[Summer Shop] -- This week's Flashback album is Our Favorite Shop. According to Wikipedia, it was released June 8, 1985. However, there are other sources citing either May 9 or May 13 of 1985 as the release date. Also of note, the US version of this record was released under the title, Internationalists, with a different track listing. Whatever the date, album title, or song order, this album hits the 40 year mark as of this weekend, so it's fair game for my theme.
Our Favorite Shop was the second album by the English sophisti-pop band called The Style Council. This band was a joint project from Mick Talbot (keyboards) and Paul Weller (vocals), the latter of whom had been the lead vocalist, principal songwriter and guitarist of the Jam. Both Talbot and Weller were interested in exploring artier, jazzier directions, and The Style Council was their vehicle for that exploration. Our Favorite Shop was their most commercially successful album with three of its singles peaking in UK's top 40 charts. It also reached the #1 position on UK's album charts, but only squeaked into the US Billboard 200 at #123.
"Walls Come Tumbling Down!", "Come to Milton Keynes", and "The Lodgers" were all top 40 singles in the UK, with "Walls Come Tumbling Down!" actually peaking at #6. None of them charted in the US, but they did have some success in other countries, notably Ireland and New Zealand. One of my favorite songs on this album is "Homebreakers", probably because of memories associated with singing along to it with friends in North Halls at PSU. "All Gone Away", "A Stones Throw Away", and "The Stand Up Comic's Instructions" are also non-single standouts in my opinion.
Flashback: Our Favorite Shop (June 1985)
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
See you in seven!
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