Bizarre Fruit II

Last updated

Bizarre Fruit II
CD M People Bizarre Fruit II.jpg
Studio album (reissue)by
Released27 November 1995
RecordedApril – August 1994
Genre Electronic dance music
Length62:58
Label Deconstruction
Producer M People
M People chronology
Bizarre Fruit
(1994)
Bizarre Fruit II
(1995)
Fresco
(1997)
Singles from Bizarre Fruit II
  1. "Itchycoo Park"
    Released: 13 November 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Music & Media (favorable) [1]
NME 3/10 [2]

Bizarre Fruit II is a reissued and expanded version of British band M People's 1994 Bizarre Fruit album, with the single versions of "Search for the Hero" and "Love Rendezvous" in place of the originals, and including the band's cover of the Small Faces' "Itchycoo Park". It was initially released as a limited edition with a bonus Live and Remixed CD or cassette. The Live and Remixed disc contains live versions of tracks from Bizarre Fruit and M People's previous two albums, Northern Soul and Elegant Slumming . The live tracks were recorded at GMEX in Manchester on 16 December 1994, except "Search for the Hero" which was recorded at Grosse Freiheit in Hamburg on 26 February 1995.

Contents

Bizarre Fruit II was later released as a single CD replacing the original Bizarre Fruit album. Confusingly, later editions of this single-disc version bear the title Bizarre Fruit, although the cover art remains the same as the initial Bizarre Fruit II release.

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "The British have a way with mixing dance, funk and soul elements into brand new styles. Like Tricky and Massive Attack, M People have developed their own thang, which is based on stark electronic rhythms and the gloriously soulful vocals of Heather Small. M People have successfully put their hands on the Small Faces' "Itchycoo Park", currently a new entry in the EHR Top 40, but they certainly don't shy away from disco-inspired basslines and rhythm guitars." [1]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sight for Sore Eyes"Pickering, Heard, Heather Small 6:12
2."Search for the Hero" (M People Radio Mix)Pickering, Heard4:09
3."Open Your Heart"Pickering, Heard,5:42
4."Love Rendezvous" (Master Mix)Pickering, Heard5:54
5."Itchycoo Park" (M People Master Mix) Marriott, Lane 6:42
6."Precious Pearl"Pickering, Heard6:04
7."Sugar Town"Pickering, Heard5:41
8."Walk Away"Pickering, Heard5:48
9."Drive Time"Pickering, Heard5:30
10."Padlock"Tony Smith6:12
11."...and Finally"Pickering, Heard, Heather Small 5:04
Total length:62:58
Limited edition bonus disc – Live and Remixed
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Walk Away" (Live Mix) 5:40
2."Search for the Hero" (Live Mix)Pickering, Heard5:33
3."Colour My Life" (Live Mix)Pickering4:43
4."Someday" (Live Mix) Jefferson 5:10
5."Moving on Up" (Live Mix)Pickering, Heard6:22
6."Itchycoo Park" (Morales Classic Club Mix)Marriott, Lane7:51
7."Search for the Hero" (US Remix)Pickering, Heard4:16
8."Open Your Heart" (Brothers in Rhythm Soundtrack)Pickering, Heard10:13
9."Love Rendezvous" (K-Klass Klub Mix)Pickering, Heard7:59
10."Padlock" (Junior Vasquez Sound Factory Mix)Tony Smith10:04
Total length:67:51

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalogue
United Kingdom27 November 1995 Deconstruction 2xCD74321 32817 2
2xCassette 74321 32817 4
1998CD74321 57755 2

Related Research Articles

<i>Troublegum</i> 1994 studio album by Therapy?

Troublegum is the second major label album by the Northern Irish rock band Therapy? It was released on 7 February 1994 via A&M Records. The album features a more punk-oriented style compared to the likes of Stiff Little Fingers and the Undertones rather the band's previous noise rock-influenced works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M People</span> English house music band

M People is an English dance music band that formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is taken from the first letter of the first name of band member Mike Pickering, who formed the group. In December 2016, Billboard magazine ranked them as the 83rd most successful dance act of all time. M People have sold over 11 million records worldwide

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picture disc</span> Gramophone record with an image on the playing surface

Picture discs are gramophone (phonograph) records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl. Collectors traditionally reserve the term picture disc for records with graphics that extend at least partly into the actual playable grooved area, distinguishing them from picture label discs, which have a specially illustrated and sometimes very large label, and picture back discs, which are illustrated on one unplayable side only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ruts</span> British reggae-influenced punk rock band

The Ruts are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983 when they disbanded. The band reformed in 2007.

<i>BSides Themselves</i> 1988 compilation album by Marillion

B'Sides Themselves is a compilation of single B-sides by the British neo-prog band Marillion, which was released on CD only in January 1988. This was the first time that those B-sides were made available in the then still relatively new Compact Disc format. However, vinyl LP and cassette versions were issued in June 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overkill (Motörhead song)</span> 1979 song by Motörhead

"Overkill" is a song by English rock band Motörhead. It was released in 7" and 12" vinyl pressings in 1979. It is backed with B-side "Too Late Too Late" which appears on the CD re-issues of the Overkill album. Early copies came with an "Overkill" badge. The single reached number 39 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>The Rest of New Order</i> 1995 remix album by New Order

The Rest of New Order is a remix album by English band New Order, released on 21 August 1995 by London Records.

Desmond Williams is an American electronica musician, as well as a record producer and was the chief sound engineer for the Eighteenth Street Lounge Music record label. Born in Jamaica and raised in Montclair, New Jersey, Williams has been known for his remixing and producing style.

<i>Northern Soul</i> (M People album) 1991 studio album by M People

Northern Soul is the debut album by the British dance band M People. It was originally released on 4 November 1991. After the release of the single "Excited", a new song not originally included on the album, it was re-released with an updated track listing in late 1992, reaching number 53 on the UK albums chart. Following the success of the band's later albums, Elegant Slumming and Bizarre Fruit, this second version was re-issued in October 1995 and charted at number 26. The album is dedicated to Ritchie Close.

<i>Bizarre Fruit</i> 1994 studio album by M People

Bizarre Fruit is the third album by British dance band M People. It was released on 14 November 1994 and charted and peaked at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart, spending one year on the chart before an expanded version of the album, Bizarre Fruit II, was released a year later. In 1996 it was announced that Bizarre Fruit had reached 1.1 million copies sold worldwide. The albums Bizarre Fruit and Bizarre Fruit II were certified 5× platinum in the UK for sales of 1.5 million.

<i>Terrified</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Quiet Riot

Terrified is the seventh album by American heavy metal band Quiet Riot. It is the band's first album in five years, and marks the return of singer Kevin DuBrow after his firing in 1987. It is bassist Kenny Hillery's only studio album with the band, and drummer Bobby Rondinelli plays on several songs. Many of the album's songs were featured in Charles Band's movie Dollman vs. Demonic Toys, with the album itself being released on Moonstone Records, the soundtrack offshoot of Band's film company Full Moon Entertainment.

<i>A Secret History... The Best of the Divine Comedy</i> 1999 greatest hits album by the Divine Comedy

A Secret History... The Best of the Divine Comedy is a greatest hits compilation album by Irish chamber pop band the Divine Comedy, released in 1999 by Setanta Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Itchycoo Park</span> 1967 single by Small Faces

"Itchycoo Park" is a song by English rock band Small Faces, written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. Largely written by Lane, it was among a number of pop songs of the era to make use of flanging, an effect involving, at that time, electro-mechanical processes. The song was not included on any of their UK albums, but was however featured on the North American release There Are But Four Small Faces (1968).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Search for the Hero</span> 1995 single by M People

"Search for the Hero" is a song by British dance music band M People, released in June 1995 by Sony BMG and RCA as the third single (remixed) from their third album, Bizarre Fruit (1994). The song was written by bandmembers Mike Pickering and Paul Heard, and produced by the band. It peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, number 13 on the UK Dance Singles Chart and number three on the UK R&B Singles Chart. Its accompanying music video was directed by Matthew Amos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afterglow of Your Love</span> 1969 single by Small Faces

"Afterglow of Your Love" is a song by the English rock group Small Faces. The song was originally simply titled "Afterglow" on the album on which it first appeared in May 1968, Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake. Without authorisation from the band, the song was released as a single in 1969 and reached no. 36 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>There Are But Four Small Faces</i> 1968 studio album by Small Faces

There Are But Four Small Faces is a studio album by British rock group Small Faces, released in 1968 through Immediate Records and distributed by CBS Records. It was the band's first LP release in the United States, and is a modified version of the UK album Small Faces, which came out the previous year. There Are But Four combines tracks from the UK album with the standalone singles "Itchycoo Park", "Here Come the Nice" and "Tin Soldier", and their respective B-sides.

"Hard to Handle" is a 1968 song written by American soul singer Otis Redding along with Al Bell and Allen Jones. Originally recorded by Redding, it was released in 1968 as the B-side to "Amen". The song also appears on the 1968 album The Immortal Otis Redding. Redding's version reached number 38 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 51 on the pop chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Can I Love You More?</span>

"How Can I Love You More" is a song by British band M People, released as the first single from their debut album, Northern Soul (1991). The song was written by band members Mike Pickering and Paul Heard, and produced by M People. It was first released in October 1991 by Deconstruction Records, peaking at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. Then it was re-released on 25 January 1993 by same label with several new remixes, this time becoming a bigger hit, peaking at number eight on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open Your Heart (M People song)</span> 1995 single by M People

"Open Your Heart" is a song by British band M People, released in January 1995 by Deconstruction as the second single from their third album, Bizarre Fruit (1994). The song was written by bandmembers Mike Pickering and Paul Heard, and produced by the band. It peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, and was a top 10 hit also in Finland and Scotland. In the US, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The accompanying music video for the song featured the band performing in an elevator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Rendezvous</span> 1995 single by M People

"Love Rendezvous" is a song by British band M People, released in October 1995 by Deconstruction as the fourth single from their third album, Bizarre Fruit/Bizarre Fruit II (1994). Written by Mike Pickering, Paul Heard and Heather Small, and produced by M People, the song was released on 14 October after the band's world tour. It peaked at number thirty two on the UK Singles Chart and number 59 on the Eurochart Hot 100. The music video for the song was directed by Matthew Amos and filmed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

References

  1. 1 2 "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 51/52. 23 December 1995. p. 7. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. Beaumont, Mark (2 December 1995). "Long Play". NME . p. 46. Retrieved 9 May 2024.