Soul on Board explained

Soul on Board
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Curt Smith
Cover:	CurtSmithSoulOnBoard.jpg
Released:	^[1]
Genre:	Pop
Label:	Vertigo Phonogram
Producer:	Curt Smith Martin Page Chris Kimsey Kevin Deane
Next Title:	Mayfield
Next Year:	1998

Soul on Board is the debut solo studio album by English singer Curt Smith, released on 6 September 1993 by Vertigo and Phonogram Records.

The album was Smith's first musical venture after leaving pop rock band Tears for Fears in 1991. Preceded by the single "Calling Out", both the album and the single were ultimately unsuccessful and failed to chart in the UK. A second single, "Words", also failed to chart. Subsequently, the album was never released at all in the US, although advance promotional cassettes were distributed in the US in very limited quantities, indicating that a US release of the album was originally planned.

Smith later stated that he despises the album and alleges that he made it purely to fulfil his recording contract with Phonogram and Mercury Records.

Critical reception

The Gazette wrote that "Smith's album is just as studio-professional and wallpaper-forgettable as whatever his fellow former TFF pop snob Roland Orzabal put out."^[2]

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.^[3]

• Curt Smith – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitars, bass
• Jeff Bova – keyboards
• Kim Bullard – keyboards
• Kevin Deane – keyboards
• Billy Livsey – keyboards, backing vocals
• P.J. Moore – keyboards
• Martin Page – keyboards, bass, backing vocals
• Neil Taylor – guitars, backing vocals
• Colin Woore – guitars
• Alan Kamaii – bass
• Jimmy Copley – drums
• Steve Ferrone – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Carole Steele – percussion
• Barry Finclair – strings
• Charles McCraken – strings
• David Nadien – strings
• Richard Sortomme – strings
• Peter Cox – backing vocals
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals
• Diosa – backing vocals
• Siedah Garrett – backing vocals
• Franne Golde – backing vocals
• Toi Marcell – backing vocals
• Jean McClain – backing vocals
• Taz I.E. No Fisk (Ketrina Askew) – rap (9)

Production

• Bob Kranes – A&R
• Curt Smith – producer
• Martin Page – producer (1, 6, 9), engineer (1, 6, 9)
• Kevin Deane – producer (2, 3, 5)
• Chris Kimsey – producer (4, 8, 10), engineer (4, 8, 10)
• Jeff Lorenzen – engineer (1, 6, 9)
• Ed Thacker – engineer (1, 6, 9)
• Paul Logus – engineer (2, 3, 5)
• Jeff Graham – engineer (4, 7, 8, 10)
• Mick Guzauski – engineer (4, 7, 8, 10), additional recording (4, 7, 8, 10), mixing
• Richard McKernan – engineer (4, 7, 8, 10)
• Paul Orofino – engineer (7)
• Scott Hull – mastering at Masterdisk (New York, NY)
• Michael Bays – art direction, design
• Étsuko Iseki – art direction, design
• Frank Ockenfels – photography

Notes and References

1. News: 4 September 1993 . Album Releases . Music Week . 24 . 8 October 2022.
2. News: Lepage . Mark . Soul on Board . The Gazette . 19 Feb 1994 . C3.
3. Web site: Soul on Board – Curt Smith Credits AllMusic. AllMusic. 12 April 2017.