Sad Café is the fourth studio album by English rock band Sad Café, released in October 1980 by RCA Records.
| Sad Café | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 3 October 1980[1] | |||
| Studio | Strawberry Studios South, Dorking | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 41:44 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Eric Stewart | |||
| Sad Café chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Sad Café | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
| Record Mirror | [4] |
Release
editIn the UK, two singles were released, "La-Di-Da" and "I'm in Love Again" both of which charted on the UK Singles Chart.[5] On some editions of the album, "Love Today" and "I'm in Love Again" are swapped around on the track listing.
The album failed to continue the success of the band's previous album and it charted at number 46 on the UK Album Charts.[6] It was also certified silver by the BPI in February 1981.[7] In the US, the album was released by Swan Song Records and it charted at number 160 on the Billboard 200.[8]
The album was reissued on CD in 2009 in the US by Renaissance Records.[9]
Reception
editReviewing the album for Record Mirror, Paul Sexton described it as "more of the same. Which is fine, as the band is still relatively young... and there's so much diversity in their music, that it'll take quite a while before they come to the bottom of that particular well. The album doesn't feature any ballads in the form of 'Every Day Hurts', and probably for that reason, won't spawn any hits that big. But 'La Di Da' is already making an impression, and it's indicative of the midpace, happy/sad ambivalence the band specialises in." "It's also good to see vocalist Paul Young, the band's chief lyricist, being able to vary the content of his lyrics, and providing a contrast to the usual love-gone-right and love-gone-wrong fodder".[4]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Paul Young, except where noted
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "La-Di-Da" | John Stimpson, Young | 5:00 | |
| 2. | "Digital Daydream Blues" | Ashley Mulford, Young, Vic Emerson | 4:53 | |
| 3. | "What Am I Gonna Do" | Ian Wilson | Wilson | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Keep It from the Troops" | Sad Café | 6:12 | |
| 5. | "Love Today" | Wilson, Young | Sad Café | 4:42 |
| 6. | "Losin' You" | Mulford | Mulford | 3:54 |
| 7. | "Dreamin'" | Mulford, Stimpson, Young, Emerson | 4:13 | |
| 8. | "No Favours No Way" | Stimpson, Young | 3:57 | |
| 9. | "I'm in Love Again" | Wilson, Young | Wilson, Emerson | 4:13 |
| Total length: | 41:44 | |||
Personnel
editSad Café[10]
- Paul Young – lead vocals, percussion, congas
- Ashley Mulford – lead guitar, slide guitar, vocals
- Ian Wilson – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals, percussion
- John Stimpson – bass guitar, vocals
- Vic Emerson – piano, synthesizer
- Dave Irving – drums, vocals, percussion
- Lenni Zaksen – saxophone, vocals
Technical
- Eric Stewart – engineer, producer
- Alwyn Clayden – art direction
- Vic Emerson – strings arrangement and synthesisation
- Lenni Zaksen – horns arrangement
- John Shaw – photography
- Recorded at Strawberry Studios South in Dorking and mastered at Strawberry Mastering in London
Charts
edit| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] | 28 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[6] | 46 |
| US Billboard 200[8] | 160 |
References
edit- ^ "News" (PDF). Record Mirror. 13 September 1980. p. 3. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Sad Café – Sad Café | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press.
- ^ a b "Albums" (PDF). Record Mirror: 20. 11 October 1980. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
- ^ "SAD CAFE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Sad Cafe | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- ^ "BRIT Certified Award – Sad Cafe – Sad Cafe". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- ^ a b "Sad Cafe Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ twilightdawning (17 May 2019). "Sad Cafe – Discography 1977-2019". twilightdawning. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ Sad Café - Sad Café | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 27 April 2020
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Sad Café – Sad Café". Hung Medien.