Ascension | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 6 July 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2017–2018 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 51:50 | |||
Label | August Day | |||
Producer |
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A Flock of Seagulls chronology | ||||
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Singles from Ascension | ||||
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Ascension is the sixth studio album by English New wave band A Flock of Seagulls, released on 6 July 2018 by August Day Recordings. [1] [2] It is the band's first album since 1984's The Story of a Young Heart that features all four original members. It contains 12 songs (11 from the first three albums and one new song) re-recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. The album debuted and peaked at No. 8 on Billboard 's Top Classical Albums chart for the week of 21 July 2018 [3] and at No. 29 on the UK Independent Albums Chart for the week of 13 July 2018. [4]
In 2017, Mike Score was approached by John Bryan of August Day Recordings regarding the creation of an orchestral album. Intrigued, Mike agreed to the possibility. Upon hearing the offer, the rest of the original band–consisting of Frank Maudsley, Paul Reynolds, and Ali Score–jumped on board as well. [5] On 3 May 2018, Ascension was officially announced. [6]
In making the album, Mike preferred to not change the songs too much owing partly to his penchant for not enjoying live performances where bands alter their music. He also felt that this was the easiest and quickest way to work due to time constraints. He stated, "We wanted to make it easy for ourselves and let the record company do the work, because it was really their idea." [5] As the band was not familiar with orchestras, an orchestral arranger was brought in to handle the arrangements. [5]
Although the album was recorded in separate studios, Mike, Maudsley, and Reynolds reunited in Liverpool for a day to record the music video for the orchestral version of "Space Age Love Song". [5] Video involving Ali was added into the finished version, which premiered on YouTube 6 June. [7]
A five-track EP was digitally released 8 June 2018, that features five versions of "Space Age Love Song". [8] On 6 July, the album was released digitally and in select stores, although physical copies were available for purchase online prior to the release date. A limited edition special set was also available, which contained five CD's, four signed postcards, and two stickers. The five CD's are: Ascension, Ascension (Instrumental), Ascension (Orcapella), Aurora Borealis – The Greatest Hits, and an 8-track single of "Space Age Love Song". Aurora Borealis – The Greatest Hits does not contain the orchestra, but instead includes re-recordings of the original tracks from the main album (excluding "Ascension").
On 7 December, "I Ran (So Far Away)" was also released as a single. It includes eight alternate versions of the song along with the orchestral and re-recorded version. On 11 June 2019, the Inflight album was announced. It contains extended and instrumental versions of the tracks featured on Aurora Borealis – The Greatest Hits with the exception of "Telecommunication". "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" was made as a single to be included with the set. The Inflight Tour spanned the UK from 11–19 July; it did not feature the original lineup featured on the album.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Cryptic Rock | [9] |
Louder Than War | favourable [10] |
The Spill Magazine | [11] |
The website Cryptic Rock gave Ascension a perfect five-star rating, saying: "It is a grand production that is wonderfully recorded, produced, and mastered" and "retains the magic of the original tunes, but while interjecting new dynamics thanks to The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra." [9] Paul Scott-Bates of Louder Than War stated it is "a good solid album" and had an affinity for "I Ran (So Far Away)", writing that the Prague Philharmonic "adds an air of grandiose...and makes the song a dramatic spectacle. As an opener to the album, it really couldn't be much better." [10]
Aaron Badgley of The Spill Magazine wrote that the band still "play extremely well together and the core unit is as tight as they have ever been" and "the orchestra provides a whole new aspect to these songs." [11]
John Earls of Classic Pop reviewed the Inflight release and gave it a five out of ten. He stated: "Inflight's premise is intriguing...[b]ut that's twice now the band have remained in the comfort zone." He would have preferred to hear new songs from the band, as opposed to 12″ remixes. [12]
All tracks are written by Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "I Ran" (orchestral version) | 6:22 |
2. | "Modern Love Is Automatic" (orchestral version) | 3:39 |
3. | "Telecommunication" (orchestral version) | 2:31 |
4. | "Space Age Love Song" (orchestral version) | 5:09 |
5. | "Ascension" | 1:12 |
6. | "Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)" (orchestral version) | 5:32 |
7. | "Nightmares" (orchestral version) | 4:38 |
8. | "DNA" (orchestral version) | 2:39 |
9. | "Electrics" (orchestral version) | 4:22 |
10. | "Transfer Affection" (orchestral version) | 5:42 |
11. | "The More You Live, the More You Love" (orchestral version) | 4:28 |
12. | "Man Made" (orchestral version) | 5:35 |
Total length: | 51:50 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Ascension. [13]
A Flock of Seagulls
| Additional personnel
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Chart (2018) | Peak position |
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UK Independent Albums (OCC) [4] | 29 |
US Top Classical Albums ( Billboard ) [3] | 8 |
A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s.
The Beach Boys' Christmas Album is the seventh studio album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released November 9, 1964 on Capitol Records. It contains five original songs and seven standards on a Christmas theme. The album proved to be a long-running success during subsequent Christmas seasons, initially reaching No. 6 on Billboard's Christmas LP's chart in its initial release and eventually going gold. Music historian James Perone wrote that it is "regarded as one of the finest holiday albums of the rock era".
"I Ran (So Far Away)", also released as "I Ran", is a song by English new wave band A Flock of Seagulls. It was released in 1982 as their third single and it was the second single from their self-titled debut album. It topped the chart in Australia, and reached number seven in New Zealand and number nine in the United States. It was not successful in Europe and only reached number 31 in Germany. In the band's home country of the United Kingdom it reached number 43. However, the song was certified silver by the BPI.
Michael Philip Batt, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, record producer, director, and conductor. He was formerly the Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry.
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Magnification is the nineteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 10 September 2001 by Eagle Records. It is their only album recorded both as a four-piece band and without a keyboardist, and their last album to feature founding member and lead vocalist Jon Anderson. Following the departure of keyboardist Igor Khoroshev, the band decided to record a new studio album with orchestral arrangements for the first time since Time and a Word (1970). The album was recorded and mixed using Pro Tools with producer Tim Weidner and orchestral arrangements by Larry Groupé conducting the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
A Flock of Seagulls is the debut studio album by English new wave band A Flock of Seagulls, released in April 1982 by Jive Records. It hit No. 10 on the US Billboard 200 and No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart. The album includes the single "I Ran ", which reached the top 10 in the United States and New Zealand, as well as No. 1 in Australia. "Space Age Love Song" also reached the US top 40.
Listen is the second studio album by English new wave band A Flock of Seagulls, released on 29 April 1983 by Jive Records. It once again teamed the group with record producer Mike Howlett—who produced their self-titled debut album—except on "(It's Not Me) Talking", which was produced by Bill Nelson. The album includes the UK top-10 single "Wishing ". Other singles released from the album include "Nightmares" and "Transfer Affection". The face on the cover is that of the band's drummer, Ali Score.
Michael Gordon Score is an English singer, songwriter and musician who achieved fame as the founder, lead vocalist, and keyboardist of the new wave band A Flock of Seagulls. He released a solo album on 1 March 2014 titled Zeebratta.
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The Story of a Young Heart is the third studio album by A Flock of Seagulls, released in August 1984 by Jive Records. It was their last album—until 2018's Ascension—to feature the original line-up of the band, as guitarist Paul Reynolds left shortly after the album's release. Three singles were released from the album, some only in select countries: "The More You Live, the More You Love", "Never Again " and "Remember David". The album was reissued in 2008 by Cherry Red Records with bonus tracks.
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"Space Age Love Song" is a 1982 single released by the British band A Flock of Seagulls. It was their fourth single. Lead guitarist Paul Reynolds remarked on their 1984 video album Through the Looking Glass that, as the band could not come up with a title for the track, he suggested "Space Age Love Song" because he thought it sounded like a space age love song. The song reached the top 30 in the UK and the US in June 1982 and February 1983 respectively.
Modern Love Is Automatic is a 1981 EP by the British new wave band A Flock of Seagulls, written by Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds. The song of the same name was also showcased on their self-titled album the following year. The song peaked at #19 on the US Dance Club Play chart as a double A-side with Telecommunication.
Orchesography is the seventh studio album by English new wave band Wang Chung. It consists of the band's greatest hits re-recorded with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
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String Theory is the seventh studio album album by the English band A Flock of Seagulls, recorded with the Slovenian Symphonic Film Orchestra. Released on 20 August 2021, it is the band's second album featuring orchestral renditions of their songs, following the 2018 album Ascension. String Theory was recorded at Tokyorama Studio in Ljubljana, Slovenia and Loop Studio in Trieste, Italy.
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