Red (The Communards album) explained

Red
Type:studio
Artist:the Communards
Cover:The Communards - Red.png
Released:5 October 1987[1]
Recorded:June–August 1987
Studio:Advision (London)
Genre:
Length:45:11
Label:London
Producer:
Prev Title:Communards
Prev Year:1986
Next Title:Heaven
Next Year:1994

Red is the second and final studio album by British synth-pop duo the Communards, released on 5 October 1987[3] by London Records in the United Kingdom and MCA Records in the United States. It reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and number 93 on the US Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum in the UK. Red features the singles "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Tomorrow", "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" and "For a Friend".

Notable songs

"Never Can Say Goodbye"

See main article: Never Can Say Goodbye. The Clifton Davis-penned song was originally performed by the Jackson 5,[4] but this rendition is similar to Gloria Gaynor's disco version.[5] [6] [7] Jimmy Somerville's "straight ahead" vocals are a strength of the song, with Andy Kellman of AllMusic crediting him with producing a recording that "stands apart" from other versions. The single proved successful on both sides of the Atlantic; reaching number 4 in the UK and number 51 in the US,[8] while being certified silver in the UK.[9] The track was used in the Doctor Who episode "Father's Day".[10]

"For a Friend"

See main article: For a Friend. The last cut on the original vinyl side one is an emotional ballad. It was written in memory of Mark Ashton, a friend of Somerville and Richard Coles who died of HIV/AIDS. Mark Hooper of The Rough Guide to Rock writes that this cut may be Somerville's "most impassioned moment". It was among the first pop songs to address AIDS.[11] "For a Friend" reached number 28 on the British charts. It was featured in the soundtrack of the 2014 film Pride.[12] It was also one of the songs played at Burberry’s February 2018 show, marking Christopher Bailey’s final outing for the brand.[13]

Artwork and title

The album cover is white with a grey five-pointed star containing two faces in profile (the group's logo). Directly above the star is the band's name in plain all capital letters. Above the band's name in red flowing script is the album title 'Red'. The title is a nod to the duo's socialist leanings at the time. The US issue features the cover in red.

Reception

Opinions vary as to where this album stands next to its predecessor, Communards. Andy Kellman of AllMusic's retrospective review feels it "tops their respectable debut in nearly every aspect" and that the singles "Tomorrow" and "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" are "stronger than anything on the debut". On the other hand, Kate Walter of Spin said it is "weaker than [their] sizzling debut album". Balancing these opinions was Mark Hooper of The Rough Guide to Rock who wrote that the album is "every bit as accomplished as its predecessor".

Kellman's review praises the production work of Stephen Hague and calls the album "a defining Euro-dance record of the latter half of the '80s". Walter credits Cole's "rickety–tickety synthesizers" and "tingly keyboards" along with Somerville's "squeals" and "whoops" as strengths of the album but bemoans the lack of cohesion of the album's side two compared to its first half.

Track listing

Written by Richard Coles and Jimmy Somerville, except where noted

2022 Re-issue

Personnel

The Communards

Additional musicians

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1987–1988)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[14] 97
European Albums (Music & Media)[15] 10
French Albums (IFOP)[16] 3
Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)[17] 19

Year-end charts

Chart (1987) ! scope="col"
Position
UK Albums (Gallup)[19] 67
West German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] 60

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Red [35 Year Anniversary Edition]]. Allmusic. RhythmOne. https://web.archive.org/web/20230719171510/https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/red-35-year-anniversary-edition--mr0005842408. live. 2023-07-09. Release Date October 5, 1987. 19 July 2023. (However, the title refers to a music download, at that time the digital transfer service was not yet established. It is therefore to assumed that the published date relates to the original release.)
  2. Web site: Robbins . Ira . Rompers . Terry . Bronski Beat . . 14 November 2018 . 5 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305012707/http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=bronski_beat . live .
  3. New Albums . . 3 October 1987 . 38 . 0265-1548 . World Radio History.
  4. Book: Warwick. Neil. Kutner. Jon. Brown. Tony. The Complete Book of the British charts: Singles & Albums. 4 January 2011. 2004. Omnibus Press. 978-1-84449-058-5. 256.
  5. Web site: Review: Red. Kellman. Andy. AllMusic. 4 January 2011. 13 November 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121113212846/http://www.allmusic.com/album/red-mw0000651576. live.
  6. Web site: The Communards Red MCA. Walter. Kate. April 1988. Spin. 20. 4 January 2011.
  7. Book: Hooper, Mark. Buckley, Peter. The Rough Guide to Rock. 5 January 2011. 2003. Rough Guides. 978-1-84353-105-0. 221–222.
  8. Web site: The Communards Chart History (The Hot 100). Billboard. 8 February 2022. 8 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220208181148/https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-communards/chart-history/hsi/. live.
  9. United Kingdom. Communards. Never Can Say Goodbye. 4502-1292-1. 1 December 1987. 8 February 2022.
  10. Web site: Doctor Who – "Father's Day" – Episode Guide. BBC. 19 January 2015. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924213210/http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/episodes/?episode=s1_08&action=factfile. live.
  11. Book: Theophano, Teresa. Queer Quotes: On Coming Out and Culture, Love and Lust, Politics and Pride, and Much More. registration. 9 November 2014. 2004. Beacon Press. 9780807079065. 177.
  12. Web site: The Story Behind the Making of Pride – Producer and Cast Q&A. Brightmore. Dan. 12 September 2014. NME. 9 November 2014. 9 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141109035022/http://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/the-story-behind-the-making-of-pride-producer-and-cast-qa. live.
  13. News: Laura. Hawkins. United Visual Artists lights up Christopher Bailey’s final Burberry show. Wallpaper*. 18 February 2018. 18 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180218142029/https://www.wallpaper.com/fashion/christopher-bailey-final-burberry-show-united-visual-artists#rSl1lqgoh888SkdF.99. live.
  14. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. St Ives, N.S.W.. Australian Chart Book. 71. 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
  15. European Hot 100 Albums . . 4 . 48 . 5 December 1987 . 18 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  16. Web site: Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste . InfoDisc . fr . 8 February 2022 . 5 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180805233829/https://www.infodisc.fr/Album_Liste_Selection2.php?Lettre=C . live . Select "COMMUNARDS" from the drop-down menu and click "OK".
  17. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. 28 June 2023. 1 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161201160637/http://musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php. live. Set "Album" for option "Tipo", then write the name of a wanted album in the "Titolo" field and search for the artist.
  18. Web site: Red. Official Charts Company. OCC. https://web.archive.org/web/20221112175559/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20221104/40/. live. 2022-11-12.
    1. 52
    .
  19. News: Gallup Year End Charts 1987 – Albums . . 23 January 1988 . 37 . 0144-5804 . World Radio History . 8 February 2022 . 17 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517071401/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/80s/88/Record-Mirror-1988-01-23-OCR.pdf . live .
  20. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1988. de. GfK Entertainment. 18 February 2021. 9 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150509155315/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1988. live.

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