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Kite (Kirsty MacColl album)

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Kite
Studio album by
Kirsty MacColl
ReleasedApril 1989[1]
Recorded1988
StudioThe Town House, London
Ealing Studios, London
RAK Studios, London
Genre
Length39:19 (LP)
49:14 (CD)
LabelVirgin
ProducerSteve Lillywhite
Kirsty MacColl chronology
Kirsty MacColl
(1985) 		Kite
(1989) 		Electric Landlady
(1991)
Singles from Kite
  1. "Free World"
    Released: February 1989[2]
  2. "Days"
    Released: June 1989[3]
  3. "Innocence"
    Released: September 1989[4]
  4. "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"
    Released: March 1990[5]

Kite is the breakthrough second album by Kirsty MacColl, released in 1989. Produced by her husband Steve Lillywhite, it was her first album for Virgin Records. The album included MacColl's hit cover of the Kinks' "Days", as well as two tracks written with Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. On 6 October 1989, it was certified silver by the BPI.[6]

Background

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In a 1991 interview with Melody Maker, MacColl commented, "With Kite, I felt I had to prove that I wasn't this bimbo girl-next-door I'd been portrayed as. That had been hanging around my neck like a fucking albatross for so long, and I wanted to make the point that, yes, I can write a fucking song, pal!"[7]

MacColl originally wanted to call the album Al Green Was My Valet, as a parody of the 1941 film title How Green Was My Valley, but Virgin Records were not keen on it. She then had the idea of the title Kite after David Gilmour, who played guitar on two tracks, declined payment for his contribution and suggested that a "kite" [slang for cheque] be sent to Armenia instead as a donation towards the relief of the 1988 Armenian earthquake. MacColl told Ira Robbins in 1990, "I thought that was such a nice image – a little bit of hope and optimism rising above a sea of crap."[8]

In April 1990, MacColl revealed the album had sold approximately 85,000 copies in the UK.[8]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[10]
Hi-Fi News & Record ReviewA:1[11]
New Musical Express7/10[12]
Record Mirror[13]
Rolling Stone[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[15]
Sounds[16]

On its release, Dave Jennings of Melody Maker described the album as a "thoughtful, mature, yet sometimes exhilarating LP" and "cerebral but instantly likeable; never wild or abandoned, but always intriguing". Aside from some "tender moments", he considered most of Kite to show MacColl "on the attack", with her "carefully-layered, deadpan vocals" suiting the "anger" in her lyrics.[17] Simon Williams of New Musical Express considered it "an old-fashioned album" with "proper songs [and] resolutely orthodox instruments". He concluded, "Kite is charming rather than classy. Everything is pleasantly down-to-earth, sweet and sour stories from a woman's point of view which always avoid being emotionally extreme."[12] Peter Kane of Sounds noted it "boasts some fine tunes about life, love, and the whole damned thing" which is "done in a peculiarly colloquial, very English style" and with "not a hint of pretension". He described the album as "one to be proud of" and one which "deserves to be heard".[16]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic called Kite "the pinnacle of [MacColl's] achievement" and her "best-sustained work". They felt that MacColl's songwriting was "excellent", with some of her "sharpest and cleverest words and most memorable melodies."[9] Trouser Press wrote of the album: "This sturdy, provocative collection mixes full-bodied pop styles with some country, adding a film noir story sung in French, a pair of wonderful covers and pointed lyrical assaults on both Margaret Thatcher and shallow pop stars."[18] The Rolling Stone Album Guide described the album as having a "skillfull, introspective elegance".[15] In 2024, The Independent included it in their list of the 20 most underrated albums ever, ranking it number 9.[19]

Re-issues

[edit]

Kite was re-released in 2005 with ten bonus tracks, including B-sides and alternate mixes.[20] A 2012 expanded edition released by Salvo Records features a bonus disc with seventeen bonus tracks, also with B-sides and alternate mixes.[21] Both re-issues were remastered. Demon Records re-issued the original twelve-track album in 2018 on 180g vinyl.[22]

Track listing

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Adapted from the album's liner notes.[21][23]

All tracks are written by Kirsty MacColl; except where indicated

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Innocence"MacColl, Pete Glenister4:09
2."Free World" 2:38
3."Mother's Ruin"MacColl, Glenister3:57
4."Days"Ray Davies3:00
5."No Victims" 3:50
6."Fifteen Minutes" 3:12
7."Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" 3:47
8."Tread Lightly"MacColl, Glenister3:20
9."What Do Pretty Girls Do?"MacColl, Glenister2:37
10."Dancing in Limbo" 2:51
11."The End of a Perfect Day"MacColl, Johnny Marr3:23
12."You and Me Baby"MacColl, Marr2:31
Total length:39:19
CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby"Morrissey, Marr2:50
14."La Forêt de Mímosas" 3:36
15."Complainte Pour Ste Catherine"Anna McGarrigle, Philippe Tatartchef3:33
Total length:49:14
2005 edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
13."You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (She's Having a Baby soundtrack version)Morrissey, MarrShe's Having a Baby soundtrack, 19883:40
14."Happy" B-side to "Days"2:33
15."Am I Right?" B-side to "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"1:27
16."El Paso"Marty RobbinsB-side to "Days"3:46
17."La Forêt de Mímosas" Kite CD; B-side to "Free World"3:33
18."Complainte Pour Ste Catherine"McGarrigle, TatartchefKite CD; B-side to "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"3:33
19."Free World" (Radio Version) CD single promo2:38
20."Innocence" (Guilt Mix)MacColl, GlenisterB-side to "Innocence"5:56
21."No Victims" (Guitar Heroes Mix) B-side to "Innocence"4:25
22."The End of a Perfect Day" (Demo)MacColl, MarrB-side to "Free World"3:10

2012 edition bonus CD

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The first disc contains the twelve tracks from the original album.

Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Closer to God?" B-side to "Free World"3:55
2."The End of a Perfect Day" (Original demo version)MacColl, MarrB-side to "Free World"3:12
3."You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby"Morrissey, MarrKite CD2:49
4."La Forêt de Mímosas" Kite CD; B-side to "Free World"3:36
5."Happy" B-side to "Days"2:34
6."El Paso"RobbinsB-side to "Days"3:48
7."Still Life"MacColl, Philip RambowB-side to "Days"2:59
8."Please Help Me, I'm Falling"Don Robertson, Hal BlairB-side to "Days"2:47
9."Innocence" (Single remix)MacColl, GlenisterSingle4:02
10."Clubland" B-side to "Innocence"4:05
11."Don't Run Away from Me Now"MacColl, RambowB-side to "Innocence"2:58
12."Innocence" (Guilt Mix)MacColl, GlenisterB-side to "Innocence"5:55
13."No Victims" (Guitar Heroes Mix) B-side to "Innocence"4:23
14."Other People's Hearts"MacColl, Gavin PoveyB-side to "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"3:37
15."Complainte Pour Ste Catherine"McGarrigle, TatartchefKite CD; B-side to "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"3:32
16."Am I Right?" B-side to "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"1:26
17."You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (She's Having a Baby soundtrack version)Morrissey, MarrShe's Having a Baby soundtrack3:47

Personnel

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Recording information

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  • 1-9, 11, 13-15 recorded at The Town House
  • 6, 10, 12 recorded at Ealing Studios.
  • 1, 6, 7, 12, 15 recorded at RAK Studios
  • David Gilmour recorded at Olympic Studios
  • 1, 5, 10, 11, 13, 14 mixed at Ealing Studios.
  • 2-4, 6-9, 12, 15 mixed at Olympic Studios.

[23]

Charts

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Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[26] 110
Swedish Albums Chart[27] 48
UK Albums Chart[28] 34

References

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  1. ^ a b "Kite (1989 CD)". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Free World". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Days". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Innocence". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  6. ^ [1] [dead link‍]
  7. ^ Jennings, Dave (22 June 1991). "Kirsty MacColl – The Last Waltz". Melody Maker. p. 46.
  8. ^ a b Robbins, Ira (April 1990). "AUDIO: Kirsty MacColl (1990)". Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Kite - Kirsty MacColl | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Kite". Ew.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  11. ^ Clark, Pete (August 1989). "Review: Kirsty MacColl — Kite" (PDF). Hi-Fi News & Record Review (magazine). Vol. 34, no. 8. Croydon: Link House Magazines Ltd. pp. 107–108. ISSN 0142-6230. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021 – via World Radio History.
  12. ^ a b Williams, Simon (13 May 1989). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 31.
  13. ^ Giles, David (13 May 1989). "Review: Kirsty MacColl — Kite" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 31. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022 – via World Radio History.
  14. ^ "Kirsty MacColl: Kirsty MacColl: Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 8 January 2008.
  15. ^ a b Anthony DeCurtis; James Henke; Holly George-Warren, eds. (1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 441. ISBN 0679737294.
  16. ^ a b Kane, Peter (13 May 1989). "Albums: Still looking for a new England. Review: Kirsty MacColl — Kite (Virgin)" (PDF). Sounds. Peterborough: United Newspapers. p. 42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022 – via World Radio History.
  17. ^ Jennings, Dave (13 May 1989). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 37.
  18. ^ Ira Robbins; Michael Zwirn. "Kirsty MacColl". Trouser Press. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  19. ^ Beaumont, Mark; O'Connor, Roisin (19 October 2024). "The 20 most underrated albums ever". The Independent. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Kite (2005 CD)". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Kite (2012 CD)". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Kite (Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Clear, 180g)". Discogs. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  23. ^ a b c Kite (CD reissue liner notes). Kirsty MacColl. Salvo. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ "Kite - Kirsty MacColl | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  25. ^ a b c "Kite (2005)". Discogs. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Kirsty MacColl ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on 17 March 2020". Imgur.com. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  27. ^ Steffen Hung. "Kirsty MacColl - Kite". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  28. ^ "KIRSTY MACCOLL | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
[edit]
  • Kite at Kirsty MacColl.com
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