Metro Music Explained

Metro Music
Type:Album
Artist:Martha and the Muffins
Cover:Martha And The Muffins - Metro Music album cover.jpg
Border:yes
Released:February 1980
Recorded:August 1979
Studio:Manor Studios
Length:40:17
Label:Dindisc
Producer:Mike Howlett
Next Title:Trance and Dance
Next Year:1980

Metro Music is the debut album by Canadian new wave band Martha and the Muffins. It was released in 1980 on Dindisc, the first album release for the label, and contains the international hit single "Echo Beach".

The cover image design by Peter Saville is a map of Toronto, the band's hometown, and is based on a map from the National Topographic System of Canada.[1]

The entire Metro Music album also formed the first part of Martha and the Muffins' 1987 compilation Far Away in Time.

Release

The album's first single, "Echo Beach",[2] became a hit in several countries, reaching number three in Canada, number one in Portugal, number five in Australia and number 10 in the United Kingdom in March 1980. It also reached number 37 in the United States on the Club Play Singles chart. A slightly different recording of "Saigon" was released as a follow-up single in the UK a few months later,[3] but failed to chart. In Canada, the follow-up single was "Paint by Number Heart"[4] - it climbed to number 69. The album itself was certified gold in Canada (50,000 units) on September 1, 1980; "Echo Beach" was certified gold there (5,000 units) on the following October 1.[5]

Personnel

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1980)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 46
UK Album Chart[7] 34
U.S. Billboard 200186

Singles

SingleChart (1980)Position
"Echo Beach"Canada3
"Echo Beach"Australia (Kent Music Report)5
"Echo Beach"UK Singles Chart10
"Echo Beach/Paint By Number Heart"37

Notes and References

  1. Book: Saville, Peter. Designed by Peter Saville. 19 December 2011. 2003-08-15. Princeton Architectural Press. 978-1-56898-422-3. 1–.
  2. Web site: Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach. www.45cat.com.
  3. Web site: Martha And The Muffins - Saigon. www.45cat.com.
  4. Web site: Martha And The Muffins - Paint By Number Heart. Discogs.
  5. Web site: . Gold Platinum Database: Martha and the Muffins . 22 October 2011 .
  6. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 193.
  7. Web site: MARTHA & THE MUFFINS - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com.