Metro Music

Metro Music is the debut album by Canadian new wave band Martha and the Muffins. It was released in 1980 on the record label Dindisc. The album contains the single "Echo Beach", which became an international hit single for the band.

Metro Music
Studio album by
Martha and the Muffins
ReleasedFebruary 1980
RecordedAugust 1979
StudioManor Studios
Genre
Length40:17
LabelDindisc
ProducerMike Howlett
Martha and the Muffins chronology
Metro Music
(1980)		 Trance and Dance
(1980)
Singles from Metro Music
  1. "Echo Beach"
    Released: February 8, 1980
  2. "Saigon"
    Released: May 2, 1980
  3. "Paint by Number Heart"
    Released: 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[2]
Record Mirror[3]
Smash Hits8/10[4]

The cover image design by Peter Saville is a map of Toronto, the band's hometown, and is based on a map from the National Topographic System of Canada.[5]

The entire Metro Music album also formed the first part of Martha and the Muffins' 1987 compilation Far Away in Time.

Release

As DinDisc 1 (DID I), Metro Music was notable for being the first album ever released on the then-new Dindisc label,[6] followed soon after by the first album from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, numbered, appropriately enough, as DinDisc 2 (DID 2).

The album's first single, "Echo Beach",[7] became a hit single in several countries, reaching number three in Canada, number one in Portugal, number five in Australia and number 10 in the United Kingdom in March 1980. It also reached number 37 in the United States on the Club Play Singles chart.[8] "Saigon" was released as a follow-up single in the UK a few months later,[9] but failed to chart. In Canada, the follow-up single was "Paint by Number Heart"[10] — it climbed to number 69. The album itself was certified gold in Canada (50,000 units) on September 1, 1980; "Echo Beach" was certified gold there (5,000 units) on the following October 1.[11]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Echo Beach"Mark Gane3:38
2."Paint by Number Heart"Martha Johnson4:23
3."Saigon"Johnson, Daniel Millar4:23
4."Indecision"Johnson4:25
5."Terminal Twilight"Gane, Martha Ladly4:42
6."Hide and Seek"Gane, Ladly3:57
7."Monotone"Johnson2:46
8."Sinking Land"Gane5:27
9."Revenge (Against the World)"Gane3:31
10."Cheesies and Gum"Gane, Ladly3:05

Personnel
  • Martha Johnson – keyboards, vocals
  • Martha Ladly – keyboards, trombone, vocals
  • Mark Gane – synthesizer, guitar
  • Carl Finkle – bass
  • Tim Gane – drums
  • Andy Haas – saxophone

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 46
UK Album Chart[13] 34
U.S. Billboard 200 [14] 186

Singles

Single Chart (1980) Position
"Echo Beach" Canada 3
"Echo Beach" Australia (Kent Music Report) 5
"Echo Beach" UK Singles Chart [13] 10
"Echo Beach/Paint By Number Heart" Billboard Club Play Singles [8] 37

References
  1. Badgley, Aaron. "Metro Music – Martha and the Muffins". AllMusic. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1990). "Martha and the Muffins: Metro Music". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  3. Hall, Philip (March 15, 1980). "I thought Muffin the Mule was... until I discovered...". Record Mirror. p. 22.
  4. Starr, Red (March 6–19, 1980). "Albums". Smash Hits. Vol. 2 no. 5. pp. 30–31.
  5. Saville, Peter (2003-08-15). Designed by Peter Saville. Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-56898-422-3. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  6. "Martha and the Muffins - Metro Music". discogs.com. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  7. "Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach" – via www.45cat.com.
  8. Metro Music - Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  9. "Martha And The Muffins - Saigon" – via www.45cat.com.
  10. "Martha And The Muffins - Paint By Number Heart". Discogs.
  11. "Gold Platinum Database: Martha and the Muffins". Music Canada. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 193. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  13. "MARTHA & THE MUFFINS - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  14. Metro Music - Martha and the Muffins > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
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