WORLD PARTY – Private Revolution – (Chrysalis) – 1986

what Frank is listening to #194 – WORLD PARTY – Private Revolution – (Chrysalis) – 1986

I actually bought the single from this album, "Ship of Fools" when it came out.

For fucks sake it is an incredibly catchy single.

allmusic: World Party began as an outlet for the pop infatuations of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Karl Wallinger, previously best known for his tenure with the Waterboys. Born October 19, 1957, in Prestatyn, Wales, Wallinger grew up enamored not only of the Beatles but also of the Motown and Merseybeat sounds, and made his professional debut in 1976 as a member of the group Quasimodo. (Years later, after Wallinger had exited to move to London to work as a clerk for ATV/Northern Songs, Quasimodo evolved into the Alarm)…After 1985's superb This Is the Sea (Waterboys), Wallinger amicably departed to form World Party, a one-man project heavily indebted to Revolver-era Beatlesque pop; recorded in Wallinger's home studio, the 1987 debut Private Revolution scored a Top 40 hit with the infectious lead single "Ship of Fools."

This is a one man band (practically) … and it sounds it. There have been other one man bands in the past and they are as good or as bad (obviously) as the talent of that one man.

Wallinger certainly knows what he likes though I feel the music is a little unadventurous. There is also an over reliance on synths ….maybe that is a result of being a one man band and accordingly the synths fill in the gaps or maybe it's because it is that very dangerous thing … a 1980s album. This isn't quite "mainstream" music but it is English indie pop which was a bees dick off being mainstream. And though I have nothing against the mainstream generally, the 80s were the most dire era for mainstream music.

wikipedia: Wallinger cited influences such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Junior Walker, Neil Young and Prince. Wallinger sings and plays most of the instruments himself, using multitracking to create the studio sound. Lyrically, many of the songs feature thoughtful and occasionally political sentiments.

I can see snatches of the Beatles in here, and there is a Dylan cover but the other thing I can hear is Prince. In fact Prince looms higher than The Beatles on this album. The album could be an English version of the fine "Around the World in a Day" (1985) album by Prince. Of course "Around the World in a Day" was Prince's Beatles inspired album, so it all works out.

This is not a comment about Prince, who I have nothing against (in fact I bought the "Around the World in a Day" when it came out) but clearly Wallinger isn't Prince. He never quite lets himself go as Prince does, or as The Beatles did. And he can't sing like Prince either.

I've come back to add this line ….I don't want to change the above but Wallinger is a bit of a musical chameleon. The first side is Prince and the second side is Dylan and Jagger.

I said earlier that "World Party" is a one man band practically. That practically refers to the fact that Wallinger doubles and triples up on instruments but is assisted in dribs and drabs by Anthony Thistlethwaite (Waterboys), Steve Wickham (Waterboys, U2, Hothouse Flowers) and Sinéad O'Connor. The other musicians listed are Wallinger himself.

Karl Wallinger — vocals, guitars, bass, sampling keyboards
Delahaye—percussion
Rufus Dove—electric guitars
Martin Finnucane—harp ("Dance of the Hoppy Lads")
Ahmed Gottlieb—sitar & tabla
Millennium Mills—piano
Sinéad O'Connor — backing vocals ("Private Revolution", "Hawaiian Island World")
Anthony Thistlethwaite — saxophone ("Ship of Fools")
Will Towyn—sampling keyboards
Steve Wickham — violin

Lyrically there is quite a bit of liberal politics on the album with a specific emphasis on environmental concerns and our responses to them.

Tracks (best in italics)

Private Revolution – catchy …and not dissimilar from Prince (apart from the voice)
Making Love (To the World) – yup. If the voice were a bit stronger and bombastic this could be a U2 or Alarm song. Remember the Alarm?

When will we learn

Will we learn

To make love to the world?

Ship of Fools –still an incredibly catchy shuffle groove. Lyrically it's not bad either
All Come True – a touch of Mick Jagger inflection in the voice here.
Dance of the Hoppy Lads – a very short instrumental interlude
It Can Be Beautiful (Sometimes) – a smouldering soul type song ….Wallinger doesn't really have the voice for this type of material though it is refreshing to hear someone who doesn't have a voice attempting this but it doesn't carry the whole song.
The Ballad of the Little Man – hello, calling Bob Dylan.
Hawaiian Island World – This could be an outtake from the Stones "Let it Bleed" updated to the 80s. A country rock ramble and again, catchy enough.
All I Really Want to Do– A Dylan cover – well done.
World Party – Wallinger's politics summed up here.
It's All Mine –slightly like a country U2 with southern horns.

And…

Interesting but the question remains…who is Karl Wallinger?

Mitchell gave this album to me (thanks Mitchell and Ipswich op shops) …. Look this isn't a bad album but I can't see myself playing the entire thing over again and the wife wants it so I'm giving it to her …but I will tape a couple of tracks it.

Chart Action

US
Singles
Ship of Fools #27

Album
#39

England
Singles

Ship of Fools #42

Album
#56

Australia

Single

Ship of Fools #4

Sounds

Private Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyarL2iPeEM&feature=related

Ship of Fools