Paul Young "Rock Swings (On the Wild Side of Swing)" (2006)

Rock Swings (On the Wild Side of Swing)
release date: Nov. 6, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: Dieter Falk
label: Maxi Media - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Tainted Love" - 2. "Bennie and the Jets" - 4. "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" - 6. "The Boys of Summer" - 8. "Hungry Heart" - 10. "In the Ghetto"

8th studio album by Paul Young is his first album in 9 years. It's recorded, arranged, mixed and produced nearly only with Dutch musicians at Wisseloord Studios in The Netherlands and it's released on the small German label, Maxi Media (distributed by Sony BMG).
Although, being a studio release consisting of 13 tracks it only contains 1 original track written by Young and Steve Sidwell, who has also arranged most of the songs. Now, Paul Young isn't famous for writing a lot of great songs, but more famous for his singing qualities - yet, this is something different as all songs are arranged as swing band compositions. Instead of just singing classic standards (it does contain one standard - Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (made famous by Bing Crosby with his version from the movie "Holiday Inn" from 1942), this is more like a selection of modern standards. The selection of songs is a mix from all genres and styles, and despite using songwriters from various decades [and centuries] and as diverse as Elton John, Metallica, Travis, George Harrison, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Irving Berlin [geeh] the end result is remarkably uniform all thanks to the artistic arrangements.
Once you have accepted... (or: If you get to the point of accepting) the idea of using familiar songs and turned these into swing band standards, it's really an impressive accomplishment. As Paul Young comments in the inlay: "some [songs] were more of a challenge than others, when it comes to arranging them in a new style." and: "...the planning took longer, than the recording!" Yeah, I bet they did!
At first my favourites were songs like "Tainted Love" (written by Ed Cobb and song by Gloria Jones back in '65, but really first made famous by Soft Cell with its new wave and synthpop version from 1981) and Springsteen's "Hungry Heart" (heartland rock from The River, 1980), but as I got to hear it over again, it was just such a treat to hear that great singing voice of Paul Young just coming to terms with new material and adding his special touch that ultimately lifts these arrangements over most of mainstream pop these days. A britpop song like Travis' "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" sounds as an old classic standard in the hands of Young and Sidwell, and even the heavy metal track "Enter Sandman" by Metallica becomes more than digestable in this completely altered version. "In the Ghetto" was brought to international fame by one Elvis Presley, but here it's just as great - just completely different. The perhaps most difficult songs on the album are the two by David Bowie and Lou Reed: "Walk on the Wild Side" and "The Jean Genie", but they cannot disturb the sensation that the album is a much better release than some critics suggest.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Paul Young "Paul Young" (1997)

Paul Young
release date: May 1997
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Greg Penny, Paul Young
label: East West Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Ball and Chain" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "I Wish You Love" - 4. "Vanish"

7th studio album by Paul Young shows a rather different side to his musical interest. This is a quiet and overall more acoustic-sounding album. It's held in a pop / rock territory of folk rather than his usual pop soul. There's hardly any horns but mostly strings and acoustic guitars, and some slide guitars almost making it country folk at times. I think, the album was generally met by positive reviews without putting Young anywhere near the top of popular music like his earliest albums. There's no hit singles nor strong soulful ballads, and it's mostly melancholic mature songs about lost love. It's nice and fine and perhaps an album that will grow in strength over time. The album topped at position #39 on the UK albums chart list.
On the release list, it seems like Paul Young retired from the spotlight after this, but he continued to play live music, either with the band, Los Pacaminos, or just touring and giving concerts from his back catalogue. His following solo album, Rock Swings – On the Wild Side of Swing [a covers album] was not to be released until 2006 after which he didn't release any new studio albums for another ten years.

Paul Young "Love Songs" (1996)

Love Songs
release date: Dec. 2, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK

Best of compilation album by Paul Young released by his former label CBS / Columbia Records. The album contains 17 tracks, and it's one of many Paul Young compilation albums - not really comprising his best songs as such but attempting to compile his best love songs. It does contain great songs, but naturally when thinking of the overall theme of 'love' when playing pop soul, it's quite an impossible task. Too many great tracks are missing. It's fine but not really great.

Paul Young "Reflections" (1994)

Reflections
release date: Nov. 1994
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Ian Levine
label: Vision Music Entertainment - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Grazing in the Grass" (4 / 5) - 3. "That's How Heartaches Are Made" - 5. "Just a Little Misunderstanding" - 10. "Ain't No Sunshine" - 12. "More Love"

6th studio album by Paul Young released on a new label after his long-time contract with CBS / Sony. The style has changed to a lighter and funkier pop / rock with elements of contemporary r&b and soul pop. Unlike his former albums this doesn't contain any tracks written by Young. The release was a rather unnoticed one by both critics as well as music buyers, perhaps due to poor / little promotion. Three singles were released from the album none of which even entered the top 100 in the UK. The album is, however, by no means a mediocre collection of songs and just outside his top-3 best studio releases. Young's voice still sounds fine, and he still adds the usual quality to several tracks, but the album doesn't contain obvious hits, and I generally don't appreciate the funky up-tempo arrangements of roughly half of the tracks, whereas the other half are stronger soulful ballads. The album topped at #64 on the albums chart list in the UK, but frankly, I find this clearly bettering his 1990 album Other Voices reaching #4 on the same list but that album was promoted by CBS / Sony.
In the aftermath of the release Young played together with the 6-piece band Los Pacaminos, which had been formed in '92, as a playground for playing Tex-Mex-inspired music. The band has kept playing together and in 2002 an eponymous album was released.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Paul Young "The Crossing" (1993)

The Crossing
release date: Oct. 1993
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Don Was
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Hope in a Hopeless World" - 2. "Now I Know What Made Otis Blue" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Bring Me Home" - 4. "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (4 / 5) - 5. "Won't Look Back" - 9. "Half a Step Away" - 10. "Follow On" - 11. "It Will Be You"

5th studio album by Paul Young primarily produced by Don Was - Chris Neil produced tracks #2 and #3, and Steve Lindsey track #11. It's like a fine combination of all his albums so far: with both plain pop songs, soulful tracks with some jazz feel, and a variation of covers and self-composed material. Young is co-writer on 5 of the songs. Generally, it's on the softer side of his pop / rock albums offering an album of fine pop soul.
"Now I Know What Made Otis Blue" is one of Young's absolute finest (cover) songs where his voice just fits the composition like hand in glove. The album features a vast crowd of studio musicians with a line-up that changes from song to song, but still it sounds very much like a whole, which is quite an effort. This is a fine return to form for Young, although, the album undeservedly wasn't a grand success, and that may be a result of various luck in making consistently good albums. Actually, I find that this is simply his second best album.
In 1993 Young reformed the band the Q-Tips, which had been his starting point before becoming a solo artist and with whom he had played pop soul and released two albums from 1979-82. Together with the Q-Tips, Young played a number of concerts in '93 before the band was put to rest once again.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Paul Young "From Time to Time - The Singles Collection" (1991)

From Time to Time - The Singles Collection (compilation)
release date: Nov. 26, 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK

Best of compilation album by Paul Young consisting of 15 tracks with four tracks from No Parlez (1983), three from The Secret of Association (1985), two from Between Two Fires (1986), two from Other Voices (1990), and four previously unreleased tracks including his rather big hit as supporting vocalist on Zucchero's "Senza una donna", which was the best-faring single released from the album sitting at number #4 on the UK singles chart list. Considering his short career of eight years, and 'only' four studio albums at this point, it's a fine collection of songs, although, I miss some tracks from his second and best album - and then I just find that some tracks are lowering the standard. From a contemporary perspective, I think, I would go for one of his later best of albums: The Essential Paul Young from 2008 with 18 tracks covering another three albums, or: the 14 track album Hit Collection from 2007. There's also a 2-disc album Wherever I Lay My Hat (The Best of Paul Young), which just contains too many fillers with an abundance of 33 tracks.
The album topped the UK albums chart list as his so far third and last album reaching this position, and together with his debut it's his best-selling album.

Paul Young "Other Voices" (1990)

Other Voices
release date: Jun. 4, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: various; Paul Young (exe. producer)
label: Columbia Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Heaven Can Wait" - 4. "A Little Bit of Love" - 7. "Softly Whispering I Love You" - 10. "Calling You"

4th studio album by Paul Young is less pop-oriented in respect to the predecessor Between Two Fires (1986). The album is generally put together by a much bigger staff of technical personnel, as well as studio musicians. Again, the album contains several covers, and generally that simply raises the quality of the songs. There are a number of songs with a clear jazz feel, which perhaps was in an attempt to make a follow-up to his acclaimed '85 album. The album reached number #4 on the national album charts list but it didn't provide Young with a top-ten single. It comes in various versions with at least two different covers and with different track listing. The album is clearly bettering his '86 album, but it's not up with his two first albums, although, it's by no means a mediocre album.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

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Paul Young "Some People" (1986) (single)

Some People, 7'' single
release date: Nov. 1986
format: vinyl (650254 7)
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Hugh Padgham, Paul Young, Ian Kewley
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Some People" - - B) "A Matter of Fact" (2,5 / 5)

Single release from the album Between Two Fires (Oct. 1986). I bought the single without having heard it, basically because his previous album was a great album. I've have never played this much and perhaps no more than 3-5 times.

Paul Young "Between Two Fires" (1986)

Between Two Fires
release date: Oct. 23, 1986
format: cd (2007 Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Hugh Padgham, Paul Young, Ian Kewley
label: Edsel Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Some People" - 2. "Wonderland" - 7. "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong"

3rd studio album by Paul Young originally released on Columbia Records sees Young move from more complex songs and arrangements to have a go on more straightforward pop music. Together with keyboardist Ian Kewley, Young has co-written eight of the ten tracks, and that's perhaps the biggest change from his two first albums. The duo wrote a few good songs for the previous album, but the best tracks by Paul Young have all been cover versions, and it's no wonder that the strongest track on the album, "Wonderland" is not written by Young himself, but a song by Betsy Cook.
The album fared rather well, peaking at number #4 on the UK album charts list (paved its way by the predecessor). Three singles were released from the album: "Wonderland", the best-faring single reaching number #24, "Some People" reaching number #56, and "Why Does a Man Have to Be Strong" topping at position #63.
I think, the album perfectly illustrates Young's strengths and weaknesses: he's an extraordinary vocalist with that unique singing voice, but no more than a mediocre songwriter, and I think, with this album he fell into the same category as Robert Palmer. Both strong on pop covers - not so great when they are to demonstrate their own musical ideas, and in the case of Paul Young, who is a better singer, it's just a pity 'cause with his second album, he showed what he was capable of. This is his perhaps least interesting album, and it might have brought him more damage than his following, and better, albums could ever mend.
[ allmusic.com 2 /5 stars ]

Paul Young "The Secret of Association" (1985)

The Secret of Association

release date: Mar. 25, 1985
format: cassette / vinyl / 2 cd (2007 remaster) (Deluxe)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Laurie Latham
label: CBS Records / Edsel Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Bite the Hand That Feeds" (4 / 5) - 2. "Every Time You Go Away" (5 / 5) - 3. "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse" (4 / 5) - 4. "Standing on the Edge" - 5. "Soldier's Things" (5 / 5) - 6. "Everything Must Change" - 7. "Tomb of Memories" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "One Step Forward" (4 / 5) - 10. "This Means Anything"

2nd studio album by Paul Young originally released on Columbia Records. Stylistically, this is a move away from the synthpop and pop-shape of the debut to a more mature and complex style of pop / rock founded in soul.
Already in the aftermath of his debut album Young experienced problems with his vocal chords and suffered throat difficulties - something that would re-appear throughout his career, and explain his few live tours, a steady increasing period between studio releases, and a general absence from the spotlight.
I recall buying the album on original cassette upon the release, and I was rather fond of the album - the only Paul Young album, I have bought when it was released. I have always found this album by Young his absolute best, and I have often wondered why he didn't continue in its footprints instead of returning to contemporary pop. This is also pop but it's also so much more than 'just' that with a distinct tone of jazz and soul. Again, the best tracks on this album are cover versions, but here they have been totally rearranged to fit his expression and the sound of the album, which is quite homogeneous despite the many writers and composers, which also distances it from the debut, which sounded more like a compilation of tracks.
The album went straight to number #1 on the national albums chart list like his debut album, but also the single "Everytime You Go Away" topped the charts, and other singles (tracks #3 and #6) from the album became top 10 single hits in the UK. My favourite track of the album is "Soldier's Things" written by Tom Waits. The original is great but so is this, and the best thing is how Young doesn't even try one bit to sound like Waits but simply manages to make the song his own. Only years later I realised that Waits had written the song and released it on his great album Swordfishtrombones from 1983.
The album comes in various re-issues and I happen to have the 2007 2-disc Deluxe Edition released on Edsel Records containing a bonus disc of 12" mixes and single B-sides. Paul Young went on to make other fine albums but he never again managed to record an album of this high standard.
To me, this is an essential album of the 1980s and thus highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Paul Young "No Parlez" (1983)

No Parlez [debut]
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 ]

25th Anniversary Edition