Alphabet City (album)
Alphabet City | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 12 October 1987 | |||
Recorded | November 1986 – August 1987 | |||
Studio | Marcus Recording Studios, London | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:55 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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ABC chronology | ||||
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Singles from Alphabet City | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Alphabet City is the fourth studio album by English pop band ABC. It was originally released in October 1987, on the labels Mercury, Phonogram and Neutron, two years after their previous album How to Be a ... Zillionaire! Following a hiatus in which singer Martin Fry was being treated for Hodgkin's disease, it was recorded over a period of nine months between November 1986 and August 1987, in sessions that took place at Marcus Recording Studios in London, assisted by Bernard Edwards, best known for his work with the American band Chic.
The album's title and the titles of several tracks were inspired by the Alphabet City section of Manhattan, New York City, where Fry and Mark White lived for a time prior to the album's release. It peaked at No. 7 in the UK, making it their first album to reach the Top 10 since their debut The Lexicon of Love. The album launched three charting singles in the UK. "When Smokey Sings", a tribute to Smokey Robinson, peaked at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart; "The Night You Murdered Love" peaked at No. 31; "King Without a Crown" at No. 44.
In 2005, a digitally remastered CD of the album was released with six bonus tracks.
Track listing[]
All tracks are written by Martin Fry and Mark White, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Avenue A" |
| 0:56 |
2. | "When Smokey Sings" | 4:22 | |
3. | "The Night You Murdered Love" | 4:53 | |
4. | "Think Again" | 3:41 | |
5. | "Rage and Then Regret" | 3:34 | |
6. | "Ark-Angel" | 4:54 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "King Without a Crown" | 4:41 | |
8. | "Bad Blood" | 3:56 | |
9. | "Jealous Lover" | 3:36 | |
10. | "One Day" | 5:35 | |
11. | "Avenue Z" |
| 0:42 |
Total length: | 40:55 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
12. | "Minneapolis" |
| 2:57 |
13. | "When Smokey Sings [The Miami Mix]" | 7:05 | |
14. | "The Night You Murdered Love [The Whole Story]" | 8:16 | |
15. | "Chicago [Abridged]" |
| 3:42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
12. | "Minneapolis" |
| 2:57 |
13. | "Chicago [Abridged]" |
| 3:42 |
14. | "24 Carat Plastic" | 3:34 | |
15. | "The Night You Murdered Love [The Reply with Contessa Lady V]" | 4:50 | |
16. | "One Day [Instrumental with Real Strings]" | 5:47 | |
17. | "King Without a Crown [Monarchy Mix]" | 8:46 |
Personnel[]
ABC
- Martin Fry – lead and backing vocals
- Mark White – guitars; keyboards; programming
Additional personnel
- David Clayton – keyboards
- Brad Lang – bass guitar
- Danny Thompson – double bass
- Graham Broad – drums
- Pandit Dinesh – percussion; tabla
- Luís Jardim (misspelled as "Louis Jardin" on album notes) – percussion
- Howie Casey – saxophone
- Judd Lander – harmonica
- Miriam Stockley – backing vocals
- Tessa Niles – backing vocals
- Dolette McDonald – backing vocals
- Linda Taylor – backing vocals
- Alan Carvell – backing vocals
- Richard Niles – string arrangements on "When Smokey Sings" and "The Night You Murdered Love"
- Anne Dudley – string arrangements on "One Day" and "Bad Blood"
Production team
- Martin Fry – producer
- Mark White – producer
- Bernard Edwards – producer
- Martyn Webber – engineer
- Tim Burrell – assistant engineer
- Julian Mendelsohn – mixing
- Ian Cooper – mastering at the Townhouse Studios, London
- Andy Earl – photography
- Keith Breeden – artwork
- Peter Curzon – artwork
Charts[]
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] | 45 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] | 47 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] | 19 |
European Albums (Music & Media)[9] | 22 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] | 20 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[11] | 82 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[12] | 25 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] | 26 |
UK Albums (OCC)[14] | 7 |
US Billboard 200[15] | 48 |
References[]
- ^ Stylusmagazine.com
- ^ AllMusic
- ^ Itunes.apple.com
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "ABC – Alphabet City". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). United Kingdom: Omnibus Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-84609-856-7.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 10. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0880". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – ABC – Alphabet City" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 45. 14 November 1987. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABC – Alphabet City" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ AA.VV. (25 April 2006). Album Chart-Book Complete Edition 1970~2005. Tokyo: Oricon. ISBN 978-487-1-31077-2.
- ^ "Charts.nz – ABC – Alphabet City". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – ABC – Alphabet City". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "ABC Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
External links[]
- Alphabet City at Discogs (list of releases)
- 1987 albums
- ABC (band) albums
- Albums produced by Bernard Edwards
- Mercury Records albums