Breaking Glass is the debut album by English singer Hazel O'Connor, released in 1980 by A&M Records. It is the soundtrack album to the film Breaking Glass, featuring songs written and performed by O'Connor who also stars in the film. The album reached number 5 in the UK Albums Chart, remaining on the chart for 38 weeks and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry. Two of the musicians in her band, Bob Carter and Andy Duncan, were members of Linx.
Singles A total of five singles were released from the album, with the second single "Eighth Day", released in August 1980, becoming O'Connor's most successful, peaking at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart. "Will You?", released in May 1981 was also a Top-Ten hit. By the time the final single, "Calls the Tune" was released in January 1982, O'Connor had released a further two albums, Sons and Lovers and Cover Plus. Despite this, the single managed to chart at number 60 in the UK.
Reception Reviewing the album for Record Mirror, Simon Ludgate wrote "See the film before you buy this soundtrack and it'll make far more sense. The thing is, see, that on its own this is larger than life. Melodramatic, even." "The tracks are not in the order they crop up in the film and some work on their own, without the added visual stimulus, and some don't. Hazel has a peculiar singing technique which involves gulping air in a lot and opening your mouth as wide as possible. At least it's original... I like it." "The film has some scary overtones which are still here on this album and neither are recommended for the faint-hearted."
Reviewing for Smash Hits, Red Starr described it as an "utterly uninteresting and thoroughly unconvincing soundtrack album. Whatever Ms. O'Connor's true talents, they certainly do not include songwriting (here a relentless series of embarrassing obvious lyrical cliches with no real gift for melody) or singing (bad Lene Lovich impersonations being of distinctly limited appeal)."
Tour When O'Connor toured the UK to promote the album, she selected as her opening act a then-unknown group called Duran Duran which gave them the exposure to secure a recording contract with EMI.Malins, Steve (2006). Notorious: The Unauthorised Biography. André Deutsch/Carlton Publishing, UK. , p. 60 At the time, Duran Duran were so broke that one of their managers had to sell their flat to buy them a support slot on O'Connor's tour. They also could only afford one hotel room, so they took it in turns, whilst the other members slept outside in a van. Due to the differing music styles and fans between O'Connor and Duran Duran, O'Connor said that lead vocalist Simon Le Bon faced "abuse and people spitting on him every night". However, she also said "we could see they were going to do well" in the future.
Track listing
Personnel Musicians
Hazel O'Connor – lead vocals, keyboards Tony Visconti – vocals, keyboards Bob Carter – guitars, keyboards, vocals Wesley Magoogan – saxophones Rick "Pinky" Ford – bass Andy Duncan – drums, percussion
Technical Tony Visconti – producer, arrangement, engineer Kit Woolven – engineer Gordon Fordyce – engineer Chuck Beeson – art direction and design George Whitear – photography Recorded and mixed at Good Earth Studios, London
Charts Chart (1980–81)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)64US Bubbling Under the Top LPs (Billboard)202
References