Paintings in Yellow explained

Paintings in Yellow
Type:	studio
Artist:	Sandra
Cover:	Sandra - Paintings in Yellow.png
Released:	26 March 1990
Recorded:	1989–1990
Studio:	A.R.T. (Ibiza, Spain)
Genre:	Pop new-age
Length:	48:59
Label:	Virgin
Producer:	Michael Cretu
Prev Title:	Everlasting Love
Prev Year:	1988
Next Title:	Close to Seven
Next Year:	1992

Paintings in Yellow is the fourth studio album by German singer Sandra, released on 26 March 1990 by Virgin Records. It was commercially successful and spawned the single "Hiroshima".

Background and release

The album was recorded at A.R.T. Studios, Sandra and Michael Cretu's home studio in Ibiza, Spain. The material showcased more mature sound, departing from Sandra's previous, up-tempo dance songs in favour of a more reflective and sophisticated style. Much of the material, especially the five-part track "The Journey", foreshadowed the sound of Enigma, a new-age music project that Michael and Sandra were working on during the making of the album. Frank Peterson, who was the co-producer on the Enigma project, took up the role of co-writing some of the tracks on Paintings in Yellow.

The cover of Wishful Thinking's "Hiroshima" was released as the lead single in February 1990, becoming a top-five chart success in Germany and Switzerland. It was followed by two further singles in 1990, "(Life May Be) A Big Insanity" and the ballad "One More Night", which were moderately successful on the charts.

Paintings in Yellow became Sandra's highest-charting album in Germany at number four, in addition to a top-10 peak in Switzerland. The record has been certified gold in Germany and France, and platinum in Switzerland.

Critical reception

Music & Media described the album as "[w]ell balanced and seamlessly commercial" and commented that "Sandra's sensual voice is wrapped in a sea of breathy instrumentation", but concluded that "despite the undeniable commerciality of it all this is rather predictable."^[1]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Paintings in Yellow.^[2]

• Sandra – vocals
• Michael Cretu – production, arrangements, performance, engineering
• Frank Peterson – arrangements, performance, engineering
• Tom Leonardt – all acoustic and electric guitars
• Mike Schmidt – art direction
• Stefan Langner – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990)! scope="col"

Peak position
European Albums (Music & Media)^[3]	12
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[4]	28
French Albums (IFOP)^[5]	13

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)! scope="col"

Position
European Albums (Music & Media)^[6]	59
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[7]	50

Notes and References

1. Previews – Albums . . 7 . 15 . 21 . 14 April 1990 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
2. Sandra . Sandra (singer) . Paintings in Yellow . liner notes . . 1990 . 260 518-222.
3. European Top 100 Albums . Music & Media . 7 . 19 . 12 May 1990 . VIII . 29800226 . World Radio History.
4. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . fi . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
5. Web site: Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste . InfoDisc . fr . 6 August 2019. Select "SANDRA" from the drop-down menu and click "OK".
6. European Top 100 Albums – 1990 . Music & Media . 7 . 51 . 22 December 1990 . 38 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
7. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1990 . de . GfK Entertainment . 7 August 2019.