Alphabet City (album)

Alphabet City
Studio album by ABC
Released 1987
Recorded November 1986-August 1987
Genre Synthpop
Length 40:55
Label Mercury
Producer Martin Fry,
Mark White,
Bernard Edwards
ABC chronology
How to Be a...Zillionaire!
(1985)		 Alphabet City (1987) Up
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Alphabet City is an album by the band ABC released in 1987.

Following a hiatus while Fry was treated for Hodgkin's disease, ABC returned to the studio to record Alphabet City, which they thought might be their final album. Best known for "When Smokey Sings", a tribute to Smokey Robinson, the album also spawned "The Night You Murdered Love" and "King Without a Crown" as singles. Many critics lauded Alphabet City as a return to form for the group, noting its polished production by Fry and White in conjunction with Bernard Edwards, best known for his work with Chic. The album's title and the names of several songs were inspired by the Alphabet City section of Manhattan, New York, where Fry and White lived for a time prior to the album's release.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written by Martin Fry and Mark White except where indicated.

Vinyl

Side One

  1. "Avenue A" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:56
  2. "When Smokey Sings"– 4:22
  3. "The Night You Murdered Love" – 4:53
  4. "Think Again" – 3:41
  5. "Rage and Then Regret" – 3:34
  6. "Ark-Angel" – 4:54

Side Two

  1. "King Without a Crown" – 4:41
  2. "Bad Blood" – 3:56
  3. "Jealous Lover" – 3:36
  4. "One Day" – 5:35
  5. "Avenue Z" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:42

Original CD

  1. "Avenue A" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:56
  2. "When Smokey Sings"– 4:22
  3. "The Night You Murdered Love" – 4:53
  4. "Think Again" – 3:41
  5. "Rage and Then Regret" – 3:34
  6. "Ark-Angel" – 4:54
  7. "King Without a Crown" – 4:41
  8. "Bad Blood" – 3:56
  9. "Jealous Lover" – 3:36
  10. "One Day" – 5:35
  11. "Avenue Z" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:42
  12. "Minneapolis" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 2:57
  13. "When Smokey Sings [The Miami Mix]" – 7:05
  14. "The Night You Murdered Love [The Whole Story]" – 8:16
  15. "Chicago [Abridged]" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 3:42

2005 version

  1. "Avenue A" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:56
  2. "When Smokey Sings"– 4:22
  3. "The Night You Murdered Love" – 4:53
  4. "Think Again" – 3:41
  5. "Rage and Then Regret" – 3:34
  6. "Ark-Angel" – 4:54
  7. "King Without a Crown" – 4:41
  8. "Bad Blood" – 3:56
  9. "Jealous Lover" – 3:36
  10. "One Day" – 5:35
  11. "Avenue Z" (Mark White/Anne Dudley) – 0:42
  12. "Minneapolis" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 2:57
  13. "Chicago [Abridged]" (Mark White/Bernard Edwards) – 3:42
  14. "24 Carat Plastic" – 3:34
  15. "The Night You Murdered Love [The Reply With Contessa Lady V]" (Martin Fry/Mark White/Vaughan Arnell/Anthea Benton) – 4:50
  16. "One Day [Instrumental With Real Strings]" – 5:47
  17. "King Without a Crown [Monarchy Mix]" – 8:46

Personnel

Additional personnel

The 2005 reissue is digitally remastered.

References

  1. ^ Alphabet City (album) at Allmusic
ABC
  • Martin Fry
  • Matt Backer
  • Rob Hughes
  • Andy Carr
  • Lily Gonzalez
  • Richard Brook
  • Steve Kelly
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