From Wikipedia - Reading time: 5 min
| Native Place | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Studio | Townhouse, Battery (London) | |||
| Label | Virgin[1] | |||
| Producer | Steve Lovell, Steve Power | |||
| The Railway Children chronology | ||||
| ||||
Native Place is an album by the English band the Railway Children, released in 1990.[2][3] The band broke up after the album's release, in part due to EMI's acquisition of Virgin Records.[4]
The album peaked at No. 59 on the UK Albums Chart.[5] "Every Beat of the Heart" peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.[6] The band promoted the album by touring with the Heart Throbs.[7][8]
The album was produced by Steve Lovell and Steve Power.[9] It was recorded over a period of four months, to the annoyance of chief songwriter Gary Newby.[10]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| Select | |
Trouser Press wrote: "No longer an unassuming pop group, the Railway Children are growing into dance-oriented chart hacks."[14] The Washington Post opined that "Native Place is not brave or powerful or important, but it's seriously listenable."[15]
The Daily Breeze determined that the album "leans more toward guitar-oriented pop, boasting strong melodies, airy textures and a sunny optimism."[10] The Dayton Daily News stated that "the group's sound recalls the jangling guitars of the Byrds combined with a sweeping keyboard sound from the early '80s."[16]
AllMusic wrote that "the slick production and sunny synths couldn't leech the buoyancy and emotional impact from the poetic, romantic songwriting and warm harmonies of Gary Newby."[11] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide deemed Native Place "one of the definitive pop albums of the early '90s ... Newby's gentle vocals are flawless."[9]
All tracks are written by Gary Newby
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Every Beat of the Heart" | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Music Stop" | 4:00 |
| 3. | "You're Young" | 4:32 |
| 4. | "Because" | 4:45 |
| 5. | "Cotton Counting" | 1:59 |
| 6. | "It's Heaven" | 3:34 |
| 7. | "Something So Good" | 4:14 |
| 8. | "Collide" | 4:16 |
| 9. | "Native Place" | 3:53 |
| 10. | "Fall On" | 1:27 |
| 11. | "Harbour Force" | 3:58 |
| 12. | "Blue Sky" | 4:06 |
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