Strawberry Switchblade (album)
Strawberry Switchblade | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 5 April 1985[1] | |||
Recorded | 1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 34:04 | |||
Label | Korova / WEA | |||
Producer | David Motion, Phil Thornalley | |||
Strawberry Switchblade chronology | ||||
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Singles from Strawberry Switchblade | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | link |
Allmusic | link |
Paste | 9.2/10[3] |
Smash Hits | [4] |
Strawberry Switchblade is the only studio album released by the Scottish new wave duo Strawberry Switchblade.
Release
[edit]The album did not live up to the high chart expectations created by the #5 (UK)[5] single "Since Yesterday". It entered and peaked at #25 on the UK Album Chart in April 1985, but dropped out of the top 40 after two weeks and spent just two further weeks at the lower reaches of the chart.[5] The album was promoted by two additional singles: the first, "Let Her Go", peaked at #59 on the UK Singles Chart in April during a five week chart run[5] and the final single, "Who Knows What Love Is?", reached #84 in May.[5] "Since Yesterday" also charted in Ireland and the Netherlands where it reached #6[6] and #24[7] respectively.
The original Strawberry Switchblade LP has not been re-released in the UK (or in Europe) since 1985, though all of its tracks (apart from the short instrumental reprise of "Who Knows What Love Is?") appeared on the group's Platinum Collection compilation. In Japan, where the group were extremely popular, it was issued on CD for the first time in 1989, and released again there on CD in 1997 in a 20-track expanded version, including B-sides, remixes and non-album singles.
Critical reception
[edit]The album has received critical acclaim. Upon its release, Smash Hits reviewer Chris Heath found that "Every song here has an irresistibly catchy tune", especially pointing out "the sad 'Who Knows What Love Is?'" as "quite lovely".[4]
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall, except where noted.
Original release
[edit]No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Since Yesterday" | 2:55 |
2. | "Deep Water" | 3:54 |
3. | "Another Day" | 3:49 |
4. | "Little River" | 2:38 |
5. | "10 James Orr Street" | 2:55 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
6. | "Let Her Go" | 2:45 |
7. | "Who Knows What Love Is?" | 3:45 |
8. | "Go Away" | 3:07 |
9. | "Secrets" | 2:49 |
10. | "Who Knows What Love Is?" (Reprise) | 1:03 |
11. | "Being Cold" | 4:11 |
Expanded edition bonus tracks
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
12. | "Beautiful End" | 4:01 | |
13. | "Poor Hearts" | 3:17 | |
14. | "Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" | Ray Barnes, Daisuke Inoue | 3:30 |
15. | "Jolene" | Dolly Parton | 3:52 |
16. | "Black Taxi" | David Balfe, Jill Bryson, Rose McDowall, Mulhearne[8] | 3:47 |
17. | "Trees and Flowers" (Extended Mix) | 6:43 | |
18. | "Michael Who Walks by Night" | 3:43 | |
19. | "Since Yesterday" (Extended Mix) | 6:31 | |
20. | "I Can Feel" | 3:41 |
B-sides
[edit]Title | Single |
---|---|
"Beautiful End" | "Let Her Go" |
"Black Taxi" | "Jolene" |
"By the Sea" | "Since Yesterday" |
"Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" | "Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" (1985 Japan standalone single) |
"I Can Feel" | "I Can Feel" (1986 Japan standalone single) |
"Jolene" | "Jolene" (1984 standalone single) |
"Michael Who Walks by Night" | "Let Her Go" (12" single) |
"Poor Hearts" | "Who Knows What Love Is?" |
"Sunday Morning" | "Since Yesterday" (12" single) |
"Trees and Flowers" | "Trees and Flowers" (1983 standalone U.K. single) |
Personnel
[edit]- Strawberry Switchblade
- Jill Bryson – vocals, harmonies, lead guitar
- Rose McDowall – lead vocals, harmonies, guitars
with:
- Gary Hutchins – sequences, keyboards
- Alan Park – keyboards
- Bruce Nockles – trumpet
- Dave Morris – percussion
- David Motion – keyboards, drum machine
- Phil Thornalley – keyboards
- Boris Williams – "tippy tappy" drums
- David Bedford – string and woodwind arrangements
- Andrew Poppy – horn arrangements on "10 James Orr Street"
- Technical
- David Motion – production, arrangements, engineering
- Phil Thornalley – production, engineering on "Let Her Go" and "Who Knows What Love Is?"
- Trig – engineering
- Peter McArthur – photography
- Chris Branfield – design
"Thanks to David Balfe and Bill Drummond"[9]
Release history
[edit]Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | April 1985 | Korova / WEA | Vinyl | KODE 11 / 240525-1 | ||
Korova / WEA | Cassette | 240525-4 | ||||
Japan | 25 May 1985 | Korova | Vinyl | P-13120 | ||
Korova | Cassette | PKG-3115 | ||||
10 July 1989 | Korova / WEA | CD | 18P2-2856 | |||
25 May 1997 | Korova / WEA Japan | CD | WPCR-1093 | Expanded edition | ||
22 November 2006 | Korova / WEA | CD | WPCR-75254 | Expanded edition; Repress | ||
24 July 2013 | Korova | CD | WPCR-78061 | Expanded edition; Repress | ||
United Kingdom | 20 June 2017 | Domino Music | Digital Download | REWIG124D | Expanded edition | [10] |
The 12" Album
[edit]The 12" Album | |
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Remix album by | |
Released | November 28, 1985 |
Recorded | 1985 |
Genre | |
Length | 36:50 |
Label |
|
Producer | Various
|
The 12" Album was a remix album released in Japan in November 1985. The album contains 5 extended mixes, one standalone single and one B-side.
Despite the name of the album, only two of the remixes had previously appeared on 12" singles, these being the mixes of "Let Her Go" (from the 12" release of "Who Knows What Love Is?") and "Jolene" (from that single's 12" release). The other three mixes were specially done for this remix album and were not released in the United Kingdom.
The extended mix of "Since Yesterday" later appeared as the B-side of the Strawberry Switchblade's final single "I Can Feel" in 1986.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Let Her Go" (Extended Mix) | 4:45 |
2. | "Trees and Flowers" (Extended Mix) | 6:40 |
3. | "Since Yesterday" (Extended Mix) | 6:30 |
4. | "Jolene" (Extended Mix) | 6:12 |
5. | "Michael Who Walks By Night" | 3:41 |
6. | "Who Knows What Love Is?" (Extended Mix) | 5:33 |
7. | "Ecstasy (Apple of My Eye)" | 3:29 |
Total length: | 36:50 |
Release History
[edit]Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | 28 November 1985 | Korova / WEA | LP | P-6219 |
Cassette | PKF1034 | |||
Canada | 2000 | Communique Records | CD | CDCOMM-5 |
References
[edit]- ^ "News". Number One. 30 March 1985. p. 5. Retrieved 18 October 2022 – via Flickr.
- ^ a b "Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
- ^ Mitchell, Matt (1 June 2024). "Time Capsule: Strawberry Switchblade". Paste. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ a b Heath, Chris. "Albums". Smash Hits 28 March-10 April 1985. p. 29.
- ^ a b c d "The Official Charts Company – Strawberry Switchblade". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". © IRMA 2006 – 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl – Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday". © 2006-2009 Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
- ^ "Strawberry Switchblade – Jolene (1985, Vinyl)". Discogs.
- ^ "Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade". Discogs.
- ^ "Strawberry Switchblade - Strawberry Switchblade (Download) | Domino Mart". Domino Recording Company. Retrieved 14 July 2024.