release date: Nov. 1983
format: cd (2008 remaster - 25th Anniversary Edition)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Laurie Latham
label: Sony BMG - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Come Back and Stay" (4 / 5) - 2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (4 / 5) - 3. "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" (4 / 5) - 7. "Love of the Common People"
Studio album debut by Paul [Anthony] Young originally released on CBS Records. Before this, Young had played in the band the Q-Tips, which released two albums and a number of singles from '79-82 until Young launched his solo career. The album is a very strong and rather original album of blue-eyed soul released when everything in the world of pop was soaking from synths. Yes, Young didn't write or compose much of this but the man has such a strong voice. The best tracks on the album are all cover versions, but who had heard of Jack Lee, who have composed track #1, #7, #11? Track #2 was Joy Division's only hit single but Young's version is not bettering the original but just a damn fine cover, which, I guess, is much more commonly known than the original, and track #3 was a fine 1960s soul track, which here is not only made into a contemporary pop hit, but shines above other versions of the song, and that's exactly so much Paul Young - he seems capable of taking any song, re-arranging the track and making it a hit of his, which sounds just perfect. No singles hit number #1 in the UK, but the album topped the national albums chart list. I wasn't much into pop soul in 1983 but I couldn't help noticing several of the tracks as pretty well made. I had to give 'em that. Now, I've had this album on cassette, later in a digital version, and since 2008 in the remastered 2-disc 25th Anniversary Edition on cd. The first three tracks and track #7 make it worth the lot, however, there are also some rather poor tracks on the album, but it's nice to know, and the bonus disc is likewise fine to have for the alternate versions.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
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| 25th Anniversary Edition |
