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Rating: I Am X: not bad, my dear Chris Corner, I'd say it suits you perfectly! X as unknown, as an indecipherable element, to me he is just that, a character on whom I really cannot form a precise judgment. Honest craftsman? Mediocre trend follower? Someone who could but doesn't want to? Someone who wants to but can't? Go figure, from Sneaker Pimps to this solo career under a pseudonym, since '96 until today not a single album where he doesn't show a glimpse of great potential, and at the same time not a single album that can be called truly beautiful and successful, more or less. Stylish and charismatic just right, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and eternally unfinished, perhaps for commercial calculations, perhaps because of his own limits and maybe simply due to inconsistency. Chris Corner definitely gets on my nerves, yes, because he is someone who could (or could have) done really beautiful things, and instead limits himself to being a kind of slightly less tacky and inflated alternative to Muse and Placebo. "Volatile Times" of 2011 is perhaps his ultimate manifesto, three neo-glam gems of great allure and depth, "I Salute You Christopher" (with wonderful lyrics), "Bernadette" and "Oh Beautiful Town" that emerge in a broth of insipid clattering guitars and half-shouted nasal choruses (a forced, irritating style, and, whether one admits it or not, absolutely inexpressive, which also belittles a flexible and classy vocality).
Dear Chris Corner, since you're starting to get a bit older, what would you say to stop trying to cozy up to some fringe-wearing teenager (plus you started with trip-hop, so it's not even your original background) and aim for some more "adult-oriented" sounds? Maybe steering towards a somewhat dark neo-classical glam decadent synth-pop cabaret, if you'll allow it, you'd be perfectly capable of it, eh, if you'd allow it, that's the trick. Yet between 2002 and 2004, this enigmatic British songwriter came very close to squaring the circle; amidst the pleasant and relatively solid glam rock revisited in a '90s key, with that touch of "damned" naivety of "Bloodsport," the last album under the name Sneaker Pimps and the first act of his solo career, one could say Chris Corner gave his best during this transition period, especially in terms of continuity and quantity. New moniker, new sounds: with "Kiss + Swallow" CC experimented with a 100% electronic sound, with overall happy outcomes; the idea was right, regardless of an overall result that could still be improved. Yes, because an album with twelve songs all more or less around five minutes long, unless the level is truly high, always ends up feeling sluggish and redundant in some episodes, it's mathematical, but the basic intentions are winning and the standout episodes remain well impressed.
The appeal of this album lies entirely in its ability to effectively evoke a lustful and decadent imagery: ambiguity, voluptuous rhythms, a voice with a Bowie setting, futuristic yet suffused with carnal passion atmospheres. Brothels, parties, makeup, masks, burlesque, black latex; "Kiss + Swallow" evokes these kinds of images, also due to Chris Corner's look who, like a good aspiring glam star, pays extreme attention to this aspect. But here he had already gone beyond the rank of "aspiring": in short, someone who brings out a steamy and perfectly constructed piece like "Sailor" is someone who really knows how to do it, and then "Kiss And Swallow", "Your Joy Is My Low", "White Suburb Impressionism", "Skin Vision", "Naked But Safe", the techno digression of "You Stick It In Me". A tracklist like an indecent proposal, enriched by some melancholic and atmospheric slow tracks like "Simple Girl", "I Like Pretending" and especially "Missile"; perfect beats, a great sense of theatricality, credible performances, almost never forced or over the top, evident but not too blatant references to Bowie and Soft Cell (the latter especially in the title track). With such a foundation, Chris Corner could have initiated a true Glam renaissance, projecting its stylistic elements into a modern and credible dimension, and yet no, after "Kiss + Swallow" one disappointment after another, with some occasional glimmers. In a few months, the new album will be released, and the single circulating gives hope; could it finally be the right time? If it's not a last call, it's not far off. For now, dear Chris Corner remains a charismatic enigma, or an already multiple-reoffending flatterer; I'm not asking for much, in the end it suffices for me if he limits Brian Molko-like shrieks as much as possible, and everything else should fall into place, whether he returns to the sounds of "Kiss + Swallow" or decides to follow new paths, what's important for him is to give a sign of discontinuity and finally demonstrate all his class.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Kiss and Swallow (05:15)
Do you pay for your crimes?
Does the punishment fit or drag your style to zero
You're nothing till the weekend
If you think that you're the thrill
Take a look at your life, you kneel before your heroes
You're nothing till the weekend
Could you care for the blind?
Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros
Something for the weekend
If you think that you can spell
Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them
Send them on the weekend
Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo Echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo Echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Do you care for the blind?
Tell me all in all, they're just your kind of zeros
Something for the weekend
If you think that you can spell
Make a list of the cunts you'd send to hell and send them
Send them on the weekend
Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo Echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo Echo, a kick in the head to kill the hollow
Are you listening?
No - In the narrowest sense
Are you listening?
I can hold you down by candlelight
With indifference
Let the comfort start
I love you on your right side
It happens
Promises broken
Reasons let go
It happens
Are you listening?
I know it a sin but tell me it happens!
I know it a sin but tell me it happens!
Echo, Echo, Echo, Echo
Echo, Echo, Echo
Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
Echo Echo, I know it's a sin to kiss and swallow
03 Sailor (05:12)
In our cell, you ask me: "do I wanna be a sailor?"
In our cell, you ask me: "do I wanna be a sailor?"
I think dirt
A suicide jump to run a self check
Oh my girl
Do you only like the younger or the braindead?
Three way, freeway, take me like a sailor.
Three way, freeway, wanna be a sailor?
A-quick step, boy girl love me like you love her
A Knee-jerk, slow work, wanna be a sailor?
In our cell, you ask me: "do I wanna be a sailor?"
In our cell, you ask me: "do I wanna be a sailor?"
A child like a lipstick fight before the nose dive,
My princess, do you only like the easy and the snow blind?
Three way, freeway, take me like a sailor
Three way, freeway, wanna be a sailor?
A-quick step, boy girl love me like you love her
A knee-jerk, slow work, wanna be a sailor
Like a fever, I wanna be a sailor.
Like a fever, I wanna be the sailor.
Like a fever, I wanna be a sailor.
Like a fever, I wanna be the sailor.
Three way, freeway, take me like a sailor
Three way, freeway, wanna be a sailor?
A-quick step, boy girl love me like you love her
A knee-jerk, slow work, wanna be a sailor.
04 Naked but Safe (05:23)
The least wishes are orders,
Born raised and corned,
was kept fed and watered,
They tied me to the radiator
kicked around and locked down
Left in the cold to self harm
This is all that I know
Naked and safe and lifelessly yours... [2x]
Keep me fed, keep me watered, naked but safe
05 Simple Girl (04:41)
The perfect taste that leaves your mouth
The vodka tongue that spits it out
Violate me, January victim
All my life I've wasted for this
Violate me, show me your religion
All my time I've waited
Simple girl, simple girl
I need you in the world, my simple girl
And so the kiss became the cold
After the crash and my cosmetic lows
You resurrect me, stand me to attention
Take my voices, learn to love them
You're the Christmas promising the Summer
All my life I've waited
Simple girl, simple girl
I need you in the world, my simple girl
Simple girl, my simple girl
My simple girl, my simple girl
My simple girl, my simple girl
I need you in the world
Want you in the world
06 Mercy (06:01)
Mercy - when I melt in the kiss by the words and the whispers you sing me
Mercy - I'm frail in the kill by submission and will that you bring me
Mercy - when I'm nothing but ego you slap me to let go and sleep free
Now I sleep free...
You're my toybox, your my memories
When I smell your skin you just make my whole world weep
I'm at your feet, I'm at your feet
Mercy - when the grey turns to black and the wave's on my back, you make me smile
Mercy - is the trauma no martyr you crush into pleasure and downtown
Mercy - it's the shining of you that just breaks me in two like a lifeline - you're my lifeline
I'm the idiot to your poetry when you burn you bleach
Everything and all I need is at your feet, Is at your feet
Mercy - are the licks and the lips of temptation, just tricks, not for playing?
Mercy - are you the camera suck, gun slut to headphone fuck holes in my being
Mercy - are you everything which put the sex into bitch, just faking, do you fake it?
So I celebrate your chemistry
If you bond with me
I could make your whole world sweet
I'm on my knees
07 Your Joy Is My Low (05:17)
Said, your joy - your joy is my low
He takes your face and positions it to take your mouth
You bite, you bite to excite yourself
He wants the colour of you to wear and feel alive
And you bite, and I'm awake and I'm the slave tonight
You lie, you lie to spare my life
You needed it, he tasted you inside out
So, your joy, your joy is my low
- So you want yourself to stop
So, your joy, your joy is my low
- And when you can't, ??
You shift the play, push the curve to sit between your thighs
It's a sign, it's time to exercise the lines
You want the double cut through to wet, invade and slide
You slide and I'm awake and I'm the slave tonight
You lie, you lie to spare my life
you needed it, he tasted you inside out
Say it, your joy, your joy is my low
- So you want yourself to stop
Said, your joy, your joy is my low
- And when you can't, ??
Say it, your joy, your joy is my low
- So you want yourself to stop
Said, your joy, your joy is my low
Your joy is my low
- Want yourself to stop
So, your joy, your joy is my low
- So you want yourself to stop
Said, your joy, your joy is my low
- And when you can't, ??
Say it, your joy, your joy is my low
- So you want yourself to stop
Said, your joy, your joy is my low
Your joy is my low
08 I Like Pretending (05:15)
Your silver skin
That crawls in rhythm, sweats like spring
Returns me to the deathwish
And all my epiphonies
That branded me and broke my knees
Confirms me into the deathwish
Misfits for free
A gravity pure expression tears and
Pulls them into the deathwish
And all our accessories
That concentrate the pain and tease
Embrace them, with the deathwish
Are we pretending?
Are we pretending?
Are we pretending?
I like pretending
Are we machines
Obsolete, alone
With symbiotic self indulgence
And if we dig deep
The circuitry burnt out, bends
Into neurotic repetition
But your silver skin soothes my aching curses
And reminds me
That you're worth it
The whole world's insanities
The bleeding hearts and tragedies
Won't distract me from the deathwish
Are we pretending?
Are we pretending?
Are we pretending?
I like pretending
Are we pretending?
Are we pretending?
Are we pretending?
'Cos I like pretending
09 You Stick It in Me (04:19)
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
And then you touched me
Life question
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
And then you touched me
Life question
You touch me
My voice breaks
I'm crawling in the grass
I fake rape
I love you
You sex clown
I try to fill the hole
Where you climb down
I have blood, so hurt me
I have blood, so hurt me
I have blood, so hurt me
I have blood, so hurt me
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
And then you touched me
Life question
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
And then you touched me
Life question
You touch me
My voice breaks
I'm crawling in the grass
I fake rape
I love you
You sex clown
I try to fill the hole
Where you climb down
I have blood, so hurt me
I have blood, so hurt me-e-e-e
I have blood, so hurt me
I have blood, so hurt me
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
And then you touched me
Life question
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
You stick it in me, then go to her
And then you touched me
Life question
Life question
Life question
11 Missile (03:36)
So you came like a missile
Falling on my head with the black sky
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
Then you came with your breeze blocks
Smashing up my face like a bus stop
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
Like the drunk you convinced was sober
You keep me falling over
- In the daylight
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
With the best of intentions
You tried to give an ocean directions
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
So you came like a missile
Leaving me the whole world in exile
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
Like the drunk you convinced was sober
You keep me falling over
- In the daylight
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
Think you're giving but you're taking my life away
12 White Suburb Impressionism (05:05)
You might keep me alive
But I could let you down anytime that I like
Shoot down your absolute form in the primitive
I can't see the point in the sense you were born with
Everybody's someone else's freak
Every cure is someone else's disease [2x]
Break my neck or my fall
And burn all the bridges and breach every wall
The sweetest of touches, the violent caress
The time of your life for the marks that you left on me
Everybody's someone else's freak
Every cure is someone else's disease
White Suburb Impressionism [2x]
Never argue with these idiots
They drag you down to their level and beat you with ignorance
Am I through? I haven't even started
I can't see the point in the sense you were born with
Everybody's someone else's freak
Every cure is someone else's disease
White Suburb Impressionism [2x]
Call me when the whole regression's complete
I'll take you on a piece at a time [3x]
And I'll take you on
13 Heatwave (05:08)
She moves the street way
A hitched up skirt, a symptom of the heatwave.
She lets go lowgrade
We can stay closed 'til 4am the next day
If it's for 5 years
I get a fantasy breeding babies in my nightmares
- My nightmares
If she goes the street way
I get a peepshow free and a pressure drop to get laid
If you're asking, well
I've just started on my breakdown
If you need to know
I've just started on my breakdown
She moves the street way,
A pretty sweet blonde, an illusion of the heatwave
I see her legs and shoulders
And picture myself as a missionary soldier
She kicks my mouth shut,
Make me go down, take a pleasure pill, just throw up
- Goin' down, down, down
He moves the street way,
Anything goes to release me from the heatwave
- Release me from the heatwave
If you're asking, well
I've just started on my breakdown
If you need to know
I've just started on my breakdown
- Release me from the heatwave
- From the heatwave
- A pretty sweet blonde, an illusion of the heatwave
14 This Will Make You Love Again (04:58)
when the joys of living just leave you cold
frozen from the failing mess you made your own
and if you want an ending to your screenplay life
well here's the consolation that will change your heart and mind
all the glitz messiah's just pass the time
a cure for no real sickness, cross your hopes and die
your supermarket jesus comes with smiles and lies
where justice he delays is always justice he denies
this will make you love again
this will make you love again
this will make you love again
this will make you love again
and now you save
love again
to feel the rays
love again
the sweet delays
love again
and shoot the breeze
love again
early thursday mornings
wipe away the flies
the crossfire fight for action
inbetween your thighs
every touch is sacred
when they leave the room
if i have to switch the lights off
i wanna switch them off with you
this will make you love again
this will make you love again
this will make you love again
this will make you love again
and now you save
love again
to feel the rays
love again
the sweet delays
love again
and shoot the breeze
love again
early thursday mornings
wipe away the flies
the crossfire fight for action
inbetween your thighs
every touch is sacred
when they leave the room
if i have to switch the lights off
i wanna switch them off with you
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