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Stranger Comes to Town

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Stranger Comes to Town is a studio album from English songwriter and musician Steve Harley. It was released in 2010 and was Harley's first studio album in five years, following the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel album The Quality of Mercy. Strange Come to Town is the first album solely credited to Harley to make an appearance on the UK chart, where it peaked at No. 187 in mid-May 2010.[1] It also reached #20 on the UK Independent charts.[2]

"Stranger Comes to Town" was released by Repertoire Records in the UK and Germany via CD.[3][4] It was available largely worldwide as a digital download.[5] The album spawned two singles – "Faith & Virtue" and "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn".[6][7]

Background

Speaking to Classic Rock magazine, Harley gave an overview of the album in May 2010, stating: "The essence of the stories on this album is the 'Stranger' bit. That's the mystery. It's a metaphor, an allegory for modern life and invasions of privacy and all the things that have entered into the Western world and ruined it."[8] For an interview with the Bolton News, Harley described the album of "a sort-of protest album". He added: "I'm sick of the greedy people running the country and the fact that everything is being dumbed down."[9] In an interview for the York Press, Harley commented further on the album's theme, described as being like "a state-of-the-nation report": "I'm not a Grumpy Old Man but... what's happening to this country? I don't like the dumbing-down from the moment our Prime Minister said 'Call me Tony'. I've been angry ever since. Kids are growing up in a world where there's no deference. What was wrong with 'sir' or 'madam'? The album is a new-fashioned protest album. It's not Blowin' in the Wind or Masters of War, but deep down, what are we coming to?"[10]

Describing the album as a "true labour of love",[11] as well as being "hard work", Harley spent a year "deeply engrossed" in writing and producing the album.[12] When describing the album's creation and style to Acoustic magazine, he revealed: "I've reverted to the type where you've got rather simple acoustic tunes, but with poetical lyrics and mysterious stories mixed in with the more bizarre production kind of things. I've come back to the young man that set out in the early '70s with a lot of ambition and no inhibitions. In the studio I got into my own mindset. I was just having fun in the studio."[13] He commented to the York Press: "You never rest as a songwriter. You're always looking for the muse to come and sit on your shoulder, and I can't take the stress. Well, every five years, I can... though this might be the last one. I've so much to say on this album."[10] He also revealed: "I've had five years of ripping my own ears off. It really doesn't get any easier. It's not the tune that's difficult, it's the words that are a struggle – and like John Lennon said, 'it's not about filler words'."[10]

The album's title has been described as referring to "a man who feels estranged from what is going on around him". Harley revealed to the York Press: "I borrowed it. When I was up in Norfolk we went to a village pub to get the stress off with a pint of Guinness, and we heard these two people say 'Stranger Comes to Town'. They asked, 'What are you doing here, Steve?', so I gave them a line from Eccles in The Goons: 'Everyone has to be somewhere'."[10]

The song "True Love Will Find You in the End" is the album's only cover – written by American singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston and originally appearing on his 1984 album Retired Boxer.[14] Harley chose the song after he had requested ideas of a song to cover from fans on his own official forum. The song had been decided upon by November 2009.[15] The title track lyrically uses the sea as an analogy for life. In the Bolton News, Harley commented: "It's not a new idea. Samuel Taylor Coleridge used it hundreds of years ago."[9] In the May 2010 issue of Acoustic Magazine, Harley noted how he felt "No Bleeding Hearts" sounded like the early Cockney Rebel, and "could be very much my modern day 'Sebastian'."[16]

Recording

Produced entirely by Harley, the album was recorded at Leeders Farm Residential Studios, Spooner Row, Norfolk.[17] It was recorded with members of Harley's longstanding touring band Cockney Rebel.[18] Harley and the band stayed at the studios for 3-4 weeks to make the album.[19] To create what Harley called "a proper record", he spent "12 hours a day, maybe more, 11 till midnight, for at least 28 days" in the studio.[10] Denis Blackham mastered the album at Skye Mastering.[20]

Harley commented to the York Press: "I've never worked before at a residential studio, but this time I've been at a Tudor farmhouse in north Norfolk with a couple of big ponds. It's very similar to my house in Suffolk, except that I don't have a studio and I don't want one. I'm a technophobe and I've no interest in twisting knobs and gizmos – though everyone in my band, all five of them, have home studios."[10]

The song "2,000 Years from Now" features six Wymondham school children singing backing vocals. The inclusion of the local children, aged 10–11, was a last-minute decision, and the close proximity of the studio and Spooner Row Primary meant that the children and school were happy to help. For the BBC, Harley commented: "It's fantastic. We had a really good time – they worked very hard and picked it up so quickly. I'd almost finished this track and I said to my engineer, 'There's a primary school down the road isn't there, I'd like some school kids on this track because the lyric is about the future of the planet'. Three hours later they were all here and two hours later we'd done it."[19]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Faith & Virtue"Steve Harley, Barry Wickens4:50
2."Take the Men & the Horses Away"Lincoln Anderson, Stuart Elliot, Harley, James Lascelles, Wickens4:11
3."For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn."Harley5:00
4."Stranger Comes to Town"Harley4:10
5."This Old Man"Harley5:27
6."True Love will Find You in the End"Daniel Johnston3:46
7."No Bleeding Hearts"Harley7:05
8."Blinded with Tears"Jim Cregan, Harley5:02
9."Before They Crash the Universe"Harley4:30
10."2,000 Years from Now"Robbie Gladwell, Harley5:39

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllmusicUnrated[21]
Record Collector[22]
Express.co.uk[23]
The York Pressfavourable[24]
Rocktimes (German)favourable[25]
Lancashire Telegraphfavourable[26]
The Bolton Newsfavourable[9]
R2 magazinefavourable[27]

Critically the album was well received by both critics and fans.[5][28][29]

Terry Staunton reviewed the album for Record Collector, giving it three stars and writing "The continued presence of (Come Up & See Me) Make Me Smile no doubt helps keep the wolf from Harley's door but, intermittent shows on Radio 2 aside, he can't be accused of trading wholesale on 70s nostalgia. There's little of the arch art rock of Cockney Rebel on his latest release, though the lyrical adventure of old survives. Here you'll find affecting portraits of dignified war veterans (This Old Man), couples coming to term with hardship (For Sale, Baby Shoes, Never Worn) and against-the-odds romantic optimism (True Love Will Find You in the End). It's sturdy, timeless singer-songwriter fare, Harley's acoustic guitar front and centre, caressing his still mannered vocal, embellished by piano and violin. Before They Crash The Universe, with its ringing chords and Hammond accompaniment, could almost be Bruce Springsteen, but Harley remains his own man for most of the album. He delivers precisely what his diehard fans have been waiting for, though fresh converts may be hard to come by."[22]

Simon Gage for Express.co.uk reviewed the album upon its release, writing "Do you remember Steve Harley and his band Cockney Rebel? He'd turn up on Top of the Pops back in the Seventies in some outlandish outfit, usually chewing gum as he sang his massive hit Make Me Smile. Well he's back. The music is simple, raw and thoughtful but the likeability is still there and the songs interesting (For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn. is heartbreaking). It won't do what Make Me Smile did for him but it's an album he must be proud of."[23]

In a review of the band's live concert at the Grand Opera House in York during mid-2010, writer Jon Butler for The York Press mentioned and praised the album, stating "With the passage of time Steve Harley has lost a lot of his early seventies affectations – but none of his edge. Indeed his voice has held up well, very well in fact, and the new material from his latest album, "Stranger Comes to Town", is strong stuff and worthy of closer inspection because Harley has something to say that's worth listening to. His lyrics reflect where he's at along the journey of life, and his vigour for performing live is undiminished."[24]

Lancashire Telegraph published a review of the album from Andrew Thomas, stating "Steve Harley albums do not come along all that often – about every five or six years is the norm. For a long-term fan like me, then, a new set of Harley originals is always a time of anticipation. Although well into his fifties, Harley – whose biggest hits came in the period 1973–76 – can always surprise me and that's the case on Stranger Comes To Town. This is a striking set with three or four standout tracks – a welcome album from an innovative writer and performer."[26]

The Bolton News reviewed the album upon its release and included interview quotes from Harley himself, where writer Martin Hutchinson stated "Harley is back. This eagerly anticipated new studio album, Steve's first for five years, features ten brand new songs and is Steve Harley at his very best. His anger and emotion comes across in the lyrics of the new songs like "No Bleeding Hearts" and "True Love Will Find You In The End". Thoughtful use of double-bass (courtesy of Lincoln Anderson) gives the tracks upon which it's used a totally different feel than if a bass guitar had been used. Lyrically insightful, musically magnificent. Harley at his very best."[9]

R2 magazine, formerly known as Rock n Reel, writer Rychard Carrington reviewed the album in May 2010, and wrote: "As with every Harley album since 'Hobo with a Grin', there are moments when the old verve is there to quite an impressive extent ('Faith & Virtue'), and moments when the feel is predominantly lame ('True Love Will Find You in the End'). In terms of musical arrangements, there's none of the early extravagant experimentation, but there's some nice violin, and it's when the keyboards are most prominent that Steve is in fullest flight. Vocally Harley is as strong as ever: somehow his singing communicates his distinctive good-blokeness. Ultimately this is one of those albums that will mostly just please those who are already firmly on the artist's side, but Steve's side does feel like the right one to be on."[30]

German site Rocktimes published a review of the album, written by Michael Schröder. The review stated "Already during the first run of the album exudes a certain familiarity, without appearing as plagiarism of his previous records. In the totality of the work turned out pretty quiet and often lives, apart from Harley's voice of the violin, the piano and minimalist percussion. That makes the whole thing quite relaxing and is therefore ideal as a balance to a stressful day. I recommend, among others, the opener "Faith & Virtue", that settles immediately in the ears. Vocally, you can see here the Steve Harley of the 70s, even more clearly than the other numbers. Those who prefer something more rock, like a fat Hammond should definitely a listen to "Blinded With Tears", my personal favourite! Conclusion: Songwriting: top, singing: top, variety: no luck, game assets: top! A decent, solid album!"[25]

Chart performance

Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[1] 187
UK Independent Album Breakers Top 20 Chart[31] 7
UK Independent Albums Chart Top 50[32] 20

Personnel

  • Steve Harley – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
  • Stuart Elliott – Percussion, Drums, Hand Drums
  • Robbie Gladwell – 12 String Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Background Vocals
  • Barry Wickens – Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Violin, Viola, Background Vocals
  • Lincoln Anderson – Bass, Double Bass
  • James Lascelles – Piano, Synthesizer, Percussion, Keyboards, Hammond B3, Synthesizer Strings, Mini Moog, Dulcimer (Hammer), Melodica, Drums
  • Kerr Nice – Piano
  • Katie Brine – Background Vocals
  • Marcus Greenwood, Sam Hewitson, Maisie Colquhoun, Grace Nickalls, Maya Hodgson, Joe Dobson – Choir, Chorus on "2,000 Years from Now" (from Spooner Row Primary School)

Production

  • Steve Harley – Producer
  • Nick Brine – Engineer
  • Dougal Watt, Owen Morgan, Alex Edmunds, Nelson Milburn – Studio Assistants
  • Tom Povall - Post-Production
  • Denis Blackham – Mastering

Other

  • Mike Callow – Cover Photo
  • With thanks to – "The Stranger on the Beach"
  • Mark Scarfe at Aarlsen – Sleeve Design

Singles

The album spawned two digital-only singles – "Faith & Virtue" and "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn".[33][34] Both singles were released with a cover using the same artwork as the "Stranger Comes to Town" album.

Faith & Virtue

"Stranger Comes to Town"
Song

"Faith & Virtue", the album's lead single, was written by Harley and Barry Wickens. It was released as a single on 2 May 2010, as a digital-only single,[35] however was also released as a promotional CD single, in the effort to generate radio play.[19] It did not make a chart appearance in the UK.

Harley first announced the release of the song as a single in his official website diary entry of 3 March. He commented: "All the team is now set up for the big push. We have radio/TV plugger Jackie Gill, who will do everything she can to get the single play-listed on Radio 2, and all the good TV she can muster."[36]

The song received its first national radio airplay on BBC Radio 2 on 19 April 2010, on the Jools Holland show. Harley appeared as the show's guest for the episode.[37] The song was also chosen to be given away as a free MP3 for anyone signing up for email updates on Harley's official website.[38]

In an interview for the Bolton News, Harley had revealed that "Faith & Virtue" was a song that had been on his mind for ten years. He commented: "The single was being played on the radio and my wife said 'I've always loved that song'. I explained that I'd only just finished the song when I realised that I'd actually been playing it on my piano for the last ten years and hadn't got round to recording it."[9]

The song has been performed live by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. In a review of the band's concert at Shepherds Bush Empire in July 2010, Music News noted that the live version presented was "rockier than the album version".[39] Writing for the Spinx, Ian D. Hall spoke of the song during the band's concert at Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton in May 2010. He commented that the band "kicked off" with the song, making an "incredible start" to the show.[40]

Track listing

  1. "Faith & Virtue" - 4:48

For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn

"Stranger Comes to Town"
Song

"For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn" was the album's second and final single, written solely by Harley. It was released as a digital-only single on 27 June 2010. For its release as a single, the album version of the song was cut down by a minute to produce a 'Radio Edit' version.[41] It did not make a chart appearance in the UK.

The release of the single was first announced in Harley's official website diary entry of 31 May. He noted: "Over lunch, will make notes re edit of 'For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn.' which we have agreed to release as a download single. Radio 2 airplay? Not much chance, to be honest. It's tough to get on their playlist if you're not represented by Universal or Sony. But 'Stranger Comes To Town' is a major project, so we'll suck it and see."[42]

The song received its first national radio airplay on BBC Radio 2 on 23 May 2010, on Johnnie Walker's 'Sounds of the 70s' show. Harley appeared as the show's guest for the episode.[43]

Like "Faith & Virtue", "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn" had its origins dating back a decade. During 2001, Harley began to work on a new studio album. Although recording took place, it didn't materialise into an album, though some of the songs were later further developed and recorded for the 2005 The Quality of Mercy album. In an official website diary entry for 1 December 2001, Harley had revealed he was going into the studio that week to record "The Last Feast" as well as another song, "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn".[44]

The song has been performed live by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. Writing for the Spinx, Ian D. Hall spoke of the song during the band's concert at Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton in May 2010. Describing the song as "haunting", he commented that the band "thrilled the crowd" with the song, alongside others from the new album.[45]

Track listing

  1. "For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn (Radio Edit)" - 3:59

References

  1. ^ a b "Chart Log UK: H & Claire- Hysterix". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  2. ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-albums-chart/20100509/131/
  3. ^ "Stranger Comes to Town by Steve Harley : Reviews and Ratings". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Steve Harley – Stranger Comes To Town (File, MP3) at Discogs". discogs. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Stranger Comes to Town: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  6. ^ "iTunes – Music – Faith & Virtue – Single by Steve Harley". iTunes Store. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  7. ^ "iTunes – Music – For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn – Single by Steve Harley". iTunes Store. 27 June 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  8. ^ http://www.harleyfanzone.com/70/Scrapbook/2010/Welcome.htm
  9. ^ a b c d e "CD Review: Steve Harley – Stranger Comes To Town (From The Bolton News)". Theboltonnews.co.uk. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Grand Opera House, York, May 28 (From York Press)". Yorkpress.co.uk. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Stranger Comes to Town". Repertoire Records. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  12. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/cuttings/276-steve-harley-in-acoustic-magazine.html
  13. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/cuttings/276-steve-harley-in-acoustic-magazine.html
  14. ^ "Retired Boxer – Daniel Johnston : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  15. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/diary/2-diary/168-diary-191109.html
  16. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/cuttings/276-steve-harley-in-acoustic-magazine.html
  17. ^ "Stranger Comesto Town – album cover". Ecx.images-amazon.com. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  18. ^ "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Stranger Comes To Town UK CD album (CDLP) (500837)". Eil.com. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  19. ^ a b c "BBC – Steve Harley records with Wymondham school children". BBC News. 18 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  20. ^ "Stranger Comesto Town – album cover". Ecx.images-amazon.com. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  21. ^ "Stranger Comes to Town – Steve Harley : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  22. ^ a b "Stranger Comes To Town -Steve Harley |". Record Collector. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  23. ^ a b "Steve Harley: Stranger Comes To Town (Comeuppance Records) album review | Express.co.uk – Home of the Daily and Sunday Express". Daily Express. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  24. ^ a b Butler, Jon (29 May 2010). "Jon Butler reviews Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel at the Grand Opera House, York (From York Press)". Yorkpress.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  25. ^ a b "ROCKTIMES – CD Review / Steve Harley – Stranger Comes To Town". Rocktimes.de. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  26. ^ a b "Steve Harley back with fine new set of songs". Lancashire Telegraph. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  27. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/cuttings/239-r2-review.html
  28. ^ "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel". Harrogate Theatre. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  29. ^ "Isle of Arts 2012 – Steve Harley – A Closer Look". Artsisle.org. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  30. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/cuttings/239-r2-review.html
  31. ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-albums-breakers-chart/20100509/255/
  32. ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-albums-chart/20100509/131/
  33. ^ "iTunes – Music – Faith & Virtue – Single by Steve Harley". iTunes Store. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  34. ^ "iTunes – Music – For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn – Single by Steve Harley". iTunes Store. 27 June 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  35. ^ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/faith-virtue-single/id367609847
  36. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/diary/2-diary/189-diary-030310.html
  37. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s1mwm/segments
  38. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/component/content/article/130-signupform.html
  39. ^ http://www.music-news.com/review/UK/5993/Read
  40. ^ http://www.thesphinx.co.uk/2010/05/steve-harley-gig-review-wulfrun-hall-wolverhampton-may-29th-2010/
  41. ^ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/for-sale.-baby-shoes.-never/id1067921599
  42. ^ http://www.steveharley.com/diary/2-diary/255-diary-310510.html
  43. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sgz84/segments
  44. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20061215161843/http://www.steveharley.com/diary-oct-dec-2001.html
  45. ^ http://www.thesphinx.co.uk/2010/05/steve-harley-gig-review-wulfrun-hall-wolverhampton-may-29th-2010/
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