Klark Kent (album)

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Klark Kent
Klark Kent - Klark Kent UK 10 in LP cover.jpg
EP by Klark Kent
Released 1980
Genre New wave, Reggae, Pop and Rock
Length 24:44
Label A&M
Producer Stewart Copeland and Nigel Gray

Klark Kent, also known as Music Madness from the Kinetic Kid, was Stewart Copeland's first solo album, recorded under the pseudonym Klark Kent. The album was released in 1980 as a 10 inch EP on green vinyl and included the hit song "Don't Care", which had reached number 48 in the UK Singles Chart two years before.[1] "Don't Care" was actually the first chart hit for any member of The Police; the band itself would not chart in the UK until several months after "Don't Care" had reached its chart peak.

"Away from Home" and "Ritch in a Ditch" were also released as singles. The "T" from "Ritch in a Ditch" was omitted for the album version.

Like both albums Copeland had recorded as a member of The Police by that time, the Klark Kent album was recorded at Surrey Sound Studio with Nigel Gray on a minimal budget. Many of the songs are stylistically very similar to Copeland's compositions for the Police. Copeland played all of the instruments, including the vocals.

All eight tracks on the EP were later included in the 1995 CD release Kollected Works, along with all of the Klark Kent single-only tracks.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 2/5 stars[2]
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars[3]
(Kollected Works)
Smash Hits 7/10[4]

Reviewing the album for Smash Hits in 1980, Red Starr described the album as "unpretentious" and "light-hearted". He described the songs as "energetic, utterly straightforward and reasonably tuneful, if a bit lacking in the lyrical department". He went on to say the musicianship was "excellent" and "relaxed and inventive".[4]

Allmusic panned the album in their retrospective review, arguing that Copeland only recorded it for ego-driven reasons, and that his vocals make the songs unbearable. They concluded "the album only really succeeds when Copeland sticks to instrumentals".[2]

Despite this, Allmusic also made Kollected Works an album pick and published a review declaring it to be "inventive new wave pop of the highest order" and "a record that combined the musical sensibilities of the Police and the lyrical concerns of Weird Al Yankovic". The reviewer applauded the album's humor and eccentricity, while contending that the tracks also have plenty of musical depth to make them hold up to repeated listens.[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Klark Kent.

  1. "Don't Care" – 2:08
  2. "Away from Home" – 2:55
  3. "Ritch in a Ditch" – 2:46
  4. "Grandelinquent" – 3:09
  5. "Guerilla" – 3:32
  6. "Old School" – 2:44
  7. "Excess" – 3:12
  8. "Theme for Kinetic Ritual" – 4:18

Kollected Works

Kollected Works
Kollected Works Cover.jpg
Compilation album by Klark Kent
Released 1995
Recorded 1978 to 1995
Genre New wave
Length 37:26
Label Capitol
Producer Stewart Copeland, Nigel Gray and Derek Holt

Kollected Works is a collection of Stewart Copeland's works under the pseudonym Klark Kent. It includes all the songs from Klark Kent, all four "Klark Kent" non-album single tracks, a track by Colts (Stewart Copeland and Derek Holt), and two previously unreleased tracks of unknown origin. At least one, "Strange Things Happen", seems to have been recorded around the time of Copeland's journey to Africa, leading toward his LP and film The Rhythmatist. An alternate slightly longer version of "Strange Things Happen" was released on the soundtrack album The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. The other, "Stay Ready", uses a drum machine instead of drums. Both previously unreleased tracks were recorded at The Worried Rabbit in Assyria.

Track listing

All songs written by Klark Kent.

  1. "Too Kool to Kalypso" - 2:28
  2. "Strange Things Happen" - 2:42
  3. "Thrills" - 2:24
  4. "Excess" - 3:02
  5. "Love Lessons" - 3:31
  6. "Office Girls" - 2:19
  7. "Away from Home" - 2:58
  8. "Don't Care" - 2:11
  9. "Grandelinquent" - 3:11
  10. "My Old School" - 2:46
  11. "Ritch in a Ditch" - 2:29
  12. "Theme for Kinetic Ritual" - 4:22
  13. "Stay Ready" - 3:04
  14. "Office Talk" - 7:14
  15. "Guerilla" - 3:30 (hidden track)

Personnel

  • Stewart Copeland - lead and backing vocals, drums, guitar, bass (except on "Love Lessons"), piano, typewriter, kazoo, synthesizer and drum machine on "Stay Ready"
  • Derek Holt - bass and synthesizers on "Love Lessons"

References

  1. ↑ Klark Kent UK Chart History, The Official Charts.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Collins, Paul. Klark Kent at AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Foss, Richard. Klark Kent at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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