| Unity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Reggae, pop | |||
| Label | Giant [1] | |||
| Big Mountain chronology | ||||
| ||||
Unity is an album by the American band Big Mountain, released in 1994. [2] [3]
The album peaked at No. 174 on the Billboard 200. [4] "Sweet Sensual Love" was released as a single, peaking at No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart. [5] [6] Unity sold more than a million copies. [7] The band supported the album by headlining Reggae Sunsplash in 1994 and 1995. [8]
The songs were written by frontman Quino; many of the lyrics contain political themes and criticisms of U.S. governmental policy. [9] Quino sang in Spanish on some songs. [10] "Border Town" is about undocumented workers. [11] The cover of "Baby, I Love Your Way" first appeared on the soundtrack to Reality Bites . [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |    [13] |
| The Buffalo News | [14] |
| Calgary Herald | B [15] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
| Los Angeles Daily News | [16] |
The Calgary Herald wrote that the band "is never less than soothing, often inspiring, and its lyrics of love (personal, spiritual, political) is a welcome respite from the below-the-belt toastin' so common today." [15] The Baltimore Sun praised the cover of "Baby, I Love Your Way" but determined that, "unfortunately, that sort of trick works only once an album, and anyone expecting more of the same from Unity will be sorely disappointed." [17] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution stated that Unity "offers Rastafarian vibes for summer beer decks everywhere." [13]
The Los Angeles Times noted that "the seed planted by Jamaican music and reggae culture is filtered through an American perspective." [18] The Los Angeles Daily News called the album "too pop oriented, too lightweight," writing that "it lacks the pathos that made Marley, at even his most chirpy, believable." [16] The Orange County Register concluded that "this group is extremely commercial; at its most hard-hitting, Big Mountain sounds like a more accessible Steel Pulse." [19]
All tracks are written by Joaquin "Quino" McWhinney, except where noted
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fruitful Days" (McWhinney, Brett Fovargue) | 3:55 |
| 2. | "Border Town" (McWhinney, Lance Rhodes) | 4:06 |
| 3. | "Upful & Right" | 3:24 |
| 4. | "Sweet Sensual Love" | 3:45 |
| 5. | "I Would Find a Way" (Dianne Warren) | 5:01 |
| 6. | "Tengo Ganas" (McWhinney, Rhodes) | 4:22 |
| 7. | "Baby, I Love Your Way" (Peter Frampton) | 4:25 |
| 8. | "Young Revolutionaries" | 3:47 |
| 9. | "Revolution" | 3:38 |
| 10. | "Time Has Come" (McWhinney, Lynn Copeland) | 3:39 |
| 11. | "Big Mountain" (McWhinney, Jerome Cruz) | 6:22 |
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