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''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' is the debut album by Scottish band
The Blue Nile The Blue Nile was a Scottish band which originated in Glasgow. The group's early music was built heavily on synthesizers and electronic instrumentation and percussion, although later works featured guitar more prominently. Following early champ ...
, released on 30 April 1984 on
Linn Records Linn Records is a Glasgow-based record label which specialises in classical music, jazz and Scottish music. It is part of Linn Products. History While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became fru ...
in the UK and on
A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...
in the US. Although the album was released to little fanfare and was not a big hit on its initial release, it slowly accumulated fans and sales through
word of mouth Word of mouth, or ''viva voce'', is the passing of information from person to person using oral communication, which could be as simple as telling someone the time of day. Storytelling is a common form of word-of-mouth communication where one pe ...
as the years passed, and by the time the follow-up ''
Hats A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
'' was released in 1989, ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' had sold 80,000 copies. It continued to gather praise when reissued in 2012.


Recording

Having put out their debut single "I Love This Life" in 1981, the Blue Nile spent the next couple of years playing gigs in their native
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
: with little money and due to singer Paul Buchanan's limited ability on the guitar, by necessity their songs were stripped-down cover versions of old songs, and as Buchanan later said, "I suppose to some extent that started to bleed into our own songs – there was more and more space in what we were doing". Buchanan and Robert Bell's songs would start out written on an acoustic guitar or a piano, and then together with third member Paul Joseph "PJ" Moore and engineer
Calum Malcolm Calum Malcolm is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and keyboardist, who is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He started his career in rock music with the band The Headboys in 1977. From 1974, he has worked with bands and musicians such a ...
the songs would be rearranged in the studio. A persistent myth about the album's origins is that the band were approached by
Linn Products Linn Products is an engineering company that manufactures hi-fi and audio equipment. Founded by Ivor Tiefenbrun in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1973, the company is best known as the manufacturer of the Linn Sondek LP12 turntable. From 2007 Linn was ...
and commissioned to make a record that the company could use to demonstrate the quality of their high-specification hi-fi equipment—the company were so pleased with the result that they decided to form a record label specifically to release the resulting album. In fact Linn had already recently manufactured a cutting lathe to produce their own records, frustrated by the poor quality of the test LPs that were being provided for their flagship turntable product, the
Linn Sondek LP12 The Linn Sondek LP12 (often shortened to Sondek or LP12) is a transcription phonograph, turntableGreenberg, Corey (1 December 1993)"Linn Sondek LP12 turntable & Klyde phono cartridge". ''Stereophile'' produced by Glasgow-based Linn Products, ma ...
, and had already set up and released records on their ALOI (A Label of Integrity) Records label before signing the Blue Nile. According to Paul Buchanan, the true story was that the band had already made
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
recordings of some of their songs with engineer Calum Malcolm at his Castlesound Studios, which happened to be fitted out with Linn equipment as Malcolm had worked with the company in the past. Linn were visiting the studios and asked Malcolm to play a song recently recorded at the studio in order to test out their new speakers, and Malcolm duly obliged and chose the Blue Nile's demo of "
Tinseltown in the Rain "Tinseltown in the Rain" is a song by Scottish pop band The Blue Nile. It was released as the second Single (music), single from their 1984 debut album ''A Walk Across the Rooftops''. The song was written and produced by lead singer Paul Buchanan ...
". On hearing the demo, Linn were impressed and felt the band's sound fitted in with the type of music they wanted to release on their new label, and contacted the Blue Nile to offer a contract to make a full album: even so, it took the band a full nine months to respond to the company's offer. Buchanan recalled that Linn had given the band £10,000–£20,000 to make the record, but rejected the suggestion that the company had asked the band to make a record in a particular style that would show off the company's products in the best light, saying, "It was great because they left us to it. They trusted the engineer and they trusted us so they said, go off and make a record ... We were—as you would imagine—you're so fervent about what you're doing that nothing would dissuade you from it and nothing would persuade you to do otherwise ... we'd already demo'd some of the things before we'd even met Linn so ... no, it was nothing to do with that." PJ Moore also denied that Linn had deliberately chosen the band to produce a demo record for them, telling ''
Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...
'' magazine that "it was a myth that we were a 'hi-fi band signed to a hi-fi company'. We just got lucky that we'd found our way to an excellent engineer who knew the company." The album was recorded over five months in 1983 at Castlesound Studios, which Malcolm had set up in 1979 in the former primary school building in the village of
Pencaitland Pencaitland is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, about south-east of Edinburgh, south-west of Haddington, and east of Ormiston. The land where the village lies is said to have been granted by William the Lion to Calum Cormack in 1169, ...
, east of
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. Living first in a rented flat in Edinburgh, and then later sleeping on Malcolm's floor when their money ran out, the band laboured over the album because all the sounds on the record had to be created and played physically. The band also had exacting standards and obsessed about every detail on the album: Malcolm recalled that "they were always particularly sensitive to not doing the wrong thing and making sure it had absolutely the right emotional impact: there were times when I'm sure everyone else felt something was done and then someone would throw a spanner in the works over some little thing".


Release

''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' became the first album released on the new
Linn Records Linn Records is a Glasgow-based record label which specialises in classical music, jazz and Scottish music. It is part of Linn Products. History While Linn engineers were testing their flagship product, the Sondek LP12 turntable, they became fru ...
label, released on 30 April 1984 and reaching number 80 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
. Two singles were released from the album in the UK, with minor success: "Stay" reached number 97 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, and "Tinseltown in the Rain" reached number 87. The video for "Tinseltown in the Rain" featured on the VHS video version of the
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
'' Now That's What I Call Music 3'', but the song was not included on the vinyl LP or cassette versions of the album. In November 2012
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...
released two-CD "Collector's Edition" versions of ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' and its 1989 follow-up ''
Hats A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
'' in the UK and Europe, each containing a remastered version of the original album plus a second CD of bonus tracks. The remastering process was overseen by original engineer Calum Malcolm, along with contributions by Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell, who chose the songs for the bonus CD.


Artwork

The photograph of the band on the front cover was taken on Cathcart Road in Glasgow. The building on the right of the picture was the Hermon Baptist Church, a single-storey pent-roofed structure built on to the end of a block of
tenement A tenement is a type of building shared by multiple dwellings, typically with flats or apartments on each floor and with shared entrance stairway access. They are common on the British Isles, particularly in Scotland. In the medieval Old Town, i ...
houses. At some point the tenements were demolished and the church stood in isolation for some years until it was destroyed by fire in 2001, and subsequently demolished.


Critical reception

''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' received great acclaim from the UK music press on its release in 1984. In a five-star review ''
Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
'' said, "Their music cuts a deep swathe right through the centre of blond-streaked wimpdom, without stance or calculation ... For the first time in a long time, they make you ''care''. ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
'' proclaimed, "The Blue Nile's stunning debut album seduces the emotions as well as the senses, and instead of fighting its effect, the sensible thing to do is relax and enjoy it ... There's a mesmeric quality in this music that makes you want to savour every track with the respectful appreciation of a connoisseur. Like a good book you don't want it to end, but when it does that thrilling potency loses nothing in repetition ... ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' generates a rarefied atmosphere that's a comfort to the soul. If this is just a sampler of The Blue Nile's catalogue, then we're in for a whole new chapter in delight." ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' described the album as "music to shade your dreamtime in subtle colours, a quiet influence, delicious persuasion ... It's difficult to describe (often a good sign), without too many specific features to pick upon. It's easier to suggest the moods it evokes: romance, doubt, a rich sadness. The keynote is ''restraint''; far from straining for effort, The Blue Nile allow their music to find its own atmospheres ... To correct any misunderstanding: what The Blue Nile are ''not'' is, say, wispy or precious. There's red meat in this music, and a human pulse beat. The beauty is unassuming, the intelligence is uncontrived. It's good news. Great music is still being made." In the USA ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' felt that "the music slips between the cracks, an effortless flow of acoustic and electronic sounds with nary a hook ... What's required of the listener is patience, not fortitude; this shimmering music is not difficult, just sophisticated ... The Blue Nile flows across a calm, clean, misty landscape where complex technology is integrated with a palpable emotional component. Their music falls outside the known categories, presenting a seductive world for the receptive." However, ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' was not so impressed, criticising the relentlessly downbeat tone of the tracks and Buchanan's singing, saying, "that's what makes this collection begin to wear on the nerves. Repetition and a distressing inertia prevent it from being precious."
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
said, "The seven lengthy tracks on ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' all follow the model of the opener, with Paul Buchanan's rich voice at the center of near-symphonic arrangements that manage to sound lush and incredibly austere at the same time. The tempos are deadly slow, with the most upbeat track, 'Tinseltown in the Rain', barely rising above a graceful saunter, and the inventive arrangements make extensive use of empty space." Reviewing the 2012 remastered version,
BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio o ...
claimed that the album was "still a landmark, still high, still somehow intangible ... 1984's ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' remains unique in its fusion of chilly technology and a pitch of confessional, romantic soul that 'alternative' types would usually shy away for fear it wasn't 'cool' ... in the years since, its peerless power to affect has accrued multiple layers of rueful resonance." ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' believed that "''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' proved to be perfect for someone almost seeking to relearn the art of listening to music; perhaps because it seemed to have been made by people who were in the early stages of learning how to make miraculous music from simple building blocks. This was a necessity as none of the members were trained musicians, but the resulting album of very simple, carefully constructed compositions proved far greater than the sum of its parts." Reviewing the remastered versions of ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' and ''Hats'' together, ''
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'' stated that they "remain superior, elegant examples of masterful craftmanship. Both albums present emotive, electro-acoustic mood pieces with elements of soul and classical minimalism ... exquisite music for the small hours in which little is said but much is revealed".


Accolades

''NME'' placed ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' at number 28 in its critics' list of albums of the year in 1984, while the single "Tinseltown in the Rain" placed at number 27 in the equivalent singles list. In 1989 ''
Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...
'' placed ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' at number 74 in its critics' list of the best albums of the 1980s. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' included ''A Walk Across the Rooftops'' in their 2007 feature ''1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die'', saying, "This stunning debut album was an 80s high-water mark ... The arrangements meld electro and contemporary classical influences into a rich and satisfyingly yearning whole." The album was also included in the book ''
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...
''. It was voted number 407 in the third edition of
Colin Larkin Colin Larkin (born 1949) is a British writer and entrepreneur. He founded, and was the editor-in-chief of, the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', described by ''The Times'' as "the standard against which all others must be judged". Along wit ...
's ''
All Time Top 1000 Albums ''All Time Top 1000 Albums'' is a book by Colin Larkin, creator and editor of the ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music''. The book was first published by Guinness Publishing in 1994. The list presented is the result of over 200,000 votes cast by the ...
'' (2000).


Track listing

All songs written, composed and arranged by Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell. Side one #"A Walk Across the Rooftops" – 4:56 #"
Tinseltown in the Rain "Tinseltown in the Rain" is a song by Scottish pop band The Blue Nile. It was released as the second Single (music), single from their 1984 debut album ''A Walk Across the Rooftops''. The song was written and produced by lead singer Paul Buchanan ...
" – 5:57 #"From Rags to Riches" – 5:59 Side two #"Stay" – 4:57 #"Easter Parade" – 4:34 #"Heatwave" – 6:28 #"Automobile Noise" – 5:08


2012 Remastered Collector's Edition CD bonus disc

#"I Love This Life" (1981 debut single) – 4:02 #"Heatwave" (Rhythm Mix) – 5:50 #"St. Catherine's Day" (previously unreleased) – 4:42 #"Tinseltown in the Rain" (Mix) – 6:31 #"The Second Act" (B-side of "I Love This Life") – 4:39 #"Stay" (Little Mix) – 3:34 #"Regret" (B-side of
12" single The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...
of "Tinseltown in the Rain")
– 3:37


Personnel

The Blue Nile *Robert Bell – bass, synthesizers *Paul Buchanan – vocals, guitars, synthesizers *Paul Joseph Moore – keyboards, synthesizers Additional personnel *
Calum Malcolm Calum Malcolm is a Scottish record producer, sound engineer and keyboardist, who is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He started his career in rock music with the band The Headboys in 1977. From 1974, he has worked with bands and musicians such a ...
– recording engineer *Nigel Thomas – drums


Charts


Release history


References


External links


The Blue Nile's official websitePhotograph of the Hermon Baptist Church on Flickr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walk Across the Rooftops, A The Blue Nile albums 1984 debut albums Linn Records albums A&M Records albums