Stray is the fourth album by Scottish group Aztec Camera, released in June 1990 on WEA in the UK and on Sire Records in the US.[2]
| Stray | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 June 1990[1] | |||
| Recorded | December 1989 – April 1990 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 41:11 | |||
| Label | WEA, Sire | |||
| Producer | Roddy Frame, Eric Calvi[2] | |||
| Aztec Camera chronology | ||||
| ||||
Stray was praised for its diversity of songs and styles, and for the assured nature of Roddy Frame's lyrics (which had been considered the weak-point of some of his earlier material). Its understated production was also received positively, particularly coming after the group's previous album Love, which sold well in the United Kingdom but had been criticised by some[by whom?] for being too sanitised and glossy.
Stray peaked at No. 22 in the UK Albums Chart.[3] The single "Good Morning Britain", a collaboration with Mick Jones, reached No. 19 in the UK Singles Chart. The album peaked at number 107 on the Australian ARIA Charts.[4]
Background
editAztec Camera released their third studio album Love in 1987. It initially peaked at number 49 on the UK Albums Chart, but rose to number 10 after the success of its singles. "How Men Are", "Somewhere in My Heart" and "Working in a Goldmine" all reached the top 40 in the UK Singles Chart, with "Somewhere in My Heart" reaching the highest at number three. By 1990, the band's line-up consisted of frontman Roddy Frame, bassist Paul Powell, drummer Frank Tontoh and keyboardist Gary Sanctuary.[3]
Release
editTo promote Stray, the band embarked on a brief tour of the United States in late 1990, followed by an acoustic tour of the UK in mid-1991.[3]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| Alternative Rock | 8/10[3] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[6] |
| New Musical Express | 7/10[7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [8] |
In a 2013 review of Aztec Camera reissues, Uncut called Stray "the most inventive and durable Aztec Camera LP. Diverse, yes, but it’s exhilarating to hear Frame switching-up from plaintive balladry ('Over My Head') to the BAD-influenced 'Good Morning Britain.'"[9] The Rolling Stone Album Guide called the album "leaner and more melodic" and praised the "fine jazz-inflected numbers."[8] Author Dave Thompson wrote in his book Alternative Rock (2000) that "The Crying Scene" and "Notting Hill Blues" "alone repair the damage of Love's big sheen over-production," going on to highlight "Good Morning Britain" for its charm.[3]
Track listing
editAll tracks written by Roddy Frame.
- "Stray" 5:34
- "The Crying Scene" 3:34
- "Get Outta London" 3:41
- "Over My Head" 5:53
- "Good Morning Britain" 4:02
- "How It Is" 4:00
- "The Gentle Kind" 5:32
- "Notting Hill Blues" 6:41
- "Song for a Friend" 2:27
Singles
edit- "The Crying Scene" (UK No. 70)
- "Good Morning Britain" (UK No. 19)
Personnel
edit- Roddy Frame – guitars, vocals
- Gary Sanctuary – keyboards
- Paul Powell – bass guitar
- Frank Tontoh – drums
References
editCitations
- ^ "Roddy's return" (PDF). Sounds. 12 May 1990. p. 4. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ^ a b "TrouserPress.com :: Aztec Camera". www.trouserpress.com.
- ^ a b c d e Thompson 2000, p. 165
- ^ "Aztec Camera ARIA chart history (albums), received from ARIA in May 2024". ARIA. Retrieved 5 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Stray - Aztec Camera - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
- ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 88". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Quantick, David (9 June 1990). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 31.
- ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 28.
- ^ "Aztec Camera - reissues". 2 January 2013.
Sources
- Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion. San Francisco, California: Miller Freeman Books. ISBN 0-87930-607-6.