Ophelia's Shadow is the fourth solo studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 1991 by E.G. Records. Some musicians playing on this album have been members of King Crimson at a certain moment, people like Robert Fripp, Gordon Haskell, Keith Tippett and Trey Gunn.

Ophelia's Shadow
2003 re-release cover
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 1991
StudioCourthouse Studio, Manchester
Genre
Length47:32
LabelE.G.
Producer
Toyah chronology
Prostitute
(1988)
Ophelia's Shadow
(1991)
Take the Leap!
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BillboardPositive[2]
New Musical Express4/10[3]

Background edit

The album was created with Tony Geballe as well as Trey Gunn and Paul Beavis with whom Toyah and her husband Robert Fripp constituted the band Sunday All Over the World at the same time.[4] It was originally planned as part two of a trilogy, following Prostitute. The title is a reference to Ophelia, a character from William Shakespeare's Hamlet, and Carl Jung's psychological concept of the shadow.[5]

In 2003, the album was reissued via Toyah's own Vertical Species label with a slightly changed artwork and new text introduction.[6] In 2020, it was released as part of the Toyah Solo box set.

Track listing edit

  1. "Ophelia's Shadow" (Trey Gunn, Toyah Willcox, Tony Geballe, Paul Beavis) – 5:54
  2. "The Shaman Says" (Geballe, Willcox) – 5:23
  3. "Brilliant Day" (Willcox, Robert Fripp, Gunn, Beavis) – 2:39
  4. "Prospect" (Geballe, Willcox) – 3:13
  5. "Turning Tide" (Geballe, Willcox) – 5:40
  6. "Take What You Will" (Beavis, Geballe, Gunn, Willcox) – 5:42
  7. "Ghost Light" (Gunn, Willcox, Geballe, Beavis) – 4:28
  8. "The Woman Who Had an Affair with Herself" (Geballe, Willcox) – 4:17
  9. "Homeward" (Geballe, Willcox) – 5:16
  10. "Lords of the Never Known" (Willcox, Fripp, Gunn, Beavis) – 4:32

Personnel edit

  • Toyah Willcox – vocals, producer, engineer, mixing
  • Tony Geballe – guitar, computer, engineer
  • Trey Gunn – stick, keyboards, engineer
  • Paul Beavis – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
Production
  • Tony Arnold – backing tracks producer, engineer

References edit

  1. ^ Planer, Lindsay. "Toyah - Ophelia's Shadow review". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2006.
  2. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 26 January 1991. p. 93. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. ^ Williams, Simon (23 March 1991). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 35.
  4. ^ "Toyah At Home: Season 2 Episode 1". YouTube. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  5. ^ "DISCOGRAPHY >> ALBUMS". toyahwillcox.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  6. ^ "'Prostitute' & 'Ophelia's Shadow' - Reissued CDs - Out Now!". toyah.net. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Toyah Discography: Ophelia's Shadow". Toyah Willcox Official Website. Retrieved 24 November 2017.

External links edit