Soul on Board is the debut solo studio album by English singer Curt Smith, released on 6 September 1993 by Vertigo and Phonogram Records.

Soul on Board
Studio album by
Released6 September 1993 (1993-09-06)[1]
Studio
Various
GenrePop
Length51:42
Label
Producer
Curt Smith chronology
Soul on Board
(1993)
Mayfield
(1998)
Singles from Soul on Board
  1. "Calling Out"
    Released: 26 July 1993[2]
  2. "Words"
    Released: 1993

The album was Smith's first musical venture after leaving pop rock band Tears for Fears in 1991. Preceded by the single "Calling Out", both the album and the single were ultimately unsuccessful and failed to chart in the UK. A second single, "Words", also failed to chart. Subsequently, the album was never released at all in the US, although advance promotional cassettes were distributed in the US in very limited quantities, indicating that a US release of the album was originally planned.

Smith later stated that he despises the album and alleges that he made it purely to fulfil his recording contract with Phonogram and Mercury Records.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]

The Gazette wrote that "Smith's album is just as studio-professional and wallpaper-forgettable as whatever his fellow former TFF pop snob Roland Orzabal put out."[4]

Track listing

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Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Soul on Board"
5:13
2."Calling Out"6:06
3."Beautiful to Me"
  • Smith
  • Scott Wilk
6:20
4."Wonder Child"4:08
5."Words"
  • Smith
  • Nicky Holland
4:22
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."I Will Be There"
  • Smith
  • Page
4:45
7."No One Knows Your Name"
  • Smith
  • Colin Woore
5:47
8."Rain"
  • Smith
  • Livsey
4:07
9."Come the Revolution"
  • Smith
  • Page
4:13
10."Still in Love with You"Phil Lynott6:45
Total length:51:42

Personnel

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Adapted from AllMusic.[5]

  • Curt Smith – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass
  • Jeff Bova – keyboards
  • Kim Bullard – keyboards
  • Kevin Deane – keyboards
  • Billy Livsey – keyboards, backing vocals
  • P.J. Moore – keyboards
  • Martin Page – keyboards, bass, backing vocals
  • Neil Taylor – guitars, backing vocals
  • Colin Woore – guitars
  • Alan Kamaii – bass
  • Jimmy Copley – drums
  • Steve Ferrone – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion
  • Carole Steele – percussion
  • Barry Finclair – strings
  • Charles McCraken – strings
  • David Nadien – strings
  • Richard Sortomme – strings
  • Peter Cox – backing vocals
  • Lynn Davis – backing vocals
  • Diosa – backing vocals
  • Siedah Garrett – backing vocals
  • Franne Golde – backing vocals
  • Toi Marcell – backing vocals
  • Jean McClain – backing vocals
  • Taz I.E. No Fisk (Ketrina Askew) – rap (9)

Production

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  • Bob Kranes – A&R
  • Curt Smith – producer
  • Martin Page – producer (1, 6, 9), engineer (1, 6, 9)
  • Kevin Deane – producer (2, 3, 5)
  • Chris Kimsey – producer (4, 8, 10), engineer (4, 8, 10)
  • Jeff Lorenzen – engineer (1, 6, 9)
  • Ed Thacker – engineer (1, 6, 9)
  • Paul Logus – engineer (2, 3, 5)
  • Jeff Graham – engineer (4, 7, 8, 10)
  • Mick Guzauski – engineer (4, 7, 8, 10), additional recording (4, 7, 8, 10), mixing
  • Richard McKernan – engineer (4, 7, 8, 10)
  • Paul Orofino – engineer (7)
  • Scott Hull – mastering at Masterdisk (New York, NY)
  • Michael Bays – art direction, design
  • Étsuko Iseki – art direction, design
  • Frank Ockenfels – photography

References

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  1. ^ "Album Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 4 September 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  2. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 24 July 1993. p. 25. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Soul on Board Review by Dan LeRoy". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ^ Lepage, Mark (19 February 1994). "Soul on Board". The Gazette. p. C3.
  5. ^ "Soul on Board – Curt Smith | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
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