| INSOLO | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 16 July 2021 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer |
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| Gary Kemp chronology | ||||
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INSOLO is the second solo studio album of Gary Kemp, the former guitarist and songwriter of Spandau Ballet. The album was released on 16 July 2021, on Columbia Records, and was produced and mixed by Gary Kemp and Toby Chapman.
The music, in contrast to the Irish folk instrumentation of his first album, reflects Kemp's time spent playing in Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets and his teenage pre-Spandau Ballet influences. Kemp told Jo Kendall of Prog , "There are 70s references on the whole album, and I'm pushing the guitar and psychedelia to the fore". [1]
The album reflects Kemp's growing obsession with life seen through a rear view mirror after passing his 60th birthday and "confronting the past". Charlotte Cripps of The Independent noted, "Kemp's attachment to Spandau Ballet and the band's long goodbye may have meant it's taken 25 years for him to release more new work on his own. But perhaps INSOLO will help him to put the 1980s to rest, once and for all." [2]
For his part, Kemp confirmed during press promotion for INSOLO that this album signalled the end of any further collaboration with Spandau Ballet. He told Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph that "We have no creative energy together, the lead protagonists have no communication, it's just a lie. So it's over. It's over. We are never going to get back together." [3]
The two songs, "In Solo" and "The Haunted", drew inspiration from Edward Hopper's 1932 painting Room in New York . [4]
"Ahead of the Game", the first UK single release, was released on 2 April 2021. The video was directed by Charles Lightening. An extended 8 minute 28 second remix was later released.
"Too Much" was the second single, released on 2 June 2021. The video was again directed by Lightening and featured the Royal Ballet soloist Meaghan Grace Hinkis.
The third UK single, "Waiting for the Band", was inspired by David Bowie's the 1980 Floor Show, which the 14-year-old Kemp attended at the Marquee Club in October 1973. [5] The recording features archive London Weekend Television interview clips of Bowie fans outside his 1978 Earl's Court concert. Kemp's brother and former Spandau Ballet bandmate Martin Kemp contributed bass guitar "for the narrative". [6]
"I Remember You" was released in the UK on 5 October 2021.
Kemp recorded a BBC Radio 2 live session for Zoe Ball featuring "Too Much", a cover of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "True".[ citation needed ]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Arts Desk |   [7] |
| Mojo | [8] |
| Record Collector | [9] |
| Uncut | 6/10 [10] |
INSOLO received mixed reviews from critics. The Daily Telegraph music critic Neil McCormick wrote that INSOLO "is an intricate, mature and soulful piece of work, which blends [Kemp's] melodic songcraft with luscious arrangements reminiscent of 70s prog rock stylists like Steely Dan and Pink Floyd". [3] David Chiu of Newsweek described it as "eloquent and poignant". [11] The Times ' Will Hodgkinson awarded the album a four-star rating, describing it as "nostalgic, wistful and filled with a gloriously romantic sense of despair and futility".[ citation needed ]
In contrast, in The Times' sister paper The Sunday Times , Lisa Verrico described it as "a perplexing blend of prog guitars, jazzy sax, cinematic strings, French horn and vocals that veer from dramatically breathy to blandly bluesy". [12] John Bungey of Mojo described the album as "1970s–80s AOR, lushly upholstered and hook-laden". He highlighted the title track, "I Am the Past" and "I Remember You" as stand-out tracks, but concluded, "anyone expecting echoes of wayward genius/madman Syd Barrett amid Insolo's smooth contours will be disappointed". [8] Thomas H Green of The Arts Desk called INSOLO "one of the worst albums I've ever heard, showcasing Kemp as the most awful M.O.R indulgent", and "a place where post-Eighties prog rock skitters into West Coast FM radio smoothness, yacht rock, and tepid jazziness" with "clunkily expounded existential narratives". [7]
All tracks are written by Gary Kemp
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "In Solo" | 6.23 |
| 2. | "A Rumour of You" | 5.36 |
| 3. | "Waiting for the Band" | 5.28 |
| 4. | "Ahead of the Game" | 3.53 |
| 5. | "I Remember You" | 3.47 |
| 6. | "Too Much" | 4.15 |
| 7. | "The Fastest Man in the World" | 4.29 |
| 8. | "I Am the Past" | 4.36 |
| 9. | "The Feet of Mercury" | 3.32 |
| 10. | "The Haunted" | 6.02 |
| 11. | "Our Light" | 4.06 |
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) [13] | 43 |
Spandau Ballet were an English new wave band formed in Islington, London, in 1979. Inspired by the capital's post-punk underground dance scene, they emerged at the start of the 1980s as the house band for the Blitz Kids, playing "European Dance Music" as "The Applause" for this new club culture's audience. They became one of the most successful groups of the New Romantic era of British pop and were part of the Second British Invasion of the Billboard Top 40 in the 1980s, selling 25 million albums and having 23 hit singles worldwide. The band have had eight UK top 10 albums, including three greatest hits compilations and an album of re-recorded material. Their musical influences ranged from punk rock and soul music to the American crooners Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett.
True is the third studio album by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 4 March 1983 by Chrysalis Records. The band's songwriter/guitarist Gary Kemp realised after the release of their second album that the nightclub audience they initially wanted to attract had lost interest in them in part because of the band's transition from dance music to pop. He no longer felt obligated to keep writing music for them and shifted his focus to soul and R&B influences such as Marvin Gaye and Al Green for this album. Kemp thought that bandmate Steve Norman's newfound interest in the saxophone would be well-suited to the sound he was going for, as would the decision to record most of the album at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas.
Steven Antony Norman is an English musician who plays tenor saxophone, guitar, percussion and other instruments, for the English new wave band Spandau Ballet.
John Leslie Keeble is an English pop and rock drummer. He is best known for his membership of the 1980s new wave band Spandau Ballet.
Gary James Kemp is an English songwriter, musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and principal songwriter for the new wave band Spandau Ballet.
Guy Adam Pratt is a British bassist. He has worked with artists including Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Gary Moore, Madonna, Peter Cetera, Michael Jackson, the Smiths, Robert Palmer, Echo & the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears, Icehouse, Bananarama, Iggy Pop, Tom Jones, Debbie Harry, Whitesnake, Womack & Womack, Kirsty MacColl, Coverdale•Page, Lemon Jelly, the Orb, All Saints, Stephen Duffy, Robbie Robertson and A. R. Rahman. In addition to his work as a session musician, Pratt has been a member of the Australian rock band Icehouse, and is currently a member of the band Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets with Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet.
Lionel Richie is the debut solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on October 6, 1982, on Motown Records. Originally intended as a side project at the suggestion of Motown, it was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores; he left the group shortly after the album's release. The first single from the album, "Truly", topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single "You Are" reached number four, and "My Love" reached number five. The album reached number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.
"True" is a song by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released in April 1983 as the title track and third single from their third studio album. It was written by the band's guitarist/songwriter Gary Kemp to express his feelings for Altered Images lead singer Clare Grogan, influenced musically by songs of Marvin Gaye and Al Green he was listening to at the time, and lyrically by Green and The Beatles. It eventually reached number one on the UK chart in April 1983 and made the top 10 in several other countries, including the US, where it became their first song to reach the Billboard Hot 100.
Diamond is the second studio album by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 12 March 1982 by Chrysalis Records. As with their debut album, Journeys to Glory, all songs were produced by Richard James Burgess and written by band guitarist Gary Kemp. The music was inspired by a variety of genres, including the renewed interest in funk around Soho, American film scores with roots in eastern Europe, the second side of David Bowie's Low album, Pink Floyd records and the mood pieces of another English new wave band, Japan.
Parade is the fourth studio album by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 25 June 1984 by Chrysalis Records. The band wanted the album to sound more like how they played together live, and their guitarist/songwriter Gary Kemp came up with material that he felt would be more appropriate for the arenas in which they performed now since they were attracting larger audiences. Because they would be parading themselves around the world as part of the album's corresponding tour, he hit upon the idea of a parade as the theme of the album and included an international cast of characters taking part in a parade on the album cover.
Through the Barricades is the fifth studio album by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 17 November 1986 by CBS Records in the United Kingdom and by Epic Records in the United States. The album reached number seven and remained on the UK Albums Chart for 19 weeks. It spawned three commercially successful singles in the UK: "Fight for Ourselves", "How Many Lies" and the band's final top-10 entry, "Through the Barricades".
Heart Like a Sky is the sixth studio album by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 18 September 1989 by CBS Records. The album was mainly distributed in continental Europe. It was the group's last release before disbanding and is their last to be composed entirely of new material.
"Gold" is a song by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 5 August 1983 as the fourth single from their third album, True. The song was written by the band's guitarist/songwriter Gary Kemp as an homage to the film themes of composer John Barry that was especially influenced by his scores for the James Bond series. This was apparent to some music critics, but they were sharply divided in their reviews. Some appreciated the energy and drama behind it while others found it affected and overwrought. The song peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and made the top 10 in several other countries, but its number 29 showing in the US and the disappointing chart performances of the next two singles released there led to the band's decision to change record labels.
"Lifeline" is a song by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 24 September 1982 as the first single from what would be their third album, True (1983). The song confirmed the band's intent to transition from dance music to pop that was hinted at with their previous single, "Instinction". Some band members found an enjoyable chemistry with "Lifeline" producers Tony Swain and Steve Jolley that was lacking in recording sessions with previous producers. The new song received mixed reviews but reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also their first single to chart in the United States, missing the Billboard Hot 100 but charting on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 at number 8. The music video for the song received airplay on the U.S. cable channel MTV.
"Chant No. 1 " is a song by the English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 10 July 1981 as the first single from their upcoming second album, Diamond. The band's guitarist/songwriter, Gary Kemp, wanted to pay homage to the latest London hotspot, Le Beat Route, by emulating the funk music that was popular there and even using the club as the location for the music video, all in order to show that the band was still part of the trendy Soho scene. Except for the remix of the song from the album's box set, "Chant No. 1" received good reviews, and the 7-inch single became their third top ten hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Instinction" is a song by Spandau Ballet whose original version was included on their second album Diamond as produced by Richard James Burgess. The song was written by band guitarist/songwriter Gary Kemp. A remix by Trevor Horn was released on 2 April 1982 as the last single from the album and reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. This new version received good reviews but constituted a shift into pop music that did not interest the patrons of trendy London nightclubs that Spandau Ballet originally intended to represent. The band tried continuing their work with Horn on the songs for their next album but came to an impasse with him and moved on to a successful relationship with producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain.
Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets are an English rock band formed in 2018 to perform the early music of Pink Floyd. The band comprises the Pink Floyd drummer and co-founder Nick Mason, the bassist Guy Pratt, the guitarists Gary Kemp and Lee Harris, and the keyboardist Dom Beken. As many fans had discovered Pink Floyd with their bestselling 1973 album TheDark Side of the Moon, Mason wanted to bring their earlier material to a wider audience.
The Story: The Very Best of Spandau Ballet is a greatest hits album by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 13 October 2014. The album includes three new songs that were produced by Trevor Horn.
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"Paint Me Down" is a song by the English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 2 November 1981 as the second single from what would be their second album, Diamond. Their guitarist/songwriter Gary Kemp copied some of the elements of their previous hit, "Chant No. 1 ", and the conflict between producer Richard James Burgess and lead singer Tony Hadley that began with that song continued as they recorded the vocals for "Paint Me Down". A controversial music video for the song was rejected by the British music chart television programme Top of the Pops, and its number 30 peak position on the UK Singles Chart was not enough to justify airing the studio performance they had filmed for the show either.