Description
The Dream Academy / Warner Bros. Records Audio CD 1985 / 7599-25265-2
UPC 07599-25265-24
1985 debut on Warner Brothers by this artsy English triofeaturing Kate St. John. Out of print in the U.S., the top20 album was co-produced by the band's Nick Laird-Clowes and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and features the cult hit 'LifeIn a Northern Town'. 10 tracks total.
The Dream Academy were a British band consisting of singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes, multi-instrumentalist (chiefly oboe, Cor Anglais player) Kate St John, and keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. The band is most noted for their 1985 hit single "Life in a Northern Town" and 1985 cover of The Smiths' song "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want," which was featured in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
The Dream Academy is the debut studio album by English band the Dream Academy, released in November 1985. It was produced by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour and Nick Laird-Clowes. "Life in a Northern Town", written as a tribute to the musician Nick Drake, became the Dream Academy's only major chart success, reaching number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 in the UK.
The follow-up single from the album, "The Love Parade", was not received as well as their debut single, reaching number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and only number 68 on the UK chart, but still received solid radio airplay.
Also of note is the song "The Edge of Forever", which plays in a prominent scene during the John Hughes film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, resulting in many fans of 1980s films becoming more familiar with the Dream Academy's music.
The Dream Academy went on to chart at number twenty on the US Billboard 200 in the US.
Tracklist:
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Life in a Northern Town" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Nicholson | 4:19 |
| 2. | "The Edge of Forever" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Langan | 4:23 |
| 3. | "(Johnny) New Light" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Nicholson | 4:23 |
| 4. | "In Places on the Run" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Nicholson | 4:27 |
| 5. | "This World" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Nicholson | 5:07 |
| 6. | "Bound to Be" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Langan | 3:08 |
| 7. | "Moving On" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes, Nicholson | 5:14 |
| 8. | "The Love Parade" | Laird-Clowes, Gabriel | Tarney | 3:47 |
| 9. | "The Party" | Laird-Clowes | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes | 5:07 |
| 10. | "One Dream" | Laird-Clowes | Gilmour, Laird-Clowes | 2:32 |
| 1 | Life In A Northern Town | 4:19 |
| 2 | The Edge Of Forever
Cello – Adam Peters, Producer – Gary Langan, Tenor Saxophone – Gary Barnacle, Timpani, Percussion – Benedict Hoffnung |
4:23 |
| 3 | (Johnny) New Light
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Colette Walker, Derek Adams, June Lawrence, Sandrae Lawrence, Percussion – Luis Jardim |
4:21 |
| 4 | In Places On The Run
Bass – Guy Pratt, Percussion [Assorted] – Benedict Hoffnung |
4:27 |
| 5 | This World
Bass – Pino Palladino, Drums – Dave Mattacks, Timpani, Percussion – Benedict Hoffnung |
5:08 |
| 6 | Bound To Be
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Caron Wheeler, Sam Brown, Bass – Pino Palladino, Cello – Adam Peters, Guitar – David Gilmour, Producer – Gary Langan |
3:08 |
| 7 | Moving On
Backing Vocals [Additional] – Ingrid Schroeder, June Lawrence, Bass – Guy Pratt, Drums – Jake Le Mesurier, Percussion – Bosco De Oliveira |
5:14 |
| 8 | The Love Parade
Mixed By – John Hudson, Producer – Alan Tarney |
3:46 |
| 9 | The Party
Acoustic Guitar – David Gilmour, Bass – Mickey Féat, Drums – Tony Beard, Organ [Hammond] – Gregg Dechert, Twelve-String Guitar [Rickenbacker Electric 12] – Peter Buck |
5:07 |
| 10 |
One Dream
Double Bass – Chucho Merchan, Trumpet – David Defries |
2:32 |
- Engineer – Andrew Jackson (tracks: 1 to 7), Gary Langan (tracks: 2, 6), John Hudson (tracks: 8), Stephen Short (tracks: 9, 10)
- Keyboards, Vocals – Gilbert Gabriel
- Lead Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica – Nick Laird-Clowes
- Oboe, Cor Anglais, Piano Accordion, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Kate St. John
- Photography By – Richard Haughton
- Producer – David Gilmour (tracks: 1 to 7), George Nicholson (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7), Nick Laird-Clowes (tracks: 1 to 7)
- Written-By – Gilbert Gabriel (tracks: 1 to 8), Nick Laird-Clowes
The Dream Academy
- Gilbert Gabriel - keyboards, vocals
- Nick Laird-Clowes - guitars, harmonica, vocals
- Kate St. John - piano, tenor saxophone, oboe, cor anglais, accordion, piano-accordion
Additional personnel
- Gary Barnacle - tenor saxophone
- Dave DeFries - trumpet
- Peter Buck - guitars
- David Gilmour - guitars on "Bound to Be" & "The Party"
- Greg Dechert - Hammond organ
- Mickey Feat, Pino Palladino, Guy Pratt - bass
- Chucho Merchan - double bass
- Tony Beard, Bosco DeOliveira, Luís Jardim, Ben Hoffnung, Jake LeMesurier, Dave Mattacks - drums, various percussion
| Released | November 1985 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 1984 |
| Genre | Rock, dream pop |
| Length | 42:25 |
| Label | Warner Bros., Blanco y Negro |
| Producer |
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