Huang Chung is the self-titled debut studio album by the English new wave band Huang Chung (later known as Wang Chung). Huang Chung was released on March 1982[1][4] on both vinyl and cassette.[5] Included on the album cover is the name of the band in Chinese (黃鐘, literally Yellow Bell) meaning the first note in the Chinese classical music scale. On 19 September 1995, One Way Records re-released the album on CD under license from Arista Records. The album has since been discontinued.[5]
| Huang Chung | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1982 (original release)[1] 19 September 1995 (re-release) | |||
| Recorded | 1981 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | New wave | |||
| Length | 38:15 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer | ||||
| Wang Chung chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 US release cover | ||||
| Singles from Huang Chung | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
Huang Chung was supposed to be one of two studio albums that the band recorded for Arista Records, but they departed and signed a recording contract with Geffen Records afterwards because their manager spotted the band's potential and their upcoming song, "Dance Hall Days", to be a possibly big hit.[6] Meanwhile, after the release, Huang Chung saxophonist David Burnand (a.k.a. Hogg Robinson) left due to "musical differences".[6] No song hit any charts in the US or the UK.
A mastering error is present on the 1995 CD reissue. The track break between "I Never Want to Love You in a Half-Hearted Way" and "Ti Na Na" occurs a fraction of a second before the former track ends. Thus, track 3 begins with what sounds like a glitch, though it is actually the very end of track 2.
Track listing edit
All songs were written and composed by Jack Hues, except as noted below. Nick Feldman was credited as Nick DeSpig throughout this album.
Arista UK LP: SPART 1174 edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ti Na Na" | 4:22 | |
| 2. | "Hold Back the Tears" | 4:05 | |
| 3. | "I Never Want to Love You in a Half-Hearted Way" | 3:11 | |
| 4. | "Straight from My Heart" | 2:52 | |
| 5. | "Dancing" |
| 4:38 |
| Total length: | 19:09 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chinese Girls" | 2:51 | |
| 2. | "Why Do You Laugh" |
| 4:06 |
| 3. | "China" |
| 3:27 |
| 4. | "I Can't Sleep" | 3:15 | |
| 5. | "Rising in the East" | 5:27 | |
| Total length: | 19:06 | ||
Arista US LP: AL 6603 edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hold Back the Tears" | 4:05 | |
| 2. | "I Never Want to Love You in a Half-Hearted Way" | 3:11 | |
| 3. | "Ti Na Na" | 4:22 | |
| 4. | "Straight from My Heart" | 2:52 | |
| 5. | "Dancing" |
| 4:38 |
| Total length: | 19:09 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "China" |
| 3:27 |
| 2. | "Rising in the East" | 5:27 | |
| 3. | "Chinese Girls" | 2:51 | |
| 4. | "Why Do You Laugh" |
| 4:06 |
| 5. | "I Can't Sleep" | 3:15 | |
| Total length: | 19:06 | ||
1995 – One Way Records CD: OW 31444 edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hold Back the Tears" | 4:05 | |
| 2. | "I Never Want to Love You in a Half-Hearted Way" | 3:12 | |
| 3. | "Ti Na Na" | 4:22 | |
| 4. | "Straight from My Heart" | 2:52 | |
| 5. | "Dancing" |
| 4:39 |
| 6. | "China" |
| 3:26 |
| 7. | "Rising in the East" | 5:28 | |
| 8. | "Chinese Girls" | 2:51 | |
| 9. | "Why Do You Laugh" |
| 4:06 |
| 10. | "I Can't Sleep" | 3:15 | |
| Total length: | 38:15 | ||
Credits edit
Huang Chung[7]
- Darwin – drums, percussion, vocals
- Hogg – saxophones, percussion, vocals
- Nick de Spig – bass guitars, percussion, vocals
- Jack Hues – guitars, lead vocals, piano
Producers
- Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 – Produced by Rhett Davies
- Tracks 6, 8, 9 – Produced by Roger Béchirian
- Tracks 3 & 7 – Produced by Rhett Davies and remixed by Roger Bechirian
Engineers
- Nigel Mills and Stuart Henderson (Basing St)
- Dave Bellotti (Jam)
Assistants
- David Massey
- Vikki Pepys
- Sarah Lubel
Additional personnel
- Fin Costello – photos
- Steve Joule – design
- Alex Feldman (sister of bass guitarist Nick Feldman) – logo design
- Ged Doherty and Andy Hilton – management
References edit
- ^ a b "Discography - Wang Chung". Wang Chung. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
Huang Chung - Arista Records - UK LP - US LP - Released March 1982
- ^ "Great rock discography". p. 883.
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ "On this date in 80s music history - Huang Chung - release date". Archived from the original on 6 March 2008.
- ^ a b "Archive - Huang Chung". Wang Chung. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
- ^ a b "Biography - Wang Chung". Wang Chung. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
- ^ "Huang Chung | Releases". Discogs. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
External links edit
- Huang Chung at Discogs (list of releases)