Private Revolution
	Produced by Karl Wallinger
	Released on March 1987
	US CHART POSITION #39
	Find it at GEMM
BFV 41552 cover [high resolution photo]

K arl Wallinger’s World Party initially seemed destined for great things, one of a handful of neo-psychedelic bands who successfully transplanted their quasi-hippie hearts into the modern environment of synthesizers and studio wizardry (add Tears For Fears here too). Wallinger looked like a cross between Bob Dylan and John Lennon, sounded like Mick Jagger, and wrote moving songs that felt doomed despite their pretense of optimism. At its best, Private Revolution can be arresting: “Ship of Fools,” “Hawaiian Island World,” “All Come True.” At its worst, the album is only a little preachy, the Dylan impersonations become a little tiresome. The version of “All I Really Want To Do” is actually a ringer for the original, no easy feat given the balanced inflection between anger and laughter that Dylan imbued it with. Some of the record sounds dated today, since the whole DIY electronic hippie movement occupied a very localized section of musical history. Still, the mothballed sentiment of “Private Revolution” and “World Party” isn’t any worse than hearing Prince prattle on about sex. It’s all a little self-important (when a Bob Dylan cover is the lightest moment on the record, you’re dealing with serious issues), but the World Party’s polemics at least look pretty in paisley. If you’re leaning toward buying Mick Jagger’s solo elpees, do yourself a favor and detour toward Private Revolution instead. If the sentiment behind the songs sounds outre today, it did when it was released too, which is what pop preserved in slightly psychedelic amber will do.

BFV 41552 back cover	BFV 41552 lyric sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. PRIVATE REVOLUTION    4:01
2. MAKING LOVE (TO THE WORLD)    2:30
3. SHIP OF FOOLS    4:27
4. ALL COME TRUE    5:52
5. DANCE OF THE HOPPY LADS    (Karl Wallinger/Stephen Wickham)    0:44
6. IT CAN BE BEAUTIFUL (SOMETIMES)    3:00
7. THE BALLAD OF THE LITTLE MAN    5:02
8. HAWAIIAN ISLAND WORLD    4:20
9. ALL I REALLY WANT TO DO    (Bob Dylan)    4:43
10. WORLD PARTY    4:36
11. IT'S ALL MINE    5:33
    
    All songs written by Karl Wallinger unless noted

CREDITS

KARL WALLINGER -- vocals, guitars, bass, sampling keyboards
Delahaye -- percussion
Rufus Dove -- lecetric guitars
Martin Finnucane -- harp (5)
Ahmed Gottlieb -- sitar & tabla
Millenium Mills -- piano
Sinead O'Connor -- backing vocals (8)
Anthony Thistlethwaite -- saxophone (3)
Will Towyn -- sampling keyboards
Stephen Wickham -- violin
Steve Wallace -- cover photo
Mathew Stevens -- photography assistance
Stephanie Nash & Josh Riley for Island Art -- design
Edward Durdey -- back cover monoprint

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