The Blue Nile "High" (2004)

High
release date: Aug. 30, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]
producer: The Blue Nile
label: Sanctuary Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Days of Our Lives" - 2. "I Would Never" (4 / 5 ) - 3. "Broken Loves" (5 / 5) - 4. "Because of Toledo" - 5. "She Saw the World" (4 / 5) - 6. "High" - 7. "Soul Boy" - 9. "Stay Close"

4th and so far final studio album by The Blue Nile released 8 years after the previous album. After the least successful album to date, the band left Warner Bros., and this album is released on the smaller Sanctuary Records (sublabel of BMG). It's like a return to their old style, just updated with a better production and skilful use of electronic.
"Broken Loves" is such a fabulous track, and the album is highly recommendable.
Since this, the band has kept quiet. Paul Buchanan, however, released his fine solo debut album Mid Air in 2012.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <- click...

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"Broken Loves"

"I feel exactly like a matchstick in relation to you
Thin and broken.
And nothing I can seem - There's Nothing I can seem to do
Make you switch the TV off - To Make you switch the TV off
And look up - Oh look up
Look up

Sail away
Sailing away from me also
I count your sticks and all your toys
You're laughing in the background noise
We won't give up
I'm going to give you something else
That's some kind of broken words

Children swing, to and fro
Do you ever wonder
Where did the summer go?
Counting The TV's and counting the stars
It's so unfunny I don't know where you are anymore
I don't know where you are anymore

Sail away
Sail on back to me envy
I count your sticks and all your toys
Your laughter in the background noise
Please don't give up
I am gonna promise you something else
Not some kind of broken loves

Sail away
Sail on back to me and then (yeah yeah)
I'll keep your sticks and all your toys
I'll keep you in the background noise
Yeah we don't give up
And I am gonna find you something else
Not some kind of broken loves"

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The Blue Nile "Peace at Last" (1996)

Peace at Last
release date: Jun. 10, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: The Blue Nile
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Happiness" - 2. "Tomorrow Morning" (4 / 5 ) - 4. "Love Came Down" (4 / 5) - 5. "Body and Soul" (live on Later) - 7. "Family Life" (4 / 5) (live) - 9. "God Bless You Kid" (live)

3rd studio album by The Blue Nile released 7 years succeeding the great second album, Hats.
The trio produced two fantastic albums and then they made the audience wait another seven years! The end result doesn't live up the band's previous high standards, and the album is their most 'clean' pop album and as such not really all that great. Gone are the dominating 'synths' and instead it contains tracks with acoustic guitar and gospel choir. Their previous albums had been released on the small independent Scottish label Linn Records but here the band has signed with Warner Bros. Perhaps the record company had a say in making the sound more mainstream? At least that's what I told myself when trying to come to terms with the new style. The album is not bad - it contains at least three great compositions but it has left room for songs of lesser quality, but as mainstream pop, it's better than most albums from 1996.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 ]

The Blue Nile "Hats" (1989)

Hats
release date: May 13, 1989
format: vinyl (LKH2) / digital
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,78]
producer: The Blue Nile
label: Linn Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Over the Hillside" (5 / 5) - 2. "The Downtown Lights" (5 / 5 ) - 3. "Let's Go Out Tonight" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Headlights on the Parade" (5 / 5) - 5. "From a Late Night Train" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Seven A.M." - 7. "Saturday Night" (4,5 / 5)

2nd studio album by The Blue Nile. All songs are credited vocalist and guitarist Paul Buchanan. I recall how I impatiently awaited this second album while I kept trying to figure out if they had already disbanded. Most other artists released at least a new album each year but it took 4½ years before this one came out. I rushed out to buy it, which wasn't really easy, and I remember playing the album over and over for years to come. It's really another classic work, and again, mostly just artists and critics were overwhelmed. A remastered 2-disc Collector's Edition was released in 2012 by Virgin, and it feature live versions, alternate mixes and two new studio songs ("Christmas" is previously unreleased, whereas "The Wires Are Down" is a B-side to the single "The Downtown Lights").
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com, NME 4,5 / 5, Records Mirror, Sounds 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3/5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]
[ Danish review ]

1989 Favourite releases: 1. Pixies Doolittle - 2. The Blue Nile Hats - 3. Kitchens of Distinction Love Is Hell

Show lyrics <- click...

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"Headlights On The Parade"

"And if in love she cried
Something wasn't right
'I'm sorry' - would be easy
To say I love you

Headlights on the parade
Light up the way
Headlights on the parade
Light up the way
I go, yeah

Close your eyes come with me
Only love is alive
Close your eyes can't you see
Only love will survive, yeah

Headlights on the parade
Light up the way, I love you

Headlights on the parade
Light up the way
I've made up my mind
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Only love will survive
Yeah

The city wins while you and I
Can't find a way
Oh, headlights on the parade, yeah, yeah

Fly little angel
Fly little angel
Yeah"

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The Blue Nile "Tinseltown in the Rain" (1984) (single)

Tinseltown in the Rain, 12'' single
release date: Aug. 1984
format: vinyl (601 396)
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,38]
producer: Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell
label: Virgin Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Tinseltown in the Rain" (5 / 5 ) (live on Later) - - B) 1. "Regret" (4 / 5) - 2. "Heatwave" (4 / 5)

12'' single from the studio album debut by The Blue Nile released on Linn Records in the UK and Australia, A&M Records in North America and by Virgin in the EU only.

[ collectors' item - only EU 12'' pressing ]

The Blue Nile "A Walk Across the Rooftops" (1984)

A Walk Across the Rooftops [debut]
release date: 1984 (?)
format: vinyl (1985 reissue) / digital
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,43]
producer: Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell
label: Linn Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Tracklist: 1. "A Walk Across the Rooftops" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Tinseltown in the Rain" (5 / 5 ) - 3. "From Rags to Riches" (4 / 5) - 4. "Stay" (5 / 5) - 5. "Easter Parade" (4 / 5) - 6. "Heatwave" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "Automobile Noise" (4 / 5)

Studio album debut by the Scottish band The Blue Nile, which may or may not have been released in late '83 or early '84. I can't remember how I came across this band but I know that I purchased the album about a year after its release. I have played the vinyl issue more than most other albums in my collection. I never understood why they weren't more popular. Critics loved them but they never made it to the huge crowds. After their second album, they were the critics' darlings and also had many fans among other musicians, which led to many collaboration works.
However, guitarist, lead vocalist and main songwriter Paul Buchanan obviously wasn't interested in a glamorous life, and just wanted his ordinary life. The band didn't release albums too often, and after the third studio album they have kept quiet without officially being disbanded.
This album is rightfully enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Sounds 5 / 5 stars ]

1984 Favourite releases: 1. U2 The Unforgettable Fire - 2. The Smiths The Smiths - 3. The Blue Nile A Walk Across the Rooftops

The Blue Nile "Stay" (1984) (single)

Stay, 7'' single
release date: Apr. 13, 1984
format: vinyl (106 376)
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,50]
producer: Paul Buchanan & Robert Bell
label: Linn Records / Virgin - nationality: Scotland, UK


Tracklist: A) "Stay" (5 / 5) - - B) "Saddle the Horses" (4 / 5)

Single release by The Blue Nile, and the first from the forthcoming full-length album A Walk Across the Rooftops released at the end of the month.

The Blue Nile

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The Blue Nile is a trio formed in the early 1980s in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Members: Paul Buchanan (vocals, guitar), Robert Bell (bass), Paul Joseph Moore (keyboards). The 3 members formed the band, initially named McIntyre, and actually played for some time without a drummer using drum machines and keyboard effects. Nigel Thomas (drums) has played on all of the band's albums but he doesn't figure on the official band member list and all photos of the band only feature the three forming members. Musically, they play art pop synth pop, and they're known for an original lo-fi style, using few instruments, and also for creating a unique dreamy shape of sound always centered on Buchanan's. lamenting and gentle singing voice. The Blue Nile has only released 4 studio albums over a time span of 20 years. For each album they released, the pause until next album's release, was increased. The first two albums, released on Linn Records were met by very positive reviews by the music press but failed in sales. For the third album, Peace at Last (1996), the band had signed with Warner Bros., but even a major international record label couldn't secure better sales, and is the band's least renowned album. The fourth and most recent album is High (2004) released on Sanctuary Records, which again secured fine reviews but small sales. After the the band's acclaimed second album, they played as studio musicians and guest stars on several other artists' albums, and the trio has remained unchanged in all years. The band's usual drummer, Nigel Thomas, released Public Face, Private Face (2002) as the project band Quiet City featuring vocalist and songwriter Paul Buchanan on three of the tracks, and in 2012 Buchanan released his solo debut album Mid Air. I bought the debut album back in '84, and have been a major fan ever since, always regretting they didn't release more often.
[ official site: thebluenile.org ]

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