The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
7
new
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LÅPSLEY – THESE ELEMENTS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RATIONAL YOUTH – COLD WAR NIGHT LIFE (DELUXE EXPANDED EDITION)
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE WHO – WHO
SPILL FEATURE: DIFFERENT SONG, SAME MELODY – A CONVERSATION WITH GARY LIGHTBODY OF SNOW PATROL
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: NOUS – “WORLD MAP ONE”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: PARAGON CAUSE – “LET ME BE”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OPPKAST – C2H50H
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Books + Movies
    • Scene Unseen
    • About
REGISTER
@
LOGIN
Album Reviews
846
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: THE LOONS - "BLUE ETHER"
next article
SPILL NEWS: COLEMAN HELL RELEASES NEW SINGLE "MANIC"

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: IAMX – ALIVE IN NEW LIGHT

IAMX

IAMX
Alive In New Light
Caroline/Universal Music

IAMX is really Chris Corner, formerly of Sneaker Pimps. He has been recording and performing under the name IAMX since 2004 and Alive In New Light is IAMX’s eighth studio album. This is also being hailed as his first ‘happy album’, or at least the first album he has released since he has treated his severe, long standing depression. Although it is ‘happy’, it is still a deep look at the struggles one goes through when suffering depression, and Corner is able to do this with his use of instruments, programming, vocals and lyrics. It is not only a stunning album, but a brave and brilliant statement.

Although Corner is really a one man band, writing, recording, playing and producing all the tracks, he had some help from tattoo artist and musician, Kat Von D. This infuses some new energy and allows Corner to branch out and bring in different sounds and voices throughout the nine track album.

Corner kicks off Alive In New Light with “Stardust”. It opens with a sparse arrangement, with the opening lyrics, “I’ve got this funny feeling that I can’t shake, The devil’s in the wires, data eating up my brain.” Here he is more machine than human, and in being such, cuts himself off from the world. It is a declaration of where he is starting on this record. The following songs, brings him back to the human world, faults and all, and allows him to not only heal but also get through the pain and accept that he might need some help.

This comes to conclusion in the last track, “The Power And The Glory”. Here he concludes the album with the line “I am waiting for your guilding light to bring me back.” As with the first track, it begins with a sparse arrangement. But here, it is a piano, a more human sounding instrument. It helps to illustrate that the album is a journey. He takes this journey, initially,  with heavy machine like electronics, but by the end of the album they even sound more human “The Power And The Glory” features a beautiful piano and Corner’s honest voice.

He has managed to, on one album, to describe the feeling of depression and the personal fights and battles to get ‘healthy’. It is an honest album full of incredible melodies (touched with melancholy) and some of the best vocal arrangements heard on record this year. His vocal range is staggering and he uses it to full effect.

This is a brilliant album, one that should be enjoyed in one sitting. It is a brave album made by a very honest artist. Corner touches the soul with Alive In New Light.  Although it is electronica, his vocal arrangements and his voice make it more real. He constructs beautiful melodies and keps the listener engaged throughout the entire album.

The title is a clue to the content of the record and a beautiful tip of the hat to, not only recovering, but being alive to enjoy it.

Strong contender for album of the year. Yes I know it is early in the year, but this is a work of art.



Artist Links

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: IAMX – ALIVE IN NEW LIGHT

Author

Aaron Badgley

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
9.9
9.0
Total Spill Rating
9.9
Total Fan Rating
10 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewsalive in new lightcarolinechris corneriamxkat von dsneaker pimpsuniversal music
album reviews, alive in new light, caroline, chris corner, iamx, kat von d, sneaker pimps, universal music
About the Author
Aaron Badgley
Aaron Badgley
Born and raised in Whitby, Aaron discovered music through his love of The Beatles. This led to a career in radio, writing for various publications, and ultimately a radio show about The Beatles (Beatles Universe), which ran for over four years. When not immersed in music, Aaron enjoys spending time with the loves of his life -- his wife Andrea, and daughters Emily and Linda (all of whom have an intense love of music too).
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewsalive in new lightcaroline
 
8.0
Låpsley

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LÅPSLEY – THESE ELEMENTS

by Giselle Hausman on December 6, 2019
Låpsley These Elements XL Recordings Rhythmic elements run through an ambient electronic and soulful sound which emanate from this four-track musical release. Unique beats and clicks keep [...]
 
9.0
Rational Youth

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RATIONAL YOUTH – COLD WAR NIGHT LIFE (DELUXE EXPANDED EDITION)

by Aaron Badgley on December 6, 2019
Rational Youth (Deluxe Expanded Edition) Cold War Night Life Universal Music Cold War Night Life was originally released in 1982 and was the debut album [...]
 
8.0
The Who
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE WHO – WHO

by Gerrod Harris on December 6, 2019
The Who Who Universal Music Standing among the last classic rock bands from the 1960s, The Who have returned with WHO, their first album in 13 years. With a legacy spanning over 55 years, founding [...]
 
6.0
Oppkast
6.2

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OPPKAST – C2H50H

by Mark Craster-Chambers on December 1, 2019
Oppkast C2H50H Independent Okay, this is a band going places – most likely the beer tent, the pub and any other place that sells copious amounts of alcohol! With a name that translates as [...]
 
8.0
Evan Freeman
8.8

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: EVAN FREEMAN – BEYOND THE STARS

by Dan Kennard on November 29, 2019
Evan Freeman Beyond The Stars Evan Freeman, Inc. Following his 2016 debut album Luna, Evan Freeman is back with another sonic float-about, Beyond the Stars, a 13-track collection [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LÅPSLEY – THESE ELEMENTS
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RATIONAL YOUTH – COLD WAR NIGHT LIFE (DEL...
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE WHO – WHO
8.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OPPKAST – C2H50H
6.0
6.2
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: EVAN FREEMAN – BEYOND THE STARS
8.0
8.8
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
The Dirty Nil

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL @ THE PHOENIX CONCERT HALL, TORONTO

by Matt Owczarz on November 28, 2019
75
 

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY LEGER & THE SITUATION w/ LINDY VOPNFJÖRÐ & MATTHEW BARBER @ LEE’S PALACE, TORONTO

by Bryan Williston on November 28, 2019
107
 
Beach Slang

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: BEACH SLANG @ QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE, TORONTO

by Freda Looker on November 26, 2019
14
 
Neon Indian

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: NEON INDIAN @ VELVET UNDERGROUND, TORONTO

by Andrew Wu on November 21, 2019
37
 
FKA Twigs

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: FKA TWIGS @ REBEL, TORONTO

by Cory Barter on November 17, 2019
158
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2019 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SNOW PATROL – REWORKED
1705
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DAVE EAST – SURVIVAL
713
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE – WALK THE SKY
633
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PATRICK WATSON – WAVE
588
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BOB DYLAN – TRAVELIN’ THRU, 1967-1969: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOL. 15
536
 
SPILL NEWS: CHRIS CONNELLY (MINISTRY/REVOLTING COCKS) JOINS PIGFACE ON SELECT TOUR DATES
498
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RINGO STARR – WHAT’S MY NAME
493
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RONNIE WOOD WITH HIS WILD FIVE – MAD LAD: A LIVE TRIBUTE TO CHUCK BERRY
474
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WALTER DEBARR – WE FALL, WE BREAK
370
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MYLES GOODWYN @ HUGH’S ROOM LIVE, TORONTO
358
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: STARSET w/ PALISADES, HYDE & A BRILLIANT LIE @ VARSITY THEATRE, MINNEAPOLIS (MN)
342
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLUTENGEL – DAMOKLES
342
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: COLD w/ AWAKE FOR DAYS & TIME KEEPER @ FINE LINE MUSIC CAFE, MINNEAPOLIS (MN)
337
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES