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Islands (Kajagoogoo album)

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Islands
Studio album by
Kajagoogoo / Kaja
Released21 May 1984 (1984-05-21)
Studio
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length39:36 (1984 release)
69:55 (2004 CD reissue)
LabelEMI (United Kingdom)
EMI America Records (United States)
Producer
Kajagoogoo / Kaja chronology
White Feathers
(1983) 		Islands
(1984) 		Crazy Peoples Right to Speak
(1985)
Alternative cover
US/Canada cover.
Singles from Islands
  1. "Big Apple"
    Released: 5 September 1983[2]
  2. "The Lion's Mouth"
    Released: 20 February 1984[3]
  3. "Turn Your Back on Me"
    Released: 24 April 1984[4]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Smash Hits[5]
AllMusic[1]

Islands is the second album by the English new wave band Kajagoogoo, released on 21 May 1984 by EMI.

Background

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This was the band's first album without lead vocalist Limahl, who had been fired by the band in mid-1983 and went on to pursue a solo career. Bassist Nick Beggs, already having been the singer in the band's previous incarnation as Art Nouveau, resumed lead vocal and lyric duties. The album was co-produced by the band themselves, now a quartet, along with Colin Thurston, who had also produced their debut album, White Feathers (1983). It is the final album to date to feature founding drummer Jez Strode.

Release

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The album did not sell as well as its predecessor, peaking at #35 on the UK Albums Chart. The first single, "Big Apple", reached #8 in the UK, but subsequent singles were less successful, with "The Lion's Mouth" peaking at #25 and "Turn Your Back on Me" only reaching #47.

The band had shortened their name to Kaja by the time the album was rolled out in North America, where Islands was released as Extra Play with different artwork. This edition also replaces the album version of "Turn Your Back on Me" with a remix by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero, which was released as a single and reached #2 on the US dance charts. Despite this, the album stalled at #185 on the Billboard 200.

In 2004, the original UK album was remastered and issued on CD for the first time, along with seven bonus tracks.

Track listing

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All songs written by Kajagoogoo.

Side one

  1. "The Lion's Mouth" – 3:32
  2. "Big Apple" – 4:09
  3. "The Power to Forgive" – 4:45
  4. "Melting the Ice Away" – 5:10

Side two

  1. "Turn Your Back on Me" – 3:58
  2. "Islands" – 4:52
  3. "On a Plane" – 4:14
  4. "Part of Me Is You" – 3:52
  5. "The Loop (Instrumental)" – 4:40

2004 CD bonus tracks

  2. "Turn Your Back on Me (Thompson & Barbiero US Mix)" – 3:56
  3. "The Pump Rooms of Bath (Instrumental)" – 2:31
  4. "The Garden (Instrumental)" – 2:51
  5. "Monochromatic (Live)" - 4:08
  6. "Big Apple (Metro Mix)" – 6:05
  7. "The Lion's Mouth (The Beast Mix)" – 5:37
  8. "Turn Your Back on Me (Extended Dance Mix)" – 5:03

Personnel

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Kajagoogoo

  • Nick Beggs – vocal (tracks 1–8), bass guitar (tracks 1–4, 7), Chapman Stick (tracks 1, 5, 9), percussion (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 9), fretless bass (tracks 6, 8)
  • Stuart Neale – synthesizers (tracks 1–9), backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7), acoustic piano (tracks 2–4, 6–9), vocoder (tracks 3, 5), PPG programming (tracks 4, 5, 7, 9), percussion (track 6), sequencer (track 8)
  • Steve Askew – guitars (tracks 1–3, 5, 6), percussion (track 2), semi acoustic guitars (tracks 4, 7, 9), backing vocals (track 5), effects (track 6), electric guitar (tracks 7–9), semi acoustic Spanish guitar (track 8)
  • Jez Strode – drums (tracks 1–9), percussion (tracks 1–5, 7–9), programming (tracks 5, 6, 8)

Additional musicians

  • Colin Thurston - backing vocals (tracks 1, 3–5, 7), percussion (track 2), vocoder (track 5)
  • Guy Barker – trumpets (tracks 1, 2, 7, 9)
  • Phil Todd – saxophones (tracks 1, 3, 7, 9), solo (track 7), flutes (track 7)
  • Chris Hunter – saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 7)
  • Pete Beachill – trombone (tracks 1, 8, 9)
  • Annie McCaig – backing vocals (tracks 4, 8)
  • David Geawt – backing vocals (track 5)

Technical

  • Colin Thurston – co-producer
  • Kajagoogoo – co-producer, brass arrangements (track 8)
  • Guy Barker – brass arrangements (track 9)
  • Phil Todd – brass arrangements (track 9)
  • Rob Hahnet with Terry & Mark – engineers (Jacob's Studios)
  • Mark, Neil, Trevor & John – engineers (Roundhouse)
  • Robin & Chris – engineers (Good Earth)
  • Andy & Hutch – engineers (Farmyard)
  • Steve Chase – engineer (The Manor)
  • Dick Jones – assistant engineer
  • Gordon Vicary – cutting engineer
  • Kathy Bryan – mastering
  • Richard Haughton – band photos
  • Markus Robinson – lighting
  • Tim - Gud Luc – make-up
  • Toni & Guy – hairdressers
  • Mick Karn – inner photo (Thai picture)[citation needed]
  • Cream – original sleeve design
  • The Red Room – re-issue design
  • Nigel Reeve – re-issue project coordination

References

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  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Kajagoogoo - Islands (1984) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "News". Record Mirror: 7. 27 August 1983. Retrieved 15 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
  3. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 18.
  4. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 18.
  5. ^ Cranna, Ian (12 April 1984). "Review: Kajagoogoo – Islands". Smash Hits. London, England: EMAP. p. 19.
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