Kirsty MacColl - Electric Landlady

Kirsty MacColl's biggest U.S. success (featuring the college radio hit "Walking Down Madison"), 1991's Electric Landlady is also her most eclectic album. Besides the hip-hop-influenced "Walking Down Madison," the album version of which comes complete with a guest rap by Aniff Cousins, Electric Landlady also includes the sublime single "My Affair," MacColl's first full-fledged foray into latin music. Besides that brilliant track, several of the other more traditional pop songs include prominent latin percussion that enhances the songs' varied grooves while being subtle enough to let them maintain their individuality. Meanwhile, other tracks incorporate African and electronic influences, and to top it off, the closing "The One and Only" reunites MacColl with The Pogues, with whom she had recorded two tracks in the late '80s. Somehow, all of these disparate influences tie together, united by MacColl's spellbinding voice and typically excellent songwriting, helped as usual by ex-Hitmen guitarist Pete Glenister and former Fairground Attraction leader Mark E. Nevins. While Electric Landlady is not the career high-point that the preceding Kite had been, nor is it as personal and haunting as the following Titanic Days, which concerned the death of her father and her separation from this album's producer, Steve Lillywhite, a second-rate Kirsty MacColl album is still a fine listen. [In 2005 EMI reissued Electric Landlady with the bonus tracks "Don't Go Near the Water," "One Good Thing," "Darling, Let's Have Another Baby," as well as alternate mixes of "My Affair [Bass Sexy Mix]" and "Walking Down Madison [6AM Ambient Mix]."] ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adrian Lillywhite Tambourine Andrew Ranken Drums Andrew Rankin Drums Angel Fernandez Trumpet Aniff Cousins Rap Bob Loveday Violin Charles Dickens Photography Chris Bandy Assistant Engineer Colin Stuart Mandolin Darryl Hunt Bass Dave Valentin Ocarina, Flute (Alto), Pipe, Flute David Palmer Drums Edward Shearmur Piano, Clavinet Elliott Randall Guitar Enrique Orengo Cello Felix Ferrar Violin George Chandler Vocals (Background) Guy Pratt Bass Hamish MacColl Keyboards Ian Aitken Guitar (Acoustic) Ite Jerez Trumpet James Fernley Accordion Jem Finer Banjo Jimmy Chambers Vocals (Background) Jody Liscott Percussion Joe Shepley Trumpet John Brough Engineer Johnny Marr Keyboards, Guitar Jon Fausty Engineer, Mixing Jose Mangual Bongos Jose Mangual Jr. Bongos Joseph J. Shepley Trumpet Judd Lander Harmonica Kirsty MacColl Keyboards, Illustrations, Design Leopoldo Pineda Trombone Lewis Kahn Violin, Trombone Lloyd Carter Violin Marc Quiñones Timbales Mel Gaynor Drums Milton Cardona Conga Noel Haris Assistant Engineer Oscar Hernandez Piano Pete Glenister Guitar Philip Chevron Guitar Pino Palladino Bass Robert Ameen Drums Sal Cuevas Bass Spide Stacey ? Steve Lillywhite Mixing, Producer Steve Sacks Sax (Alto) Terry Woods Cittern Trevor Gray Organ, Programming, Synthesizer