Eddi Reader albums

Eddi Reader

release details 'Eddi Reader' CD booklet cover (85% size)
UK and US booklet

'Eddi Reader' CD booklet cover - Japan (85% size)
Japanese booklet
terr. label format pack. cat. no. rel. date
uk Blanco y Negro CD J 4509-96117-2 1994-06-20
uk Blanco y Negro MC - 4509-96177-4 1994-06-20
jp Warner Music Japan CD † J WPCR-45 1994-07
us Reprise (Warners) CD J 45713 1994-09-13
jp Warner Music Japan CD J WPCR-1327 1997-07-25
†   includes two bonus tracks (see below)
availability
(everywhere?) at mid-price
note
the Japanese releases have a different booklet cover (right, using the UK Patience of angels single photograph), and reputedly carry the title Angel’s sigh (as I can’t read Japanese, I’m not sure of this) because RCA’s Mirmama had been entitled Eddi Reader in Japan. In fact Japanese online databases now list this release (all territories) under the title Hush (see commentary below) and you will therefore find this album – even the non-Japanese versions – so listed on eBay, for example. The initial, 1994, Japanese release had two bonus tracks but the re-issue in 1997 followed the western original, which is perhaps a pity as the usual pattern of plentiful bonus tracks might have lead one to expect a bigger trawl of the associated b-sides from singles and could have included my favourite ‘Battersea moon’ (still never available on CD!)
cover art : M@ Maitland
(photo: Kevin Westenberg)
personnel
musicians
Eddi Reader lead vocal, backing vocals, tambourine
with the band :
Teddy Borowiecki piano, organ, keyboards, guitar, accordian
Dean Parks guitars, guitar percussion
David Piltch bass
Curt Bisquera drums, percussion
Roy Dodds drums
and guests :
Mark E. Nevin guitars
Greg Penny percssion
John Ingoldsby backing vocals
Katia Lempkowicz backing vocals
technical
produced by : Greg Penny
recorded by : Jon Ingoldsby at El Mirador, Ojai, California.
mixed by : Jon Ingoldsby assisted by Andy Strange at Air Studios, London
mastered by : Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, LA
tracks
  1. The right place   (Nevin)   4:54
  2. Patience of Angels   (Hewerdine)   4:06
  3. Dear John   (Nevin/Kirsty MacColl)   4:10
  4. Scarecrow   (Reader/Hewerdine/Garry Clark)   3:34
  5. East of us   (Reader/Borowiecki)   4:34
  6. Joke (I’m laughing)   (Hewerdine)   3:48
  7. The exception   (Nevin)   4:28
  8. Red face big sky   (Reader/Borowiecki)   4:11
  9. Howling in Ojai   (Reader/David Piltch/Dean Parks)   1:29
  10. When I watch you sleeping   (Nevin)   4:40
  11. Wonderful lie   (Reader/Hewerdine)   4:34
  12. Siren   (Reader/Borowiecki/Hewerdine)   5:13

total time : 49:43

bonus tracks on WPCR-45 :

  1. Shirt and comb   (Peter Blegvad)   3:46
  2. Wonderboy   (Ray Davies)   2:39
sorry: illustration of promo cover
not yet available 		promo details
terr. label format pack. cat. no. rel. date
uk Blanco y Negro CDS S? READERCD594 1994-05?
us Reprise CDS? S? CD5904? 1994-08?
tracks
  1. Patience of Angels   (Hewerdine)   4:06
  2. The right place   (Nevin)   4:54
  3. Red face big sky   (Reader/Borowiecki)   4:11
  4. Wonderful lie   (Reader/Hewerdine)   4:34
  5. Dear John   (Nevin/Kirsty MacColl)   4:10

total time : ??:??
notes
details of promo material, etc. not known
chart placings
UK (CIN) (published in the week after the sales period shown) :
  • 1994-07-02/P7D :   4
  • 1994-07-09/P7D :   8
  • 1994-07-16/P7D : 12
  • 1994-07-23/P7D : 18
  • 1994-07-30/P7D : 21
  • 1994-08-06/P7D : 32
  • 1994-08-13/P7D : 30
  • 1994-08-20/P7D : 27
  • 1994-08-27/P7D : 32
  • 1994-09-03/P7D : 34   (reached UK silver status: 60,000 units)
  • 1994-09-10/P7D : 48
bibliography
reviews
Guardian [newspaper] 1994-06-24 G2T p.12
Observer [newspaper] 1994-07-03 Reviews p.18
Q95, August 1994 (on sale 1994-07-01), page 109 (issue also carries full page advert, p.107)
music
Eddi Reader. – London : Wise Publications, 1994. – ISBN 0-7119-4379-6   (see below)
commentary
Eddi’s original intention was that this album would be entitled ‘Hush’, and at least one contemporary catalogue reference to this title was reported. However, promotional staff at Warner’s felt that they would have difficulty “getting behind” such a “down beat” title, so, as Eddi couldn’t come up with an acceptable alternative in the time available, a compromise was reached in putting it out as a self-titled album. As this may have given buyers the impression that this was Eddi’s first solo outing, Warner’s may not have been too sad about this – and RCA, who funded and released Mirmama, obviously didn’t have a say in the matter! To be fair to Warner’s marketing people they did manage to get this album into the UK chart at #4 in its first week, helped by plenty of radio play for the Patence of angels single.

As mentioned above in the notes to the release details, the Japanese issue may have carried the title Angel’s sigh so we have two rather more magical titles than Eddi Reader or “the first Warner’s album” by which to refer to this fine collection of songs. I know it’s the most electric of the albums, but in my less ‘willowy’ moods it’s undoubtedly my favourite and I couldn’t possibly live without the tracks ‘When I watch you sleeping’ or ‘Siren’ (or ‘The exception’ or ‘Dear John’ or... [you get the picture!]). I just wish someone would re-issue it with ‘Battersea moon’ (and other b-sides) added (editor mounts hobby-horse and rides off!).
Adrian Dover
printed music
The songbook for this album was published by Wise Publications (London, New York, etc.), distributed by Music Sales Ltd in UK, order number AM92284, ISBN 0-7119-4379-6. It has each track, in order, arranged for voice and piano with guitar chord boxes. It was designed by Michael Bell Design, with music arranged by Roger Day and processed by MSS Studios.

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this page is written and maintained by,
and is © 2000-2006 of, Adrian Dover
last information update 2006-07-30