Monkey Island | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 9, 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1977 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 41:44 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | The J. Geils Band | |||
Geils chronology | ||||
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Monkey Island is the seventh studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band, though it is credited with the shortened band name of "Geils", the only album in their catalog for which this was done. The album was released on June 9, 1977, by Atlantic Records.
The album did not perform well in the marketplace, and would be the J. Geils Band's last original album for Atlantic Records after almost eight years with the label. It was, however, the band's first album on which they did not use an outside producer, as well as their first project with recording engineer David Thoener, with whom they later collaborated on their best-selling albums Love Stinks and Freeze Frame .
The album contains the studio version of "I Do," a live recording of which (from the album Showtime! ) would be the J. Geils Band's last hit single in 1982.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+ [2] |
Rolling Stone | (favorable) [3] |
The Los Angeles Times opined that "Geils is in dire need of a well-focused musical approach if the band wishes to revive its early power and promise." [4]
All songs written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman except as noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Surrender" | 3:49 | |
2. | "You're the Only One" | 3:05 | |
3. | "I Do" | Melvin Mason, Johnny Paden, Frank Paden, Jesse Smith, Willie Stephenson | 3:09 |
4. | "Somebody" | 5:13 | |
5. | "I'm Falling" | 5:41 | |
6. | "Monkey Island" | 9:02 | |
7. | "I'm Not Rough" | Louis Armstrong | 3:03 |
8. | "So Good" | 3:19 | |
9. | "Wreckage" | 5:23 |
Additional personnel
Album
Chart (1977) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [5] | 51 |
Australian (Kent Music Report) [6] | 97 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1977 | "You're the Only One" | Pop Singles [7] | 83 |
The J. Geils Band was an American rock band formed in 1967, in Worcester, Massachusetts, under the leadership of guitarist John "J." Geils. The original band members included vocalist Peter Wolf, harmonica and saxophone player Richard "Magic Dick" Salwitz, drummer Stephen Bladd, vocalist/keyboardist Seth Justman, and bassist Danny Klein. Wolf and Justman served as principal songwriters. The band played R&B-influenced blues rock during the 1970s and soon achieved commercial success before moving toward a more mainstream radio-friendly sound in the early 1980s, which brought the band to its commercial peak. They performed a mix of cover songs of classic blues and R&B songs, along with original compositions written primarily by Wolf and Justman, as well as some group compositions written under the pseudonymous name Juke Joint Jimmy, representing compositions credited to the entire band as a whole. After Wolf left the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career, the band released one more album in 1984 with Justman on lead vocals, before breaking up in 1985. Beginning in 1999, the band had several reunions prior to the death of its namesake, J. Geils, on April 11, 2017.
The J. Geils Band is the self-titled debut studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released on November 16, 1970, by Atlantic Records.
The Morning After is the second studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released in October 1971, by Atlantic Records. The song "Cry One More Time" was later covered by Gram Parsons on his first solo album.
Bloodshot is the third studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released on April 12, 1973, by Atlantic Records. It was the breakthrough release for the band, reaching #10 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States, a peak that the band would not surpass until their 1981 multi-platinum album Freeze Frame. The single version of "Give it to Me", which had a very different ending from the album version, reached #30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #15 on the Cash Box Top 100.
Ladies Invited is the fourth studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released in November 1973, by Atlantic Records.
Nightmares...and Other Tales from the Vinyl Jungle is the fifth studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released on September 25, 1974, by Atlantic Records.
Hotline is the sixth studio album by American rock band The J. Geils Band. The album was released on September 9, 1975, by Atlantic Records.
Sanctuary is the eighth studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band. The album was released in November 1978 and is the first released by EMI Records.
Best of the J. Geils Band is the first Best Of album by American rock band The J. Geils Band, released in 1979.
Love Stinks is the ninth studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band. The album was released on January 28, 1980, by EMI Records.
Freeze-Frame is the tenth studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band, and the last one to feature original vocalist Peter Wolf. The album was released on October 26, 1981, by EMI Records. It reached number one on the United States Billboard 200 album chart in February 1982, and remained at the top for four weeks. The album featured the hit singles "Centerfold" and "Freeze Frame". "Angel in Blue" also reached the US Top 40.
Showtime! is the third and final live album by American rock band The J. Geils Band during their career. It was recorded at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan on September 4, 1982. While some critics consider it to be weaker than the group's two earlier live albums "Live" Full House (1972) and Blow Your Face Out (1976), this release captures the band at its commercial peak. The tracks are drawn primarily from the four studio albums released since Blow Your Face Out:Monkey Island (1977); Sanctuary (1978); Love Stinks (1980); and Freeze Frame (1981). This was the last release by the band before frontman Peter Wolf's departure in 1983.
You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd is the eleventh and final studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band and the only one recorded without singer Peter Wolf. The band's keyboardist Seth Justman produced the album, did all the song and horn arrangements, wrote all the songs with lyrical help from Paul Justman, and provided the majority of the album's lead vocals, with drummer Stephen Jo Bladd singing lead on three tracks. Compared to the band's earlier works, which leaned towards a more live rock band sound, You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd emphasizes overdubbing and production. The album was released on October 5, 1984, by EMI Records.
Rockbird is the second solo studio album by American singer Debbie Harry. It was released in November 1986 by Geffen Records in the United States and Chrysalis Records in the United Kingdom.
Thighs and Whispers is the fifth studio album by American singer Bette Midler. Released in 1979, the album reached No. 65 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.
Aretha is the twenty-sixth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was released on September 30, 1980, by Arista Records. This is Franklin's second eponymous album, and her first for Arista Records after a 12-year tenure with Atlantic Records.
Chaka is the debut solo album by singer Chaka Khan, released on October 12, 1978 through Warner Bros. Records label.
"Angel in Blue" is a song written by Seth Justman that was first released by the J. Geils Band on their 1981 album Freeze Frame. Cissy Houston and Luther Vandross appear on the song as back up vocalists. "Angel in Blue" was also released on a number of J. Geils Band compilation albums, including Centerfold, The Very Best J. Geils Band Album Ever and Best of The J. Geils Band, as well as several multi-artist compilation albums.
Best of the J. Geils Band is a compilation album by American rock band The J. Geils Band, released in 2006.
The discography of American rock band The J. Geils Band consists of 11 studio albums, three live albums, eight compilation albums, one video album, and 30 singles. Formed in 1967 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the band consisted of guitarist J. Geils, singer Peter Wolf, harmonica player Magic Dick, bassist Danny Klein, keyboard player Seth Justman, and drummer Stephen Jo Bladd. Their debut album, The J. Geils Band (1970), released by Atlantic Records, charted at number 195 on the United States Billboard 200. Their second album, The Morning After (1971), peaked at number 64 on the Billboard 200 and number 73 on Canada's Top Albums chart. It produced the single "Looking for a Love", which reached the top 40 in the US and in Canada.