Staring at the Sun (Level 42 album)
Staring at the Sun | ||||
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Studio album by Level 42 | ||||
Released | September 1988 | |||
Recorded |
Recorded at Miraval, France Engineered and mixed by Julian Mendelsohn Engineers assistant - Jean Lamoot Mastered at The Townhouse by Kevin Metcalfe | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 43:42 | |||
Label | Polydor Records | |||
Producer | Wally Badarou, Level 42, Julian Mendelsohn | |||
Level 42 chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | link |
Smash Hits | [1] |
Staring at the Sun is the eighth studio album released by the British jazz/funk band Level 42, in 1988. The album includes the singles "Heaven in My Hands" (UK No. 12 in 1988), "Take a Look" (UK No. 32) and "Tracie" (UK no. 25).
This is the first Level 42 album not to feature brothers Phil Gould and Boon Gould, although Boon did write the lyrics to six of the songs. They were replaced by British guitarist Alan Murphy, who had collaborated with Go West and singer Kate Bush, and drummer Gary Husband, who had been a member of the band Morrissey–Mullen. This would be the only Level 42 album on which Murphy would appear, as he died only a year after its release from complications related to HIV/AIDS.
This album was not as successful as its predecessors, reaching again the Top 5 in the U.K. but missing the Billboard 100 in the U.S. Internationally, it reached the Top 10 in several countries, but ultimately had a lesser impact on the charts than the band's two previous albums.
Track listing
- "Heaven in My Hands" (King, R. Gould) – 4:39
- "I Don't Know Why" (King, R. Gould) – 4.22
- "Take a Look" (King, R. Gould, Lindup, Badarou) – 4:41
- "Over There" (King, Lindup) – 3:59
- "Silence" (Lindup) – 4:56
- "Tracie" (King, Husband) – 4:53
- "Staring at the Sun" (King, R. Gould, Badarou) – 4:39
- "Two Hearts Collide" (King, R. Gould) – 4:10
- "Man" (King, R. Gould, Badarou) – 7:23
- "Gresham Blues" A (King) – 5:43
A Available on the CD and cassette only
Personnel
- Mark King – bass guitar, vocals
- Mike Lindup – keyboards, vocals
- Gary Husband – drums
- Alan Murphy – guitars
Plus:
- Wally Badarou – keyboards
- Dominic Miller – guitars
- Krys Mach - saxophones
- Steve Sidwell – trumpet
Charts positions
Album charts
Year | Album | Chart | Peak position |
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1988 | "Staring at the Sun" | UK album charts | #2 |
1988 | "Staring at the Sun" | US Billboard 200 | #128 |
Single charts
Year | Song | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | "Heaven in My Hands" | UK single charts | #12 |
Dutch top 40 | #4 | ||
1988 | "Take a Look" | UK single charts | #32 |
Dutch top 40 | #14 | ||
1988 | "Tracie" | UK single charts | #25 |
Dutch top 40 | #14 | ||
References
- ↑ Smash Hits, October 1988 link