Metro Music
Metro Music is the debut album by Canadian new wave band Martha and the Muffins. It was released in 1980 on Dindisc, the first album release for the label, and contains the international hit single "Echo Beach".
| Metro Music | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 1980 | |||
| Recorded | August 1979 | |||
| Studio | Manor Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:17 | |||
| Label | Dindisc | |||
| Producer | Mike Howlett | |||
| Martha and the Muffins chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Metro Music | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B−[2] |
| Record Mirror | [3] |
| Smash Hits | 8/10[4] |
The cover image design by Peter Saville is a map of Toronto, the band's hometown, and is based on a map from the National Topographic System of Canada.[5]
The entire Metro Music album also formed the first part of Martha and the Muffins' 1987 compilation Far Away in Time.
Release
The album's first single, "Echo Beach",[6] became a hit in several countries, reaching number three in Canada, number one in Portugal, number five in Australia and number 10 in the United Kingdom in March 1980. It also reached number 37 in the United States on the Club Play Singles chart.[7] A slightly different recording of "Saigon" was released as a follow-up single in the UK a few months later,[8] but failed to chart. In Canada, the follow-up single was "Paint by Number Heart"[9] — it climbed to number 69. The album itself was certified gold in Canada (50,000 units) on September 1, 1980; "Echo Beach" was certified gold there (5,000 units) on the following October 1.[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Echo Beach" | Mark Gane | 3:38 |
| 2. | "Paint by Number Heart" | Martha Johnson | 4:23 |
| 3. | "Saigon" | Johnson, Daniel Millar | 4:23 |
| 4. | "Indecision" | Johnson | 4:25 |
| 5. | "Terminal Twilight" | Gane, Martha Ladly | 4:42 |
| 6. | "Hide and Seek" | Gane, Ladly | 3:57 |
| 7. | "Monotone" | Johnson | 2:46 |
| 8. | "Sinking Land" | Gane | 5:27 |
| 9. | "Revenge (Against the World)" | Gane | 3:31 |
| 10. | "Cheesies and Gum" | Gane, Ladly | 3:05 |
Personnel
- Martha Johnson – keyboards, vocals
- Martha Ladly – keyboards, trombone, vocals
- Mark Gane – synthesizer, guitar
- Carl Finkle – bass
- Tim Gane – drums
- Andy Haas – saxophone
Chart performance
Album
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] | 46 |
| UK Album Chart[12] | 34 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[13] | 186 |
Singles
| Single | Chart (1980) | Position |
|---|---|---|
| "Echo Beach" | Canada | 3 |
| "Echo Beach" | Australia (Kent Music Report) | 5 |
| "Echo Beach" | UK Singles Chart[12] | 10 |
| "Echo Beach/Paint By Number Heart" | Billboard Club Play Singles[7] | 37 |
References
- Badgley, Aaron. "Metro Music – Martha and the Muffins". AllMusic. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- Christgau, Robert (1990). "Martha and the Muffins: Metro Music". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
- Hall, Philip (March 15, 1980). "I thought Muffin the Mule was... until I discovered...". Record Mirror. p. 22.
- Starr, Red (March 6–19, 1980). "Albums". Smash Hits. Vol. 2, no. 5. pp. 30–31.
- Saville, Peter (2003-08-15). Designed by Peter Saville. Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-56898-422-3. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- "Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach" – via www.45cat.com.
- Metro Music - Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
- "Martha And The Muffins - Saigon" – via www.45cat.com.
- "Martha And The Muffins - Paint By Number Heart". Discogs.
- "Gold Platinum Database: Martha and the Muffins". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 193. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "MARTHA & THE MUFFINS - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- Metro Music - Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.