Random Album of the week: Breaking Glass was a movie soundtrack which accompanied the movie of the same name (Released in 1980). The lead actress in the film was Hazel O’Connor who also wrote and recorded all the songs – this was her first album – many more followed.
A friend of mine loaned me the album… I think it would have been around 1982 or something like that. He told me he loved the album so I could just borrow it. I think I made a tape recording of it – I fell in love with the album almost immedilatley.
I’ve not run into many people who are familiar with the album or Hazel. I found out many years later that the album placed fairly well on the UK album charts (apparently it reached #5 and stayed around for 28 weeks). The song “Will You” was an immediate favorites of mine, with its haunting saxaphone and yearning lyric – captured the drama of my teenage years and my own yearning for someone or something that might touch me enough to want to feel the way Hazel did in that song.
The album was an amazing, almost operatic trip – some kind of punk prog rock meld. I had no idea what the film was about – the lyrical content of the songs gave no hint. But a really diverse trip sonically – whirling and sweeping cycles of sound at times – other times staccato cranking anger. A great album to listen to all the way through.
Some amazing sax lines on the album are thanks to Wesley Magoogan, who I also knew from his work with the English Beat. I learned later that he had also worked with Joan Armatrading. Tony Visconti played keys and produced the album (yes the Tony Visconti who produced
T.Rex, Bowie, Thin Lizzy, Iggy Pop, Rick Wakeman, Boomtown Rats, Moody Blues…. ).
Interestingly, I couldn’t find the original album on Spotify. Rather, there is a full remake by Hazel called “Breaking Glass Now’ – which seems ok – but I love the original so much I wish that it were also there.
The film is available for rent on Google – you can find it if you do a search for it on Youtube (or just go here) – Highly recommended watch. I introduced the film to a “young” friend of mine (Laura – how old were you when we watched this? Maybe 17?) – And she really enjoyed it. It’s a little dated but it still stands up I think.
