10 (The Stranglers album)

10 is the tenth studio album by English rock band The Stranglers and was the last to feature guitarist/lead singer Hugh Cornwell. The album was released in 1990. 10 peaked at No. 15 and spent four weeks in the UK Albums Chart.[2]

10
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 4, 1990
Recorded1989-1990 the Netherlands
GenrePost-punk
LabelEpic
ProducerRoy Thomas Baker
The Stranglers chronology
Dreamtime
(1986)
10
(1990)
Stranglers in the Night
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

There was a big band sound to this album, possibly due to the production work of Roy Thomas Baker and the continued use of a horn section. One of the highlights was the cover version of Question Mark & the Mysterians' hit "96 Tears" (which reached No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart).[2] Cornwell has expressed satisfaction with the way this album turned out, whereas the rest of the band, including live guitarist John Ellis, who joined the band on the next album, have all expressed negative feelings about 10.

The album sleeve shows the members of the band dressed up as ten of the most notable world leaders of the time (l-r: Yasser Arafat, Rajiv Gandhi, Pope John Paul II, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, George H. W. Bush, Fidel Castro, Muammar al-Gaddafi, Benazir Bhutto and Joshua Nkomo)

Despite the album's American-friendly sound and the moderate success of "Sweet Smell of Success" in the United States (reaching No. 5 on the US Modern Rock Chart), the band did not undertake a US tour. Cornwell, feeling the band had come to a halt in their artistic evolution, decided to leave the band following the last gig on the supporting tour.

Singles released in the UK for this album were "96 Tears" (peaked at No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart) and "Sweet Smell Of Success" (which peaked at No. 65 in the same chart).[2]

Track listing

All tracks composed by The Stranglers; except where indicated

Side One
  1. "Sweet Smell of Success" - 3:22
  2. "Someone Like You" - 2:53
  3. "96 Tears" (Rudy Martinez) - 3:12
  4. "In This Place" - 3:38
  5. "Let's Celebrate" - 4:16
Side Two
  1. "Man of the Earth" - 3:22
  2. "Too Many Teardrops" - 3:47
  3. "Where I Live" - 3:32
  4. "Out of My Mind" - 4:08
  5. "Never to Look Back" - 4:18
Bonus Tracks on 2001 CD
  1. "Instead of This"
  2. "Poisonality"
  3. "Motorbike"
  4. "Something"
  5. "You"
  6. "¡Viva Vlad! "
  7. "All Day and All of the Night" (Ray Davies)
  8. "Always the Sun" (Sunny-Side Up Mix)

Personnel

The Stranglers
Additional personnel
  • Alex Gifford - saxophone
  • Sid Gauld - trumpet
  • Chris Lawrence - trombone
  • Stuart Brooks - trumpet solo (1)
  • Simon Morton - congas (1) [3]
Technical
  • Timm Baldwin - engineer
  • Grant Louden, Jean Luke Epstein - sleeve design

References

  1. Ogg, Alex. "The Stranglers: 10" at AllMusic. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 535. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. http://www.discogs.com/Stranglers-10/release/1618883
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