Hope and Despair

Hope and Despair is the debut solo album by Scottish musician Edwyn Collins. It was released in 1989.

Hope and Despair
Studio album by Edwyn Collins
Released	1989
Recorded	February–April 1989
Studio	Whitehouse Studios, Köln; "Swamp" Priory Road, London
Genre	Country rock
Length	55:35
Label	Demon
Producer	Phil Thornalley, Tom Dokoupil
Edwyn Collins chronology
Hope and Despair (1989) Hellbent on Compromise (1990)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

Track listing

All tracks composed by Edwyn Collins; except where indicated

1. "Coffee Table Song" – 4:51
2. "50 Shades of Blue" – 3:55
3. "You're Better Than You Know" – 4:12
4. "Pushing It to the Back of My Mind" – 3:47
5. "If Ever You're Ready" – 4:21
6. "Darling, They Want It All" – 3:42
7. "The Wheels of Love" – 4:54
8. "The Beginning of the End" – 3:57
9. "The Measure of a Man" (Dennis Bovell) – 3:38
10. "Testing Time" – 3:51
11. "Let Me Put My Arms Around You" – 4:06
12. "The Wide Eyed Child in Me" – 2:51
13. "Ghost of a Chance" – 4:08
14. "Hope and Despair" – 3:22

Personnel

• Edwyn Collins – guitar, vocals, backing vocals
• Dennis Bovell – bass
• David Ruffy – drums
• Bernie Clarke – Hammond organ, piano, synthesizer, Wurlitzer
• Roddy Frame- guitar, backing vocals
• Steven Skinner - guitar
• Bruce Dern - steel guitar on "Pushing It to the Back of My Mind" and "The Wide Eyed Child in Me"
• Alex Grey - Hammond organ on "50 Shades of Blue"
• Tom Dokoupil - synthesizer on "Pushing It to the Back of My Mind"; string arrangement on "You're Better Than You Know"