Friday 13 November 2015

Sinead Quinn 'I Can't Break Down'

Chart Peak: 2
YouTube
Sinead is the Fame Academy runner-up from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland who raced to No. 2 in February 2003 with her debut single 'I Can't Break Down'... She loves all music from "Dolly Parton through to Pink, Skunk Anansie and pop stuff like Kylie".
I suppose the most positive thing you could say about Fame Academy is that it lasted more series than Popstars: The Rivals. Possibly intended as a more Reithian alternative to the Popstars and Pop Idol franchises, it lacked the vicious elements that were the main selling point of the commercial rivals, but was supposed to focus more on training potential stars and songwriters. This song was written during the series with established (though not A-list) co-writers and producers Pete Glenister and Deni Lew and perhaps shows up one of the faults of the format;  if people learn to write from established songwriters, they'll learn to write the same songs that are already being written. Not necessarily a bad thing in itself but it seems to undermine the selling point of the show and indeed few major stars emerged from the UK series. Quinn herself obviously got off to a strong start with this single, kept from the top only by t.A.T.u. but after only one further single and a poorly-received album she vanished from the studio and seems to have drifted into semi-retirement. 'I Can't Break Down' is frankly mediocre, It does have a sort of memorable chorus but like a lot of 2003 pop it seems unsure as to whether it's a big dramatic ballad or a quiet strum and ends up not quite sounding like either.

Also appearing on: Now 55
Available on: Now That's What I Call 2003

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