| Ei8ht | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 6 August 2012 [1] | |||
| Length | 49:04 | |||
| Label | Shorthouse | |||
| Producer | Nik Kershaw | |||
| Nik Kershaw chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ei8ht is the eighth studio album by Nik Kershaw, released on his independent label Shorthouse Records in 2012. The album reached No. 91 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 12 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. [2] [3]
Kershaw started working on the album in early 2011. Speaking to The Evening Times in 2012, he said: "I sat down about 18 months ago and decided it was time to make another [album]. I have to do that every now and again to get it out my system." [4]
Two singles were released from the album. A radio version of "The Sky's The Limit" was released in August, with a music video for the song premiering on YouTube on 4 August. [5] It was directed by Steve Price and was filmed at Armagh Observatory and Armagh Planetarium, Northern Ireland, and Haytor, Dartmoor. [6] The second and final single, "You're the Best", was released in September. [7]
"The Sky's the Limit" was featured in the 2016 biographical film Eddie the Eagle and appeared on its soundtrack release, Fly . [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| musicOMH |    [9] |
| The Scotsman | [10] |
Upon release, Ben Hogwood of musicOMH wrote: "Good songwriters don't usually lose their knack overnight, and Kershaw proves that as he gets on this particular bike once more. Many of the songs grow in to earworms, which by the third or fourth listen are burned in to the consciousness." [9] Fiona Shepherd of The Scotsman stated: "In less conservative hands, this desperately dull MOR pop album might yield an insipid hit or two, but Kershaw's arrangements drain the life from the songs." [11]
All tracks are written by Nik Kershaw
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "These Tears" | 3:51 |
| 2. | "The Sky's the Limit" | 4:12 |
| 3. | "Runaway" | 3:54 |
| 4. | "Shoot Me" | 4:36 |
| 5. | "Bad Day You're Having" | 4:12 |
| 6. | "Red Strand" | 4:23 |
| 7. | "Enjoy the Ride" | 4:12 |
| 8. | "You're the Best" | 4:21 |
| 9. | "Stuff" | 3:32 |
| 10. | "Rock of Ages" | 4:34 |
| 11. | "The Bell" | 3:48 |
| 12. | "The Sky's the Limit (Radio Version)" | 3:29 |
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart [2] | 91 |
| UK Independent Albums Chart [3] | 12 |
Production
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers are a British novelty pop music act from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in their music videos. Costumed actors also made promotional appearances as the character.
Nicholas David Kershaw is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Chesney Lee Hawkes is an English pop singer and occasional actor. He started his career at the age of 19 when he appeared in the film Buddy's Song, which featured his best-known single "The One and Only", which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks and reached the top 10 in the United States. Follow-up single "I'm a Man Not a Boy" peaked at 27 in the UK, with subsequent singles including "What's Wrong with This Picture?", "Stay Away Baby Jane" and "Another Fine Mess" also charting in the top 100.
The Works is the fourth studio album by the English singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nik Kershaw. It was released in 1989 and was the last album he created for MCA Records. Kershaw chose the album's title as he felt the album represented "the collected works of Nik Kershaw". He did not release any new solo material until 15 Minutes, 10 years later.
Human Racing is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 27 February 1984 by MCA Records. Several songs like "Drum Talk" were based around improvisation; other songs, like "I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", had a political message.
Radio Musicola is the third studio album by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 24 October 1986 by MCA Records, just under two years after Kershaw's previous studio album, The Riddle (1984). It was the first studio album to be produced by Kershaw. It features guest backing vocalists, including Icehouse's Iva Davies, and Night's Stevie Lange, and Miriam Stockley.
The Riddle is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 19 November 1984 by MCA Records.
"Wouldn't It Be Good" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 20 January 1984 as the second single from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). The release was Kershaw's second single, with the non-album track "Monkey Business" as its B-side; it was a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album. The music video was directed by Storm Thorgerson.
"I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw from his debut studio album, Human Racing (1984). It was his first single, released on 9 September 1983 to limited success. When re-released on 4 June 1984, the song became Kershaw's highest-charting single on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two. It features the non-album track "Dark Glasses" as the B-side, which was also released as a bonus track on the 2012 re-release of the album.
"Human Racing" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was the title track for his hit debut studio album of the same name, released in September 1984 by MCA Records. It was the fourth hit single from the album, reaching No. 19 in the UK Singles Chart. It entered the chart in the week ending 15 September 1984, and remained within for seven weeks. An earlier version of the song, titled "Look Behind You", appeared on the studio album Till I Hear from You (1980) by Fusion, a band with Kershaw on lead vocals and guitar.
"The One and Only" is the debut single of British singer and actor Chesney Hawkes. Written by Nik Kershaw, the single was released by Chrysalis Records in January 1991. Produced by Kershaw and Alan Shacklock, and recorded and mixed by Gareth Cousins, the song was featured in the 1991 film Buddy's Song which starred Hawkes as the eponymous Buddy and Roger Daltrey as his father. The film performed moderately well at the UK box office, but the song was a hit in that country's music charts, spending five weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart in March and April 1991. Kershaw's influence can also be heard throughout the track not only in guitar style, but in the backing vocals on the intro and choruses, with Hawkes singing the verses.
L'Amour Toujours is the second studio album by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino, released in 1999. The album was released on two discs, titled "Chansons for the Heart" and "Beats for the Feet" respectively. The United States release only contains "Chansons for the Heart", with a slightly different track list. "Another Way", "L'Amour Toujours ", "The Riddle", "La Passion" and "Bla Bla Bla" were released as singles. "L'Amour Toujours " reached number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 2001. In addition, the album reached number nine on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart in 2001. A sequel titled L'Amour Toujours II was released five years later.
Bitterblue is the eighth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released on 11 November 1991, through Hansa Records. Bitterblue is a pop rock album, described by Dieter Bohlen as "more commercial" than her previous albums. Bohlen began working with Tyler in early 1991, writing and producing multiple songs for the album. Bitterblue also features compositions from Albert Hammond, Nik Kershaw and Giorgio Moroder.
"The Riddle" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released in 1984 as the lead single from his second studio album of the same name. Kershaw described the lyrical content as being nondescript to fill as a "guide vocal" for the production. It reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 in countries like Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand. An accompanying music video was made for the song and features references to Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).
"One Step Ahead" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw, released on 23 January 1989 as the lead single from his fourth studio album The Works (1989). It was written by Kershaw, and produced by Kershaw and Julian Mendelsohn. A music video was filmed to promote the single, and Kershaw also performed it on the Dutch TV show POP Formule.
The discography of Nik Kershaw consists of nine studio albums, three live albums, eight compilation albums, one extended play (EP) and 27 singles. His 62 weeks on the UK Singles Chart between 1984 and 1985 beat all other solo artists.
"Wide Boy" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw. It was his sixth consecutive top-20 single, peaking at No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart in 1985. It was followed by "Don Quixote" which was to become the last of his string of top-20 singles on the UK chart. "Wide Boy" also charted highly in Ireland and Australia, peaking at No. 5 and No. 7, respectively.
No Frills is the eighth album by Nik Kershaw, recorded live at his own Shorthouse Studios and released on 1 February 2010 under his own record label. Initially, the album was only available for purchase online via Kershaw's web site through his own indie vanity label, Shorthouse Records.
"Don Quixote" is a song by English singer-songwriter Nik Kershaw from his 1984 studio album The Riddle. Released in August 1985 as the final single from that album, it reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1985, and became Kershaw's seventh consecutive UK top 20 hit single.
Buddy's Song is the debut album by English singer and actor Chesney Hawkes, released in 1991 by Chrysalis Records. It serves as the soundtrack to the film of the same name and includes the UK number one single "The One and Only". The film's screenwriter Nigel Hinton contributed to the soundtrack by co-writing all but three songs in the UK release of the album. The album and film soundtrack were recorded and mixed entirely at Abbey Road Studios by engineer Gareth Cousins.
