Falling (Blue Peter album)
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox album|
| name = Falling
| type = Album
| artist = Blue Peter
| cover = Bluepeterfalling.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1983
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = New wave
| length = 42:05
| label = Ready Records LR034{{cite web|title=The READY RECORDS Catalogue|url=http://www.readyrecords.ca/cat.html|publisher=Ready Records|accessdate=23 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827133219/http://www.readyrecords.ca/cat.html|archive-date=27 August 2010|url-status=dead}}
| producer = Steve Nye
| prev_title = Up to You
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
Falling was the second full-length album by the Toronto-based new wave band Blue Peter. Coming on the heels of Up To You, their successful 1982 EP, Steve Nye was selected to produce their next album, which included the hit song, "Don't Walk Past".{{cite encyclopedia|title=Blue Peter|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Blue_Peter.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208132033/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Blue_Peter.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=8 December 2012|encyclopedia=The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia|publisher=canoe.ca|accessdate=23 January 2011|date=18 December 2004}} Nye's production emphasized keyboards over guitars, and drew comparisons with his work with Roxy Music and Japan.{{cite web|last=Carruthers|first=Sean|title=Falling - Review|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/falling-r598795/review|work=Blue Peter|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=23 January 2011}}
Reception
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = Allmusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r598795|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]
}}
Released in the spring of 1983 on Ready Records, Falling peaked nationally at 64 (where it stayed for three weeks) on the Canadian Albums Chart,{{cite web|title=Volume 38, No. 25, August 20, 1983|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-100.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=1eslr84up6jai4j6cngk0p4cu2|work=Top Albums/CDs|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|accessdate=23 January 2011}} and was ranked 25th on Toronto radio station CFNY's Top 83 of 1983 chart.{{cite web|title=Top 83 of 1983|url=http://www.edge.ca/Music/Countdowns/1983Top83Albums.aspx|work=Year End Charts|publisher=102.1 The Edge|accessdate=23 January 2011|date=31 December 1983|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927042444/http://www.edge.ca/Music/Countdowns/1983Top83Albums.aspx|archive-date=27 September 2011|url-status=dead}} The biggest single from Falling was "Don't Walk Past", known for its jangly guitar riff, and CFNY ranked the song at 92 in its Best 102 of the Decade in January 1990.{{cite news|title=The Best 102 of the Decade|url=http://bluepeterband.com/node/91?page=2|accessdate=23 January 2011|newspaper=The Toronto Sun|date=2 January 1990}} The video for "Don't Walk Past", directed by Rob Quartly, was inspired by the then-recent film Blade Runner{{cite web |title=Band Info |url=http://bluepeterband.com/band-info |work=Bio |publisher=Blue Peter Band |accessdate=23 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122224258/http://bluepeterband.com/band-info |archivedate=22 January 2011}} and became the first from a Canadian indie label to get played on MTV in the United States. The video also won awards including "Best Video of 1983" from the Canadian Film and Television Association, and was ranked at 85 on MuchMusic's Top Videos of The Century list.{{cite web|title=Top Videos of the Century|url=http://www.derekweb.com/oldspot/countdown/1999/cd99century.html|work=The Muchmusic Archive Countdown Site|publisher=DerekWeb.com|accessdate=23 January 2011}}
Personnel
Blue Peter:
- Paul Humphrey - vocals
- Ric Joudrey - bass
- Jason Sniderman - keyboards, percussion, programming
- Owen Tennyson - drums
- Chris Wardman - guitars, keyboards, programming
Additional personnel:
- Leslie Howitt - backing vocals on "Don't Walk Past"
- Matt Zimball - congas on "Unchained Heart"{{cite web|title=Falling|url=http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=2612982|work=album liner notes|publisher=Discogs|accessdate=23 January 2011}}
Track listing
All songs written by Chris Wardman, except where noted:
Side 1:
1. "Falling" (4:30)
2. "Don't Walk Past" (4:27)
3. "Red Filters" (4:05)
4. "All Your Time" (4:32)
5. "Unchained Heart" (4:00) (Sniderman)
Side 2:
6. "Head Over Heels" (3:57)
7. "Pendulum" (4:02)
8. "Burning Bridges" (3:55)
9. "Right Stuff" (3:55) (Wardman, Joudrey and Kevin Doyle)
Re-issue
In 2007, Falling was re-issued by Universal Music Canada, combined with Vertigo, a collection of previously unreleased material.{{cite web|title=2007 reissue|url=http://www.discogs.com/Blue-Peter-Falling/release/2612982|work=Falling|publisher=Discogs|accessdate=24 January 2011}} The additional eight songs were recorded as demos in 1984, and, in some cases, completed with additional parts added in 1996 by Humphrey and Joudrey. The Vertigo tracks were produced by Blue Peter and Kevin Doyle. Songs were written by Chris Wardman, except where noted:
Additional tracks
11. "Water Off the Moon" (4:54)
12. "Night Duty" (4:33) (Wardman, Sniderman)
13. "Throw It Down" (4:33)
14. "Lap of Luxury" (4:45)
15. "Equalizer" (4:26) (Wardman, Sniderman)
16. "Vertigo" (4:35)
17. "Steal Away" (3:33) (Wardman, Sniderman)
18. "Into the Parade" (4:45) (Wardman, Sniderman)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.discogs.com/Blue-Peter-Falling/release/346508 Falling on Discogs]
- [http://www.discogs.com/Blue-Peter-Falling/release/2612982 Falling reissue on Discogs]
- [http://bluepeterband.com/falling Falling on Blue Peter's website]
- {{YouTube |swQh9I1MAv8 |"Don't Walk Past"}}
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