''Del Amitri'' (stylised as ''del Amitri'') is the

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

ous debut album by the Scottish rock band Del Amitri, released in May

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

by Chrysalis Records. Two singles were released, "Sticks and Stones, Girl" (with B-side "The King Is Poor" and "The Difference Is" as an additional track on the 12-inch) and a rerecorded version of "Hammering Heart" (with B-side "Lines Running North" along with a live version of "Brown Eyed Girl" on the 12-inch). Neither single charted. A CD reissue in 2003 included the four bonus tracks.

Background

Del Amitri had released their debut single "Sense Sickness" in 1983 on the

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 ...

indie label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

NoStrings Records. They recorded their first Peel session in March 1984, which led to a deal with Chrysalis Records later in the year. After an unsuccessful session at

Britannia Row Studios Britannia Row Studios was a recording studio located in Islington, London N1 (1975–1995), and then in Fulham, London SW6, England (1995–2015). The original studio was built by the British rock band Pink Floyd in a three-story block at 35 Brita ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

with former frontman of

Television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

Tom Verlaine Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, December 13, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the New York City rock band Television. Biography Verlaine was born Thomas Miller in Denville, New Jersey and ...

, producing, the band recorded their first album with producer Hugh Jones at Park Lane Studio in Glasgow. Before the release of the album's first single, '' Melody Maker'' magazine heard a cassette tape of work in progress and put the band on the cover of their February 1985 issue, dubbing them "the hottest new twang of '85". No single was released at the time to capitalise on this, and the album failed to chart when released in May 1985. In the Del Amitri biography on

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 databa ...

, James Christopher Monger wrote that the album was released "amidst a tidal wave of hype, but their signature blend of new wave and

country folk Contemporary folk music refers to a wide variety of genres that emerged in the mid 20th century and afterwards which were associated with traditional folk music. Starting in the mid-20th century a new form of popular folk music evolved from tradit ...

isolated audiences and critics alike, resulting in their inevitable departure from the Chrysalis family."

Critical reception

Retrospectively reviewing the album for AllMusic, Stephen Schnee called it a "quirky and often brilliant debut." He felt that the lyrics were "intelligent and witty, laced with sarcasm and venom," and the music contained "jaunty rhythms and quirky melodies." He also felt that calling Del Amitri "the bastard sons of

XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...

and Elvis Costello would not have been too far off the mark."

Track listing

All songs written by

Justin Currie Justin Robert Currie (born 11 December 1964) is a Scottish singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the band Del Amitri. Career Del Amitri Justin Currie was born in Glasgow and established the band Del Amitri in the early 1980s ...

Iain Harvie Iain Wallace Harvie (born 19 May 1962 in Glasgow, Scotland) is the guitarist with the Scottish rock band Del Amitri. Along with lead singer and bassist Justin Currie, Harvie is one of only two members to be present throughout Del Amitri's ...

, Bryan Tolland and Paul Tyagi, except where noted. #"Heard Through a Wall" – 3:01 #"Hammering Heart" – 2:58 #"Former Owner" – 3:04 #"Sticks and Stones, Girl" – 3:10 #"Deceive Yourself (In Ignorant Heaven)" – 4:02 #"I Was Here" – 2:53 #"Crows in the Wheatfield" – 2:51 #"Keepers" – 4:39 #"Ceasefire" – 2:59 #"Breaking Bread" – 3:29 ;2003 CD bonus tracks #

"This King Is Poor" – 3:37 (B-side of "Sticks and Stones, Girl") #"The Difference Is" – 3:42 (B-side of "Sticks and Stones, Girl") #"Lines Running North" – 2:54 (B-side of "Hammering Heart") #"

Brown Eyed Girl "Brown Eyed Girl" is a song by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison. Written by Morrison and recorded in March 1967 for Bang Records owner and producer Bert Berns, it was released as a single in June of the same year on the Bang la ...

" (

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

) – 3:53 (B-side of "Hammering Heart") ;Notes *Tracks 11 and 12 produced by Del Amitri; recorded at Sirocco Studio, Kilmarnock. *Track 13 produced by Del Amitri; recorded at Park Lane Studio, Glasgow, August 1985. *Track 14 live mix by Kenny MacDonald; originally recorded by Van Morrison, 1967.

Personnel

;Del Amitri *

– vocals, bass *

– guitar *Bryan Tolland – guitar *Paul Tyagi – drums ;Additional musicians *Peter Griffiths — organ on "Deceive Yourself" *

Preston Heyman Preston Heyman is a British record producer, drummer and percussionist. He is credited on the Kate Bush album ''Never for Ever''. He played Oriental percussion instruments on the track "Blood Sucking" of Mike Oldfield's soundtrack for the fil ...

— additional percussion ;Technical * Hugh Jones — producer * Chris Orr — original etchings 'Flying Ducks' for sleeve (courtesy Thumb Gallery, London)

Notes

Sources

* Liner notes from the cassette insert {{Authority control Del Amitri albums 1985 debut albums Albums produced by Hugh Jones (producer) Chrysalis Records albums