Frestonia | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 6 November 1995 [1] | |||
Recorded | April–August 1995 | |||
Length | 48:33 | |||
Label | Reprise [2] | |||
Producer | Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley [3] | |||
Aztec Camera chronology | ||||
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Frestonia is the sixth and final studio album by the Scottish band Aztec Camera, released in 1995. [4] [5] Roddy Frame's subsequent releases would be under his own name. The title of the album refers to the community of Frestonia, in the Notting Hill district of London.
Frestonia was the lowest-charting Aztec Camera album in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 100 and at number 187 on the Australian ARIA Charts. [6]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [7] |
Alternative Rock | 7/10 [8] |
Robert Christgau | [9] |
New Straits Times | [10] |
Martin C. Strong | 5/10 [11] |
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music | [12] |
Wall of Sound | 80/100 [13] |
The Independent determined that "apart from one or two highlights ... it's pretty dull fare, with desultory, predictable arrangements doing their best to avoid trampling over the lyrics." [14] The Record deemed the album "a repulsive bit of narcissism that can't even make a claim for tragic portent; instead, it just sounds like the work of a poser." [15] Author Dave Thompson wrote in his book Alternative Rock (2000) that Frame comes across as "bruised, battered, and a bit disillusioned by time, but he's still a hopeless romantic at heart." He added that the album "perfectly captures that state as the vividly emotional lyrics and delivery take centrestage and the evocative melodies complete the perfect tableaus." [8]
In 2021, Pitchfork wrote: "Less musically adventurous than its predecessor, Aztec’s 1995 album Frestonia is strongest in its softest moments, trading the sonic ambition of Dreamland for a classic approach to solo songwriting." [16]
All tracks written by Roddy Frame.
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OK Computer is the third studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 21 May 1997. With their producer, Nigel Godrich, Radiohead recorded most of OK Computer in their rehearsal space in Oxfordshire and the historic mansion of St Catherine's Court in Bath in 1996 and early 1997. They distanced themselves from the guitar-centred, lyrically introspective style of their previous album, The Bends. OK Computer's abstract lyrics, densely layered sound and eclectic influences laid the groundwork for Radiohead's later, more experimental work.
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Aztec Camera were a Scottish pop/new wave band founded by Roddy Frame, the group's singer, songwriter and only consistent member. Established in 1980, Aztec Camera released a total of six studio albums: High Land, Hard Rain (1983), Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990), Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (1995). The band garnered popular success for the songs "Oblivious", "Somewhere in My Heart" and "Good Morning Britain".
Roddy Frame is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. He was the founder of the 1980s new wave band Aztec Camera and has undertaken a solo career since the group's dissolution. In November 2013, journalist Brian Donaldson described Frame as: "Aztec Camera wunderkind-turned-elder statesman of intelligent, melodic, wistful Scotpop."
"I'll Stick Around" is the second single released by American rock band Foo Fighters from their 1995 self titled debut album, Foo Fighters.
High Land, Hard Rain is the debut album by the jangle pop band Aztec Camera. It was released in February 1983 through Rough Trade Records. It reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart in April 1983.
"Love Is the Drug" is a song by the English rock band Roxy Music, from their fifth studio album, Siren (1975), released as a single in September 1975. Co-written by Bryan Ferry and Andy Mackay, the song originated as a slower, dreamier track until the band transformed its arrangement to become more dance-friendly and uptempo. Ferry's lyrics recount a man going out looking for action.
Knife is the second album by Scottish indie pop group Aztec Camera, released on 21 September 1984. It reached number 14 on the UK Albums Chart – their highest showing at that time. It also charted at No. 29 on the Swedish Albums Chart.
Love is the third studio album by Scottish pop group Aztec Camera, released in November 1987 on Sire. While it was released under the Aztec Camera name, Roddy Frame was the only remaining permanent member of the group and he recorded the album alongside a group of session musicians. Departing from the indie and folk-rock approach of earlier records, Love incorporated R&B influences, seemingly to break the American market. It failed to do so but did achieve commercial success in the UK, reaching No. 10 on the albums chart, following the success of its third single "Somewhere in My Heart", which reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. As a result, it became the band's most commercially successful album.
"Somewhere in My Heart" is a song by Scottish band Aztec Camera. It was released as the third single from their third studio album, Love (1987). The song was produced by Michael Jonzun and written by Roddy Frame. Released as a single in 1988, the track peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-40 hit in Australia and Ireland. The music video was directed by John Scarlett-Davis and produced by Nick Verden for Radar Films.
Dreamland is the fifth studio album by the alternative rock band Aztec Camera, released in 1993.
Stray is the fourth album by Scottish group Aztec Camera, released in June 1990 on WEA in the UK and on Sire Records in the US.
"All I Need Is Everything" was the first single off the album Knife by Scottish new wave band Aztec Camera. The single was released in September 1984 and reached number 34 on the UK Singles Chart, remaining on the chart for six weeks. The single version is two minutes shorter than the album version, which has an extended fadeout. According to a 1984 interview with Roddy Frame, the song was written in March 1984 while he was touring the United States. Frame called it an "unusual choice for a single, because unlike our previous singles it doesn't have a recurrent chorus at all." The song's music video was in light rotation on MTV in autumn 1984.
"Good Morning Britain" is a song by Scottish band Aztec Camera featuring special guest Mick Jones. It was released as the second single from their 1990 studio album Stray. The song was written by Aztec Camera frontman Roddy Frame. It reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 12 on the U.S. Alternative Songs chart.
This is a discography for the Scottish new wave band Aztec Camera.
"Obscurity Knocks" is a song by Scottish band The Trash Can Sinatras, which was released in 1990 as an extended play from their debut studio album Cake. It was written by all five band members and produced by Roger Béchirian. The EP reached No. 86 in the UK and remained on the chart for four weeks. In 1991, the song reached No. 12 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The North Star is the debut album by Scottish singer-songwriter Roddy Frame, released in September 1998 by Independiente. It features the single "Reason for Living", which peaked at number 45 on the UK Singles Chart.
Shoebox Full of Secrets is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Andy Pawlak, which was released by Fontana in 1989.
The Best of Aztec Camera is the first greatest hits album by Scottish pop/new wave band Aztec Camera, released in 1999. Containing all of the band's singles from their first five studio albums High Land, Hard Rain (1983), Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990) and Dreamland (1993), the compilation also includes selected album tracks, and one solo single by lead singer Roddy Frame, from the album The North Star (1998). No tracks are included from Frestonia (1995), Aztec Camera's final studio album.