James Reyne (album) explained

James Reyne
Type:	studio
Artist:	James Reyne
Cover:	James Reyne (album).jpg
Released:	September 1987
Recorded:	1987
Genre:	Rock
Length:	50:39
Label:	Capitol, EMI
Producer:	Davitt Sigerson
Next Title:	Hard Reyne
Next Year:	1989

James Reyne is the debut studio album by Australian singer-songwriter James Reyne, released in September 1987. It was the singer's first solo venture since the break-up of the band Australian Crawl in 1986.

Six singles were released from the album: "Fall of Rome", "Hammerhead", "Rip it Up", "Heaven on a Stick", "Motor's Too Fast" and "Always The Way".

The album was re-released on vinyl in January 2017 to celebrate its 30th anniversary.^[1]

Review

Tomas Mureika of AllMusic said, "Reyne uses his voice as an instrument, leaping wildly across complex melody lines littered with hooks" adding the album is "one of the most striking albums of the late-eighties".^[2]

In a Cash Box review, they said "Australian musician's American debut showcasing accessible and intelligent pop/rock and should garner healthy AOR attention immediately."^[3]

Track listing

1. "Fall of Rome" (Reyne) – 4:57
2. "Hammerhead" (Reyne / Hussey) – 4:46
3. "Mr. Sandman" (Reyne / Hussey) – 4:25
4. "Counting on Me" (Reyne / Sigerson) – 4:29
5. "Always the Way" (Reyne / Hussey) – 7:23
6. "Land of Hope and Glory" (Reyne) – 4:18
7. "Heaven on a Stick" (Reyne / Hussey) – 3:24
8. "Motor's Too Fast" (Reyne / Hussey) – 4:13 (US & European release and 1988 Australian re-release)
9. "Rip it Up" (Reyne / Scott / Sigerson) – 5:42
10. "Burning Wood" (Reyne) – 2:43
11. "The Traveller" (Reyne / Scott / Sigerson) – 4:18
12. "Coin in a Plate" (Reyne / Hussey) (1987 Australian release only) – 4:14

Personnel

• James Reyne – vocals, guitar
• Jef Scott – guitars, bass, vocals
• Davey Faragher – bass
• John Watson – drums and percussion

Guests

• Phil Shenale – keyboards
• David Baerwald – guitar
• David Lindley – lap steel and Hawaiian guitars
• Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
• Olivia Newton-John – backing vocals on "Hammerhead"
• Bill Payne – piano
• David Ricketts – guitar, keyboards
• Peter Snell – guitar
• Lee Curreri – keyboards
• Bob Thiele – keyboards

Charts

Year-end charts

See also

• List of Top 25 albums for 1987 in Australia

Notes and References

1. Web site: James Reyne Self-Titled Debut To Be Reissued In January. noise11. 15 December 2016 . 15 December 2016.
2. Web site: James Reyne by James Reyne. www.allmusic.com. 11 March 2016.
3. Feature Picks. Cash Box. World Radio History. 8. 16 April 1988. 15 November 2021.