''Score'' is the second studio album from the British keyboardist Duncan Mackay, which was released by

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...

in 1977.

Background

''Score'' was produced by

John Wetton John Kenneth Wetton (12 June 1949 – 31 January 2017) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Known for his dexterous bass playing and booming baritone voice, Wetton first gained fame in the early 1970s. Wetton was the singer and p ...

, who also provides vocals on three of the tracks. Four tracks on the album contain lyrics written by

Steve Harley Steve Harley (born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice; 27 February 1951) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as frontman of the rock group Cockney Rebel, with whom he still tours, albeit with frequent and significant personnel changes. Ea ...

and he also provided vocals on "Time Is No Healer". At the time, Mackay was a member of

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are a British glam rock band from the early 1970s from London. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in ...

. Other musicians on ''Score'' include

Clive Chaman Clive Chaman (born 5 September 1949) is a UK-based bass guitarist and session musician, born in Trinidad and Tobago. After appearing on Ram John Holder's 1969 ''London Blues'' album, Chaman became a member of the second Jeff Beck Group in 197 ...

on bass and

Andrew McCulloch Andrew McCulloch may refer to: *Andrew McCulloch (civil engineer) (1864–1945), Chief Engineer of the Kettle Valley Railway in Canada *Sir Andrew McCulloch (British Army officer) (1876–1960), commander of 52nd Lowland Division from 1934&ndas ...

on drums and percussion. The album was recorded and mixed at

Scorpio Studios Scorpio Sound (aka Scorpio Studios and Scorpio Sound Studios) was a recording studio in London, England. It was located in Euston Tower, Euston Road, London Borough of Camden, Camden, London, on the ground floor. The studio was in operation from ...

in London in August and September 1976. Prior to the album's release, EMI denied claims that Mackay would leave Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel if the album was a commercial success. Instead, Mackay intended to continue playing with the band while also pursuing a solo career including performing his own live concerts.

Release

''Score'' received its first release on CD in 2016. It was released in South Africa through Fresh Music and by Marquee in Japan, the latter release being remastered. In 2019, another Japanese CD remaster was released by Belle Antique, which contained the bonus track "Melange".

Critical reception

On its release, Robin Smith of ''

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 ...

'' felt the album gave Mackay "the chance to exercise his talents to the full". He stated, "It's symphonic rock at its best, and unlike many offerings it doesn't sound pretentious. t'san album of many changing moods – the real Mackay." The US music industry trade magazine ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with '' Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 under the name ''Music Vendor'', but in 1964 it was changed to ''Record Wo ...

'' commented, "Mackay can now take his rightful place alongside

Rick Wakeman Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboardist best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004, and for his solo albums released in the 1970s. Born and raised ...

Keith Emerson Keith Noel Emerson (2 November 1944 – 11 March 2016) was an English keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He played keyboards in a number of bands before finding his first commercial success with the Nice in the late 1960s. He became ...

Patrick Moraz Patrick Philippe Moraz (born 24 June 1948) is a Swiss musician, film composer and songwriter, best known for his tenures as keyboardist in the rock bands Yes and The Moody Blues. Born into a musical family, Moraz learned music at a young age a ...

and

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...

with this adventurous LP." The reviewer noted Wetton and Harley's vocal contributions on the album, but added "it is Mackay who is in the spotlight with just the right amount of excess to make it work on different levels".

Track listing

Personnel

* Duncan Mackay – keyboards, Yamaha grand piano, Hammond B3, Clavinet D6, Wurlitzer 200, Roland Sequencer, ARP 2600, ARP 2800, ARP 2701, ARP 2100, ARP 2200 *

– vocals (tracks 3, 7, 9) *

– vocals (track 4) *

Yvonne Keeley Yvonne Keeley (born Yvonne Paaij, 6 September 1952) is a Dutch pop music singer. She is the sister of Patricia Paay. She began her career as a session singer in the music industry in London. She was the girlfriend of Steve Harley of Steve ...

– vocal effects *

– bass, Fender Precision bass *

– drums, percussion *

Mel Collins Melvyn Desmond Collins (born 5 September 1947, Isle of Man) is a British saxophonist, flautist and session musician. Collins has played in several progressive rock groups, having been a member of King Crimson on two occasions (the first from ...

– flute (track 4) * Members of the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

– orchestra (track 1) *

Wilf Gibson Wilfred Gibson (28 February 1942 — 21 October 2014) was an English violinist, session musician, and early member of the Electric Light Orchestra. Early life Wilfred Gibson was born on 28 February 1942 in Dilston, Northumberland. He received ...

– orchestral arrangement Production * John Wetton – producer * Ray Hendriksen – recording engineer * Dennis Weinreich – mixing engineer Other * Bill Richmond – cover photography * Fausto Dorelli – cover photography (of Mackay) * Peter Vernon – inner photography * Brian Palmer – design

References

{{Authority control 1977 albums EMI Records albums Albums produced by John Wetton