This Can't Be Life
Studio album by
Wild Colonials
Released1996
Studio
GenreAlternative, folk rock
Length45:07
LabelDGC[1]
ProducerTony Berg, John Porter
Wild Colonials chronology
Fruit of Life
(1994)		 This Can't Be Life
(1996)		 Reel Life, Vol. 1
(2000)

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

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

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. Lee has designed several album covers including, Tracy Chapman (New Beginning), Rickie Lee Jones (Naked Songs - Live and Acoustic, and GhostyHead). After a photo session at Rickie Lee Jones' house, Lee noticed the postcard on Rickie's kitchen wall.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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

All songs written by the Wild Colonials

  1. "This Misery" – 4:13
  2. "Spirit" – 4:50
  3. "Coy" – 3:44
  4. "Wake Up Sad" – 5:05
  5. "Charm" – 3:17
  6. "Want" – 5:14
  7. "If" – 4:05
  8. "Blue" – 5:36
  9. "Different" – 3:54
  10. "Childhood" – 5:49

Personnel

  • 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

  • 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

  • Producers: Tony Berg, John Porter
  • Mixers: Tchad Blake, Jim Rondinelli
  • Recorded by: Brian Scheuble, Joe McGrath
  • Additional engineering: Howard Willing

References

  1. ↑ Moon, Tom (23 Aug 1996). "AND THEN THERE'S . . ". FEATURES WEEKEND. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 19.
  2. ↑ "Wild Colonials Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Maestri, Cathy (August 18, 1996). "It's been a tough climb for mountain show". The Press-Enterprise. p. E3.
  4. ↑ Ehrbar, Joe (10 Jan 1997). "WILD COLONIALS FIND TOURING ALL THE TIME FOSTERS SUCCESS". Weekend. The Spokesman-Review. p. 2.
  5. ↑ Pareles, Jon (30 Sep 1996). "In Performance: Unabashed Sincerity". The New York Times. p. C12.
  6. ↑ Rosen, Steven (November 1, 1996). "Bands get into rhythm of playing Denver and Boulder". The Denver Post. p. F17.
  7. ↑ Renzhofer, Martin (January 17, 1997). "Colonials: Wild Music, From Scotland To Corea". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. D14.
  8. ↑ Mehle, Michael (July 11, 1997). "FAIREST OF THE FAIR". Rocky Mountain News. p. 18D.
  9. 1 2 Shuster, Fred (August 9, 1996). "WILD COLONIALS GET BUSY". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L21.
  10. ↑ Elkins, Elizabeth (October 11, 1996). "Scottish band likes to thrive on wild mix". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. P4.
  11. ↑ Renzhofer, Martin (September 15, 1996). "CD Reviews". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. E3.
  12. 1 2 Wener, Ben (August 23, 1996). "Wild Colonials 'This Can't Be Life'". Orange County Register. p. F54.
  13. ↑ Healy, James (December 19, 1996). "Glasgow native finds her singing voice, again, in Hollywood". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 12.
  14. ↑ "Wild Colonials - This Can't Be Life Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  15. 1 2 Appleford, Steve (29 Sep 1996). "Wild Colonials, 'This Can't Be Life'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 94.
  16. 1 2 Kava, Brad (October 4, 1996). "HALF OF HUMP DAY LOOKS FOR SOME GEMS AMID THE JUNK". Eye. San Jose Mercury News. p. 19.
  17. ↑ Beckley, Fred (13 Sep 1996). "WILD COLONIALS". FEATURES WEEKEND. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 19.
  18. ↑ Martin, Philip (October 11, 1996). "Wild Colonials, This Can't Be Life". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. p. 19W.
  19. ↑ Horowitz, Ben (September 23, 1996). "Wild Colonials are anything but with a room half-empty". Today. The Star-Ledger. p. 25.
  20. ↑ Foyston, John (December 29, 1996). "EAR TO THE YEAR". The Oregonian. p. E1.
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