| A Flock of Seagulls | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by A Flock of Seagulls | ||||
| Released | April 1982 | |||
| Recorded | Battery Studios, London, England Summer-Late Autumn, 1981 | |||
| Genre | New Wave, New Romantic, Synthpop, Space rock | |||
| Length | 39:45 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Producer | Mike Howlett, Bill Nelson | |||
| A Flock of Seagulls chronology | ||||
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A Flock of Seagulls is the eponymous debut album by the Liverpudlian New Wave band A Flock of Seagulls. It was released in 1982 on Jive (see 1982 in music), and featured the international hit single "I Ran (So Far Away)," which reached the Top 10 in the U.S. and New Zealand, as well as #1 in Australia. The song "Space Age Love Song" also managed to score radio play. On the success of the singles, the album reached #10 in the States.
Contents |
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | link |
| Robert Christgau | A- link |
The album received good reviews upon its release. It is generally recognized as a concept album about alien abduction with the tracks thus following a sequential story line.[1] In his review for Allmusic, Tom Demalon gave the album 4.5 stars, calling it "great fun and a wonderful collection of new wave ear candy." Robert Christgau ("The Dean Of American Rock Critics") was also happy with it, giving it an A- and saying that it is "so transparently, guilelessly expedient that it actually provides the hook-chocked fun most current pop bands only advertise." Other reviews pointed out the bands "pioneering sounds, compelling hooks and undeniably addictive gimmicks."[2]
The band, and particularly this album, were influential during the 1980s, if not for their memorable image[3] then for their surprisingly effective production techniques, which at one point garnered the respect of legendary record producer Phil Spector, who in the 1980s called the album "phenomenal."[4]
The album track, "D.N.A." won a Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
All songs written and composed by A Flock of Seagulls, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Ran (So Far Away)" | 5:05 |
| 2. | "Space Age Love Song" | 3:45 |
| 3. | "You Can Run" (Don Covay, Willie Dennis, A Flock Of Seagulls) | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Don't Ask Me" | 2:46 |
| 5. | "Messages" | 2:51 |
| 6. | "Telecommunication" | 2:31 |
| 7. | "Modern Love is Automatic" | 3:49 |
| 8. | "Standing in the Doorway" | 4:41 |
| 9. | "D.N.A." | 2:30 |
| 10. | "Man Made" | 5:38 |
Note: this is the tracklisting for the UK and U.S.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Modern Love is Automatic" | 3:50 |
| 2. | "Messages" | 2:52 |
| 3. | "I Ran (So Far Away)" | 5:05 |
| 4. | "Space Age Love Song" | 3:48 |
| 5. | "You Can Run" | 4:26 |
| 6. | "Telecommunication" | 2:32 |
| 7. | "Standing in the Doorway" | 4:40 |
| 8. | "Don't Ask Me" | 2:46 |
| 9. | "D.N.A." | 2:31 |
| 10. | "Tokyo" | 2:54 |
| 11. | "Man Made" | 5:40 |
Additionally, some LP copies contained the 3:58 edited version of "I Ran" that was heard in the song's music video.
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Albums Chart[5] | 5 |
| German Albums Chart[6] | 26 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[7] | 32 |
| UK Albums Chart[8] | 32 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[9] | 10 |