Life is the sixth studio album by British band Culture Club, credited to "Boy George and Culture Club". It was released on 26 October 2018 through BMG. It was Culture Club's first studio album since 1999's Don't Mind If I Do.
After the band reformed in 2014, the album originally began as Tribes, a project that the band offered through PledgeMusic that was initially set to be released in 2015, then early 2016 through the band's own label, Different Man Music.[1]Tribes was recorded in Spain, with a documentary titled From Karma to Calamity filmed and aired on BBC Four, and a tour planned that was later cancelled.[2] The album itself was later shelved, with all those who pre-ordered the album refunded.[3]
In July 2018, it was announced that the album had been reworked as Life, and was to be released on 26 October 2018.[3]
George stated about Tribes and Life:
"We started it four years ago, we were recording in Spain, and we had a really great time doing it. I'm kind of really glad that we did it this year because everyone was in such a much better place. The songs were better, the communication was better. We're really happy that we did it now and not then. I even allowed people to have opinions on this album, which is shocking!
"I mean, my job is lyrics and melodies – I sort of provide the story – so I've always been quite protective and a bit precious about that, but on this particular record I was very open to 'what do you think about this?' and trying things, which is quite different. If you don't know me, you'd be alarmed really."[4]
George also stated that he had been working on material for years and wanted to put out more than one album over the ensuing time period, and that while he "really enjoy[s] the creative process", "trying to sell them is not so great".[4]
Singles
Prior to the album, the song "Let Somebody Love You" was released as a digital single and video.
The title track was released as lead single, followed by a limited edition issue of "Runaway Train" which was re-recorded as a duet with Gladys Knight and released for Record Store Day 2019.
An AllMusic review, written by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, gives the album 4 out of 5 stars, with the author stating, "Everything on Life seems considered and light, whether it's adopting relatively recent production flair or the many allusions to the past. Some styles may be retro -- there's some disco, Northern soul and Motown, reggae and arena rock -- but the sensibility is modern, particularly in how certain contradictory sounds are woven together." Furthermore, Elewine states that Boy George's voice "gives this often slick music a real human dimension, and helps the album live up to its title: this is the music of a life, maintaining memory, focused on the future while living in the present."[5]
Writing for The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey said that the album "now arrives as a kind of belated apology. Thankfully, Culture Club's musical journey of late has been detached enough from the contemporary music scene that the album's content doesn't feel as if it's missed the mark, or its time. In that sense, it's a satisfying delivery for fans, though it may achieve little else." Loughrey stated that "There are club scene tones present in the baseline to "God & Love" and "Resting Bitch Face", a calypso-inspired approach in "Human Zoo" (although it feels inauthentic), but Life is otherwise largely dominated by reggae and soul."[7]
Will Hodgkinson of The Times said that "Now the band's name has had Boy George's stuck in front of it, [it] demeans the whole thing somewhat", but called the album "pretty solid. "God & Love" showcases George's now deeper, still remarkable voice against tribal rock, "Let Somebody Love You" goes back to Culture Club's trademark light-hearted reggae, and the stomping soul and soaring strings of "Runaway Train" and "Life" evoke power and passion". Hodgkinson continued that "Maybe the world doesn't need a song called "Resting Bitch Face" or indeed an entire album that makes a grab for Culture Club's Eighties glory", but still rated the album three stars out of five.[9]
^"Culture Club: Tribes on PledgeMusic". Retrieved 30 October 2018 – via PledgeMusic.
^"BBC Four – Boy George and Culture Club: Karma to Calamity". BBC. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^ abSinclair, Paul (31 July 2018). "Culture Club announce new album, 'Life'". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^ abCopsey, Rob (26 October 2018). "'If you're an outsider, the world has always been a scary place': Boy George talks new Culture Club album Life and the new generation of queer artists". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^ ab"Life - Boy George, Culture Club - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
^Gonzalez, Michale Jose (26 October 2018). "Album reviews: Culture Club holder sig stadig relevante". Gaffa. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
^ abLoughrey, Clarissa (26 October 2018). "Album reviews: Boy George & Culture Club – Life and NAO – Saturn". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^Price, Simon (22 October 2018). "Boy George and Culture Club: The same but different". Metro. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^ abHodgkinson, Will (26 October 2018). "Pop review: Boy George & Culture Club: Life". The Times. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^"Life - Boy George, Culture Club - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
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Life is the sixth studio album by British band Culture Club credited to Boy George and Culture Club It was released on 26 October 2018 through BMG It was Culture Club s first studio album since 1999 s Don t Mind If I Do LifeStudio album by Boy George and Culture ClubReleased26 October 2018 2018 10 26 GenreReggaeindie rocksoulLength43 12LabelBMGProducerFuture CutJohn ThemisCulture Club chronologyGreatest Hits 2005 Life 2018 Boy George chronologyThis Is What I Do 2013 Life 2018 Cool Karaoke 2021 Singles from Life Let Somebody Love You Released 31 July 2018 Life Released 18 December 2018 Runaway Train Released 13 April 2019 limited edition Contents 1 Background and composition 2 Singles 3 Critical reception 4 Track listing 5 Personnel 6 Charts 7 ReferencesBackground and composition EditAfter the band reformed in 2014 the album originally began as Tribes a project that the band offered through PledgeMusic that was initially set to be released in 2015 then early 2016 through the band s own label Different Man Music 1 Tribes was recorded in Spain with a documentary titled From Karma to Calamity filmed and aired on BBC Four and a tour planned that was later cancelled 2 The album itself was later shelved with all those who pre ordered the album refunded 3 In July 2018 it was announced that the album had been reworked as Life and was to be released on 26 October 2018 3 George stated about Tribes and Life We started it four years ago we were recording in Spain and we had a really great time doing it I m kind of really glad that we did it this year because everyone was in such a much better place The songs were better the communication was better We re really happy that we did it now and not then I even allowed people to have opinions on this album which is shocking I mean my job is lyrics and melodies I sort of provide the story so I ve always been quite protective and a bit precious about that but on this particular record I was very open to what do you think about this and trying things which is quite different If you don t know me you d be alarmed really 4 George also stated that he had been working on material for years and wanted to put out more than one album over the ensuing time period and that while he really enjoy s the creative process trying to sell them is not so great 4 Singles EditPrior to the album the song Let Somebody Love You was released as a digital single and video The title track was released as lead single followed by a limited edition issue of Runaway Train which was re recorded as a duet with Gladys Knight and released for Record Store Day 2019 Critical reception EditProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic 5 Gaffa 6 The Independent 7 Metro 8 The Times 9 An AllMusic review written by Stephen Thomas Erlewine gives the album 4 out of 5 stars with the author stating Everything on Life seems considered and light whether it s adopting relatively recent production flair or the many allusions to the past Some styles may be retro there s some disco Northern soul and Motown reggae and arena rock but the sensibility is modern particularly in how certain contradictory sounds are woven together Furthermore Elewine states that Boy George s voice gives this often slick music a real human dimension and helps the album live up to its title this is the music of a life maintaining memory focused on the future while living in the present 5 Writing for The Independent Clarisse Loughrey said that the album now arrives as a kind of belated apology Thankfully Culture Club s musical journey of late has been detached enough from the contemporary music scene that the album s content doesn t feel as if it s missed the mark or its time In that sense it s a satisfying delivery for fans though it may achieve little else Loughrey stated that There are club scene tones present in the baseline to God amp Love and Resting Bitch Face a calypso inspired approach in Human Zoo although it feels inauthentic but Life is otherwise largely dominated by reggae and soul 7 Will Hodgkinson of The Times said that Now the band s name has had Boy George s stuck in front of it it demeans the whole thing somewhat but called the album pretty solid God amp Love showcases George s now deeper still remarkable voice against tribal rock Let Somebody Love You goes back to Culture Club s trademark light hearted reggae and the stomping soul and soaring strings of Runaway Train and Life evoke power and passion Hodgkinson continued that Maybe the world doesn t need a song called Resting Bitch Face or indeed an entire album that makes a grab for Culture Club s Eighties glory but still rated the album three stars out of five 9 Track listing EditNo TitleWriter s Length1 God amp Love George O Dowd Roy Hay Michael Craig John Themis4 132 Bad Blood O Dowd Hay Craig Themis3 253 Human Zoo O Dowd Hay Craig Jonathan Moss3 214 Let Somebody Love You O Dowd Hay Craig Moss Richard Stevens3 455 What Does Sorry Mean O Dowd Hay Craig Themis4 236 Runaway Train O Dowd Hay Craig Moss Martin Glover3 317 Resting Bitch Face O Dowd Hay Craig Themis Moss3 408 Different Man O Dowd Hay Craig Moss3 339 Oil amp Water O Dowd Hay Craig Themis Glover4 3710 More Than Silence O Dowd Hay Craig Glover Moss4 2611 Life O Dowd Hay Craig Iyiola Babalola Darren Lewis Phillip Sewell4 18Total length 43 12Personnel EditAdapted from AllMusic 10 Culture ClubBoy George vocals backing vocals Michael Craig bass guitar rhythm guitar keyboards string arrangements backing vocals Roy Hay brass arrangement guitar keyboards orchestral arrangements string arrangements backing vocals Jon Moss drums backing vocalswith Iyiola Babalola drums percussion programming synthesizer Dick Beetham mastering Reuben Fowler brass arrangement flugelhorn trumpet Future Cut engineer producer James Gardiner Bateman clarinet flute saxophone Derek Green backing vocals House Gospel Choir choir chorus Darren Lewis drums percussion programming synthesizer London Chamber Orchestra strings Jeremy Murphy engineer Chris Parker engineer Dan Parry mixing Mary Pearce backing vocals John Themis guitar producer string arrangements backing vocals Daniel Thomas choir master Nichol Thomson trombone Will Vaughan assistant programming Tom Walsh flugelhorn trumpet Peter Whitfield conductor string arrangements Youth Martin Glover co producer programmingCharts EditChart 2018 Peak positionAustralian Digital Albums ARIA 11 25Belgian Albums Ultratop Wallonia 12 151German Albums Offizielle Top 100 13 58Italian Albums FIMI 14 66Scottish Albums OCC 15 11Swiss Albums Schweizer Hitparade 16 89UK Albums OCC 17 12References Edit Culture Club Tribes on PledgeMusic Retrieved 30 October 2018 via PledgeMusic BBC Four Boy George and Culture Club Karma to Calamity BBC Retrieved 30 October 2018 a b Sinclair Paul 31 July 2018 Culture Club announce new album Life Super Deluxe Edition Retrieved 30 October 2018 a b Copsey Rob 26 October 2018 If you re an outsider the world has always been a scary place Boy George talks new Culture Club album Life and the new generation of queer artists Official Charts Company Retrieved 30 October 2018 a b Life Boy George Culture Club Songs Reviews Credits AllMusic Retrieved 14 January 2019 Gonzalez Michale Jose 26 October 2018 Album reviews Culture Club holder sig stadig relevante Gaffa Retrieved 11 November 2018 a b Loughrey Clarissa 26 October 2018 Album reviews Boy George amp Culture Club Life and NAO Saturn The Independent Archived from the original on 14 June 2022 Retrieved 30 October 2018 Price Simon 22 October 2018 Boy George and Culture Club The same but different Metro Retrieved 30 October 2018 a b Hodgkinson Will 26 October 2018 Pop review Boy George amp Culture Club Life The Times Retrieved 30 October 2018 Life Boy George Culture Club Credits AllMusic Retrieved 14 January 2019 ARIA Top 50 Digital Albums PDF Australian Recording Industry Association 5 November 2018 Retrieved 3 November 2018 Ultratop be Boy George and Culture Club Life in French Hung Medien Retrieved 3 November 2018 Offiziellecharts de Boy George and Culture Club Life in German GfK Entertainment Charts Retrieved 2 November 2018 Italiancharts com Boy George and Culture Club Life Hung Medien Retrieved 3 November 2018 Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved 3 November 2018 Swisscharts com Boy George and Culture Club Life Hung Medien Retrieved 7 November 2018 Official Albums Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved 3 November 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Life Boy George and Culture Club album amp oldid 1122066307, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
