World Machine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

World Machine
Studio album by
Level 42
Released18 October 1985 (1985-10-18)[1]
StudioMaison Rouge (Fulham, West London)
Genre
Length47:04
LabelPolydor
Producer
Level 42 chronology
A Physical Presence
(1985) 		World Machine
(1985) 		Running in the Family
(1987)
Singles from World Machine
  1. "Something About You"
    Released: 13 September 1985
  2. "Leaving Me Now"
    Released: 29 November 1985
  3. "World Machine"
    Released: 1986 (US)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarFile:Star empty.svg[4]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[5]

World Machine is the sixth studio album by the English jazz-funk band Level 42, released on 18 October 1985 by Polydor Records. It was the band's breakthrough album internationally and features one of their most successful singles, "Something About You".

Composition

[edit | edit source]

This release marked a transition from their jazz-funk beginnings to the funky pop they are best known for―a transition which eventually resulted in the departure of drummer Phil Gould subsequent to the release of their follow up studio album Running in the Family (1987).

The album features the singles "Something About You" (the band's only American top 10 hit, peaking at number 7, and a success internationally) and "Leaving Me Now". Also featured is "Physical Presence", the song from which the name for their first live album was taken.

The album was re-released in 2000 as a 2-CD set also including the band's previous studio album, True Colours (1984). In 2007, World Machine was re-released as a 2-CD remastered Deluxe Edition containing several remixes and live versions as bonus tracks.

The cover photo is of Hafnarfjall, a mountain in west Iceland.

Commercial performance

[edit | edit source]

World Machine peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart, staying on the chart for 72 weeks. It was also the band's first album to enter the US Billboard 200, peaking at number 18 and staying on the chart for 36 weeks.[6] Album sales have reached over three million copies, being certified 2× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Track listing

[edit | edit source]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."World Machine"
5:14
2."Physical Presence"
  • P. Gould
  • King
5:27
3."Something About You"
4:24
4."Leaving Me Now"
  • Badarou
  • King
  • P. Gould
5:00
5."I Sleep On My Heart"
  • Badarou
  • R. Gould
  • P. Gould
  • King
4:04
6."It's Not the Same for Us"
  • Badarou
  • King
  • P. Gould
  • Lindup
4:36
7."Dream Crazy" (originally included as a bonus track on the CD and cassette versions)
  • R. Gould
  • King
  • Lindup
3:53
8."Good Man in a Storm"
  • P. Gould
  • King
4:36
9."Coup d'état"
  • P. Gould
  • King
3:47
10."Lying Still"
  • Badarou
  • R. Gould
  • King
5:39
Total length:47:04
  • Note: The American versions of the album feature a re-ordered track listing, as well as the substitution of the tracks "Hot Water" and "The Chant Has Begun" (both of which had originally appeared on the band's previous studio album True Colours) for "I Sleep On My Heart" and "Coup d'état." The vinyl US version of the album featured the single versions of both "Hot Water" and "The Chant Has Begun," while the full-length album version of "The Chant Has Begun" did appear on the US CD edition. ("Dream Crazy," which only appeared on certain European versions of the album did not appear on any of the North American versions).[7][8][9]

Bonus tracks, released 2000

[edit | edit source]
No.TitleLength
11."I Sleep On My Heart" (remix)6:02
12."World Machine" (dub mix)7:25
13."Something About You" (Sisa remix)7:41

Bonus tracks (deluxe edition), released 2007

[edit | edit source]
  1. "World Machine" (Live Hammersmith Odeon 1.2.86) *
  2. "Leaving Me Now" (Live Hammersmith Odeon 1.2.86) *
  3. "Something About You" (Live Hammersmith Odeon 1.2.86) *
  4. "Coup d'état" (Backwards Mix) – originally the B-side to the "Something About You" single
  5. "Something About You" (Shep Pettibone Mix)
  6. "I Sleep On My Heart" (Live at Ryde Theatre, Isle of Wight Nov 2000)
  7. "Dream Crazy" (Live at Ryde Theatre, Isle of Wight Nov 2000)
  8. "Lying Still" (Live at Ryde Theatre, Isle of Wight Nov 2000)
  9. "Physical Presence" (Live at Hammersmith Apollo, London, Nov 2003)
  10. "Leaving Me Now" (Live at Hammersmith Apollo, London, Nov 2003)
  11. "World Machine" (Phunk Investigation Club Mix) – Electrokingdom featuring Mark King

Personnel

[edit | edit source]

Level 42

with:

2007 Re-issue:

  • Lyndon Connah – keyboards and vocals (Deluxe edition CD2, tracks 6–10)
  • Nathan King – guitars and vocals (Deluxe edition CD2, tracks 6–10)
  • Gary Husband – drums (Deluxe edition CD2, tracks 6–10)
  • Sean Freeman – saxophone and vocals (Deluxe edition CD2, tracks 9, 10)

Production

[edit | edit source]
  • Level 42 – producers
  • Wally Badarou – producer
  • Julian Mendelsohn – production assistant, recording, mixing
  • Carlos Olms – digital engineer
  • Alwyn Clayden – art direction
  • Red Ranch – sleeve design
  • Mike Trevillion – front cover photography
  • Iain McKell – back cover photography
  • Paul Crockford – management
  • Paul King – management
  • Outlaw Management – management company

Charts

[edit | edit source]
Chart Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[10] 3
US Billboard 200[11] 18
Canada RPM 100[12] 15

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ AllMusic review
  5. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).[dead link]
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Level 42- World Machine (U.S. vinyl LP edition) @Discogs.com Originally retrieved 4-19-2009.
  8. ^ Level 42- World Machine (Canadian vinyl LP edition) @Discogs.com Originally retrieved 4-19-2009.
  9. ^ Level 42- World Machine (U.S. CD edition) @Discogs.com Originally retrieved 4-19-2009.
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]

Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=World_Machine&oldid=16298924"