Declaration (The Alarm album)

Declaration is the first official studio album from The Alarm. It was released in 1984 by IRS Records.

The album was released initially on vinyl and cassette.

As technology improved, a CD version was released on 24 October 1990.

An extended re-master version was released, including extra tracks.

Track listing

All songs written by Eddie MacDonald and Mike Peters, except where noted.

1. "Declaration" - 0:45
2. "Marching On" - 3:35
3. "Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?" - 2:56
4. "Third Light" - 3:25
5. "68 Guns" - 5:49
6. "We Are The Light" - 3:16
7. "Shout To The Devil" (Macdonald, Peters, David Sharp) - 4:10
8. "Blaze of Glory" (Macdonald, Peters, Sharp) - 6:04
9. "Tell Me" (Sharp) - 3:14
10. "The Deceiver" - 5:05
11. "The Stand (Prophecy)" (Macdonald, Peters, Sharp) - 1:15
12. "Howling Wind" - 6:44

Single releases

"Marching On," "The Stand," "Sixty-Eight Guns" and "Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke?" had already been released as singles before the album went on sale.

"The Deceiver" was the only single to be released post sale.

Personnel

Recorded at Abbey Road & Good Earth Studios, London, England, November 1983.^[1]

• Artwork By - Michael Ross, Simon Adamcewski
• Artwork By [Illustration] - Robert Mason
• Bass, Guitar, Vocals - Eddie Macdonald
• Drums, Percussion, Vocals - Twist
• Engineer - Chris Porter
• Guitar [Acoustic & Electric], Vocals - Dave Sharp
• Photography - Stephen Oliver
• Producer - Alan Shacklock
• Vocals, Guitar [Acoustic], Harmonica - Mike Peters

Critical acclaim

The music press responded positive to the album.

Rolling Stone magazine wrote:

This is one of the best new live bands I heard last year, and they've put a lot of that power into their first album. ^[6]

Review: Declaration from "Dead Air Diary", March 1984^[7]

While a lot of bands have tried to combine the '60s and '70s, none of them have been as successful as The Alarm. Musically, their secret is that they draw on Punk and then temper it with an acoustic sound while avoiding the wimpiness usually associated with folk. Lyrically, it works because they avoid Punk nihilism and concentrate more on positive personal politics. My only problem there is that many songs are about "us vs. them" without ever defining who "them" is. But when The Alarm's influences come together with a resounding clash, the results (and the bottom line) are great songs. The winner is the refurbished "Marching On," slowed down a bit, but with a new twist: Dave Sharp's Townshend-like acoustic guitar playing. There are others "68 Guns" is old to us but will run over A.O.R. and MTV ears, "We Are The Light," "Blaze of Glory" and the awesome set-closer "Howling Wind," which wraps up The Alarm's philosophy as neatly as "Marching On" declares it. This is rock and roll at its very finest and U2, R.E.M. and the rest are going to have to work very hard to top it.

Jim Connelly

P.S. I still don't like their hair!!!

Remastered release

The remastered disc included seven unreleased tracks from the original album:

1. "The Peace Train"
2. "Reason 41"
3. "Second Generation"
4. "Unbreak the Promise#
5. "The Chant Has Just Begun"
6. "Bells of Rhymney"
7. "Bound for Glory"
8. "Absolute Reality"

Notes

1. ^ http://www.discogs.com/Alarm-Declaration/release/1070847
2. ^ Allmusic review
3. ^ Rolling Stone review
4. ^ Discogs review
5. ^ Amazon (US) review
6. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thealarm/albums/album/118715/review/5942873/declaration
7. ^ http://www.thealarm.com/nd2002.asp