A Flock of Seagulls (album)
A Flock of Seagulls | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 30 April 1982 | |||
Recorded | Summer–Late Autumn 1981 | |||
Studio | Battery Studios | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:45 | |||
Label | Jive | |||
Producer | ||||
A Flock of Seagulls chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from A Flock of Seagulls | ||||
|
A Flock of Seagulls is the debut studio album by the new wave band A Flock of Seagulls. It was released in 1982 on Jive and featured the international hit single "I Ran (So Far Away)", which reached the Top 10 in the US and New Zealand, as well as No. 1 in Australia. The song "Space Age Love Song" also managed to make the US top 40. On the success of the singles, the album reached No. 10 in the US.
Reception[]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
Smash Hits | 5/10[6] |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[4] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ()[7] |
The Village Voice | A−[5] |
The album received good reviews upon its release and radio airplay.[8][3] In his retrospective review for AllMusic, Tom Demalon gave the album 4.5 stars, calling it "great fun and a wonderful collection of new wave ear candy."
Critic Robert Christgau was also happy with it, giving it an A- and saying that it is "so transparently, guilelessly expedient that it actually provides the hook-chocked fun most current pop bands only advertise."[5] Other reviews pointed out the bands "pioneering sounds, compelling hooks and undeniably addictive gimmicks."[3]
The band, and particularly this album, were influential during the 1980s for their image[9] and for their production techniques. Record producer Phil Spector called the album "phenomenal."[10]
The album track "D.N.A." won a Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
Track listing[]
All tracks are written by Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Modern Love Is Automatic" | 3:50 |
2. | "Messages" | 2:52 |
3. | "I Ran (So Far Away)" | 5:09 |
4. | "Space Age Love Song" | 3:48 |
5. | "You Can Run" | 4:26 |
6. | "Telecommunication" | 2:32 |
7. | "Standing in the Doorway" | 4:40 |
8. | "Don't Ask Me" | 2:46 |
9. | "D.N.A." | 2:31 |
10. | "Tokyo" | 2:54 |
11. | "Man Made" | 5:40 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "Pick Me Up" | 3:07 |
13. | "Windows" | 3:30 |
14. | "Tanglimara" | 4:30 |
15. | "Intro" | 3:24 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "I Ran (So Far Away)" | 3:58 |
2. | "Space Age Love Song" | 3:45 |
3. | "You Can Run" | 4:28 |
4. | "Don't Ask Me" | 2:46 |
5. | "Messages" | 2:51 |
6. | "Telecommunication" | 2:31 |
7. | "Modern Love Is Automatic" | 3:49 |
8. | "Standing in the Doorway" | 4:41 |
9. | "D.N.A." | 2:30 |
10. | "Man Made" | 5:38 |
Personnel[]
|
|
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
|
Year-end charts[]
|
Charting singles[]
Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
"Telecommunication" | U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs | 19 |
"I Ran (So Far Away)" | Australian (ARIA Chart) | 1 |
Canada (RPM) |
26 | |
French Chart (SNICOP) |
31 | |
Germany (Media Control) |
31 | |
Netherlands Singles Top 100 |
46 | |
Official New Zealand Music Chart |
7 | |
UK Singles Chart | 43 | |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 | |
U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs |
8 | |
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart | 3 | |
"Space Age Love Song" | Australian (ARIA Chart) | 68 |
Official New Zealand Music Chart |
31 | |
UK Singles Chart | 34 | |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 30 | |
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart | 59 |
Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[20] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[22] | Gold | 500,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[23] | Gold | 7,500^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References[]
- ^ Demalon, Tom. "A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. 27 May 2011. ISBN 9780857125958.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Considine, J. D.; Randall, Mac (2004). "A Flock of Seagulls". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 304–05. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Christgau, Robert (30 November 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ Schlosberg, Karen. "Smash Hits, April 15, 1982 – p.33". Smash Hits. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
- ^ Hull, Tom (26 April 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
- ^ US college radio, the New British Invasion and media alterity N Rubin – Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast
- ^ "Never mind the hair bands, here's a Flock of Seagulls!". Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ Wall of pain: the biography of Phil Spector. D Thompson – 2003 – Sanctuary Pub Ltd
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Canadian Collections". Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "A Flock of Seagulls | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "A Flock of Seagulls Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1983". Billboard. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Music Canada. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ "British album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ "American album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- ^ "New Zealand album certifications – A Flock of Seagulls – A Flock of Seagulls". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- A Flock of Seagulls albums
- 1982 debut albums
- Albums produced by Mike Howlett
- Cherry Red Records albums
- Jive Records albums
- Concept albums
- Science fiction concept albums