Tag Archives: Q

The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle

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Odessey_and_Oracle

On April 19, 1968, “CBS” label released “Odessey and Oracle”, the second Zombies (The) studio album. It was recorded June – November 1967, at “Abbey Road Studios” and “Olympic Studios” in London, and was produced by Colin Blunstone, Rod Argent, Paul Atkinson, Chris White and Hugh Grundy . In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 100 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”; “NME” magazine ranked the album at number 32 on its list of “100 Greatest British Albums Ever!”; “The Guardian” ranked “Odessey and Oracle” at number 77 on its list of “Alternative Top 100 Albums Ever”;  “Mojo” magazine placed it at number 97 in its “100 Greatest Albums Ever Made” list; “Q” magazine ranked the album at number 26 on its list of the “50 Best British Albums Ever!”.

Personnel:

  • Colin Blunstone– lead vocals
  • Rod Argent– organ, piano, harpsichord, Mellotron,
  • Paul Atkinson – vocals, guitar
  • Chris White – vocals, bass guitar
  • Hugh Grundy – vocals, drums
  • Geoff Emerick– engineer
  • Peter Vince– engineer
  • Jools DeVere – design
  1. Care of Cell 44 – Rod Argent
  2. A Rose for Emily – Rod Argent
  3. Maybe After He’s Gone – Chris White
  4. Brief Candles – Chris White
  5. Hung Up on a Dream – Rod Argent
  6. Changes – Chris White
  7. I Want Her, She Wants Me – Rod Argent
  8. This Will Be Our Year – Chris White
  9. Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914) – Chris White
  10. Friends of Mine – Chris White
  11. Time of the Season – Rod Argent

Soul II Soul: Club Classics Vol. One

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Club_classics_vol._one

On April 10, 1989, “Virgin” label released “Club Classics Vol. One”, the debut Soul II Soul album. It was recorded 1988 – 1989, and was produced by Jazzie B. and Nellee Hooper. The album was certified 3 x Platinum by the “British Phonographic Industry”, and 2 x Platinum by the “RIAA” for sales in US. In 2004,  “Q”  magazine  ranked Club Classics Vol. One at number 28 in its list of the “50 Greatest British Albums Ever”. In 2012, “Slant Magazine”, ranked the album at number 100 on its list of “Best Albums of the 1980s”.

Personnel:

  • Jazzie B – vocals, arrangements, mixing
  • Simon Law – vocal harmonies, piano, keyboards
  • Marco (Carlos Eduardo Rodríguez Montoya) – keyboards
  • Andrew Levy – bass
  • Graham Silbiger – bass
  • Crispin – percussion
  • Zak Ovre – percussion
  • Shikisha – Zulu vocals
  • Caron Wheeker – vocals
  • Rose Windross – vocals
  • Do’Reen – vocals
  • Massive Attack – backing vocals
  • Aitch B – backing vocals
  • Caron Wheeler – backing vocals
  • Kushite – flute
  • Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra – strings
  • Nellee Hooper – programming, mixing
  • Mel Wesson – programming
  • Gota Yashiki – additional programming
  • Dolby – turntables
  • Mykaell S. Riley – string arrangements
  • Dubfire Smith – engineer
  • Arabella Rodriguez – engineer
  • Howie Bernstein – engineer
  • David James – design
  • Jamie Morgan – photography

Track listing:

  1. Keep on Movin’ – Trevor Baresford Romes
  2. Fairplay – Trevor Baresford Romeo, Nellee Hooper, Rose Windrows
  3. Holdin’ On – Trevor Baresford Romes, Simon Law
  4. Feeling Free (Live Rap) – Trevor Baresford Romes
  5. African Dance – Trevor Baresford Romes, Simon Law
  6. Dance – Trevor Baresford Romes, Simon Law
  7. Feel Free – Trevor Baresford Romes, Nellee Hooper
  8. Happiness (Dub) – Trevor Baresford Romes, Nellee Hooper
  9. Back to Life (Accapella) – Trevor Baresford Romes
  10. Jazzie’s Groove – Trevor Baresford Romes, Nellee Hooper

Ocean Colour Scene: Moseley Shoals

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Moseley_Shoals

On April 8, 1996, “MCA” label released “Moseley Shoals”, the second Ocean Colour Scene album. It was recorded in 1995, at “Moseley Shoals Studio” in Birmingham, and was produced by Brendan Lynch. In 1998, “Q” magazine’s readers voted “Moseley Shoals” the 33rd greatest album of all time.

Personnel:

  • Simon Fowler- vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
  • Steve Cradock- vocals, guitar, piano
  • Paul Weller- vocals, organ, guitar, piano
  • Damon Minchella- bass
  • Oscar Harrison- vocals, drums, piano
  • Martyn Heyes – engineer
  • Tony Keach – engineer assistant
  • Tim Young – mastering
  • Gerard Saint – design
  • Lord Antony Mark Briggs – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Damon Minchella, Oscar Harrison, Steve Cradock and Paul Weller.

  1. The Riverboat Song
  2. The Day We Caught the Train
  3. The Circle
  4. Lining Your Pockets
  5. Fleeting Mind
  6. 40 Past Midnight
  7. One for the Road
  8. It’s My Shadow
  9. Policeman & Pirates
  10. The Downstream
  11. You’ve Got It Bad
  12. Get Away

The Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole

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Dig_your_own_hole

On April 7, 1997, “Virgin” label released “Dig Your Own Hole”, the second Chemical Brothers (The) studio album. It was recorded 1996 – 1997, at “Orinoco Studios” in London, and was produced by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. In 1998,  “Q”  magazine  readers voted “Dig Your Own Hole” the 49th greatest album of all time, and in 2000, placed it at number 42 in its list of the “100 Greatest British Albums Ever”. In 2014,  NME magazine ranked the album at number 414 in its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Ed Simons – performer
  • Tom Rowlands – performer
  • John Dee – engineer
  • Steve Dub – engineer
  • Tim Holmes – engineer
  • Jon Collyer – engineer assistant
  • Cheeky Paul – mastering, editing
  • Negativespace – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands, except where noted.

  1. Block Rockin’ Beats – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Jesse Weaver
  2. Dig Your Own Hole
  3. Elektrobank – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Keith Murray
  4. Piku
  5. Setting Sun – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Noel Gallagher
  6. It Doesn’t Matter – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Paul Conley, John Emelin, Tom Flye, Rusty Ford, Kim King
  7. Don’t Stop the Rock – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Tony Butler
  8. Get Up on it Like This – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Quincy Jones
  9. Lost in the K-Hole
  10. Where Do I Begin
  11. The Private Psychedelic Reel – Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons, Jonathan Donahue

 

Prince: Sign o’ the Times

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Prince_sign-o-the-times

On March 31, 1987, “Paisley Park Records” label released “Sign o’ the Times” (Sign “☮” the Times}, the ninth Prince studio album. It was recorded in 1986 – 1987, at “Lake Minnetonka Home Studio” in Minnetonka, “Galpin Boulevard Home Studio” in Chanhassen, “Washington Avenue Warehouse” in Eden Prairie, “Sunset Sound Recorders” and “Ocean Way Recording” in Hollywood, “Monterey Sound Studios” in Glendale, and “Dierks Studio Mobile Trucks” in Paris, and was produced by Prince. In 1989, magazine “Time Out” named it as the greatest album of all time. Magazine “New Musical Express” ranked “Sign o’ the Times” at number 16 in its list of the “All Time Top 100 Albums”. Magazine “The Times”  ranked  “Sign o’ the Times” as the 29th greatest album of all time, and in 2003, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked the album at number 93 on its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Prince- all vocals and instruments except as noted below
  • Wendy Melvoin- guitar, tambourine, congas, backing vocals
  • Lisa Coleman- Fairlight sitar, wooden flute, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Fink- keyboards
  • Miko Weaver- guitar
  • Brown Mark- bass
  • Bobby Z.- drums
  • Sheila E.- rap, drums, percussion
  • Eric Leeds- saxophone
  • Atlanta Bliss- trumpet
  • Jill Jones- vocals
  • Susannah Melvoin- backing vocals, vocals
  • Sheena Easton- co-lead vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Prince, except where noted

  1. Sign o’ the Times
  2. Play in the Sunshine
  3. Housequake
  4. The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
  5. It
  6. Starfish and Coffee – Prince, Susannah Melvoin
  7. Slow Love – Prince, Carole Davis
  8. Hot Thing
  9. Forever in My Life
  10. U Got the Look
  11. If I Was Your Girlfriend
  12. Strange Relationship
  13. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
  14. The Cross
  15. It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night – Prince, Doctor Fink, Eric Leeds
  16. Adore

Supertramp: Breakfast in America

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Supertramp_-_Breakfast_in_America

On March 29, 1979, “A&M” label released “Breakfast in America”, the sixth Supertramp album. It was recorded in 1978, at “The Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Peter Henderson, Rick Davies, John Heliwell, Roger Hodgson, Dougie Thomson and  Bob Sienberberg. In 1980, the album won two “Grammy Awards” and was certified quadruple platinum by “RIAA” for sale in US. In France, “Breakfast in America” is the biggest-selling English-language album of all time, and the third biggest seller overall. In 2006, “Q”   magazine ranked the album at number two on its list of “Records it’s OK to Love”,

Personnel:

  • Rick Davies– vocals, keyboards, harmonica
  • John Helliwell– vocals, saxophones, woodwinds
  • Roger Hodgson– vocals, guitars, keyboards
  • Dougie Thomson– bass
  • Bob Siebenberg– drums, percussion
  • Slyde Hyde– trombone, tuba
  • Gary Mielke – Oberheim programming
  • Peter Henderson – engineer
  • Lenise Bent, Jeff Harris – engineer assistant
  • Crystal Sound, Studio B – mixing
  • Mike Doud – art concept
  • Mike Doud, Mick Haggerty – art direction
  • Mick Haggerty – design
  • Mark Hanauer – photography
  • Aaron Rapoport – cover photography

All tracks by Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson.

  1. Gone Hollywood
  2. The Logical Song
  3. Goodbye Stranger
  4. Breakfast in America
  5. Oh Darling
  6. Take the Long Way Home
  7. Lord Is it Mine?
  8. Just Another Nervous Wreck
  9. Casual Conversations
  10. Child of Vision

Camel: Moonmadness

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Camel-Moonmadness

On March 26, 1976, “Gama / Decca” labels released “Moonmadness”, the fourth Camel album. It was recorded January–February 1976, at “Basing Street Studios” in London, and was produced by Rhett Davies, Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Doug Ferguson and Andy Ward.  In the “Q” & “Mojo” “Classic Special Edition Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock”, the album was rated at number 23 in the list of “40 Cosmic Rock Albums”. In 2014, magazine “Prog” readers, rated “Moonmadness” at number 58 on the list of “Top 100 Prog albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Andrew Latimer – vocals, guitars, flute
  • Peter Bardens – vocals, keyboards
  • Doug Ferguson – vocals, bass
  • Andy Ward – voice, drums, percussion
  • Field – art work, design

Track listing

  1. Aristillus – Andrew Latimer
  2. Song within a song – Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens
  3. Chord change – Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens
  4. Spirit of the water – Peter Bardens
  5. Another night – Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens, Andy Ward, Doug Ferguson
  6. Air born – Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens
  7. Lunar sea – Andrew Latimer, Peter Bardens

Madonna: Like A Prayer

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Like_a_Prayer

On March 21, 1989, “Sire” label released “Like a Prayer”, the fourth Madonna studio album. It was recorded September 1988 – January 1989, at “D&D Recording” in New York City, “Ocean Way Recording” in Hollywood, and was produced by Madonna, Patrick Leonard, Stephen Bray and Prince. In 2003, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked the album at number 239 of its list of “500 greatest album of all time”. In 2006, magazine “Q” ranked the album at number 14 in its list of “40 Best Albums of the ’80s”. In 2012, “Slant Magazine” ranked the album at number 20 on its list of “Best Albums of the 1980s”. “Like a Prayer” was certified quadruple platinum by “RIAA”.

Personnel:

  • Madonna – madona, synthesizer
  • Niki Haris, Marilyn Martin, Donna DeLory, Ali Nadirah, Lynne Fiddmont, Rose Banks, Marcos Loya, The Andrae Crouch Choir – vocals
  • Chester Kamen, David Williams, Dann Huff, Bruce Gaitsch – guitar
  • Sandra Crouch – tambourine
  • Jai Winding, Stephen Bray – synthesizer
  • Patrick Leonard – acoustic piano, B3 organ, clavinet, synthesizer
  • Guy Pratt, Randy Jackson – bass
  • Chuck Findley, David Boruff, Steven Madaio, Dick Hyde – brass section
  • Jonathan Moffett, Jeff Porcaro, John Robinson – drums
  • Luis Conte, Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Joseph Mayer, Richard Todd – French horns
  • Marcos Loya – requinto
  • Joe Porcaro – marimba
  • Larry Corbett – solo cello
  • Chuck Findley – horn arrangements
  • Bill Meyers – strings arranged and conducted
  • Suzie Katayama – concertmaster
  • Bill Bottrell, Eddie Miller, Stephen Shelton, Heidi Hanschu – engineer
  • Michael Vail Blum, Robert Salcedo, Stacy Baird, Joe Schiff – additional engineering
  • Bill Bottrell – mixing
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Herb Ritts – photography
  • Jeri Heiden – art design

Track listing:

All tracks by Madonna, except where noted.

  1. Like a Prayer – Madonna and Patrick Leonard
  2. Express Yourself – Madonna and Stephen Bray
  3. Love Song – Madonna, Prince and Roger Nelson
  4. Till Death Do Us part
  5. Promise to Try
  6. Cherish
  7. Dear Jessie
  8. Oh Father
  9. Keep It Together – Madonna and Stephen Bray
  10. Spanish Eyes
  11. Art of Contrition

Elvis Costello: This Year’s Model

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This Years Model

On March 17, 1978, “Radar” label released “This Year’s Model”, the second Elvis Costello album and the first one with the Attractions. It was recorded in 1978, at “Eden Studios” in London, and was produced by Nick Lowe. “This Year’s Model” was voted the “Best album of the year” in the “Village Voice Pazz & Jop”critics poll. In 2000, magazine “Q” rated the album at number 82 in its list of the “100 Greatest British Albums Ever”. In 2003, magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked the album at number 98 on it’s list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Costello– vocals, guitar
  • Mick Jones – lead guitar
  • Steve Nieve– piano, organ
  • Bruce Thomas– bass
  • Pete Thomas– drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Elvis Costello.

  1. No Action
  2. This Year’s Girl
  3. The Beat
  4. Pump It Up
  5. Little Triggers
  6. You Belong to Me
  7. Hand in Hand
  8. (I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea
  9. Lip Service
  10. Living in Paradise
  11. Lipstick Vogue
  12. Night Rally

Nine Inch Nails: The Downward Spiral

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The_Downward_Spiral

On March 9, 1994, “Interscope” label released “The Downward Spiral”, the second Nine Inch Nails studio album. It  was recorded 1992 – 1993, at “Le Pig” in Beverly Hills;” Record Plant Studios” and “A&M Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Trent Reznor and Mark Flood Ellis. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 201 on its list of the “500 greatest albums of all time”. The album was placed 10th on magazine “Spin” list of “125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years” In 2001, “Q” magazine named  “The Downward Spiral” as one of the “50 Heaviest Albums of All Time” and in 2010, the album was ranked number 102 on their “250 Best Albums of Q’s Lifetime”.

Personnel:

  • Trent Reznor– vocals, drums, arranger
  • Mark “Flood” Ellis– hi-hat, ARP 2600 synthesizer
  • Chris Vrenna– drums, programming, sampling
  • Adrian Belew– texture generating guitar, ring mod guitar
  • Danny Lohner– guitar
  • Andy Kubiszewski– drums
  • Stephen Perkins– drum loops
  • Charlie Clouser– programming
  • Russell Mills– paintings
  • David Buckland – photography
  • Gary Talpas– package

Track listing:

All tracks by Trent Reznor.

  1. Self Destruct
  2. Piggy
  3. Heresy
  4. March of the Pigs
  5. Closer
  6. Ruiner
  7. The Becoming
  8. I Do Not Want This
  9. Big Man With a Gun
  10. A Warm Place
  11. Eraser
  12. Reptile
  13. The Downward Spiral
  14. Hurt