The Colour Album is the fifth studio album by Norwegian pop rock group Fra Lippo Lippi and the first release after the band severed their ties with Virgin Records.
"Count on Me", "Love Is a Lonely Harbour", and "Mother's Little Soldier" were released as singles to promote this album.
Production The album was recorded in Rainbow Studio in Oslo and mixed in Stockholm. The band desired to leave behind the American expression of the previous album and cease the use of "synthetic instruments". Among others, it entailed the use of a string quartet rather than a synthesizer. The goal was to make "advanced pop" for "serious listening", not background listening.
Sales and charts According to , the album had sold 3,500 copies in Norway as of 1 February 1990. The album did not chart in the Norwegian VG-lista, unlike Fra Lippo Lippi's previous output Songs and Light and Shade.
Despite a successful tour to promote the album in the Philippines, The Colour Album did not do as well as the band's two previous albums. The band parted ways with The Record Station in 1990 and was considering a breakup, but decided to write songs for a new album instead.
Reception Norway's largest newspaper VG gave a dice throw of 4, stating that the album was more accessible than the previous record, but had inferior melodies to Songs.Album review by VG 8 November 1989 The trend newspaper Natt og Dag published a positive review,Album review by Stig Holmér, Natt og Dag no. 5, 1989, p. 36 whereas the music paper Nye Takter published by Arbeiderbladet gave the album 4 stars and called it melodic, pleasant, charming and "technically perfect".Album review by Jan Omdahl, Nye Takter/Arbeiderbladet 15 November 1989 Aftenposten also wrote a favorable review, praising the variation, with some songs having international hit potential and others being "sophisticated" pop. The album contained several moods, good melodies and a personal touch.Album review by Tor Marcussen, Aftenposten 6 November 1989
Several other critics underlined that Fra Lippo Lippi had returned to form since their previous output.Album review by Ole Jacob Hoel, Adresseavisen 8 November 1989Album review by Geir Nødset, Bergens Arbeiderblad 14 November 1989 (3.5 stars)Album review by Frode Bjerkestrand, Bergens Tidende 17 November 1989Album review by Øyvind Lien, Oppland Arbeiderblad 18 November 1989Album review, Nordlys 1 December 1989 In Drammen, both Drammens Tidende and Fremtiden gave a dice throw of 5.Album review by Lars-Erik Nygaard, Drammens Tidende og Buskeruds Blad 1 December 1989Album review by Johnny Andreassen, Fremtiden 21 November 1989
However, some still criticized the album and the band for lacking identity.Album review, Stavanger Aftenblad 11 November 1989Album review by Liv Jørgensen, Dagbladet 15 November 1989 (3 stars) Østlendingen gave 3 stars as the reviewer found the album to be middle-of-the-road.Album review by Per Magnussen, Østlendingen 17 November 1989 Tønsbergs Blad only gave 2 stars, calling it "somewhat tame" and "monotonous at times".Album review by Thor Johan Hallin, Tønsbergs Blad 24 November 1989
Track listing "A Little Rain Must Fall" "Mother's Little Soldier" "Under the Same Sun" "You Bring Me Joy" "Love Is a Lonely Harbour" "Count On Me" "ABC" "Childhood Days" "Into the Blue"
Personnel Rune Kristoffersen – bass Per Øystein Sørensen – vocals, keyboards
with
– drums, percussion Henrik Janson – guitar, cello – guitar – accordion Nils Petter Molvær – trumpet Knut Riisnæs – saxophone Bendik Hofseth – saxophone – clarinet, flute Carl Anders Sponberg – violin – violin Stig-Ove Ose – viola Marit Klovning – cello Bjørn Kjellemyr – acoustic bass Matts Alsberg – acoustic bass Per Hillestad – drums, percussion Berit Lohne – backing vocals Mauro Scocco – backing vocals
References