Cheapness and Beauty

Cheapness and Beauty
Studio album by Boy George
Released August 29th 1995
Recorded 1993–95
Studio Sarm Hook End Studios
Genre Rock[1]
Length 50:20
Label Virgin Records
Producer Jessica Corcoran,
John Themis (5, 6 & 13)
Boy George chronology
The Martyr Mantras
(1990)		 '''Cheapness and Beauty'''
(1995)		 The Unrecoupable One Man Bandit
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyA–[2]
Spin5/10[3]
Vibe(favorable)[4]
The Village Voice[5]

Cheapness and Beauty is the fifth studio album by Boy George, released in 1995. It peaked at number 44 on the UK Albums Chart.

Background

Having scored his biggest solo success in the US and Canada with the theme song for the movie The Crying Game in 1992, George decided to move away from an electronic sound and record some rock-oriented tracks with a glam-rock edge. One of the reasons he cited for this move was revisiting his teenage years while writing his autobiography, Take It Like a Man, which was released around the same time as the album.[6] The album also marked the first time in which George didn't hide his gay sexuality in the lyrics. The tracks "Genocide Peroxide" and "Il Adore" were both later featured in the musical Taboo.

Singles

The album opens with a cover version of Iggy Pop's "Funtime", which was released as a single and reached #45 in the UK Singles Chart. Another single was the ballad "Il Adore" which peaked at #50, and "Same Thing in Reverse", which reached #56 in the UK and #28 on the US Billboard Dance Charts.

Track listing

All tracks composed by George O'Dowd (Boy George) and John Themis; except where indicated

  1. "Funtime" – 3:05 (Iggy Pop, David Bowie)
  2. "Satan's Butterfly Ball" – 3:03
  3. "Sad" – 3:52
  4. "God Don't Hold a Grudge" – 2:49
  5. "Genocide Peroxide" – 3:44
  6. "If I Could Fly" – 4:04
  7. "Same Thing in Reverse" – 3:33
  8. "Cheapness and Beauty" – 3:59
  9. "Evil Is So Civilised" – 3:32
  10. "Your Love Is What I Am" – 4:12
  11. "Blindman" – 4:42
  12. "Unfinished Business" – 3:33
  13. "Il Adore" – 6:12

Personnel

  • Boy George – lead vocals
  • John Themis – guitar, vocals and musical director
  • Winston Blisset – bass guitar
  • Tansay Ibrahim – drums
  • Mike Timothy – keyboards
  • Lady Zee, Linda Duggan, Stefan Frank – other vocals
  • Luís Jardim – ethnic percussion on track 11
  • Hossam Ramzy – mandolin
  • Martin Bell – extra drums
  • Uli Webber – cover picture
  • Jessica Corcoran – production
  • John Themis – production on tracks 5, 6 and 13

Charts

Chart Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[7] 44

References

  1. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Cheapness & Beauty – Boy George | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  2. ↑ Browne, David (1995-09-08). "Music Review: 'Cheapness & Beauty'". EW.com.
  3. ↑ LLC, SPIN Media (October 1995). "Records". Spin. SPIN Media LLC. p. 117.
  4. ↑ Group, Vibe Media (September 1995). "Boy George". Vibe. Vibe Media Group. p. 176.
  5. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1996-02-20). "Robert Christgau: Consumer Guide Feb. 20, 1996". The Village Voice.
  6. ↑ Boy George with Spencer Bright (1995), Take It Like A Man, London, Sidgwick & Jackson
  7. ↑ "Boy George - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". Retrieved 26 April 2017.
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