release date: Nov. 1981
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Clive Langer
label: Mercury Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Bent Out of Shape" (5 / 5) - 2. "Colours Fly Away" (4 / 5) - 3. "Seven Views of Jerusalem" (4 / 5) - 5. "Falling Down Around Me" (4 / 5) - 7. "Passionate Friend" (4 / 5) - 8. "Tiny Children" (5 / 5) - 11. "The Great Dominions" (4 / 5)
2nd and final real studio release by Teardrop Explodes. In less than a year the band has been through various changes of line-ups, but here they are back to a nucleus of undisputed leader and only songwriter Julian Cope on lead vocals, guitars, bass, piano and organ, new member Troy Tate on guitar, David Balfe on keyboards and with Gary Dwyer on drums. James Eller, who played bass in the band during concerts to free Cope to concentrate on vocal parts is credited as additional personnel.
This is just great. Like the debut, it's a rather huge fusion pot of styles and genres but here it's under control and direction, and the neo-psychedelia fits nicely with what else Mr. Cope did later on. This is a rare album of the early '80s insofar that I still enjoy it. The album has so many fine tracks on it that one could easily think of it as a compilation album. I've had various favourite tracks on this release. Back then it was probably "Falling Down Around Me" and "Passionate Friend". Today, I think "Tiny Children" is a masterpiece.
The album was, however, met by poor sales and luke-warm reviews. After yet another period of internal conflicts the band was reduced to a trio of Cope, Balfe and Dwyer, and without a guitar-player, and after unsuccesful attempts of recording a follow-up album in '82, the band was dissolved in '83 after which Cope initiated his solo career.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]
 |
| Alt. cover |
