World Outside

Completed in seven weeks, the album was produced by Stephen Street and the band.{{cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Barry |title=Psychedelic Furs fly high |work=The Patriot-News |date=March 2, 1992 |page=C5}}{{cite magazine |title=World Outside by The Psychedelic Furs |magazine =Billboard |date=Aug 17, 1991 |volume=103 |issue=33 |page=68}} Knox Chandler contributed on guitar.{{cite news |last1=Shaw |first1=Norman S. |title=P-Furs' new disc is strong effort |work=The Indianapolis Star |date=6 Sep 1991 |page=C7}} The three core band members tried to be more open to collaborating with the additional musicians, rather than always directing how songs should be played.{{cite news |last1=Blackstock |first1=Peter |title=Furs' unearth identity |work=Austin American-Statesman |date=5 Nov 1991 |page=D6}} The band started recording a week after their tour for Book of Days ended, and used few overdubs.{{cite news |last1=Sigworth |first1=David |title=Furs brush off past instabilities |work=New Haven Register |date=December 6, 1991 |department=Weekend Guide |page=37}}{{cite news |last1=Considine |first1=J.D. |title=Psychedelic Furs restore a raw edge to their music |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=5 Mar 1992 |page=1G}} Singer Richard Butler constructed lyrics that were more personal than on previous albums.{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Tom |title=Psychedelic Furs on heartfelt tour |work=The Province |date=14 Feb 1992 |page=C25}} He decided to use cello on some tracks after growing tired of employing a saxophone.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Paul A. |title=A Solid Core Makes Fur Fly Psychedelically |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=November 7, 1991 |page=1E}} "All About You" was edited down from two jams that totaled 30 minutes.{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Justin |title=Psychedelic Furs Stripped to the Skin |work=Rocky Mountain News |date=February 16, 1992 |department=Weekend |page=138}}

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}

|rev2 = Calgary Herald

|rev2score = D{{cite news |last1=Muretich |first1=James |title=Recent Releases |work=Calgary Herald |date=1 Sep 1991 |page=D7}}

|rev3 = Chicago Tribune

|rev3score = {{rating|2|4}}{{cite news |last1=Heim |first1=Chris |title=Recordings |work=Chicago Tribune |date=31 Oct 1991 |department=Tempo |page=7}}

|rev4 = Los Angeles Times

|rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite news |last1=Hochman |first1=Steve |title=Record Rack |work=Los Angeles Times |date=25 Aug 1991 |location=Calendar |page=67}}

|rev5 = Rolling Stone

|rev5score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thepsychedelicfurs/albums/album/224170/review/5946802/world_outside|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615174027/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thepsychedelicfurs/albums/album/224170/review/5946802/world_outside|title=The Psychedelic Furs: World Outside : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone|archive-date=15 June 2009|website=Rolling Stone}}

|rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev6score = {{rating|2.5|5}}{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=565}}

|rev7 = St. Petersburg Times

|rev7score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite news |last1=Jacks |first1=Jeff |title=The Psychedelic Furs World Outside |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=4 Oct 1991 |department=Weekend |page=26}}

|rev8 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

|rev8score = 3/10{{cite book |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |date=1995 |publisher=Vintage Books |pages=313–314}}

}}

The Los Angeles Times wrote that "there is once more the bracing tension of understated melodic elegance scraping against understated musical discord." The Ottawa Citizen determined that the band "maintains the most irresistible aspects of its art-rock sound including the melancholy underbelly, but it also focuses them into a commanding pop songs."{{cite news |last1=Erskine |first1=Evelyn |title=The Psychedelic Furs World Outside |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=31 Aug 1991 |page=F3}} The Calgary Herald opined that "Richard sings wearily of romance in ruins... It's all so shoulder-shrugging boring."

The Globe and Mail deemed the album "a crafty return to the edgy, intelligent rock of its earliest incarnation."{{cite news |title=World Outside, The Psychedelic Furs |work=The Globe and Mail |date=5 Sep 1991 |page=C1}} The Boston Globe called it "B-level pop songs."{{cite news |last1=Sullivan |first1=Jim |title=Psychedelic Furs' surprise show turns into a yawner |work=The Boston Globe |date=6 Sep 1991 |department=Arts & Film |page=26}} The Vancouver Sun panned the "sameness in synth sounds, sameness in melodies, sameness in meter."{{cite news |last1=Potter |first1=Greg |title=Pop/Rock |work=Vancouver Sun |date=14 Sep 1991 |page=D23}} The Times concluded that "the album is leavened by a significantly keener sense of melody and somehow pulled into focus by the context of the times."{{cite news |last1=Sinclair |first1=David |title=Melancholia sounds modern |work=The Times |date=June 28, 1991 |department=Features}}

The Wisconsin State Journal listed the album as one of the 10 best of 1991.{{cite news |last1=Kovalic |first1=John |title=Holiday's Best Bets in Music |work=Wisconsin State Journal |date=December 8, 1991 |page=1I}}

All songs written by the Psychedelic Furs.

1. "Valentine" – 4:47
2. "In My Head" – 3:30
3. "Until She Comes" – 3:50
4. "Don't Be a Girl" – 3:46
5. "Sometimes" – 4:14
6. "Tearing Down" – 5:22
7. "There's a World" – 4:45
8. "Get a Room" – 3:45
9. "Better Days" – 4:32
10. "All About You" – 4:01

;The Psychedelic Furs

• Richard Butler – vocals
• John Ashton – guitar
• Tim Butler – bass

Additional personnel

• Don Yallech – drums
• Knox Chandler – guitar
• Joe McGinty – keyboards

{{Reflist}}

{{The Psychedelic Furs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:The Psychedelic Furs albums

Category:1991 albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Stephen Street

Category:Art rock albums by English artists