregonian. p. E1.
