Youthquake (album)
1985 studio album by Dead or Alive
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Youthquake is the second studio album by the English pop band Dead or Alive, released on 13 May 1985 by Epic Records. The album was their commercial breakthrough in Europe and the United States, due to its lead single "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)", which was a No. 1 hit on the UK singles chart and a Top 20 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. Additional single releases from the album included "Lover Come Back to Me", "In Too Deep" and "My Heart Goes Bang (Get Me to the Doctor)".
| Youthquake | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 13 May 1985 | |||
| Recorded | 1984–1985 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:50 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Stock Aitken Waterman | |||
| Dead or Alive chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Youthquake | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Rolling Stone | (unfavourable)[3] |
| Smash Hits | [5] |
This was Dead or Alive's first collaboration with the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) production team. The recording was marked by tension and clashes between band and producers, which audio engineer Phil Harding alleges almost escalated to violence.[6] Youthquake was re-released in the UK on compact disc (CD) in 1994, with the two bonus tracks that were previously included on the original CD[Notes 1] and cassette versions of the album.
The album peaked at No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart[7] and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of over 100,000 copies.[8] It also peaked at No. 31 on the US Billboard 200[9] and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales over 500,000.[10] In Canada, the album peaked at No. 8 and was certified platinum.[11] The album cover was taken by the Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer Mario Testino.
Critical reception
Upon its release the album received a mixed reception. Smash Hits Ian Cranna gave the album a favourable 8 out 10 rating, but criticised the album's production which he found too often relegated the songs and the vocals to the background in favour of "emotionless, clattering computer rhythms. Played loud, virtually every track could be a dancefloor favourite or potential hit: played at home, it takes ages for the songs to come through their unsympathetic surroundings."[5]
In an unfavourable review for Rolling Stone, Rob Tannenbaum wrote: "With layers of sleek sequencers and static percussion invoking the locked dance groove of disco, Youthquake maintains a high energy pace best suited for aerobics. Because without the dynamic production or provocative lyrics or even plain old good singing that recommend the best of its peers, this LP is like a night at Area – initially entertaining, occasionally sexy, but very suddenly a bore."[3]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" | 3:20 |
| 2. | "I Wanna Be a Toy" | 3:57 |
| 3. | "DJ Hit That Button" | 3:27 |
| 4. | "In Too Deep" | 4:09 |
| 5. | "Big Daddy of the Rhythm" | 3:24 |
| 6. | "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (Performance Mix) | 7:25 |
| 7. | "Cake and Eat It" | 4:41 |
| 8. | "Lover Come Back to Me" | 3:07 |
| 9. | "My Heart Goes Bang" | 3:10 |
| 10. | "It's Been a Long Time" | 8:02 |
| 11. | "Lover Come Back to Me" (Extended Mix) | 5:24 |
| Total length: | 36:50 | |
- The original vinyl, original US CD, and original Japan CD releases are 9 tracks only, omitting tracks 6 (remix) and 11 (extended mix).
Personnel
Dead or Alive
- Pete Burns – lead and backing vocals; melodica (on track 2)[12]
- Mike Percy – synthesisers, electric guitar; bass guitar
- Tim Lever – synthesizers, sequencer, sampler, electric guitar, saxophone; backing vocals
- Steve Coy – drum machines, percussion; backing vocals
Production and artwork
- Mike Stock – producer
- Pete Waterman – producer
- Matt Aitken – producer
- Phil Harding – engineer; mixing
- Satori – design
- Mario Testino – photography
Chart performance
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[13] | 17 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[14] | 8 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15] | 37 |
| Finnish Albums Chart[16] | 26 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[17] | 24 |
| Italian Albums Chart[18] | 18 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[19] | 43 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 31 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[20] | 29 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] | 10 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[22] | 9 |
| US Billboard 200[23] | 31 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[11] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Notes
- Original European CD copies were manufactured in Japan and were un-barcoded.