The Pleasures of Electricity

Last updated

The Pleasures of Electricity
ThePleasuresofElectricity.jpg
Studio album by
John Foxx and Louis Gordon
Released15 September 2001
Genre Electronic
Length62:43
Label Metamatic Records
Producer John Foxx & Louis Gordon
John Foxx chronology
Shifting City
(1997)		The Pleasures of Electricity
(2001)		 Cathedral Oceans II
(2003)
Louis Gordon chronology
Shifting City
(1997)		The Pleasures of Electricity
(2001)		 Cathedral Oceans II
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

The Pleasures of Electricity is an album by John Foxx and Louis Gordon, released in 2001. It was the duo's second studio album, and Foxx's third after his return to the music scene in 1997.

Contents

The album continues along the lines of modern electronics flavoured with early-80s touches that was set out by the duo's 1997 album Shifting City . However, The Pleasures of Electricity is more polished and minimalist than any of Foxx's previous albums (solo or in a group), to the extent that the album sounds almost sterile in places. The lyrics recall themes similar to those in Foxx's classic album Metamatic , dealing with traveling and urban life, including almost bizarre lyrics comparing driving in a car to mathematics in "Automobile" (all this delivered in Foxx's most deadpan voice). "Invisible Women" is a track Foxx originally recorded with Nation 12 over a decade earlier (the version here includes a synth riff recycled from Foxx's single "Underpass" that wasn't included in the Nation 12 version), while "Cities of Light 5" is a further development of "Cities of Light 1" that was also recorded with Nation 12.

The album’s original press release states: “Taking a cue from Kraftwerk, one of Foxx’s most obvious stylistic touchstones, “Pleasures…” is a streamlined monorail of lock-step computer-generated beats and wiry synthesizer melodies with an equal emphasis on dark, atmospherics and energised, danceable rhythms.”

The artwork of the album was designed by Foxx himself, based on his own photography. The main cover depicts a man in a grey suit standing next to a door, his face completely whited out by a bright light that seems to originate from inside him. This, together with the album name, recalled René Magritte's painting Le Principe Du Plaisir, and through it Gary Numan's synthpop classic The Pleasure Principle , the artwork and title of which were inspired by the said painting (sonically The Pleasures of Electricity also resembles The Pleasure Principle and vice versa). In the sleeve notes for the live album The Golden Section Tour + The Omnidelic Exotour Foxx writes of buying a grey suit around 1978 and photographing his friends wearing it, with the face of the person never showing in the pictures. Whether or not the photographs used on The Pleasures of Electricity are from this time is unknown, but based on the description the artwork for this album is similar to Foxx's 1978 photography.

No singles were released from the album, however "Nightlife" was included on the Modern Art compilation released some three months before The Pleasures of Electricity.

A 2 CD remastered special edition was released in October 2009. Four tracks on CD 1 featured on the original album were significantly remixed - 'Nightlife', 'Invisible Women', 'Cities of Light 5' and 'Automobile'. Although they feature new sounds and in some cases additional arrangements, they were remixed in the context of the album, and therefore not just added as 'extras' to the package. Disc Two features the original mix of the album plus two previously unreleased bonus tracks 'Screenplay' and 'Twilight Room', thus making it the 'definitive edition' of this album. [2]

Track listing

2001 original release

  1. "A Funny Thing" — 4:18
  2. "Nightlife" — 5:54
  3. "Camera" — 7:47
  4. "Invisible Women" — 5:55
  5. "Cities of Light 5' — 5:26
  6. "Uptown / Downtown" — 6:34
  7. "When It Rains" — 4:24
  8. "Automobile" — 5:56
  9. "The Falling Room" — 4:52
  10. "Travel" — 6:57
  11. "Quiet City" — 5:04

2009 Special edition

CD1

  1. "A Funny Thing"
  2. "Nightlife" (Alternative Mix)
  3. "Camera"
  4. "Invisible Women" (Alternative Mix)
  5. "Cities of Light" (Alternative Mix)
  6. "Uptown – Downtown"
  7. "When It Rains"
  8. "Automobile" (Alternative Mix)
  9. "The Falling Room"
  10. "Travel"
  11. "Quiet City"

CD2

  1. "A Funny Thing" (Original Mix)
  2. "Nightlife" (Original Mix)
  3. "Camera" (Original Mix)
  4. "Invisible Women" (Original Mix)
  5. "Cities of Light" (Original Mix)
  6. "Uptown – Downtown" (Original Mix)
  7. "When It Rains" (Original Mix)
  8. "Automobile" (Original Mix)
  9. "The Falling Room" (Original Mix)
  10. "Travel" (Original Mix)
  11. "Quiet City" (Original Mix)
  12. "Twilight Room" (previously unreleased)
  13. "Screenplay" (previously unreleased)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Foxx</span> Musical artist

John Foxx is an English singer, musician, artist, photographer, graphic designer, writer, teacher and lecturer. He was the original lead singer of the new wave band Ultravox, before leaving to embark on a solo career in 1980 with the album Metamatic.

<i>Metamatic</i> 1980 studio album by John Foxx

Metamatic is the debut solo album by John Foxx, released in 1980. It was his first solo project following his split with Ultravox the previous year. A departure from the mix of synthesizers and conventional rock instrumentation on that band's work, Metamatic was purely electronic in sound. The name 'Metamatic' comes from a painting machine by kinetic artist Jean Tinguely, first exhibited at the Paris Biennial in 1959. The album peaked at #18 on the UK Albums Chart.

<i>The Golden Section</i> 1983 studio album by John Foxx

The Golden Section is a 1983 album by English musician John Foxx. A progression from the sound of The Garden (1981), Foxx called The Golden Section "a roots check: Beatles, Church music, Psychedelia, The Shadows, The Floyd, The Velvets, Roy Orbison, Kraftwerk, and cheap pre-electro Europop". The album was Foxx's first work with a producer since his final Ultravox album, Systems of Romance, in 1978; The Golden Section was co-produced by Zeus B. Held, well known in the Krautrock scene of the 1970s. In addition to Foxx's wide array of synthesizers, the production made extensive use of vocoder effects and sampling, along with traditional rock guitar.

<i>In Mysterious Ways</i> 1985 studio album by John Foxx

In Mysterious Ways is a 1985 album by John Foxx, the follow-up to his album The Golden Section, released two years previously. It features some of the highly romantic style similar to 1981's The Garden album. Largely missing from this recording are many of the styles Foxx was known for in favor of a more soulful, contemporary pop sound.

<i>The Garden</i> (John Foxx album) 1981 studio album by John Foxx

The Garden is a 1981 album by John Foxx, the follow-up to his debut solo album Metamatic, released the previous year. By comparison, it features more diverse instrumentation and romantic stylings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Street (Minneapolis)</span>

Lake Street is a major east-west thoroughfare between 29th and 31st streets in Minneapolis, Minnesota United States. From its western most end at the city's limits, Lake Street reaches the Chain of Lakes, passing over a small channel linking Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles, and at its eastern most end it reaches the Mississippi River. In May 2020, the Lake Street corridor suffered extensive damage during local unrest over the murder of George Floyd. In August of the same year, city officials designated East Lake Street as one of seven cultural districts to promote racial equity, preserve cultural identity, and promote economic growth.

<i>Systems of Romance</i> 1978 studio album by Ultravox

Systems of Romance, released on 8 September 1978, is the third album by British new wave band Ultravox. It was the final recording for the group with original lead singer, lyricist and co-composer John Foxx, and their first album without guitarist Stevie Shears, who had left the band. Shears was replaced by Robin Simon, making his first and only appearance on an Ultravox album. Though not a commercial success, Systems of Romance had a significant influence on the electropop music that came after it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burning Car</span> 1980 single by John Foxx

"Burning Car" is a song by John Foxx, released as a single in 1980. It was his third solo single, following "Underpass" and "No-One Driving" earlier in the year. The track was not included on Foxx's debut solo album Metamatic, post-dating its January 1980 release, but has been included as a bonus track on the 2001 and 2007 CD reissues. It was Foxx's last 1980s record in a hard-edged electronica style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Away (John Foxx song)</span> 1980 single by John Foxx

"Miles Away" is a song by John Foxx, released as a single in October 1980. It was his fourth solo single, following "Burning Car" in July that year. The track was not included on any original album, falling roughly midway between the release of Foxx's debut LP Metamatic in January 1980 and his second album The Garden in September 1981.

<i>Cathedral Oceans</i> 1997 studio album by John Foxx

Cathedral Oceans is an album of ambient music by John Foxx, released in 1997. Alongside Shifting City released on the same day, it marked Foxx's return to the music scene after an absence of seven years. It was also his first solo album since 1985's In Mysterious Ways. The album's artwork consists of collages by Foxx himself, overlaying various pictures and textures with the faces of statues.

<i>Crash and Burn</i> (John Foxx album) 2003 studio album by John Foxx and Louis Gordon

Crash and Burn is the third studio album by John Foxx and Louis Gordon, released in 2003. The duo did a series of live performances to promote the album, as well as supporting The Human League on their "Very Best Of" tour the same year.

<i>Shifting City</i> 1997 studio album by John Foxx & Louis Gordon

Shifting City is an album by John Foxx and Louis Gordon, released in 1997. Released simultaneously with Foxx's ambient album Cathedral Oceans, Shifting City was Foxx's first album release since In Mysterious Ways (1985).

<i>Metatronic</i> 2010 compilation album by John Foxx

Metatronic is a retrospective compilation of recorded audio and visual material by British musician and recording artist John Foxx. It was released in 2010 by Edsel Records to mark the 30th anniversary of Foxx's debut solo album Metamatic and the start of his solo career. The idea for the compilation was first mentioned in the Ultravox fanzine Extreme Voice back in 1999.

John Foxx and the Maths is a musical project featuring electronic music pioneer John Foxx, Benge and more recently Hannah Peel. The group specialises in the use of analogue synthesizers and drum machines. It was initially a studio based project working from Benge's studio in Shoreditch, London but has also engaged in live work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No-One Driving</span> 1980 single by John Foxx

"No-One Driving" is a 1980 song by UK artist John Foxx, and was released as a single in March 1980. It was the second single release from the Metamatic album, after "Underpass". The song is typical of Foxx's musical output of the time, featuring a Ballardian dystopian scenario involving an automobile in the lyrics, with music produced using electronic instruments only.

This is a complete discography of the British recording artist John Foxx.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underpass (song)</span> 1980 single by John Foxx

"Underpass" is a song by UK artist John Foxx, and was released as a single in January 1980. It was the artist's first solo single release after leaving the band Ultravox and the first single release from the Metamatic album, which was released shortly after.

<i>Assembly</i> (John Foxx album) 1992 compilation album by John Foxx

Assembly is the title of an 18-track compilation album by British recording artist John Foxx, issued in 1992. It contains tracks from the artist's first four albums – Metamatic, The Garden, The Golden Section and In Mysterious Ways as well as tracks which had not been previously issued in an album format. The album was remastered for CD by Foxx himself, and although was the first time many of his solo tracks had appeared on CD there were no new tracks and none of the tracks remain exclusive to this release.

<i>Modern Art – The Best of John Foxx</i> 2001 compilation album by John Foxx

Modern Art - the Best of John Foxx is the title of an 18-track compilation album by British recording artist John Foxx, issued in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Europe After the Rain</span> 1981 single by John Foxx

"Europe After The Rain" is the title of a John Foxx song, released as a single in August 1981, and included on The Garden album released later the same year.

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ https://www.myspace.com/foxxmetamatic/blog/509985865 John Foxx official MySpace Blog, 13 September 2009
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.