Esteem (album)
Encyclopedia
Esteem was the debut full length album for Australian synthpop
band Machinations
. The album was released in April 1983 on White Label Records, a subsidiary of Mushroom Records
.
. These recordings resulted in the band's debut single, "Average Inadequacy"/"Arabia" in September 1981, and the four-track debut self-titled, Machinations EP
, in December, both released on the independent Phantom Records
label.
"Average Inadequacy" created enough interest for Mushroom
's White Label to sign the band and reissue the single with a new B-side, "Machinations of Dance" in March 1982. A year later, Machinations issued a new single, "Jack"/"Be Double" in February 1983, prior to their debut album release, but it failed to chart. Esteem peaked at #54 on the Australian album charts
. It was also released in the United States by A&M Records
. Musically, the album contained synthpop with dark overtones, except for the single "Pressure Sway", a bright funk
/pop
song that was a dance-floor favourite.
The first single, "Jack" was about US writer Jack Kerouac
, and due to lyrical reference to illegal drugs ('I wanna take some 1960s LSD
'), "Jack" was often not played in live sets when audiences included minors
.
The second single off the album, "Pressure Sway", was released in June, 1983 and reached #21 on the Australian singles charts during July 1983. It was released as both a 7" and 12" version. "Pressure Sway" also made an impact in the United States reaching #40 on Billboard
's Club Play Singles chart.
The third single "Jumping the Gap", which was released in October 1983, fell short of the top 50 Australian singles chart, peaking at #59. It was also released as both a 7" and 12" version.
Australian release
International release
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
band Machinations
Machinations (band)
Machinations was a popular Sydney-based outfit working the mid-1980s independent Australian music scene. Notable national hits included "Pressure Sway", "My Heart's On Fire" and "No Say In It". They also achieved indie prominence with the two versions of their first single, "Average Inadequacy"...
. The album was released in April 1983 on White Label Records, a subsidiary of Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
.
History
In late 1980, Machinations recorded some songs at Trafalgar Studios in November 1980, the band entered the studio with producer Lobby LoydeLobby Loyde
Lobby Loyde , also known as John Barrie Lyde or Barry Lyde, was an Australian rock music guitarist, songwriter and producer....
. These recordings resulted in the band's debut single, "Average Inadequacy"/"Arabia" in September 1981, and the four-track debut self-titled, Machinations EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, in December, both released on the independent Phantom Records
Phantom Records
Phantom Records was an Australian independent record label established by Dare Jennings Phantom Records was an Australian independent record label established by Dare Jennings Phantom Records was an Australian independent record label established by Dare Jennings (founder of Mambo (Clothing) and...
label.
"Average Inadequacy" created enough interest for Mushroom
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
's White Label to sign the band and reissue the single with a new B-side, "Machinations of Dance" in March 1982. A year later, Machinations issued a new single, "Jack"/"Be Double" in February 1983, prior to their debut album release, but it failed to chart. Esteem peaked at #54 on the Australian album charts
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. It was also released in the United States by A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. Musically, the album contained synthpop with dark overtones, except for the single "Pressure Sway", a bright funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
song that was a dance-floor favourite.
The first single, "Jack" was about US writer Jack Kerouac
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
, and due to lyrical reference to illegal drugs ('I wanna take some 1960s LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
'), "Jack" was often not played in live sets when audiences included minors
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
.
The second single off the album, "Pressure Sway", was released in June, 1983 and reached #21 on the Australian singles charts during July 1983. It was released as both a 7" and 12" version. "Pressure Sway" also made an impact in the United States reaching #40 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Club Play Singles chart.
The third single "Jumping the Gap", which was released in October 1983, fell short of the top 50 Australian singles chart, peaking at #59. It was also released as both a 7" and 12" version.
Track listing
All songs written by Doyle, Loneragan, Starr, Swan.Australian release
- "Esteem" – 6:40
- "Pressure Sway" – 4:01
- "Transient" – 6:59
- "Castle Hunting" – 4:37
- "Jack" – 3:30
- "Terminal Wharf" – 5:34
- "The Hunt" – 5:17
International release
- "Pressure Sway" – 4:01
- "Jump the Gap" – 4:07
- "Average Inadequacy" – 4:15
- "Esteem" – 6:40
- "Jack" – 3:30
- "Transient" – 6:59
Personnel
- Tim Doyle — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Fred Loneragan — vocals
- Tony Starr — keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Nick Swan — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Producer — Lobby LoydeLobby LoydeLobby Loyde , also known as John Barrie Lyde or Barry Lyde, was an Australian rock music guitarist, songwriter and producer....
, Paul Radcliffe (except "Pressure Sway")- Additional producer — "Pressure Sway" Russell Dunlop, Bruce Brown.