2WO | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 1985 | |||
Recorded | Phase One Studios, Toronto, Britannia Row, London, UK, Mushroom Studios, Vancouver, BC, ESP Studios, Buttonville, Ontario | |||
Genre | Rock, new wave | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Producer | Drew Arnott Michael Kamen ("Nor Crystal Tears" only) | |||
Strange Advance chronology | ||||
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2WO is the second studio album by Canadian new wave band Strange Advance released in February, 1985. It featured two hit Canadian singles, "We Run" and "The Second That I Saw You". Along with their first album, this was a Canadian gold record for the band.[1]
Background and writing
[edit]This recording features heavy use of keyboards and synthesizers including the Fairlight, Yamaha DX7, and Jupiter 8.[citation needed]
Recalling the inspiration behind the hit song "We Run", Drew Arnott said it was "one of those 'wake up sweating' dreams. I just described what I saw. The smallest things can be the most inspiring. Ed Shaw added a delay to a sound in "We Run" which made the whole track come alive for me. Major bow to Michael Kamen for the strings and Scott Litt (REM) for the mix."[citation needed]
One song written during the 2WO sessions but left off the record was "Lady with a Blade", which would later appear on the 1995 compilation album Worlds Away & Back.
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Tomas Mureika of allmusic calls 2WO "A seriously overlooked album".[3]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Drew Arnott, except where noted[4]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I'll Be the One to Cry" | Drew Arnott | Drew Arnott | 3:56 |
2. | "The Second That I Saw You" | Arnott | Arnott | 3:20 |
3. | "We Run" | Arnott | Arnott | 3:59 |
4. | "Prelude" | Arnott | Arnott | 2:02 |
5. | "Home of the Brave" | Arnott | Arnott | 6:34 |
6. | "The Sounds of Life" | Arnott | Arnott | 4:00 |
7. | "Blue Fire" | Darryl Kromm | Arnott | 4:14 |
8. | "Just Like You" | Arnott | Arnott | 5:41 |
9. | "Running Away" | Kromm | Arnott | 4:15 |
10. | "Nor Crystal Tears" | Kromm | Michael Kamen | 5:06 |
Album credits
[edit]Personnel
[edit]- Darryl Kromm – lead vocals, guitar
- Drew Arnott – keyboards, drums, vocals, lead vocal on "We Run"
with:
- Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve – bass
- Gerald O'Brien – keyboards and arrangement assistance
- Howard Ayee – bass on "We Run", "The Second That I Saw You"
- Dawnlee Tait – backing vocals
- Andy Bown – 12 string guitar; bass on "Running Away"
- Ed Shaw – guitar
- Andy Newmark – drums on "Running Away"
- Earl Slick – guitar on "Running Away"
- David Roberts – backing vocals
- Steve Sexton – keyboards on "We Run"
- Keith Scott – guitars
- Chitose Ishikura – Japanese voiceover on "The Second That I Saw You"
- Chris Arnott – Gaelic voiceover
- Kevin Markland – percussion
- Laura Oldham – slapstick
- Michael Kamen – oboe, keyboards, vocal effect on "I'll Be the One to Cry"
- Domenic Troiano – guitar on "The Second That I Saw You"
- Tony Lester – guitar
- Simon Brierley – lead guitar
- John Jones – piano
- Ericka Goodman – harp
- Bernie LaBarge – backing vocals
- John Forbes, Jean Piche, Dee Long, Drew Arnott – Fairlight programming
Production
[edit]- Drew Arnott –– producer
- Michael Kamen – producer of "Nor Crystal Tears", string arrangements on "We Run"
- Remixing – Scott Litt; Drew Arnott & Lenny DeRose on "Nor Crystal Tears"
- Engineering – Lenny DeRose, Andy Jackson, Dave Oglivie, Dee Long, Scott Litt
- Mastering – Bob Ludwig, Masterdisk, New York
References
[edit]- Citations
- ^ "Artist: Strange Advance Biography". jam.canoe.ca. Jam!. 7 December 2004. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ AllMusic Review
- ^ Tomas Mureika. "Strange Advance > 2WO > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ Library and Archives Canada. "AMICUS No. 5482513". collectionscanada.gc.ca. canada.gc.ca/main_e.html. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- Other
- Worlds Away & Back (Insert). Strange Advance. Mississauga: Capitol. 1991. ST 12349.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)