Points on the Curve

Points on the Curve
Studio album by Wang Chung
Released	February 1984 (US) March 1984 (UK) [1]
Recorded	1983
Studio	Abbey Road Studios (London)
Genre	Synth-pop [2] dance
Length	43:15
Label	Geffen
Producer	Chris Hughes Ross Cullum
Wang Chung chronology
Huang Chung (1982) Points on the Curve (1984) To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Singles from Points on the Curve
"Don't Be My Enemy" Released: June 1983 "Dance Hall Days" Released: December 1983 "Don't Let Go" Released: February 1984 (US) "Wait" Released: June 1984 [3]

Points on the Curve is the second studio album by the English new wave band Wang Chung, released in February 1984 by Geffen Records. ^{[4] [5]}

Background

Points on the Curve is Wang Chung's first studio album since changing their name from Huang Chung and switching from Arista to Geffen Records. It reached No. 34 on the UK Albums Chart on 21 April 1984 and No. 30 on the Billboard 200 chart on 14 July 1984. The album features the No. 1 dance single "Dance Hall Days" and includes the hit singles: "Don't Let Go", "Don't Be My Enemy" and "Wait". The album cover was designed, and featured art direction by Barney Bubbles, who had died the year before this album was released.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[7]
Smash Hits	5/10 [8]

The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the band "mean-spirited fops." ^[7] The Daily Breeze called the album "a collection of fairly standard, English dance numbers." ^[9] By contrast, in a retrospective review for AllMusic, Kelvin Hayes wrote that "although the sound is a little dated, its craftsmanship still holds true." ^[10]

Track listing

Original UK LP track listing

All tracks are written by Jack Hues, except where noted.

Side one

No.	Title	Co-writer(s)	Length
1.	"Don't Let Go"	Nick Feldman	4:20
2.	"Dance Hall Days"		3:49
3.	"True Love"	Feldman	3:51
4.	"Devoted Friends"		4:08
5.	"Talk It Out"	Feldman	4:52
Total length:			21:00

Side two

No.	Title	Co-writer(s)	Length
1.	"Even If You Dream"	David Burnand	4:06
2.	"Don't Be My Enemy"	Darren Costin Feldman	4:18
3.	"The Waves"	Costin Feldman	4:17
4.	"Look at Me Now"		4:26
5.	"Wait"		5:46
Total length:			22:52

Track listing on most CDs, cassettes, and LPs from other regions

No.	Title	Co-writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dance Hall Days"		3:58
2.	"Wait"		4:22
3.	"True Love"	Nick Feldman	3:51
4.	"The Waves"	Darren Costin Feldman	4:26
5.	"Look at Me Now"		4:36
6.	"Don't Let Go"	Feldman	4:21
7.	"Even If You Dream"	David Burnand	4:08
8.	"Don't Be My Enemy"	Costin Feldman	4:24
9.	"Devoted Friends"		4:07
10.	"Talk It Out"	Feldman	4:48
Total length:			43:01

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Points on the Curve liner notes. ^[11]

Wang Chung

• Nick Feldman – bass guitar, keyboards, guitar, vocals
• Jack Hues – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar
• Darren Costin – drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals

Additional musicians

• Mel Collins – saxophone
• Chris Hughes – rhythm, sequence, and computer programming
• Paul Ridout – MC4 programming

Technical

• Chris Hughes – producer, engineer
• Ross Cullum – producer, engineer
• Mark McGuire – assistant engineer
• Greg Fulginiti – original mastering
• Barney Bubbles – design, art director
• Brian Griffin – front cover photograph
• Paul Cox – back cover photograph
• Ronn Spencer – hand tinting
• Mark Ryder – black & white photographs

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [12]	56
US Billboard 200	30
UK Top 75 Albums	34

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)	Rank
US Billboard Hot 100	59

References

1. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 882. ISBN   978-0-86241-541-9.
2. Geoffrey Himes (4 May 1983). "Wang Chung: East Meets West's Beat". The Washington Post . Retrieved 9 August 2023.
3. Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 882. ISBN   978-0-86241-541-9.
4. Wenner, Cheryl (19 July 1984). "Britain's Wang Chung opened...". The Morning Call . p. D8.
5. Lacey, Liam (2 February 1984). "Wang Chung's songs may be a little trite, but they're well done". The Globe and Mail . p. E3.
6. "Points on the Curve Review by Kelvin Hayes". AllMusic . Retrieved 7 June 2023.
7. Tucker, Ken (29 January 1984). "Wang Chung, Points on the Curve". The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. I4.
8. McCloskey, Brian (15 March 1984). "Smash Hits, March 15, 1984 - p.27" . Retrieved 19 April 2019.
9. Branst, Lee (20 April 1984). "Also Saturday, the Palace hosts Wang Chung...". Daily Breeze . p. E12.
10. Hayes, Kelvin. Wang Chung – Points on a Curve at AllMusic . Retrieved 2023-10-01.
11. Wang Chung (1983). Points on the Curve (CD liner notes). Geffen Records. 4004-2.
12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. p. 332. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.

External links

• Points on the Curve at Discogs (list of releases)