Peace at Last (The Blue Nile album)
| Peace at Last | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 10 June 1996 | |||
| Length | 44:53 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | The Blue Nile | |||
| The Blue Nile chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Peace at Last | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
Happiness | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[3] |
| The Guardian | [4] |
| Q | [5] |
| Rolling Stone | [6] |
| Uncut | 7/10[7] |
Peace at Last is the third studio album by Scottish band The Blue Nile, released on 10 June 1996 via Warner Bros. Records.
Background
Peace at Last was a considerable musical departure for the band. Unlike their prior two albums A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats, which featured electronic instrumentation almost exclusively, Peace at Last was primarily driven by Paul Buchanan's acoustic guitar.[7] Even a gospel choir made a brief appearance on the lead single, "Happiness".
Critical reaction for Peace at Last was mixed.[8] Despite some high praise, including a five-star review from Q, in the years following the album's release it remained largely overshadowed by A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats.[2]
Following the reissue of their first two albums in 2012 as 2-CD deluxe editions, Peace at Last was also reissued in a similar 2-CD version on 3 March 2014.
Track listing
All songs written by Paul Buchanan, except where noted.
- "Happiness" – 4:39
- "Tomorrow Morning" – 4:15
- "Sentimental Man" – 5:05
- "Love Came Down" – 3:35
- "Body and Soul" – 5:16
- "Holy Love" – 2:42
- "Family Life" – 5:21
- "War Is Love" – 3:33
- "God Bless You Kid" (Robert Bell, Buchanan) – 4:56
- "Soon" – 5:27
2014 Remastered Collector's Edition CD bonus disc
- "Soon" (Laurel Canyon Mix) – 5:30
- "War Is Love" (New Vocal Mix) – 4:46
- "Turn Yourself Around" (Bell, Buchanan) – 4:46
- "Holy Love" (Picture Mix) – 4:03
- "A Certain Kind of Angel" (Bell, Buchanan) (unreleased demo) – 5:06
- "There Was a Girl" – 5:28
Personnel
The Blue Nile:
- Robert Bell – bass, synthesizer
- Paul Buchanan – vocals, guitar, synthesizer
- Paul Joseph Moore – keyboards, synthesizer
Additional musicians:
- Craig Armstrong – string orchestration ("Family Life")
- Calum Malcolm – keyboard
- Eddie Tate & Friends – gospel choir ("Happiness")
- Nigel Thomas – drums
Technical:
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom and Europe | 10 June 1996 | Warner Bros. | LP | 9362-45848-1 |
| cassette | 9362-45848-4 | |||
| CD | 9362-45848-2 | |||
| United States | 11 June 1996 | LP | 45848-1 | |
| CD | 45848-2 | |||
| Canada | CDW 45848 | |||
| United Kingdom and Europe | 3 March 2014 | Virgin/Universal | remastered 2-CD set | LKHCDR 3 |
References
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Peace at Last – The Blue Nile". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2011). "Blue Nile". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-85712-595-8.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|titlelink=ignored (|title-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Kim, Wook (21 June 1996). "Peace at Last". Entertainment Weekly. New York City, New York: Time Inc. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ Williams, Richard (14 June 1996). "CD of the week: The Blue Nile, back at last". The Guardian.
- ^ Maconie, Stuart (July 1996). "The Blue Nile: Peace at Last". Q (118). London, England: EMAP Metro Ltd: 117.
- ^ Diehl, Matt (27 June 1996). "The Blue Nile: Peace at Last". Rolling Stone. New York City, USA: Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
- ^ a b Thomson, Graeme (January 2013). "River of No Return". Uncut (188). London, England: Time Inc. UK: 59.
- ^ Kelly, Jennifer (30 January 2013). "At the Source of the Blue Nile: An Interview with Paul Buchanan". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 August 2015.