Select | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 10 May 1982 | |||
Recorded | 1981–82 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 40:44 | |||
Label | RAK | |||
Producer | Ricky Wilde | |||
Kim Wilde chronology | ||||
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Singles from Select | ||||
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Select is the second studio album by the English pop singer Kim Wilde, released on 10 May 1982 by RAK Records. The album was not released in North America, neither were the singles off the album.
The first single from this album, "Cambodia", was released in November 1981 and signalled a different sound from the Wilde camp, with an electronic and synth sound different from the rock sound of her previous studio album. The songs were again written by Marty and Ricky Wilde and produced by Ricky Wilde. The lyrics of the songs were similar to the first album: the second single "View from a Bridge" and the album track "Wendy Sadd" seemed to be about suicide, "Chaos at the Airport" described a nightmare about flying and "Ego" was quite the opposite of a love song. "Can You Come Over" was recorded at the Wilde's home. The cover image was a photograph from Gered Mankowitz.
This sequel to Wilde's debut studio album topped the charts in a host of European countries and reached number 8 in Australia, although it did not surpass the success of its predecessor.
Select has been re-released twice on CD, once in 2009 as a remastered and expanded edition and once in 2020 as a deluxe edition, including one unreleased track, a second CD with new remixes and a DVD. The original album was re-released on vinyl in 2020, including the original track list. Both 2020 CD and LP editions include new remasters.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Record Collector | [2] |
Smash Hits | 7/10[3] |
Select was initially received less favourably than Wilde's debut studio album. Stephen Waldon of Juke complimented Wilde's vocals and Marty and Ricky's songwriting, despite finding the production too "stylised in the current pop mode". He described "Just a Feeling" as "a beauty" and deemed "Cambodia" the album's best song.[4] Elly McDonald from The Record critiqued Wilde's voice as "amazingly vacant" but praised Marty and Ricky for having "a wonderful sense of dramatic tension and an ear for soap operas within three verses".[5]
All songs written by Marty Wilde and Ricky Wilde, except where indicated
Side one
Side two
Bonus tracks (2009 remastered CD edition)
Track list (2020 Deluxe Edition) CD1
CD2
DVD The Videos
Kim at the BBC
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[19] | Gold | 20,000[19] |
France (SNEP)[20] | Gold | 100,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Silver | 60,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |