Divinyls (album)

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Divinyls
DivinylsAlbumcover.jpg
Studio album by
Divinyls
Released29 January 1991 (Australia)
21 April 1991 (Japan)
RecordedJuly−October 1990
StudioGroove Masters Studio, Santa Monica; "Cafe Interlude" recorded at Mega Studios (Paris)
Genre Pop rock
Length47:41
Label Virgin
Producer Christina Amphlett, Mark McEntee, David Tickle
Divinyls chronology
Temperamental
(1988)		Divinyls
(1991)		 Essential
(1991)
Singles from Divinyls
  1. "I Touch Myself"
    Released: 19 November 1990
  2. "Love School"
    Released: 21 April 1991
  3. "Make Out Alright"
    Released: 1991
  4. "I'm on Your Side"
    Released: 9 September 1991 [1]

Divinyls (stylised as diVINYLS) is the fourth studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released on 29 January 1991 by Virgin Records. The album was the band's most successful, [2] peaking at number 5 in Australia and number 15 on the US Billboard 200. It also contains the band's biggest-selling single, "I Touch Myself", which reached number one in Australia, number four in the US and number 10 in the UK.

Contents

Background and recording

It was the only album recorded by the band with the Virgin Records label after a recording contract with Chrysalis Records in the UK was terminated. [3] Virgin told manager Andrew McManus they were keen to sign the band—by then comprising just singer Chrissy Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee—because they saw Amphlett as "the next Madonna". [3] Amphlett and McEntee moved to an apartment in Paris where they wrote "Love School", "Make Out Alright" and "Lay Your Body Down", before transferring to Los Angeles, where the remainder of the album was written, partly in collaboration with songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. [3]

The album was recorded at Jackson Browne's Groove Masters Studio in Santa Monica, with backing provided by bassist Randy Jackson, keyboardist Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and drummer Charley Drayton, who later married Amphlett in 1999.

Promotion

Director Michael Bay filmed a video for "I Touch Myself" in a nunnery in Pasadena. The clip was nominated for an MTV award but in their home country was banned from television. [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Robert Christgau Scissors icon black.svg [6]
Entertainment Weekly B− [7]
People Magazine (favorable) [8]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Jim Farber from Rolling Stone gave praise to the album's instrumentation and lyrical hooks for giving the band more grit and attention to listeners than the "murky production" found on Temperamental . He also highlighted Chrissy Amphlett's vocal performance as another step up from the previous album, calling it "the most sexually charged voice from a rock female" since Chrissie Hynde. [9] Alex Henderson of AllMusic found the record to be "respectable and generally appealing", praising its new wave-influenced tracks for having a sense of edge and melody to them. He added that the band's debut effort Desperate was a better starting point for new listeners but said that this contained more strengths to warrant more attention. [4]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Make Out Alright" Christina Amphlett, Mark McEntee, Martyn Watson4:38
2."I Touch Myself"Amphlett, McEntee, Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg 3:46
3."Lay Your Body Down"Amphlett, McEntee4:51
4."Love School"Amphlett, McEntee5:23
5."Bless My Soul (It's Rock-n-Roll)"Amphlett, McEntee4:00
6."If Love Was a Gun"Amphlett, McEntee5:36
7."Need a Lover"Amphlett, McEntee4:50
8."Follow Through"Amphlett, McEntee4:44
9."Café Interlude" 0:41
10."Bullet"Amphlett, David Malloy, McEntee4:56
11."I'm on Your Side"Kelly, Steinberg4:16

Personnel

Production

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [16] Gold35,000^
United States (RIAA) [17] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

"Make Out Alright"

"Make Out Alright"
Single by Divinyls
from the album Divinyls
B-side "Need a Lover"
Released1991
Recorded1990
Studio Groove Masters Studio, Santa Monica
Genre Rock, pop rock
Length4:38
Label Virgin
Songwriter(s) Christina Amphlett, Mark McEntee, Martyn Watson
Producer(s) Christina Amphlett, Mark McEntee, David Tickle
Divinyls singles chronology
"Love School"
(1991)		"Make Out Alright"
(1991)		"I'm on Your Side"
(1991)

"Make Out Alright" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released as the third single from their self-titled fourth album in 1991. "Make Out Alright" peaked at No. 105 in Australia. [18]

Track listing

Australian CD single [19]

  1. "Make Out Alright" - 4:38
  2. "Need a Lover" - 4:50

Australian 12"/Europe CD single [20]

  1. "Make Out Alright" - 4:38
  2. "I Touch Myself" (Live)
  3. "Need a Lover" - 4:50

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divinyls</span> Australian rock band

Divinyls were an Australian rock band that were formed in Sydney in 1980. The band primarily consisted of vocalist Chrissy Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. Amphlett garnered widespread attention for performing on stage in a school uniform and fishnet stockings, and she often used an illuminated neon tube as a prop for displaying aggression towards both band members and the audience. Originally a five-piece, the band underwent numerous line-up changes, with Amphlett and McEntee remaining as core members, before its dissolution in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrissy Amphlett</span> Australian singer and actress (1959–2013)

Christine Joy Amphlett was an Australian singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the frontwoman of the rock band Divinyls. She was notable for her brash, overtly sexual persona and subversive humour in lyrics, performances and media interviews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Touch Myself</span> 1990 single by Divinyls

"I Touch Myself" is a song recorded by Australian rock band Divinyls. It was written by the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg along with Christine Amphlett and Mark McEntee of the Divinyls. It was released in November 1990 by Virgin as the lead single from the band's fourth album, diVINYLS (1991), and deals with the subjects of eroticism, orgasm and female masturbation. The single achieved success, reaching No. 1 in Australia and No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In January 2018, Australian network Triple M ranked the song at No. 60 in its list of the "most Australian" songs of all time. In 2023, Billboard magazine ranked it among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".

<i>What a Life!</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Divinyls

What a Life! is the second studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released in October 1985 by Chrysalis Records. The album is a genre of rock and new wave songs—written by Divinyls members Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee.

The discography of Australian rock group Divinyls consists of five studio albums, 26 singles, 6 compilation albums and one video release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charley Drayton</span> American drummer

Charles Leslie Drayton is an American multi-instrumentalist and producer, known primarily as a drummer. Artists he has recorded or performed with include The Cult, Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Johnny Cash, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, Seal, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Janet Jackson, Courtney Love, Michelle Branch, Andrés Calamaro, Hiram Bullock, and many others.

<i>Desperate</i> (Divinyls album) 1983 studio album by Divinyls

Desperate is the debut studio album and second overall album by Australian rock band Divinyls, released in 1983 by Chrysalis Records. The album contains the singles "Science Fiction" and "Siren " and "Casual Encounter". The international version included the single "Boys in Town" from Monkey Grip.

<i>Temperamental</i> (Divinyls album) 1988 studio album by Divinyls

Temperamental is the third album by Australian band Divinyls, released in 1988 by Chrysalis Records. Three singles were lifted from the album – "Back to the Wall", their cover of Syndicate of Sound's "Hey Little Boy" and "Punxsie".

<i>Underworld</i> (Divinyls album) 1996 studio album by Divinyls

Underworld is the fifth and final studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released on November 11 1996 by BMG Records. It was the band's first studio album release in five years and their final release with original lead singer Chrissy Amphlett. The lead single "I'm Jealous" had been successful when released in 1995, however this did not have an effect on the album as Underworld was supposed to be released in the 3rd quarter of 1995, but the album was delayed repeatedly due to production problems. Underworld debuted and peaked at number forty-seven on the ARIA Albums Chart and was their last charting album.

<i>Make You Happy</i> (album) 1997 compilation album by Divinyls

Make You Happy is a compilation album by Australian rock band Divinyls, which was released on 21 October 1997. It consists of material spanning from 1981 to 1993 including the hits "Boys in Town", "Science Fiction", "Pleasure and Pain" and their number-one signature song "I Touch Myself". The album's name comes from "I'll Make You Happy", the B-side of "Science Fiction" and a cover version of the 1960s track by The Easybeats. Track 20, "Love in Motion", is a 1992 rerecording of Icehouse's 1981 single with Divinyls' Christina Amphlett featuring on co-lead vocals.

<i>The Collection</i> (Divinyls album) 1993 greatest hits album by Divinyls

The Collection is the second compilation album by Australian band Divinyls, released on 6 December 1993. The album does not include any of their 1980s singles, which were released on a different record label. The album failed to enter the Australian ARIA top 100.

Mark McEntee is an Australian musician, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the Australian rock band, Divinyls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Made</span> 1986–1987 Australian concert series

Australian Made was a festival concert series held during 1986–1987 in the six state capitals of Australia and featured local rock acts Mental as Anything, I'm Talking, The Triffids, The Saints, Divinyls, Models, INXS and even Jimmy Barnes. The series started in Hobart on 26 December 1986 and concluded in Sydney on 26 January 1987. Rock journalist Jeff Jenkins rated it as one of his 50 most significant events in Australian music history, "It wasn't a huge success, but it showed that an all-Australian festival could work." Australian Made was conceived to counter tours of international acts, like Dire Straits' 1985–1986 world tour, which were drying up funds for Australian groups. As from October 2010, the following artists have been inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame: INXS and The Saints, Barnes, Divinyls (2006), The Triffids (2008), Mental As Anything (2009), and Models (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Science Fiction (song)</span> 1982 single by Divinyls

"Science Fiction" is a song by Australian rock/new wave group Divinyls, which was the lead single from their first studio album Desperate. Released in December 1982, "Science Fiction", peaked at No. 13 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The B-side, "I'll Make You Happy" is a cover of The Easybeats 1966 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Jealous</span> 1995 single by Divinyls

"I'm Jealous" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released in 1995 as the lead single from their fifth studio album Underworld. The song enjoyed success in Australia where it made the top twenty, peaking at number fourteen and spending nineteen weeks in the top fifty. In addition, the single was certified gold and ranked in as the sixty-fourth best selling single of 1995. The song also appeared in the 1994 soundtrack of Melrose Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back to the Wall (song)</span> 1988 single by Divinyls

"Back to the Wall" is a song by Australian rock group Divinyls. Released in February 1988 as the lead single from their third studio album Temperamental, the song made the top forty on the Australian singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Die Young</span> 1984 single by Divinyls

"Good Die Young" is a song by Australian rock band Divinyls, released in July 1984 as the lead single the band's second studio album What a Life! and proved to be a moderate success in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm on Your Side (song)</span> 1991 single by Divinyls

"I'm on Your Side" is a ballad performed by Australian rock duo Divinyls. It was released 9 September 1991 as the fourth and final single from their self-titled album, Divinyls (1991).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For a Good Time</span> 1997 single by Divinyls

"For a Good Time" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released in early 1997 as the final single from their fifth studio album Underworld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Wanna Do This</span> 2007 single by Divinyls

"Don't Wanna Do This" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls. It was released in 2007 as their comeback single after an eleven-year-long hiatus, during which they unofficially disbanded.

References

  1. ↑ "New Release Summary – Product Available from: 09/09/91 > Singles (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 85)". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  2. ↑ McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop . Allen & Unwin. ISBN   1-86448-768-2 . Retrieved 30 May 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Amphlett, Chrissy; Larry Writer (2005). Pleasure and Pain: My Life. Sydney: Hodder Australia. p. 336. ISBN   0-7336-1959-2.
  4. 1 2 Henderson, Alex. "Divinyls - The Divinyls". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Heim, Chris (4 April 1991). "Home Entertainment: Recordings". Chicago Tribune . p. 7.
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Divinyls". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  7. ↑ Gardner, Elysa (22 February 1991). "Divinyls". Entertainment Weekly .
  8. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: Divinyls". People Magazine . 29 April 1991.
  9. 1 2 Farber, Jim (7 March 1991). "Divinyls : Divinyls". Rolling Stone . Wenner Media. Archived from the original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  10. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Divinyls – Divinyls". Hung Medien.
  11. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Divinyls – Divinyls". Hung Medien.
  12. ↑ "Divinyls | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  13. ↑ "Divinyls Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  14. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1991". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  15. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  16. ↑ "Divinyls ARIA chart history, received 16 June 2020 from ARIA". ARIA. Retrieved 16 June 2020– via Imgur.com.
  17. ↑ "American album certifications – Divinyls – Divinyls". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  18. ↑ "Response from ARIA to chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015". imgur.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  19. ↑ "Divinyls - 'Make Out Alright' (CD) at Discogs:
  20. ↑ "Divinyls Discography"
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