Crooked Calypso is the third studio album by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, both formerly members of the Beautiful South. The album was released in the UK on 21 July 2017 by Virgin EMI.
| Crooked Calypso | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 21 July 2017 | |||
| Studio | The Chairworks, Castleford[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 46:30 (standard edition) 71:52 (deluxe edition) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | John Owen Williams | |||
| Paul Heaton chronology | ||||
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| Jacqui Abbott chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Crooked Calypso | ||||
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When writing the lyrics for the album, Heaton again retreated to the Netherlands, while the music was written in Gran Canaria together with guitarist Jonny Lexus.[1][2] The photography for the album was by Sean Welch, the bassist for The Beautiful South.[1]
A deluxe edition was also available upon the album's release, which included a DVD of a live performance recorded at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on 5 August 2016.[1]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The Guardian | [4] |
Crooked Calypso attracted mainly positive reviews upon release. Writing for The Guardian, Rachel Aroesti comments how Heaton delivers "observations about British society's ironies and inequalities" with "gusto, his droll lyricism drilling into subject matter from obesity... and the cavernous divide between rich and poor... over a backing of the kind of jaunty pop that can take in folk, disco and blues without ever breaking its buoyant stride."[4]
In a review for AllMusic, Timothy Monger wrote, "There's something refreshingly organic about their big productions, which layer strings and horns over a whip-tight rock combo that sways nimbly between Motown, R&B, and old-fashioned rock & roll within the breadth of just a few notes."[3]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Gotta Praise" | 2:37 |
| 2. | "He Wants To" | 3:48 |
| 3. | "If I May" | 4:03 |
| 4. | "She Got the Garden" | 3:20 |
| 5. | "People Like Us" | 4:43 |
| 6. | "Blackwater Banks" | 3:53 |
| 7. | "The Lord Is a White Con" | 4:20 |
| 8. | "Silence Is" | 4:00 |
| 9. | "Love Makes You Happy" | 4:22 |
| 10. | "The Fat Man" | 3:46 |
| 11. | "Your Bit of Stuff" | 2:46 |
| 12. | "He Can't Marry Her" | 4:52 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Market Street" | 9:09 |
| 14. | "Since My Dearest Husband" | 4:25 |
| 15. | "The Future Mrs Heaton" | 6:37 |
| 16. | "The Dice" | 5:16 |
Charts
edit| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[5] | 10 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[6] | 1 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[7] | 2 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c d Crooked Calypso liner notes
- ^ "Paul Heaton + Jacqui Abbott - Crooked Calypso - LP Liner Notes". Discogs. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- ^ a b Monger, Timothy (21 July 2017). "Crooked Calypso - Paul Heaton, Jacqui Abbott | Songes, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". All Media Network. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- ^ a b Aroesti, Rachel (20 July 2017). "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott: Crooked Calypso review – wise, witty and weighty". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Paul Heaton". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
- ^ "British album certifications – Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott – Crooked Calypso". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 September 2020.