Search - Hazel O'Connor :: Breaking Glass

A stunning debut

06/08/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Over twenty years after its initial release, Hazel O'Connor's debut, Breaking Glass, remains the most widely-known, and, arguably, best-loved album of her career so far. A true original, O'Connor took the new wave sound to whole new worlds. "Writing on the Wall," "Give Me an Inch," and "Monsters in Disguise" are raucous and energetic. The ballads, the determined "If Only," and O'Connor's signature song, the melancholy "Will You," are the centerpieces of the album. "Eighth Day" possesses some truly ridiculous lyrics, but is irresistible nonetheless. In fact, the only serious criticisms I have are the lyrics, which are sometimes marred by unsophistication and a general lack of cleverness, and, at times, the arrangements, particularly on the album's nadir, the plodding, repetitive "Who Needs It." Tony Visconti's production is sonically impressive throughout. O'Connor's songwriting skills would later improve drastically; Cover Plus, released the following year, would boast far better songs than those that appear on this album. I would recommend Cover Plus over Breaking Glass for casual listeners who want to hear some of O'Connor's early-'80s output, yet Breaking Glass is also an excellent album, and a good souvenier of the film from which the music is taken."