Alf (album)

Last updated

Alf
Alison Moyet - Alf.jpg
Studio album by
Alison Moyet
Released5 November 1984
Recorded1984
Genre Blue-eyed soul, smooth jazz, sophisti-pop
Length37:47
Label CBS
Producer Steve Jolley & Tony Swain
Alison Moyet chronology
Alf
(1984)		 Raindancing
(1987)
Singles from Alf
  1. "Love Resurrection"
    Released: June 1984
  2. "All Cried Out"
    Released: September 1984
  3. "Invisible"
    Released: November 1984
  4. "For You Only"
    Released: October 1985

Alf is the debut solo studio album by English singer Alison Moyet, released on 5 November 1984 by CBS Records. [1] The album launched Moyet's solo career following the disbanding of synth-pop duo Yazoo. The album reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and features the singles "Love Resurrection", "All Cried Out", "Invisible" and "For You Only".

Contents

A deluxe edition of Alf was released on 25 November 2016 by BMG. [2]

Background

In 1983, shortly before the release of their second studio album, You and Me Both (1983), Yazoo announced that they were splitting up. Deciding to pursue a solo career, Moyet soon received various offers from different record companies. Moyet ended up signing to CBS for £1 million later that year. However, after signing the contract, Yazoo's American record company Warner Bros then put an injunction on her. The legal issues took a year to be resolved by settlement in 1984. When Moyet was able to start working on her debut album, a meeting was held with CBS. As both Spandau Ballet and Bananarama had been recently successful in the charts, the label suggested Moyet team up with their producers Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. [3]

The collaboration with the two producers proved successful and the three began writing songs for an album. Moyet later recalled: "I was simply in a space with two accomplished and encouraging blokes who were saying, 'Let's write some songs', and we didn't find it hard." She told Number One in 1984: "With Swain and Jolley, I can get on with what I do best, writing lyrics and singing. We had a writing session at my house – two weeks around the piano. Some of the songs were written over the phone." [4] Writing and recording sessions had to be done with haste due to Swain and Jolley's other commitments as producers. The recording sessions took three months to complete. CBS suggested the album be titled Alf, which had become Moyet's well-known nickname since before Yazoo. [3]

Alf was released in November 1984 and was a commercial success in the United Kingdom and worldwide. The album topped the UK Albums Chart, and by early December, it had achieved a double platinum certification. In April 1985 it had gone triple platinum and in February 1987 it went quadruple. [5] In 1985, the success of the album led to Moyet receiving her first Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist. [6] Alf also reached No. 1 in New Zealand and would go eight times platinum there. In the United States, the album would prove to be Moyet's most successful commercially, peaking at No. 45. [7] As of February 1994, Alf had sold three million copies worldwide. [8]

The lead single "Love Resurrection" preceded the album. It was released in June 1984 and had reached No. 10 in the UK, also becoming successful across Europe and beyond. The second single "All Cried Out" was met with similar success when released in September 1984. It reached No. 8 in the UK. "Invisible", the third single, was released in November 1984 and reached No. 21 in the UK. In the US, it became Moyet's highest-charting single, reaching No. 31. In October 1985, "For You Only" was released as the fourth and final single from the album. [9] When CBS first suggested releasing a fourth single, Moyet spoke against the idea and suggested she record a cover of "That Ole Devil Called Love" to give fans something new. Her version of the song was then recorded and released in March 1985, becoming a big hit, including in the UK where it reached No. 2. Despite this, CBS later decided to release "For You Only" as a single but in Europe and the US only. For its release as a single, "For You Only" was remixed and partially re-recorded to create a new version. [10] [11] The song was a success in Germany, peaking at No. 7 in late 1985. [12]

The success of Alf would soon make Moyet resentful as she felt the album's mass market appeal had defined her before she had the chance and experience to properly decide the direction she wanted to take her solo career in. Furthermore, she felt the album and her weight-gain at that time "presented an image of unthreatening cosy womanliness". [13] Speaking of the album, Moyet later recalled in 2016:

"I have, in the past, distanced myself from Alf. Because there were things about me at 21 that I could no longer relate to and it's slightly odd singing the lyrics of a 21-year-old as you age. But distance creates a love. I fell out with Alf because I felt like that, after making subsequent records, it was like walking down the street and being told, 'I liked you better when you were going out with him.' When you're older you can see that your first love was actually a really nice soul." [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Louder Than War 7.5/10 [15]
Number One Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [18]

Upon release, Deanne Pearson of Number One said: "If you want genuine, heartfelt love songs, cries of passion without cliche, look no further than Alf. With a heart as big as her voice, Alison Moyet is one of the singer/songwriters of the '80s. Commercial but uncontrived. Unlike Wham, you don't feel you're being taken for a ride." [16] Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone noted: "Alf too often founders because of its disappointingly unimaginative arrangements. Throughout the record, Moyet's voice rings out vigorously enough, but Swain and Jolley have cloaked it in layers of dinky-sounding keyboards and dopey percussion. Their woefully banal instrumental accompaniment doesn't smother Moyet's voice but neither does it provide any support for her gutty warbling. Alf doesn't grasp or accommodate its vocalist's strengths. In the end, Moyet has to pull much of this record out of the fire all by herself." [18] Cash Box commented: "Another in the latest breed of vocalists from the United Kingdom, Alison Moyet features a more powerful delivery than Sade, and the new wave dance slant of such cuts as 'Love Resurrection' and current torch-song single 'Invisible' should make Moyet a prime candidate for crossover success." [19]

In a retrospective review, Stewart Mason of AllMusic summarised: "Hooking up with Bananarama's producers, Tony Swain and Steve Jolley, Moyet delivers an enormous, walloping mid-'80s pop sound that constantly threatens to overwhelm both the songs, which are a mixed bag, and occasionally even the formidably voiced singer herself. Several tracks make it through the production mill unscathed, notably the singles 'All Cried Out' and 'Love Resurrection,' but the album's pinnacle is the remarkable 'Invisible,' a soulful shouter that's among the great R&B pop singles of the '80s. Some of the other tracks would benefit from less-overbearing production, most notably the chilling 'Where Hides Sleep,' making Alf one of those albums that sounds better once the listener has mentally undressed the songs a bit." [14]

Speaking of the 2016 deluxe edition, Attitude magazine writer Josh Lee stated: "Switching from the synth-pop she'd made with Vince Clarke to a mainstream pop sound fashioned by the writing/producing duo of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, Moyet sang the hell out of hits like 'Love Resurrection', 'All Cried Out' and 'Invisible' on a long-player that sounds just as fresh and bright today. The deluxe edition remastering helps, but three-plus decades later the songs still stand up as pop classics." [20] Gay Times magazine writer Darren Howard wrote: "Listening to Alf now, it still holds up. As with any Alison Moyet record you expect amazing vocals and you definitely get that here, the quality of the song-writing is high and the production hasn't dated, it's still a classic album and is only enhanced by the extra tracks included on this deluxe edition." [21]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Alison Moyet, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, except "Invisible" by Lamont Dozier

No.TitleLength
1."Love Resurrection"3:52
2."Honey for the Bees"4:12
3."For You Only"4:01
4."Invisible"4:00
5."Steal Me Blind"3:17
6."All Cried Out"6:49
7."Money Mile"3:43
8."Twisting the Knife"3:27
9."Where Hides Sleep"4:18
2016 remastered deluxe edition (bonus disc)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Resurrection" (U.S. Long Version) 5:32
2."All Cried Out" (The Remix) 8:05
3."Invisible" (Extended Version) 6:04
4."For You Only" (Extended New Version) 6:13
5."Love Resurrection" (Love Injected Remix) 8:52
6."Baby I Do"Moyet, Jolley, Swain3:11
7."Invisible" (Transparent Mix) 6:36
8."Hitch Hike" Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Clarence Paul 2:41
9."For You Only" (New Version) 3:54
10."That Ole Devil Called Love" Allan Roberts, Doris Fisher 3:05
11."Don't Burn Down the Bridge"Ronnie Miller3:56
12."That Ole Devil Called Love" (Jazz Version) 3:07
13."Don't Burn Down the Bridge" (Extended Version) 6:38
14."Twisting the Knife" (live at the Dominion, 1985) 3:27
15."That Ole Devil Called Love" (live at the Dominion, 1985) 3:44

Personnel

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Alf
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [42] Gold50,000^
Germany (BVMI) [43] Platinum500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [44] Platinum15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [5] 4× Platinum1,200,000^
Summaries
Worldwide—3,000,000 [8]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yazoo (band)</span> British synthpop duo

Yazoo were an English synth-pop duo from Basildon, Essex, consisting of former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke (keyboards) and Alison Moyet (vocals). The duo formed in late 1981 after Clarke responded to an advertisement Moyet placed in a British music magazine, although the pair had known each other since their school days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Moyet</span> English singer (born 1961)

Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard is an English singer noted for her powerful bluesy contralto voice. She came to prominence as half of the duo Yazoo, but has since mainly worked as a solo artist.

Steven Nicholas Jolley and Tony Swain were a successful songwriting and record production duo in the United Kingdom in the early to mid-1980s, producing some of the top artists and songs of the era.

<i>You and Me Both</i> 1983 studio album by Yazoo

You and Me Both is the second and final studio album by English synth-pop duo Yazoo, released on 4 July 1983 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and in North America by Sire Records. The album's title was an ironic reference to the fact that the duo had grown estranged from each other and recorded much of the album separately; they announced their split a few weeks before the album's release.

<i>Raindancing</i> 1987 studio album by Alison Moyet

Raindancing is the second solo studio album by English singer Alison Moyet, released on 6 April 1987 by CBS Records. It reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and features the singles "Is This Love?", "Weak in the Presence of Beauty", "Ordinary Girl" and "Sleep Like Breathing". In the United States, Raindancing was released by Columbia Records with a different cover art and a reordered track listing.

<i>Hoodoo</i> (Alison Moyet album) 1991 studio album by Alison Moyet

Hoodoo is the third solo studio album by English singer Alison Moyet, released by Columbia Records on 22 April 1991 in the United Kingdom and on 27 August 1991 in the United States. It reached No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart and features the singles "It Won't Be Long", "Wishing You Were Here", "Hoodoo" and "This House".

<i>Essex</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Alison Moyet

Essex is the fourth solo studio album by English singer Alison Moyet, released on 21 March 1994 by Columbia Records. The album, named after the artist's native Essex, England, reached No. 24 on the UK Albums Chart and includes the singles "Falling", "Whispering Your Name", "Getting into Something" and "Ode to Boy".

<i>Singles</i> (Alison Moyet album) 1995 greatest hits album by Alison Moyet

Singles is the first greatest hits album by English singer Alison Moyet, released on 22 May 1995 by Columbia Records. The album includes two previously unreleased tracks, Moyet's version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Solid Wood", as well as a number of hits from the singer's stint in 1980s synth-pop duo Yazoo.

<i>The Essential Alison Moyet</i> 2001 greatest hits album by Alison Moyet

The Essential Alison Moyet was essentially a third re-release of Singles, the 1995 greatest hits album of recordings by singer/songwriter Alison Moyet. The album was released in 2001 by Sony Music Entertainment in response to renewed interest in the singer, after she was finally released from her contract with the label and able to sign with Sanctuary Records, regain the artistic control of her musical output and move back into the public eye - resulting in 2002 comeback album Hometime. However, there are some differences in the track listings of the two Sony compilations. The Essential Alison Moyet excludes "Only You", "Situation', "Ordinary Girl", "Ode To Boy II", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Solid Wood", and replaces them with "Don't Go", "Winter Kills", "Blue" and "Our Colander Eyes" plus cover versions "Ne Me Quitte Pas" and "There Are Worse Things I Could Do".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Cried Out (Alison Moyet song)</span>

"All Cried Out" is a song by English singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, which was released in 1984 as the second single from her debut studio album Alf. It was written by Moyet and producers Jolley & Swain. The song peaked within the top ten on both the Irish and the UK Singles Chart, and also reached the top twenty in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Invisible (Alison Moyet song)</span> 1984 single by Alison Moyet

"Invisible" is a song by English singer Alison Moyet, written by Lamont Dozier for her debut album, Alf. Released in November 1984, "Invisible" peaked at No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart and became Moyet's highest-charting solo single in the United States, peaking at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached the top 10 in Ireland and New Zealand, peaking at No. 6 and No. 4, respectively. The single's B-side is the Marvin Gaye song "Hitch Hike", which has backing from Darts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Resurrection</span> 1984 single by Alison Moyet

"Love Resurrection" is a pop song written by English singer-songwriter Alison Moyet and producers Jolley & Swain for Moyet's debut studio album Alf (1984). Released as the album's first single in June 1984, it reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart. It was released in the US in summer 1985 following "Invisible" and reached number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 that August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is This Love? (Alison Moyet song)</span> 1986 single by Alison Moyet

"Is This Love?" is a song by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, released in November 1986 as the first single from her second studio album Raindancing (1987). The song was written by Moyet and Dave Stewart, who used the pseudonym Jean Guiot for his involvement with the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weak in the Presence of Beauty (song)</span>

"Weak in the Presence of Beauty" is a song written by Michael Ward and Rob Clarke, and originally recorded by their band, Floy Joy. It was released in 1986 as the lead single from their album of the same name. In 1987, English singer Alison Moyet released a version of the song which was a hit across Europe and Australasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep Like Breathing</span> 1987 single by Alison Moyet with David Freeman

"Sleep Like Breathing" is a song by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet with David Freeman, which was released in 1987 as the fourth and final single from her second studio album Raindancing. The song was written by Freeman and Joseph Hughes, both of whom made up The Lover Speaks, and was produced by Jimmy Iovine, Freeman and Hughes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This House (Alison Moyet song)</span> 1991 single by Alison Moyet

"This House" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, which was released in September 1991 as the fourth single from her third studio album, Hoodoo (1991). It was written by Moyet and produced by Dave Dix. The song reached No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart and also reached the top 40 in the Netherlands, peaking at number 31 on the Dutch Top 40.

"That Ole Devil Called Love" is a song written in 1944 by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher. It was first recorded by Billie Holiday, who released it as the B-side of her hit "Lover Man" in 1945.

"Honey for the Bees" is a song by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, released in 1984 as a track on her debut solo album Alf. It was written by Moyet, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, and produced by Jolley and Swain.

"Ode to Boy" is a song by English synth-pop duo Yazoo. Originally the B-side to their 1982 hit "The Other Side of Love", it was later included on their second and final studio album You and Me Both in 1983. Whereas Yazoo's version is a sparse atmospheric track with synths and percussion, vocalist Alison Moyet later recorded her own version of the song in an uptempo indie-rock style for her 1994 album Essex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For You Only</span> 1985 single by Alison Moyet

"For You Only" is a song by British singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, which was released in 1985 as the fourth and final single from her debut studio album Alf. For its release as a single, a remixed version of the song was created, which was named the "New Version". The song written by Moyet, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain, and produced by Jolley and Swain.

References

  1. ↑ "Alf". Alisonmoyetmusic. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Alf Deluxe". AlisonMoyet.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 Alf (deluxe edition liner notes). Alison Moyet. BMG. 2016. BMGCAT2CD79.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ Adams, Nick (13 October 1984). "The men in my life". Number One .
  5. 1 2 "British album certifications – Alison Moyet – Alf". British Phonographic Industry. 27 February 1987. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "The Brit Awards". everyHit.com. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Alison Moyet Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  8. 1 2 Sexton, Paul (19 February 1994). "Alison Moyet Getting Career Back In Gear With Columbia Set". Billboard . Vol. 106, no. 8. p. 14. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  9. ↑ "Alison Moyet – For You Only / Money Mile – Columbia – USA – 38-05614". 45cat. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  10. ↑ Chin, Brian (2 November 1985). "Moyet Content With 'Alf's' Notice on European Charts". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 44. p. 48. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  11. ↑ "Alison Moyet – For You Only (New Version) at Discogs". Discogs . 1985. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  12. ↑ "Alison Moyet – For You Only" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  13. ↑ "Alf". AlisonMoyet.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  14. 1 2 Mason, Stewart. "Alf – Alison Moyet". AllMusic . Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  15. ↑ Scott-Bates, Paul (30 November 2016). "Alison Moyet: Alf | Raindancing | Hoodoo | Essex Deluxe Editions – album reviews". Louder Than War . Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  16. 1 2 Pearson, Deanne (10 November 1984). "Album reviews". Number One magazine.
  17. ↑ Strike, Andy (10 November 1984). "Albums". Record Mirror .
  18. 1 2 Alison Moyet (25 April 1985). "Alison Moyet: Alf : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "Album Releases" (PDF). Cash Box . 23 March 1985. p. 10. ISSN   0008-7289 – via World Radio History.
  20. ↑ "Album review | Alison Moyet: 'Alf', 'Raindancing', 'Hoodoo' & 'Essex' Deluxe Editions". Attitude . 25 November 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  21. ↑ "Review: Alison Moyet Special Editions". Gay Times . 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  22. ↑ Kent 1993 , p. 210
  23. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0499". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  24. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Alison Moyet – Alf" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  25. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Eurotipsheet . Vol. 2, no. 4. 28 January 1985. p. 9. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  26. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Alison Moyet – Alf" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  27. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Alison Moyet".
  28. ↑ "Charts.nz – Alison Moyet – Alf". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  29. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Alison Moyet – Alf". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  30. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Alison Moyet – Alf". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  31. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Alison Moyet – Alf". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  32. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  33. ↑ "Top 100 Albums (January 3–December 29, 1984)" (PDF). Music Week . 26 January 1985. p. 42. ISSN   0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  34. ↑ Kent 1993 , p. 437
  35. ↑ "RPM's Top 100 Albums of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 25 December 1985. p. 14. ISSN   0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  36. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts . Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  37. ↑ Bakker, Machgiel; Inglis, Cathy (23 December 1985). "Pan-European Awards 1985" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 51/52. p. 7. OCLC   29800226 – via World Radio History.
  38. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  39. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1985". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  40. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  41. ↑ "Top 100 Albums (January 5–December 28, 1985)" (PDF). Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 11. ISSN   0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  42. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Alison Moyet – Alf". Music Canada. 1 May 1985. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  43. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Alison Moyet; 'Alf')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  44. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Alison Moyet – Alf". Recorded Music NZ. 27 January 1985. Retrieved 6 September 2021.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.