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Choke (album)

1990 studio album by the Beautiful South From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Choke is the second studio album by the English pop-rock group the Beautiful South, released in the UK on 29 October 1990.[9][10] Upon its release, it was pushed to number 2 in the charts after the release of the band's only number one single, "A Little Time". It would remain in the charts for 22 weeks.[11]

Released29 October 1990 (UK)[1]
Recorded1990
Genres
Length36:55
Quick facts Studio album by the Beautiful South, Released ...
Choke
Studio album by
the Beautiful South
Released29 October 1990 (UK)[1]
Recorded1990
Genres
Length36:55
LabelsGO! Discs[2]
Elektra[3]
ProducerMike Hedges
The Beautiful South chronology
Welcome to the Beautiful South
(1989)		 Choke
(1990)		 0898
(1992)
Singles from Choke
  1. "A Little Time"
    Released: 24 September 1990
  2. "My Book"
    Released: November 1990
  3. "Let Love Speak Up Itself"
    Released: 4 March 1991[4]
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More information Review scores, Source ...
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[5]
Robert Christgau(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)(3-star Honorable Mention)[6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album GuideStarStarStarHalf star[7]
New Musical Express8/10[8]
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStar[3]
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The album was followed by two more singles, both of which were flops. "My Book", which became the band's first single to chart outside the top 40, peaked at number 43, and "Let Love Speak Up Itself" reached number 51.

The original release of the album contained 11 tracks. The twelfth track, exclusive to the German release, was intended for the album from the beginning but was removed at a late stage of production.[citation needed] The cassette release of the standard version feature a long silence at the end of the first side, possibly indicating that this would have been the location originally intended for the track.[citation needed]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that "Choke makes it clear that the Beautiful South has ample pop sense and pure venom to keep its unique act going for quite a while."[12] The New York Times wrote positively that the album "reads like an 11-chapter novella from a criminally sane mind."[13]

In 1995, Q included Choke in its publication "In Our Lifetime: Q's 100 Best Albums 1986–94", a list compiled to celebrate its 100th issue.[14]

Track listing

All tracks by Paul Heaton, David Rotheray unless otherwise noted

  1. "Tonight I Fancy Myself" – 3:26
  2. "My Book" – 3:18
  3. "Let Love Speak Up Itself" – 5:04
  4. "Should've Kept My Eyes Shut" – 3:27
  5. "I've Come for My Award" – 3:14
  6. "Lips" – 1:11
  7. "I Think the Answer's Yes" – 5:15
  8. "A Little Time" – 3:00
  9. "Mother's Pride" – 2:03
  10. "I Hate You (But You're Interesting)" – 3:46
  11. "The Rising of Grafton Street" – 3:05
  12. "What You See Is What You Get" (Tony Hester) – 4:28 (German release only)

Non-LP/CD B-Sides

The Beautiful South included unreleased material on the B-sides of the singles taken from their albums.

from the "A Little Time" 12" single and CDEP

from the "My Book" 12" single and CDEP

  • "My Book"
  • "Big Beautiful South"
  • "Bigger Doesn't Mean Better"
  • "Speak To Me"

from the "Let Love Speak Up Itself" 12" single and CDEP

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

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