''Staring at the Sun'' is the eighth studio album by British jazz/funk band

Level 42 Level 42 is an English jazz-funk band formed on the Isle of Wight in 1979. They had a number of UK and worldwide hits during the 1980s and 1990s. Their highest-charting single in the UK was " Lessons in Love", which reached number three on th ...

, released in 1988. The album includes the singles " Heaven in My Hands" (UK No. 12), " Take a Look" (UK No. 32) and " Tracie" (UK no. 25).

Background

''Staring at the Sun'' is the first Level 42 album not to feature brothers Phil Gould and Boon Gould, although Boon did write the lyrics to six of the songs. They were replaced by British guitarist

Alan Murphy Alan Murphy (18 November 1953 – 19 October 1989) was a British rock session guitarist, best remembered for his collaborations with Kate Bush and Go West. In 1988, he joined the jazz-funk band Level 42 as a full-time band member, and played wi ...

, who had collaborated with Go West and singer

Kate Bush Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...

, and drummer Gary Husband, who had been a member of the band

Morrissey–Mullen Morrissey–Mullen were a British jazz-funk/fusion group of the 1970s and 1980s. Considered one of the most popular jazz groups in London, the band was led by Dick Morrissey on tenor and soprano saxes and flute, and Jim Mullen on guitar, who joi ...

. This would be the only Level 42 album on which Murphy would appear, as he died only a year after its release from complications related to

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

Commercial performance

The album was not as successful as its predecessors, again reaching the Top 5 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 ...

but missing the top half of the ''Billboard'' 200 in the US. Internationally, it reached the Top 10 in several countries, but ultimately had a lesser impact on the charts than the band's two previous albums.

Track listing

# " Heaven in My Hands" (

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

, R. Gould) – 4:39 # "I Don't Know Why" (King, R. Gould) – 4.22 # " Take a Look" (King, R. Gould, Lindup, Badarou) – 4:41 # "Over There" (King, Lindup) – 3:59 # "Silence" (Lindup) – 4:56 # " Tracie" (King, Husband) – 4:53 # "Staring at the Sun" (King, R. Gould, Badarou) – 4:39 # "

Two Hearts Collide ''Staring at the Sun'' is the eighth studio album by British jazz/funk band Level 42, released in 1988. The album includes the singles " Heaven in My Hands" (UK No. 12), " Take a Look" (UK No. 32) and " Tracie" (UK no. 25). Background ''Staring ...

" (King, R. Gould) – 4:10 # "Man" (King, R. Gould, Badarou) – 7:23 # "Gresham Blues" ^A (King) – 5:43 ^A Available on the CD and cassette only

Personnel

Level 42 * Mark King – bass guitar, vocals *

Mike Lindup Michael David Lindup (born 17 March 1959) is a musician best known as the keyboard player and falsetto voiced singer, who joined with Mark King and brothers Phil and Boon Gould to form the British jazz-funk/pop rock band, Level 42. Early lif ...

– keyboards, vocals *

– guitars * Gary Husband – drums with: *

Wally Badarou Waliou Jacques Daniel Isheola "Wally" Badarou (born 22 March 1955) is a French musician. Born in France with ancestry from Benin, West Africa, Badarou is known for his close association with the English group Level 42, and for his prolific work ...

– keyboards *

Dominic Miller Dominic James Miller (born 21 March 1960) is an Argentine-born guitarist. With much of his career as a sideman and guitarist for singer Sting, he has also released several solo albums. Career Miller was born in Hurlingham, Argentina to an Iris ...

– guitars * Krys Mach – saxophones * Steve Sidwell – trumpet

Production

* Level 42 – producers * Wally Badarou – producer * Julian Mendelsohn – producer, engineer, mixing * Jean Lamoot – assistant engineer * Kevin Metcalfe – mastering * The Artful Dodgers – sleeve design * Mark Hughes – illustration * John Stoddart – photography * Paul Crockford – management

Chart positions

Album

Singles

Sales and certifications

References

{{Authority control 1988 albums Level 42 albums Albums produced by Wally Badarou Polydor Records albums Albums produced by Julian Mendelsohn Albums recorded at Studio Miraval