Mood Swing (album)

Mood Swing is the debut album by American new wave group The Nails. Recorded and released in 1984, it included the novelty single "88 Lines About 44 Women," which entered the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and placed at number 208 on the US Pop Albums Sales chart. It is retrospectively held in high regard by critics.

Mood Swing
Studio album by
The Nails
Released1984[1]
Recorded1984[1]
GenreNew wave[1]
Length41:16
LabelMCA
Producer
  • Greg Winter
  • Bruce Harris
[2][3]
The Nails chronology
Hotel for Women
(1983)		 Mood Swing
(1984)		 Dangerous Dreams
(1986)
Singles from Mood Swing
  1. "88 Lines About 44 Women"
    Released: 1984
  2. "Let It All Hang Out"
    Released: 1985

Background and release

In 1984, The Nails signed with RCA for their major-label debut album. The album was recorded the same year at three New York studios: the Boogie Hotel, Electric Lady, and Skyline Studios.[1] The album followed the group's independently-released EP, Hotel for Women,[4] released in early 1981 and featuring three versions of the group's breakout single, "88 Lines About 44 Women,"[5] which was again included on Mood Swing in a slightly altered form.[6] The album was produced by Greg Winter.[3] The group was shown in a December 1984 issue of Billboard, "putting the finishing touches" on the album.[3]

The album was originally released in late 1984,[3][1] by RCA Records. In 2007, a re-mastered edition of the album was released by CD Baby, and in 2012, another re-release was issued by CityBeat. These versions included two additional tracks: extended remixes of "88 Lines About 44 Women" and "Let It All Hang Out."[7][8]

Reception

Critical

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Richard Foss deemed Mood Swing an "album pick" of the group's discography. He awarded it 4 and a half stars out of 5 and went on to praise it as "a remarkably consistent and confident debut," comparing the music to that of The Damned, Jim Carroll, and Stan Ridgway and praising the lyrics' irony.[1]

Commercial

Upon its release, the album attained modest commercial success. In March 1985, it appeared on Billboard Magazine's list of "Bubbling Under" albums, at number 208.[9] The album failed to enter the Billboard Hot 200 album sales chart; however, they later managed to with their next record, Dangerous Dreams, in 1986.[10] "88 Lines of 44 Women," originally featured on Hotel for Women but re-recorded for Mood Swing, became a hit on MTV and peaked at number 46 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in April 1985.[4][11]

Track listing

Side A

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Every Time I Touch You"
  • Marc Campbell
  • The Nails
3:53
2."Dark Brown"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
5:21
3."88 Lines About 44 Women"
  • Campbell
  • Douglas Guthrie
  • David Kaufman
  • George Kaufman
  • The Nails
  • Sean O'Rourke
4:56
4."Home of the Brave"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
5:06
Total length:19:16

Side B

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let It All Hang Out"
  • Cunningham
  • The Hombres[12]
3:03
2."Mood Swing"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
2:52
3."Phantom Heart"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
4:26
4."Juanita Juanita"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
3:16
5."She Is Everything to Me"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
3:11
6."White Wall"
  • Campbell
  • The Nails
5:12
Total length:22:00

Credits

Adapted from AllMusic.[2]

Band members

  • Marc Campbell — vocals
  • George Kaufman - bass
  • Douglas Guthrie — saxophone
  • David Kaufman — keyboards

Other musicians

  • Jimmy Bralower — drums
  • Boris Kinberg — percussion
  • Arooj Lazewal — tabla, tambourine
  • Dennis McDermott — drums
  • Steve O'Rourke — guitar
  • Khari Paige — background vocals
  • Badal Roy — tabla
  • Rocky Savino, Jr. — harmonica
  • Ellen Warshaw — background vocals
  • Greg Winter — drums, synthesizer, background vocals

Production

  • Bruce Harris — executive producer
  • Vic Anesini — digital mastering
  • Michael Frondelli — engineer
  • Chris Isca — assistant engineer
  • Roger Moutenot — assistant engineer
  • Jack Skinner — mastering
  • Greg Winter — producer

References
  1. Foss, Richard. "Album Review: Mood Swing - The Nails". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Mood Swing - The Nails: Credits". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  3. "Newsmakers". Billboard: 61. December 15, 1984. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  4. Blush, Steven (October 4, 2016). New York Rock: From the Rise of The Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB (1 ed.). MacMillan. p. 205. ISBN 1250083613. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  5. "Hotel for Women - The Nails". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  6. Phares, Heather. "Single Review: 88 Lines About 44 Women - The Nails". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  7. "Mood Swing - The Nails (2007 Re-Release)". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  8. "Mood Swing - The Nails: Release History". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  9. "Bubbling Under: The Top Pop Albums". Billboard. 97 (13): 74. March 30, 1985. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  10. "The Nails Chart History: The Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  11. "The Nails Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  12. "The Hombres – Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)". Discogs. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
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