Metro Music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Metro Music
Martha And The Muffins - Metro Music album cover.jpg
Studio album by Martha and the Muffins
Released 1979
Recorded August 1979, Manor Studios
Genre New wave, post-punk
Label Dindisc
Producer Mike Howlett
Martha and the Muffins chronology
Metro Music
(1979)
Trance and Dance
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars [1]
Robert Christgau B− [2]
Smash Hits 8/10[3]

Metro Music was Martha and the Muffins' first album, released in 1979. It contained the international hit single "Echo Beach", which reached #3 in Canada, #1 in Portugal, #5 in Australia and #10 in the UK charts in March 1980. It also reached #37 in the U.S. on the Club Play Singles chart.[4] "Saigon" was released as a follow-up single in the UK a few months later, but failed to chart. In Canada, the follow-up single was "Paint By Number Heart" — it climbed to #69. The album itself was certified gold in Canada (50,000 units) on September 1, 1980; "Echo Beach" was certified gold there (5,000 units) on the following October 1.[5]

As Dindisc 1 (DID I) Metro Music was notable for being the first album ever released on the then-new DinDisc label,[6] followed soon after by the first album from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, numbered, appropriately enough, as DinDisc 2 (DID 2).

The cover image design by Peter Saville is a map of Toronto, the band's hometown and is based on a map from the National Topographic System of Canada.[7]

The entire Metro Music album also formed the first part of Martha and the Muffins' 1987 compilation Far Away in Time.

Track listing[edit]

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Echo Beach" Mark Gane 3:38
2. "Paint by Number Heart" Martha Johnson 4:23
3. "Saigon" Johnson, Daniel Millar 4:23
4. "Indecision" Johnson 4:25
5. "Terminal Twilight" Gane, Martha Ladly 4:42
6. "Hide and Seek" Gane, Ladly 3:57
7. "Monotone" Johnson 2:46
8. "Sinking Land" Gane 5:27
9. "Revenge (Against the World)" Gane 3:31
10. "Cheesies and Gum" Gane, Ladly 3:05

Personnel[edit]

  • Martha Johnson - keyboards, vocals
  • Martha Ladly - keyboards, trombone, vocals
  • Mark Gane - synthesizer, guitar
  • Carl Finkle - bass
  • Tim Gane - drums
  • Andy Haas - saxophone

Chart performance[edit]

Album

Chart (1980) Peak
position
UK Album Chart[8] 34
U.S. Billboard 200 [9] 186

Singles

Single Chart (1980) Position
"Echo Beach" Canada 3
"Echo Beach" Australia (Kent Music Report) 5
"Echo Beach" UK Singles Chart [8] 10
"Echo Beach/Paint By Number Heart" Billboard Club Play Singles [4] 37

References[edit]

  1. ^ Badgley, Aaron. "Martha and the Muffins: Metro Music > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Martha and the Muffins > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2 November 2011. 
  3. ^ Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits (March 6–19): 30–31. 
  4. ^ a b Metro Music - Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Gold Platinum Database: Martha and the Muffins". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
  6. ^ "Martha and the Muffins - Metro Music". discogs.com. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
  7. ^ Saville, Peter (2003-08-15). Designed by Peter Saville. Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-56898-422-3. Retrieved 19 December 2011. 
  8. ^ a b UK Official Charts
  9. ^ Metro Music - Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.