The Green Album (Eddie Jobson album)

Last updated

The Green Album
Zinc Green Album.jpg
Studio album by
Released8 August 1983 [1]
Recorded1982–83
StudioKingdom Sound
Minot Sound
Genre Synthpop, progressive rock, electronic
Length46:21
Label Capitol/EMI
Producer Eddie Jobson
Eddie Jobson chronology
The Green Album
(1983)
Theme of Secrets
(1985)
Singles from The Green Album
  1. "Turn It Over"
    Released: 1983

The Green Album is the debut album by English rock musician Eddie Jobson, released by Capitol Records in 1983. It is officially credited to Eddie Jobson and Zinc, Zinc being identified in press releases as a backing band consisting of Michael Cuneo (guitars), Jerry Watts (bass), and Michael Barsimanto (drums); however, none of the members of Zinc played on more than half the songs on the album, and only four tracks feature the entire group. Because of this, The Green Album is widely regarded as an Eddie Jobson solo album, similarly to how Runt is considered a Todd Rundgren solo album despite being credited to Runt.

Contents

Jobson, a former member of Roxy Music, had also previously played with Curved Air, Frank Zappa, U.K., and Jethro Tull. The album contains Jobson's first (and only) lead vocal performances. It also features ex-Gentle Giant guitarist Gary Green on some tracks. [2] The album features a mostly synthesizer based synthpop / progressive rock sound and is a concept album of sorts, with the lyrics centring on a somewhat Orwellian dystopian future where everything is tinted green. The songs were heavily inspired by the Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer. [3]

Demo versions of "Resident", "Easy for You to Say", "Listen to Reason" and "Green Face" have been leaked to the public. [4] [5] "Nostalgia" and "Walking from Pastel" were included (in different arrangements) in UK's last tour and have also appeared on bootlegs.

Release and promotion

A videoclip for the single "Turn it Over" was recorded. The bass on the videoclip was mimed by bassist Doug Lunn, who doesn't actually play on the album. [6]

The album was first re-released on CD in 1992 by One Way Records. In 2014 it was re-issued in Japan in the Super Audio CD format.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Allmusic gave the album a mixed retrospective review, deeming it "an honest effort of when-prog rock-meets-synth pop", but criticizing the lyrics as uniformly poor. They commented that the album seems to run out of ideas in the second half, but were pleased with the first half, marking the tracks "Green Face" and "Resident" as "two of the best synth pop songs produced in that era." [7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Eddie Jobson

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Transporter"1:11
2."Resident"6:01
3."Easy for You to Say"4:07
4."Prelude"2:30
5."Nostalgia"2:27
6."Walking from Pastel"2:07
7."Turn It Over"4:15
Side two
No.TitleLength
8."Green Face"4:22
9."Who My Friends..."6:31
10."Colour Code"1:05
11."Listen to Reason"5:56
12."Through the Glass"6:03
13."Transporter II"0:22

Personnel

Production

Related Research Articles

<i>Journeyman</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Eric Clapton

Journeyman is the eleventh solo studio album by Eric Clapton. Heralded as a return to form for Clapton, who had struggled with alcohol addiction and recently found sobriety, the album has a 1980s electronic sound, but it also includes blues songs like "Before You Accuse Me", "Running on Faith", and "Hard Times." "Bad Love" was released as a single, reaching the No. 1 position on the Album Rock Chart in the United States, and being awarded a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 1990. "Pretending" had also reached the No. 1 position on the Album Rock Chart the previous year, remaining at the top for five weeks.

<i>Cher</i> (1987 album) 1987 studio album by Cher

Cher is the eighteenth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released on November 10, 1987 by Geffen Records. The album has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA and Gold in Australia by ARIA and the UK by BPI.

<i>Break Out</i> (Pointer Sisters album) 1983 studio album by the Pointer Sisters

Break Out is the tenth studio album by American female vocal group the Pointer Sisters, released on November 1, 1983, on Planet Records, distributed by RCA Records. It is the Pointer Sisters' most successful album to date, peaking at number eight on the Billboard 200 and being certified triple-platinum by the RIAA.

<i>Contact</i> (Pointer Sisters album) 1985 studio album by Pointer Sisters

Contact is the eleventh studio album by the American vocal group The Pointer Sisters, released in 1985 by RCA Records.

<i>Change Your World</i> 1992 studio album by Michael W. Smith

Change Your World is a 1992 album by Contemporary Christian music artist Michael W. Smith.

<i>So Excited!</i> 1982 studio album by The Pointer Sisters

So Excited! is the ninth studio album by the Pointer Sisters, released in 1982 on the Planet label.

<i>What If We Fall in Love?</i> Album by Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris

What If We Fall in Love is the only duet album by American country music artists Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris, released in November 1986. Three of the album's tracks found positions on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Chronologically, they were "Makin' Up for Lost Time", which reached the number 1 position, "Another World", which was a number 4 hit, and "All of This and More", which rose to number 26. The album itself rose to number 25 on the Top Country Albums chart.

<i>Land of Enchantment</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Michael Martin Murphey

Land of Enchantment is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey. The album reached number 33 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

<i>Aretha</i> (1986 album) 1986 studio album by Aretha Franklin

Aretha is the thirty-first studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, originally released on October 27, 1986, by Arista Records. It is the third album with the Aretha title to be released by Franklin, following her 1961 album and 1980 album.

<i>Roberta</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Roberta Flack

Roberta is Roberta Flack's fourteenth album, released in 1994. It consists of cover versions of jazz and soul standards. It was also her final album for Atlantic Records after twenty five years with the label since her debut.

<i>On Arrival</i> 1990 studio album by Dan Seals

On Arrival is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Dan Seals. The album reached #13 on the Top Country Albums chart. "Love on Arrival" and "Good Times" were the first two singles which both reached #1 while the last two singles, "Bordertown" and "Water Under the Bridge" only reached #49 and #57, respectively. "Good Times", which was his last #1 single and last Top 40 hit, was originally performed by Sam Cooke. "Made for Lovin' You" was also recorded by Clinton Gregory on his 1990 debut album Music 'n Me, and would later be a Top Ten hit for Doug Stone who released it from his 1992 album From the Heart.

<i>Millennium</i> (Earth, Wind & Fire album) 1993 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire

Millennium is the sixteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire released in September 1993 on Warner Bros. Records. The album reached No. 8 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, No. 39 on the US Billboard 200, No. 18 on the Japanese Pop Albums chart and No. 29 on the Dutch Album Top 100. Millennium has also been certified Gold in Japan by the RIAJ.

<i>Be Yourself</i> (Patti LaBelle album) 1989 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989 in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B top ten Prince-written hit "Yo Mister." The album marked LaBelle's foray into new jack swing music with the tracks "I Got It Like That", produced by Full Force, and "Love 89", another Prince contribution.

<i>Good to Be Back</i> 1989 studio album by Natalie Cole

Good to Be Back is the eleventh studio album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released in May 1989 by EMI USA, it contains the hit singles "Miss You Like Crazy" and "I Do".

<i>Everlasting</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1987 studio album by Natalie Cole

Everlasting is the eleventh studio album by American singer Natalie Cole, released on June 14, 1987 by Manhattan Records. The album peak to number 8 on Billboards Top R&B Albums chart, and number 42 on the Billboard 200 chart.

<i>Dangerous</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1985 studio album by Natalie Cole

Dangerous is a 1985 album by American singer Natalie Cole released on May 15, 1985, through the Atco Records-distributed Modern Records label. The album reached peak positions of number 140 on the Billboard 200 and number 48 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart.

<i>Every Home Should Have One</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Patti Austin

Every Home Should Have One is the fourth studio album by American R&B/jazz singer Patti Austin, released on September 28, 1981, by Qwest Records. The album includes the number-one hit duet with James Ingram, "Baby Come to Me", and the title track, "Every Home Should Have One", which peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also scored with "Do You Love Me?", a #24 R&B & #1 Dance Chart hit.

<i>Billy Preston & Syreeta</i> 1981 album by Billy Preston and Syreeta

Billy Preston & Syreeta is a 1981 album of duets by Billy Preston and Syreeta released by Motown Records. Six songs were produced by Ollie Brown, and four songs were produced and co-written by Michael Masser. An expanded version of the album with 10 songs and 7 bonus cuts was released on CD in late 2013 on SoulMusic Records.

<i>Condition of the Heart</i> 1985 studio album by Kashif

Condition of the Heart is the third studio album by American Kashif. It was released in 1985 on Arista Records. The album includes the hit singles "Condition of the Heart", "Dancing in the Dark " and Anti-Apartheid song "Botha Botha". Condition of the Heart was digitally remastered for the first time in 2012 by Funky Town Grooves with three bonus tracks.

<i>While the City Sleeps...</i> 1986 studio album by George Benson

While the City Sleeps... is a 1986 studio album by American guitarist and singer George Benson, released on Warner Bros. Records. It features musicians like Paulinho da Costa, Preston Glass, Paul Jackson, Jr., Marcus Miller and Narada Michael Walden, alongside young talents of the time like Kenny G, Randy Jackson and Kashif. Although it does not have any instrumental tracks, Benson's guitar playing is somewhat in the headlight in songs like "Love Is Here Tonight", "Teaser" and "Too Many Times". The most successful single of the album, "Kisses in the Moonlight", is still frequently played by Benson at live performances and is present on many of his compilation albums On the B-side of the "Kisses in the Moonlight" single – alongside "Breezin'" on the 12" version – is the instrumental song "Open Your Eyes" which is not available elsewhere.

References

  1. "Music Week" (PDF).
  2. "DogAndPanda: Eddie Jobson - The Green Album". dogandpanda.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009.
  3. Kovarsky, Jerry (17 November 2016). "Interview: Eddie Jobson". Keyboard Magazine . Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  4. "Asia After UK".
  5. "UK – the End (1999, CD)". Discogs .
  6. "Domain Renewal Instructions - toombsnow.biz" (PDF).
  7. 1 2 The Green Album at AllMusic