Echo & the Bunnymen (album)

Last updated

Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Echo & the Bunnymen
Released6 July 1987 (1987-07-06) [1]
Recorded
Genre
Length45:46
Label
Producer Laurie Latham
Echo & the Bunnymen chronology
Ocean Rain
(1984)		Echo & the Bunnymen
(1987)		 Reverberation
(1990)
Singles from Echo & the Bunnymen
  1. "The Game"
    Released: 1 June 1987
  2. "Lips Like Sugar"
    Released: 20 July 1987 [3]
  3. "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo"
    Released: 1987

Echo & the Bunnymen is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, their last with drummer Pete de Freitas, who died in 1989 in a motorcycle accident, aged 27. The album was produced by Laurie Latham; the sessions took place in Germany, Belgium, London and Liverpool, following an aborted attempt at recording the tracks without de Freitas and with producer Gil Norton. With Latham being an exacting producer, and lead vocalist Ian McCulloch receiving star treatment and drinking heavily, the recording was more difficult than the band had initially hoped. The album made more use of keyboards than their previous studio albums, which had been string-heavy. Three singles were issued: "The Game", "Lips Like Sugar" and "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo".

Contents

Although Echo & the Bunnymen was successful in the United Kingdom and, to a lesser degree, the United States, it received mixed reviews from the music press following its release on July 6th 1987. The album reached number four on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In North America, it reached number 51 on the United States Billboard 200 and number 51 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums. In Europe, it stayed in the European Top 100 Albums for eight weeks, [4] peaking at number 36 on its fourth week. [5]

Background

Echo & the Bunnymen took time off from touring, writing and recording after the release of the critically acclaimed Ocean Rain in 1984, because the band's manager, the fabled prankster Bill Drummond, [6] felt that a year off would help the band write different kinds of songs in preparation for the next album. [7] During the time off, drummer Pete de Freitas travelled through Spain and France on his motorcycle, bassist Les Pattinson worked on his new boat, [7] and lead vocalist Ian McCulloch released a solo single "September Song", [8] leaving guitarist Will Sergeant as the only band member to spend the time doing nothing. [7] Even though the band enjoyed an excellent and creative working relationship with Drummond, by the end of 1984 they had mutually parted company as the band were not making enough money. [9]

Under the new management of Mick Hancock, Duran Duran's tour manager, [9] the band returned to work in May 1985 with a tour of Scandinavia. They also made a headline appearance at the Glastonbury Festival on 21 June 1985, when they played live for the first time two new songs that would later be included on the album—"Satellite" and "All in Your Mind". [10] Now ready to start recording, they entered the studio with Clive Langer and their former producer Ian Broudie to record the songs they had played at Glastonbury, as well as "Like a Rollercoaster" and "Jimmy Brown". Not liking the results of this session, the band considered Eddy Grant and ABBA's production team before settling on Laurie Latham as their producer. McCulloch had been impressed by the sharp quality of Latham's production on the Stranglers' single "Skin Deep". [11] The band met with Latham in Brussels, Belgium and recorded "All in Your Mind", "Like a Rollercoaster" and "Jimmy Brown", [11] which was renamed "Bring On the Dancing Horses". "Bring On the Dancing Horses" appeared on the compilation album Songs to Learn & Sing in November 1985, and was released as a single in the same month. An early version of "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo", a song that would appear on the album, appeared on the B-side to the 12" version.

On 31 December 1985, de Freitas went to New Orleans with the road crew on a drug binge and there announced his resignation from the band. [12] Hence, the band faced 1986 with a commitment to record an album, but without their drummer—a musician who was considered fundamental to the band's creative success. [13] They hired former Haircut One Hundred drummer Blair Cunningham for the spring 1986 tour of the United States; however, he did not fit in, and, after the tour, left to join the Pretenders. [14] The band then hired former ABC drummer David Palmer, and recorded a few sessions with producer Gil Norton for the new album. However, Palmer decided by July 1986 that he did not want to remain with the band. [14] As he left the band, de Freitas returned to the United Kingdom and expressed a wish to rejoin. Uncertain of de Freitas's commitment to the band, and his fragile mental state, they took him back as a session musician rather than a full member. [14] Now with the line-up that would record Echo & the Bunnymen, the band gave a live television appearance for the BBC in September 1986 when they played two new songs, "The Game" and "Lips Like Sugar". According to Will Sergeant, the band were under pressure from Warner Music chairman Rob Dickins to produce an album that would replicate the success of Peter Gabriel's recent number one album So (1986): "I couldn't believe it when Rob Dickins brought us into his office and played us Peter Gabriel's album: 'I want you to sound like this!' I think he escaped with his life that day." [15]

Recording, production and music

Recording of the tracks that were to appear on Echo & the Bunnymen began at Conny Plank's studio in Cologne, Germany. Both Echo & the Bunnymen and their label, Warner Bros. Records, were unhappy with the results of the Norton sessions with Palmer playing drums. [16] Keen to record again with de Freitas, the band decided to scrap the Norton sessions and to start recording a new album with Latham who had previously worked with the band on their 1985 single "Bring On the Dancing Horses". The sessions moved from Cologne to ICP Studios in Brussels, Belgium before returning to Cologne and finishing off at The Workhouse in London and Amazon Studios in Liverpool. [17] The band hoped that the album would be a collection of simple songs; however, Latham was very specific and exacting, and he would work on one song for as long as a month. [17] Recording was also complicated by the star treatment received by McCulloch. This, along with his heavy drinking, alienated him from the rest of the band. [17] In a 1995 interview, band guitarist Will Sergeant said of McCulloch's treatment, "We just found it all ridiculous. He had people running around behind him, basically wiping his arse." [17] McCulloch later said in a 1997 interview: "I knew I was losing it. I was on another planet but then I didn't want to be on the one [the other Bunnymen] were on." [17]

"They're one of my favourite bands. Ian McCulloch is an excellent poet. He's dark and moody and mysterious."

—Ray Manzarek of the Doors [18]

While making the album, the band recorded a cover version of the Doors' 1967 single "People Are Strange" for the soundtrack of the 1987 film The Lost Boys . Ray Manzarek, former keyboardist with the Doors, was brought in to provide keyboards on the song. While in the studio, he also contributed keyboards to a re-recording of "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo", which had previously been the B-side of the 12" single version of "Bring On the Dancing Horses". [18] Once Echo & the Bunnymen had been recorded the band's management company, Direct Management, decided to have it mixed by Bruce Lampcov in the United States. While the album was mixed, the band was on tour in Brazil and listened to the finished tracks over the phone. [19]

Latham moved the band away from the use of strings, which featured heavily on Ocean Rain and to a lesser extent on Porcupine (1983), and introduced keyboards to the melody of the tracks. [20] De Freitas's drumming was contained and discreet and McCulloch's vocals were more restrained. [21] Although the album contained hook-heavy tracks such as "Lips Like Sugar", the guitars on tracks such as "Lost and Found" are more representative of the album as a whole. [22]

The resulting album was disliked by the entire band. Describing in 1987 what he thought of as the over-production of the album, Sergeant described it as "an overcooked fish"; bassist Les Pattinson said "I like the songs, just hated the mixes"; and in 1995, McCulloch said "It still sounds crap." [23]

Release

After previewing the album with a short concert on top of the HMV shop on Oxford Street in London, [24] Echo & the Bunnymen was first released on 6 July 1987 as an LP and CD, by Warner Bros. Records in the United Kingdom and elsewhere and by Sire Records in the United States. The album reached a peak of number four on the UK Albums Chart. [25] The album became the band's most successful in the United States where it reached number fifty-one on the Billboard 200. [26] The album also reached number fifty-one on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums chart and number twenty-two on the Swedish Albums Chart. [27] [28] It also entered into the top 30 albums chart in the Netherlands and New Zealand. [29] The album has also been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for having shipped more than 60,000 copies. [30]

Three tracks from the album were released as singles. The first of these was "The Game", which was released on 1 June 1987. This was followed by "Lips Like Sugar", which was released in August 1987. The final single to be released from the album was "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo", which was also released before the year's end in the United States and Germany. "The Game" and "Lips Like Sugar" reached numbers 28 and 36 respectively on the UK Singles Chart. [25]

Along with the other four of the band's first five studio albums, Echo & the Bunnymen was remastered and reissued on CD in 2003 – these were released for the band's twenty-fifth anniversary. Seven bonus tracks were added to the album and included early versions of "Bring On the Dancing Horses" (titled "Jimmy Brown"), "The Game" and "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo". Also included was a cover version of the Doors' "Soul Kitchen", an extended version of "Bring on the Dancing Horses" and the previously unreleased track "Hole in the Holy". The reissued album was produced by Andy Zax and Bill Inglot and released by Rhino Entertainment.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [21]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [31]
Pitchfork 7.6/10 [22]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [32]

In his 1987 review of the album for Rolling Stone magazine, music journalist J. D. Considine described Latham's production of the album as "ineffectual" and "well mannered". [20] He went on say that there was no "anxious energy or knife-edged irony that made the group's earlier albums so compelling". He finishes his review by saying the album is "as vacant as it is pretty". Reviewing the 2003 remastered album, Andrew Harrison for Blender magazine's website said, "Egomania and off-message electronics experiments sank their eponymous 1987 comedown..." [31] Taking a more positive stance in a retrospective review, David Cleary for AllMusic describes the album as "the hookiest and most memorable the band would ever write". [21] Having described de Freitas's drumming as solid and veering toward the danceable, and McCulloch's singing as "restrained and tasteful", Cleary added that "The production values were excellent, with many subtle touches that do not detract from the album's overall directness." Although he stated that the production "watered the band's sound down", Joe Tangari for Pitchfork said, "The band's attempt to reach a wider audience worked out." [22]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Will Sergeant, Ian McCulloch and Les Pattinson, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Game" 3:50
2."Over You" 4:01
3."Bedbugs and Ballyhoo"Sergeant, McCulloch, Pattinson, Pete de Freitas 3:28
4."All in Your Mind"Sergeant, McCulloch, Pattinson, de Freitas4:32
5."Bombers Bay" 4:22
6."Lips Like Sugar" 4:52
7."Lost and Found" 3:37
8."New Direction" 4:45
9."Blue Blue Ocean" 5:08
10."Satellite"Sergeant, McCulloch, Pattinson, de Freitas3:04
11."All My Life" 4:07
Total length:45:46
Additional tracks

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echo & the Bunnymen</span> English rock band

Echo & the Bunnymen are an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson. By 1980, Pete de Freitas joined as the band's drummer.

<i>Crocodiles</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Crocodiles is the debut album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 18 July 1980 in the United Kingdom and on 17 December 1980 in the United States. The album reached number 17 on the UK Albums Chart. "Pictures on My Wall" and "Rescue" had previously been released as singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Sergeant</span> Musical artist

William Alfred Sergeant is an English guitarist, best known for being a member of Echo & the Bunnymen. Born in Walton Hospital, he grew up in the village of Melling and attended nearby Deyes Lane Secondary Modern. He is the group's only constant member.

<i>Ocean Rain</i> 1984 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Ocean Rain is the fourth studio album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on 4 May 1984 by Korova and reached number four on the UK Albums Chart, number 87 on the United States Billboard 200, number 41 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums and number 22 on the Swedish chart. Since 1984 the album has been certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry. Ocean Rain includes the singles "The Killing Moon", "Silver" and "Seven Seas".

<i>Heaven Up Here</i> 1981 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Heaven Up Here is the second album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 29 May 1981. In June 1981, Heaven Up Here became Echo & the Bunnymen's first Top 10 release when it reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. It was also the band's first entry into the United States album charts when it reached number 184 of the Billboard 200. The songs "A Promise" and "Over the Wall" were released as singles.

<i>Porcupine</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Porcupine is the third studio album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen. First released on 4 February 1983, it became the band's highest-charting release when it reached number two on the UK Albums Chart despite initially receiving poor reviews. It also reached number 137 on the American Billboard 200, number 85 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums and number 24 on the Swedish chart. In 1984, the album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry. The album includes the singles "The Back of Love" and "The Cutter."

<i>Reverberation</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Reverberation is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. The album was released amidst a line-up change for the group, due to the departure of vocalist Ian McCulloch and the death of drummer Pete de Freitas. The remaining members, guitarist Will Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson, were joined by ex-St. Vitus Dance singer Noel Burke, keyboard player Jake Brockman and drummer Damon Reece. The album was produced by former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, England, and had a more pronounced psychedelic sound than the group's previous releases.

<i>Evergreen</i> (Echo & the Bunnymen album) 1997 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Evergreen is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. It is their first album since reforming after they disbanded in 1993. Vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant had previously worked together as Electrafixion before they were rejoined by bassist Les Pattinson under the name Echo & the Bunnymen in early 1997. The album was recorded at Doghouse Studios in Henley-on-Thames and was produced by McCulloch and the band's manager Paul Toogood but was credited to the whole band.

<i>What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?</i> 1999 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen. The album saw the departure of bassist Les Pattinson from the group, partly due to disagreements with vocalist Ian McCulloch; McCulloch and the remaining band member, guitarist Will Sergeant, subsequently recorded the record with session musicians. The London Metropolitan Orchestra provided backing music and the American rap rock band Fun Lovin' Criminals appeared as guest musicians on two tracks. The album was produced by Alan Douglas and Echo & the Bunnymen and it was recorded at various locations throughout England. Feeling sidelined during the recording of the album, Sergeant described it as "probably the worst time in my whole life".

<i>Songs to Learn & Sing</i> 1985 compilation album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Songs to Learn & Sing is a compilation album by English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 11 November 1985 by Korova. Featuring all of the singles the band had released up to that point, the album received positive reviews and reached number six on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Pattinson</span> Musical artist

Leslie Thomas Pattinson is an English musician, best known for his work as the bassist and co-writer of the Liverpool-based band Echo & the Bunnymen, along with vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant. He was brought up in Aughton, Lancashire and attended nearby Deyes High School in Maghull, where he and Sergeant were classmates and became friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echo & the Bunnymen discography</span>

The discography of Echo & the Bunnymen, an English post-punk band which formed in 1978, consists of thirteen studio albums, ten live albums, nine compilation albums, eight extended plays (EP), and thirty singles on Zoo Records; WEA and its subsidiaries, Korova, Sire Records, London Records and Rhino; Cooking Vinyl; and Ocean Rain Records, as well as five music VHS/DVDs, and twenty-two music videos.

<i>Crystal Days: 1979–1999</i> 2001 box set by Echo & the Bunnymen

Crystal Days: 1979–1999 is a four CD box set by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released in July 2001. It is a retrospective compilation of the band's work between 1979 and 1999. The first three cds include most of their singles, several album tracks, some alternate mixes, unreleased songs and B-sides published on 7-inch and 12-inch vinyls, plus versions recorded for John Peel sessions on BBC Radio 1. The fourth CD is a live cd with cover versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cutter (song)</span> 1983 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"The Cutter" is a single released by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen in 1983. It is the second single released from their third studio album, Porcupine (1983).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Seas (song)</span> 1984 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"Seven Seas" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, which was released on 6 July 1984 by Korova. It was the third single to be released from their fourth studio album Ocean Rain (1984). It reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on the Irish Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bring On the Dancing Horses</span> 1985 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"Bring On the Dancing Horses" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 7 October 1985. It was the only single from their 1985 compilation album Songs to Learn & Sing and was recorded for the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink (1986). The song reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and number 15 on the Irish Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lips Like Sugar</span> 1987 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"Lips Like Sugar" is a single by the English rock band Echo & the Bunnymen, which was released in July 1987. It was the second single from their eponymous fifth studio album (1987).

"Bedbugs and Ballyhoo" is a single by Echo & the Bunnymen that was released in 1987. It was the third single from their 1987 eponymous album. The single was released as a 7-inch single and a 12-inch single by WEA Records and by Sire Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get in the Car</span> 1999 single by Echo & the Bunnymen

"Get in the Car" is a single by Echo & the Bunnymen which was released in 1999. It was the second single to be released from their 1999 album, What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?.

<i>The Stars, the Oceans & the Moon</i> 2018 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

The Stars, the Oceans & the Moon is the thirteenth studio album by British indie rock band Echo & the Bunnymen that re-records older songs from the band's catalogue. It was released on 5 October 2018 and has received mixed reviews.

References

  1. ↑ "Index". Record Mirror . 4 July 1987. p. 2. ISSN   0144-5804.
  2. 1 2 Gross, Joe (2004). "Echo and the Bunnymen". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 271. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  3. ↑ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 41.
  4. ↑ "European Hot 100 Albums Chart" (PDF). Music & Media. 12 September 1987. p. 18. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "European Hot 100 Albums Chart" (PDF). Music & Media. 8 August 1987. p. 24. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  6. ↑ Sandall, Robert (20 August 2008). "Bill Drummond: pop's prankster heads for destruction". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 14 January 2009
  7. 1 2 3 Adams, pp. 160–1
  8. ↑ Adams, p. 159
  9. 1 2 Adams, p. 162
  10. ↑ Adams, p. 170
  11. 1 2 Adams, p. 171
  12. ↑ Adams, pp. 178–180
  13. ↑ Taylor, Steve. 2006. A to X of Alternative Music. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 98. ISBN   0-8264-8217-1.
  14. 1 2 3 Adams, p. 182
  15. ↑ Knight, Jenny (March 2004). "Interview with Will Sergeant". Guitar. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Adams, pp. 182–183
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Adams, p. 183
  18. 1 2 Adams, p. 184
  19. ↑ Staunton, Terry. "Ocean Refrain: Echo and the Bunnymen". Record Collector . October 2005.
  20. 1 2 Considine, J. D. "Echo & the Bunnymen Review". Rolling Stone . 22 October 1987.
  21. 1 2 3 Cleary, David. "Echo & the Bunnymen - Echo & the Bunnymen Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
  22. 1 2 3 Tangari, Joe. "Echo & The Bunnymen: Crocodiles / Heaven Up Here / Porcupine / Ocean Rain / Echo & The Bunnymen". Pitchfork. 3 March 2004. Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
  23. ↑ Adams, p. 185
  24. ↑ Adams, p. 190
  25. 1 2 Roberts, David, ed. British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: HiT Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   1-904994-10-5
  26. ↑ "Echo & the Bunnymen > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved on 9 December 2022.
  27. ↑ "RPM100 Albums Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine ". RPM :47(1). 10 October 1987. Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
  28. ↑ "Echo & the Bunnymen: Echo & the Bunnymen (Album)". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
  29. ↑ "Echo & the Bunnymen: Echo & the Bunnymen (Album)". Dutchcharts.com. Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
  30. ↑ "Certified Awards Search Archived 30 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine ". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved on 7 May 2010. Note: User needs to enter "echo & the bunnymen" in the "Search" field and click "Go".
  31. 1 2 Harrison, Andrew. "Echo & the Bunnymen Archived 16 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine ". Blender . Retrieved on 30 December 2008.
  32. ↑ Culp, Nancy (11 July 1987). "Albums". Record Mirror . p. 14. ISSN   0144-5804.
Sources

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.