Corneille
The Birth of Cornelius (Universal Motown)
Corneille Nyungura graces the cover of The Birth Of Cornelius unassumingly, clad in a muted coat and a bright yellow scarf with a white backdrop. Visually, it’s no Marvin Gaye’s I Want You. In fact, it’s far from exciting. But Corneille’s third studio album isn’t cut from that R&B cloth.
On his first stateside bid, the Rwandan-Canadian singer laces The Birth of Cornelius with a bevy of soft, but thought-provoking songs. As a survivor of the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda, Corneille artfully pays homage to lost loved ones on songs like “Murder” and “I’ll Never Call You Home Again.” Though the subjects are melancholy at times, his breathy voice is soothing, often resembling Seal. Lyrically, he invites you to wander through his experiences on “A Man of This World,” where he refers to himself as “stranger,” trying to piece together the elements of his diverse roots.
Though The Birth is intermittently moody, it is also full of refreshing love songs. He adds an international flavor through whimsical arrangements and folksy acoustic guitars, but tracks like the saxophone-heavy “Home Is By You,” still spawn images of steady slow dancing cheek to cheek. This is music for grown folks, champagne flutes and open minds. On “Foolish Heart,” Corneille evokes feelings of longing, over a dramatic string melody. Birth tapers off into the gentle “Heaven,” where he whispers about the joys of having something more meaningful than entry to pearly gates. Sappy? Yes. But also affecting.
The album begins and ends in peace. Despite the turmoil in his life, Corneille is at one. At times the songs here seem interchangeable—acoustic guitar flourishes, pangs of desperation, flowery protestations. But when Corneille engages his musical memoir, he’s hard to turn away from.
Corneille's "The Birth of Cornelius" is in stores now
Track Listing for The Birth of Cornelius
1. “Back to Life”
2. “All of My Love”
3. “Liberation”
4. “A Man of This World”
5. “Murder”
6. “Foolish Heart”
7. “Too Much of Everything”
8. “Home Is By You”
9. “I'll Never Call You Home Again”
10. “Sweet Dependency”
11. “Heaven”
home
