''Stray'' is the fourth album by Scottish group

Aztec Camera Aztec Camera were a Scottish pop/ new wave band founded by Roddy Frame, the group's singer, songwriter, and only consistent member. Formed in 1980, Aztec Camera released a total of six studio albums: ''High Land, Hard Rain'' (1983), ''Knife'' ...

, released in June 1990 on

WEA The Wea were a Miami-Illinois-speaking Native American tribe originally located in western Indiana. Historically, they were described as either being closely related to the Miami Tribe or a sub-tribe of Miami. Today, the descendants of the ...

in the UK and on

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer ...

in the US. ''Stray'' was praised for its diversity of songs and styles, and for the assured nature of

Roddy Frame Roddy Frame (born 29 January 1964) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. He was the founder of the 1980s new wave band Aztec Camera and has undertaken a solo career since the group's dissolution. In November 2013, journalist Brian Do ...

's lyrics (which had been considered the weak-point of some of his earlier material). Its understated production was also received positively, particularly coming after the group's previous album ''

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

'', which sold well in the United Kingdom but had been criticised by some for being too sanitised and glossy. ''Stray'' peaked at No. 22 in 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 ...

. The single "Good Morning Britain", a collaboration with Mick Jones, reached No. 19 in 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 ...

Critical reception

In a 2013 review of Aztec Camera reissues, ''

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 ...

'' called ''Stray'' "the most inventive and durable Aztec Camera LP. Diverse, yes, but it’s exhilarating to hear Frame switching-up from plaintive balladry ('Then Over My Head') to the BAD-influenced 'Good Morning Britain.'" ''

The Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' called the album "leaner and more melodic" and praised the "fine jazz-inflected numbers."

Track listing

All tracks written by

. # "Stray" 5:34 # "The Crying Scene" 3:34 # "Get Outta London" 3:41 # "Over My Head" 5:53 # " Good Morning Britain" 4:02 # "How It Is" 4:00 # "The Gentle Kind" 5:32 # "Notting Hill Blues" 6:41 # "Song for a Friend" 2:27

Singles

*"The Crying Scene" (UK No. 70) *"Good Morning Britain" (UK No. 19)

Personnel

*Roddy Frame – guitars, vocals *

Gary Sanctuary Gary Sanctuary is a British pianist, keyboard player, composer and in-demand session musician. He has recorded and toured with a number of well-known musicians, including Michael McDonald, George Benson, Chaka Khan, Maxi Priest, Aztec Camera, Bev ...

– keyboards *Paul Powell – bass guitar *

Frank Tontoh Frank Tontoh (born 22 May 1964) is a Ghanaian percussionist. Life and work Born into the world of music, his father being trumpeter Mac Tontoh, Frank began his musical studies at MIT in Los Angeles. Afterwards, he completed a degree in comp ...

– drums

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stray (Album) Aztec Camera albums 1990 albums Sire Records albums