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Level 42 was one of Britain's most successful bands by the time World Machine was released in 1985, but U.S. success was elusive. But that changed with the engaging single "Something About You," which became a Top Ten hit in America and sent this album soaring into the Top 20. World Machine pushes their newfound radio-friendly sound into the forefront, and the result is one of the finest pop albums of the mid-'80s. "Something About You" exemplifies Level 42's sound at the peak of its success. Bassist Mark King's vocals, while limited in range, are soulful and yearning, while keyboardist Mike Lindup's complimentary falsetto backing vocals add just the right ingredient to the mix. Given the group's original guise as an all-instrumental jazz combo, the musicianship is brilliant, and "Something About You" proves how good a song can sound coming from the radio. Unlike most albums that contain one strong single surrounded by duds, World Machine has more than its share of fine tunes. The jazzy, upbeat title track is one of the band's finest moments, the should've-been-a-hit "Leaving Me Now" is an effective ballad, and the midtempo "Good Man in a Storm" is catchy and thought-provoking. While not perfect -- "Physical Presence" drags, and "It's Not the Same for Us" is a bit too cutesy for its own good -- World Machine is the most successful album in Level 42's career, both in terms of sales and quality.
© William Cooper /TiVo
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Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Waliou J. Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mike Lindup, Keyboards, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Gould, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Gary Barnacle, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Boon Gould, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Waliou J. Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
DISC 2
Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Pete Dauncey, Producer - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Paul Nickson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 BBC
Pete Dauncey, Producer - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Paul Nickson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 BBC
Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Pete Dauncey, Producer - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Waliou J. Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist - Paul Nickson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2006 BBC
Mike Lindup, Keyboards, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Gould, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Gary Barnacle, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Boon Gould, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Shep Pettibone, Remixer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Lindup, Keyboards, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Phil Gould, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, Bass Guitar, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Gary Barnacle, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Waliou J. Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist - Boon Gould, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mike Lindup, ComposerLyricist - Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Julian Mendelsohn, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Assistant Producer, StudioPersonnel - Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, Producer - Level 42, Producer, MainArtist - Waliou J. Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Rowland Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mark King, ComposerLyricist - Wally Badarou, ComposerLyricist - Level 42, MainArtist - Philip Gould, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Level 42, MainArtist
℗ 2006 Bacci Bros Records
Album review
Level 42 was one of Britain's most successful bands by the time World Machine was released in 1985, but U.S. success was elusive. But that changed with the engaging single "Something About You," which became a Top Ten hit in America and sent this album soaring into the Top 20. World Machine pushes their newfound radio-friendly sound into the forefront, and the result is one of the finest pop albums of the mid-'80s. "Something About You" exemplifies Level 42's sound at the peak of its success. Bassist Mark King's vocals, while limited in range, are soulful and yearning, while keyboardist Mike Lindup's complimentary falsetto backing vocals add just the right ingredient to the mix. Given the group's original guise as an all-instrumental jazz combo, the musicianship is brilliant, and "Something About You" proves how good a song can sound coming from the radio. Unlike most albums that contain one strong single surrounded by duds, World Machine has more than its share of fine tunes. The jazzy, upbeat title track is one of the band's finest moments, the should've-been-a-hit "Leaving Me Now" is an effective ballad, and the midtempo "Good Man in a Storm" is catchy and thought-provoking. While not perfect -- "Physical Presence" drags, and "It's Not the Same for Us" is a bit too cutesy for its own good -- World Machine is the most successful album in Level 42's career, both in terms of sales and quality.
© William Cooper /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 21 track(s)
- Total length: 01:50:46
- Main artists: Level 42
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK) This Compilation ℗ 2006 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
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