Oblivion is the eighth studio album by American rock group Utopia, released in January 1984 by Passport Records.
The album represents a turning point for the band, stepping away from the stripped-down sound of their 1982 self-titled album in favor of a fuller, more mainstream contemporary pop sound. This direction was continued on POV, the band's final studio album, released the following year. This shift in sound is most noticeable due to an increased use of electronic drums and triggers by John "Willie" Wilcox. In addition, synthesizers and sequencers, common ingredients of Utopia's music dating back to their debut release, feature more heavily than usual across the album's runtime.
The album generated moderate sales, peaking at #74 on the Billboard 200 in March 1984. Three songs were released as singles: "Crybaby" b/w "Winston Smith Takes It on the Jaw", which peaked at #30 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart in February 1984, becoming their biggest hit on that chart; "Love With a Thinker" b/w "Welcome to My Revolution" (released only in the UK); and "Maybe I Could Change" b/w "Love With a Thinker" (released only in Australia). The latter two failed to chart.
Track listing
Personnel
Utopia Todd Rundgren – vocals, guitar, saxophone Kasim Sulton – vocals, bass guitar Roger Powell – vocals, keyboards John "Willie" Wilcox – vocals, drums
Technical
Produced and engineered by Todd Rundgren Mixed by Todd Rundgren at Utopia Sound Studios (Lake Hill, NY) Photography – Rob G. Hansen
2011 Reissue
Coordinator – Mark Powell and Vicky Powell Digital remastering – Ben Wiseman Package design – Phil Smee
Charts Chart (1984) Peakposition US Billboard Pop Albums74
References
External links