Everything But The Girl - Love Not Money (1985)

“Love Not Money” is the second album by Everything but the Girl, released in 1985.

Originating at the turn of the 1980s as a leader of the lite-jazz movement, Everything but the Girl became an unlikely success story more than a decade later, emerging at the vanguard of the fusion between pop and electronica. Founded in 1982 by Hull University students Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, the duo took their name from a sign placed in the window of a local furniture shop, which claimed "for your bedroom needs, we sell everything but the girl." At the time of their formation, both vocalist Thorn and songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Watt were already signed independently to the Cherry Red label; Thorn was a member of the sublime Marine Girls, while Watt had issued several solo singles and also collaborated with Robert Wyatt. Everything but the Girl debuted in 1982 with a samba interpretation of Cole Porter's "Night and Day"; the single was a success on the U.K. independent charts, but the duo nonetheless went on hiatus as Thorn recorded a solo EP, A Distant Shore, while Watt checked in with the full-length North Marine Drive in 1983. EBTG soon reunited to record a cover of the Jam's "English Rose" for an NME sampler; the track so impressed former Jam frontman Paul Weller that he invited the duo to contribute to the 1984 LP Cafe Bleu, the debut from his new project, the Style Council.

Everything but the Girl's own beguiling 1984 debut, “Eden”, followed on the heels of the single "Each and Every One," a U.K. Top 40 hit. The jazz-pop confections of the group's early work gave way to shimmering jangle rock on their 1985's second album “Love Not Money”.

Everything But the Girl took a more contemporary pop approach while retaining the spareness of their debut. They also upped the ante in their songwriting, tackling a range of issues from the Irish troubles to the troubles of movie star Frances Farmer, with lots of criticism of the stratification and sexism of the current social and economic system thrown in. Tracey Thorn's careworn voice proved an excellent vehicle for such essentially pessimistic sentiments, and even if “Love Not Money” made for a dour listening experience, it was nevertheless compelling.

Side A
1. When All's Well  (3:00)
2. Ugly Little Dreams  (2:54)
3. Shoot Me Down  (4:12)
4. Are You Trying to Be Funny?  (3:16)
5. Sean  (3:30)

Side B
1. Ballad of the Times  (3:27)
2. Anytown  (3:26)
3. This Love (Not For Sale) (3:05)
4. Trouble And Strife  (3:07)
5. Angel  (5:35)

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Ben Watt
Arranged By [Horns] – Ben Watt
Backing Vocals – Ben Watt, June Miles-Kingston
Banjo – Chris Thompson (3)
Bass – Philip Moxham
Design [Cover] – Caryn Gough
Drums – June Miles-Kingston
Electric Guitar – Ben Watt, Neil Scott
Engineer – Ben Rogan, Mike Pela
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Dick Pearce
Mastered By – Tim Young
Photography – Humbrey Spender
Piano – Robin Millar (tracks: B5)
Piano, Organ – Ben Watt
Producer – Robin Millar
Saxophone [Alto] – Peter King (2)
Saxophone [Tenor] – Nigel Nash
Steel Guitar [Pedal] – BJ Cole
Vocals – Tracey Thorn
Whistle [Tin] – Dave Golding
Written-by [Horns] – Ben Watt

Notes
Recorded at Powerplant Studios, London
Mastered at CBS
Cover photo taken from "Worktown People: Photographs From Northern England 1937-38"
© 1985 WEA Records Ltd.

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Shakatak - Invitations (1982)

Shakatak is an English jazz-funk band, who had founded in 1980.

It was the release of "Easier Said Than Done" that gave the band the radio exposure needed for their first top-twenty hit.

This record introduced their instrumental-unison vocal sound to a much wider audience, and the track stayed in the UK Singles Chart for seventeen weeks.

In 1982 they released their third album “Invitations. The album cover may look sort of spooky & mysterious but as the saying goes, you can never judge a book by its cover. This 1982 Polydor/PolyGram release by Shakatak was one of the group's best R&B/Jazz recordings at that time.

 Most of you may remember the songs, "Lose Myself", and "Lonely Afternoon", which features the sultry, sexy vocals of Tracie Ackerman (some thought it was Jill Saward singing on the track, but she is with the group at this time of recording). They are the actual tracks on this album, so you can stop worrying about this album being another fabrication of "Night Birds" replacing the actual song that was supposed to be there. In fact, "Night Birds & "Invitations" did come out the same year in 1982. That's primarily the reason why some Shakatak fans felt confused on what year these two albums came out.

Side A
A1  Invitations    (3:14) 
A2  Lose Myself    (5:20) 
A3  Lonely Afternoon  (Lead Vocals: Tracie Ackerman)   (4:43) 
A4  Steppin' Out    (4:47) 

Side B
B1  Stranger    (5:25) 
B2  Usual Situation    (5:04) 
B3  Sol Fuego    (4:38) 
B4  In Shadows    (2:05) 

Credits
Vocals – Jackie Rawe, Jill Saward, Tracie Ackerman
Bass – George Anderson Jnr
Drums – Roger Odell
Engineer – John Buckley
Guitar – Keith Winter
Keyboards – Nigel Wright, Roger Odell
Lyrics By – R. Odell
Music By – W. Sharpe
Other [Creative Assistance] – Green Ink
Design [Sleeve] – Alwyn Clayden
Photography By – Tony Latham
Producer – Nigel Wright
Executive Producer – Les McCutcheon

Notes
Original sound recording made by Polydor Ltd. (London)
Marketed By – Polydor B.V.
Genre: Jazz-Funk, Soul
© 1981 Polydor Ltd. (London)

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