Gold Mother
Gold Mother is the third studio album from English band James, originally released in June 1990 but with several important reissues prompted by the popularity of non-album singles.
Gold Mother | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 4 June 1990 May 1991 (re-release) | |||
Recorded | 1989 | |||
Studio | Out of the Blue, Manchester and The Windings, Wrexham | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, Madchester | |||
Label | Fontana | |||
Producer | Nick Garside and Booth/Gott/Glennie | |||
James chronology | ||||
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Singles from Gold Mother | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The Great Rock Discography | 8/10[2] |
NME | 8/10[3] |
Q | |
Sounds |
Receiving critical acclaim upon release,[6] Gold Mother was placed by the NME at #5 in their list of Albums of the Year 1990.[7]
The front and back covers were created by Adrian Wilson using an early television graphics computer, the Quantel Paintbox.
Release history
The album has a complicated release history.
It was originally recorded for Rough Trade Records, but James asked to be released from their contract there and took the album with them to Fontana, who initially released it worldwide as Gold Mother. After the success of the Flood mix of "Come Home" and the non-album singles "Lose Control" and "Sit Down", it was re-released in May 1991.
In the US and Canada, the 1991 re-release was called James, while in the rest of the world it retained the name Gold Mother. In both cases, the tracks "Crescendo" and "Hang On" were omitted and the tracks "Sit Down" and "Lose Control" were inserted, though in different places in the running order.
In 2001, it was re-released again with the revised Gold Mother running order and five bonus tracks, including the two previously excised.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Tim Booth, Jim Glennie and Larry Gott; except where indicated.
Original (1990) release
- Gold Mother
- "Come Home"
- "Government Walls"
- "God Only Knows"
- "You Can't Tell How Much Suffering (On a Face That's Always Smiling)"
- "Crescendo"
- "How Was It for You"
- "Hang On"
- "Walking the Ghost"
- "Gold Mother"
- "Top of the World" (Booth, Glennie, Gott, Whelan)
1991 re-release
- James (US and Canada only)
- "Sit Down" (Booth, Glennie, Gott, Whelan)
- "Come Home"
- "Government Walls"
- "God Only Knows"
- "You Can't Tell How Much Suffering (On a Face That's Always Smiling)"
- "How Was It for You"
- "Lose Control" (Produced by Flood)
- "Walking the Ghost"
- "Gold Mother"
- "Top of the World" (Booth, Glennie, Gott, Whelan)
- Gold Mother (RoTW)
- "Come Home (Flood Mix)"
- "Lose Control"
- "Government Walls"
- "God Only Knows"
- "You Can't Tell How Much Suffering (On a Face That's Always Smiling)"
- "How Was It for You"
- "Sit Down"
- "Walking the Ghost"
- "Gold Mother"
- "Top of the World" (Booth, Glennie, Gott, Whelan)
2001 remaster bonus tracks
- "Crescendo"
- "Hang On"
- "Come Home" (Skunk Weed Mix)
- "Lose Control" (Live at GLR)
- "Sit Down" (Live at G-Mex)
Release details
Original release
- vinyl LP (UK) – Fontana (846 189-1)
- CD (US, Canada, UK & Europe) – Fontana (846 189-2)
- cassette (UK) – Fontana (846 189-4)
1991 re-release
- US/CA
- CD (US) – Fontana (848 658-2)
- CD (Canada) – Fontana (510 576-2)
- cassette (US) – Fontana (848 658-4)
- cassette (Canada) – Fontana (510 576-4)
- RoTW
- vinyl LP (UK) – Fontana (848 595-1)
- CD (UK & Europe) – Fontana (848 595-2)
- cassette (Europe) – Fontana (848 595-4)
2001 remaster
- CD (Europe) – Fontana (548 785-2)
Personnel
James
- Tim Booth – vocals
- Larry Gott – guitar
- Jim Glennie – bass guitar
- Saul Davies – guitar
- Mark Hunter – piano, keyboards
- Andy Diagram – trumpet
- Dave Baynton-Power – drums
Additional musicians
- John Slater – percussion
- Martine McDonagh and Inspiral Carpets – backing vocals
- Vinny Corrigan – saxophone
Citations
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Gold Mother – James". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- Strong, Martin C. (2004). "James". The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Canongate Books. ISBN 1-84195-615-5.
- Williams, Simon (9 June 1990). "James – Gold Mother". NME. Archived from the original on 12 October 2000. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- Aston, Martin (June 1990). "James: Gold Mother". Q. No. 45. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- King, Sam. "James: Gold Mother". Sounds. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- Cavanagh (1998), p.4
- "Albums and Tracks of the Year: 1990". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
References
- Cavanagh, David (1998). Sleeve Notes (The Best Of). Mercury Records.