Cut Above the Rest: Difference between revisions

Cut Above the Rest
Cut Above the Rest
Studio album by Sweet
Released	April 1979 (US); October 1979 (UK)
Genre	Rock, hard rock, disco
Length	40:50
Label	Polydor, Capitol
Producer	Sweet
Sweet chronology
Alternative cover
	European version cover

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Cut Above the Rest is the seventh studio album by the English glam rock band Sweet, released on Polydor Records in April 1979. It was their first album release following the departure of their original lead vocalist Brian Connolly. Connolly had begun recording this album with the band at the TownHouse Studio in Shepherd's Bush, London, but his vocals were subsequently wiped and replaced by vocals from bass player Steve Priest and guitarist Andy Scott. Original outtakes of "Play All Night" and "Stay With Me" (a.k.a. "Log One/That Girl") featuring Connolly's vocals have been recovered and were released on the rarities CD Platinum Rare.

Cut Above the Rest was released with two different sleeves: one for the US/Canada/Japan/UK markets and another (a wood carving of the three members' faces) for Europe.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]

In their retrospective review, AllMusic described Cut Above the Rest as "a bizarre combination of the hard-rocking pop that dominated classic Sweet singles with progressive flights of fancy in a 10cc/Electric Light Orchestra vein, plus a dash of lounge lizard-ish soft rock balladry thrown in to cover all the pop/rock bases." They found that some of the excursions in this hodgepodge of styles were disastrous, but that the stronger cuts were distinctive and compelling enough to make the album as a whole memorable, albeit "too erratic" for casual listeners.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Steve Priest, Andy Scott and Mick Tucker except where noted.

Side one

"Call Me" (Scott) – 3:42
"Play All Night" – 3:15
"Big Apple Waltz" (Priest, Scott) – 4:03
"Dorian Gray" – 4:44
"Discophony (Dis-Kof-O-Ne)" (Priest, Scott, Tucker, Gary Moberley) – 5:25

Side two

"Eye Games" (Scott, Louis Austin) – 1:58
"Mother Earth" (Priest, Scott) – 6:31
"Hold Me" (Scott) – 6:06
"Stay With Me" – 5:06

Bonus tracks on 2010 reissue

"Call Me" (7" version) – 2:54
"Why Don't You" – 3:25
"Mother Earth" (7" version) – 3:59

Personnel

Sweet

Steve Priest – bass, harmonica, lead vocals, backing vocals
Andy Scott – guitar, synthesizer, lead vocals, backing vocals
Mick Tucker – drums, percussion, lead vocals, backing vocals

Additional personnel

Louis Austin – engineer
Norman Goodman – artwork
Eddie Hardin – soloist
Gary Moberley – piano
Geoff Westley – arranger, piano

Releases

CD Cut Above the Rest Repertoire 1992
CD Cut Above the Rest Repertoire 1999
CD Cut Above the Rest Repertoire 2003
CD Cut Above the Rest 7T's / Glam 2010

References

^ "Great Rock Discography". p. 807.
^ ^a ^b Cut Above the Rest at AllMusic

[1] "Great Rock Discography". p. 807.

[AllMusic-2] Cut Above the Rest at AllMusic

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
+{{More citations needed|date=November 2018}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
 {{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
-{{Infobox album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
+{{Infobox album
-| Name        = Cut Above The Rest
+| name       = Cut Above the Rest
-| Type        = Studio album
+| type       = Studio album
-| Artist      = [[Sweet (band)|Sweet]]
+| artist     = [[The Sweet|Sweet]]
-| Cover       = Sweet - Cut Above the Rest (U.S. Cover).jpg
+| cover      = Sweet - Cut Above the Rest (U.S. Cover).jpg
-| Released    = October 1979
+| alt        =
+| released   = April 1979 (US)<br/>October 1979 (UK)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/806/mode/2up|title=Great Rock Discography|page=807}}</ref>
-| Genre       = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[hard rock]]
+| recorded   =
-| Label       = [[Polydor Records|Polydor]]<br>[[Capitol Records|Capitol]] (USA)
+| venue      =
-| Last album  = ''[[Level Headed]]''<br/>(1978)
+| studio     =
-| This album  = '''''Cut Above the Rest'''''<br/>(1979)
+| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[hard rock]], [[disco]]
-| Next album  = ''[[Waters Edge]]''<br/>(1980)
-| Misc        =
+| length     = 40:50
+| label      = [[Polydor Records|Polydor]], [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
-{{Extra album cover
+| producer   = Sweet
-  | Upper caption  = Alternative cover
+| prev_title = [[Level Headed]]
-  | Type           = studio
+| prev_year  = 1978
-  | Cover          = Cut_Above_the_Rest.jpg
+| next_title = [[Waters Edge]]
-  | Lower caption  = European version cover
+| next_year  = 1980
-  }}
+| misc       = {{Extra album cover
+ | header  = Alternative cover
+ | type    = studio
+ | cover   = Cut_Above_the_Rest.jpg
+ | border  =
+ | alt     =
+ | caption = European version cover
+}}
 }}
-'''''Cut Above The Rest''''' is the seventh album by [[Sweet (band)|Sweet]], released on [[Polydor Records]] in October 1979. It was their first album release following the departure of their original lead vocalist [[Brian Connolly]]. Connolly had begun recording this album with the band at the TownHouse Studio in Shepherd's Bush, London, but his vocals were subsequently wiped and replaced by vocals from bass player [[Steve Priest]] and guitarist [[Andy Scott (guitarist)|Andy Scott]]. Original outtakes of "Play All Night" and "Stay With Me" (a.k.a. "Log One/That Girl") featuring Connolly's vocals have been recovered and were released on the rarities CD ''Platinum Rare''.
+'''''Cut Above the Rest''''' is the seventh studio album by the English [[glam rock]] band [[The Sweet|Sweet]], released on [[Polydor Records]] in April 1979. It was their first album release following the departure of their original lead vocalist [[Brian Connolly]]. Connolly had begun recording this album with the band at the TownHouse Studio in Shepherd's Bush, London, but his vocals were subsequently wiped and replaced by vocals from bass player [[Steve Priest]] and guitarist [[Andy Scott (guitarist)|Andy Scott]]. Original outtakes of "Play All Night" and "Stay With Me" (a.k.a. "Log One/That Girl") featuring Connolly's vocals have been recovered and were released on the rarities CD ''[[Platinum Rare]]''.
-''Cut Above The Rest'' was released with two different sleeves: one for the US/UK/Japan markets and another (a wood carving of the three members' faces) for Europe.
+''Cut Above the Rest'' was released with two different sleeves: one for the US/Canada/Japan/UK markets and another (a wood carving of the three members' faces) for Europe.
 ==Reception==
 {{Album reviews
-|rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
+|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
-|rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}} <ref name="allmusic">{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r19524}}</ref>
+|rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r19524}}</ref>
 }}
-In their retrospective review, [[Allmusic]] described ''Cut Above The Rest'' as "a bizarre combination of the hard-rocking pop that dominated classic Sweet singles with progressive flights of fancy in a 10cc/Electric Light Orchestra vein, plus a dash of lounge lizard-ish soft rock balladry thrown in to cover all the pop/rock bases." They found that some of the excursions in this hodgepodge of styles were disastrous, but that the stronger cuts were distinctive and compelling enough to make the album as a whole memorable, albeit "too erratic" for casual listeners.<ref name="allmusic"/>
+In their retrospective review, [[AllMusic]] described ''Cut Above the Rest'' as "a bizarre combination of the hard-rocking pop that dominated classic Sweet singles with progressive flights of fancy in a [[10cc]]/[[Electric Light Orchestra]] vein, plus a dash of lounge lizard-ish soft rock balladry thrown in to cover all the pop/rock bases." They found that some of the excursions in this hodgepodge of styles were disastrous, but that the stronger cuts were distinctive and compelling enough to make the album as a whole memorable, albeit "too erratic" for casual listeners.<ref name="AllMusic"/>
 ==Track listing==
-All songs written and composed by [[Steve Priest]], [[Andy Scott (guitarist)|Andy Scott]], and [[Mick Tucker]] except where noted.
+All songs written and composed by [[Steve Priest]], [[Andy Scott (guitarist)|Andy Scott]] and [[Mick Tucker]] except where noted.
+;Side one
-#"Call Me" (Scott) - 3:42
+#"Call Me" <small>(Scott)</small> – 3:42
-#"Play All Night" - 3:18
+#"Play All Night" – 3:15
-#"Big Apple Waltz" (Priest, Scott) - 4:06
+#"Big Apple Waltz" <small>(Priest, Scott)</small> – 4:03
-#"Dorian Gray" - 4:47
+#"Dorian Gray" – 4:44
-#"Discophony (Dis-Kof-O-Ne)" (Priest, Scott, Tucker, Gary Moberley) - 5:28
+#"Discophony (Dis-Kof-O-Ne)" <small>(Priest, Scott, Tucker, Gary Moberley)</small> – 5:25
+;Side two
-#"Eye Games" (Scott, Louis Austin) - 2:00
+#"Eye Games" <small>(Scott, Louis Austin)</small> – 1:58
-#"Mother Earth" (Priest, Scott) - 6:34
-#"Hold Me" (Scott) - 6:09
+#"Mother Earth" <small>(Priest, Scott)</small> – 6:31
+#"Hold Me" <small>(Scott)</small> – 6:06
-#"Stay With Me" - 5:13
+#"Stay With Me" – 5:06
 ===Bonus tracks on 2010 reissue===
-# <li value=10> Call Me (7'' Version)
+# <li value=10> "Call Me" <small>(7" version)</small> – 2:54
-# Why Don't You
+# "Why Don't You" – 3:25
-# Mother Earth (7'' Version)
+# "Mother Earth" <small>(7" version)</small> – 3:59
-==Japan version track listing==
-Released in Japan with UK/US cover with different running order and different version of "Hold Me".
-#"Eye Games" (Scott, Austin)
-#"Mother Earth" (Priest, Scott)
-#"Hold Me (Different version)" (Scott)
-#"Stay With Me"
-#"Call Me" (Scott)
-#"Play All Night"
-#"Big Apple Waltz" (Priest, Scott)
-#"Dorian Gray"
-#"Discophony (Dis-Kof-O-Ne)" (Priest, Scott, Tucker, Moberley)
-Japan CD version contains the UK/US/Europe track listing with the same LP cover and sleeve.
 ==Personnel==
+;Sweet
-* [[Steve Priest]] - bass, harmonica, lead vocals, backing vocals
-* [[Andy Scott (guitarist)|Andy Scott]] - guitar, synthesizer, lead vocals, backing vocals
+* [[Steve Priest]] – bass, harmonica, lead vocals, backing vocals
-* [[Mick Tucker]] - drums, percussion, backing vocals
+* [[Andy Scott (guitarist)|Andy Scott]] – guitar, synthesizer, lead vocals, backing vocals
+* [[Mick Tucker]] – drums, percussion, lead vocals, backing vocals
 ;Additional personnel
-* [[Louis Austin]] - engineer
+* Louis Austin – engineer
-* Norman Goodman - artwork
+* Norman Goodman – artwork
-* [[Eddie Hardin]] - soloist
+* [[Eddie Hardin]] – soloist
-* Gary Moberley - composer, piano
+* Gary Moberley – piano
-* Geoff Westley - arranger, piano
+* Geoff Westley – arranger, piano
 ==Releases==
-* CD	Cut Above The Rest Repertoire	 1992
+* CD	Cut Above the Rest Repertoire	 1992
-* CD	Cut Above The Rest Repertoire	 1999
+* CD	Cut Above the Rest Repertoire	 1999
-* CD	Cut Above The Rest Repertoire	 2003
+* CD	Cut Above the Rest Repertoire	 2003
-* CD	Cut Above The Rest 7T's / Glam	 2010
+* CD	Cut Above the Rest 7T's / Glam	 2010
 ==References==
@@ Line 87: / Line 84: @@
 {{Sweet (band)}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Cut Above The Rest}}
-[[Category:Sweet (band) albums]]
+[[Category:The Sweet albums]]
 [[Category:1979 albums]]
 [[Category:Polydor Records albums]]

v t e The Sweet
Brian Connolly Steve Priest Mick Tucker Andy Scott Frank Torpey Mick Stewart
Studio albums	Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be Sweet Fanny Adams Desolation Boulevard Give Us a Wink Off the Record Level Headed Cut Above the Rest Waters Edge Identity Crisis
Live albums	Strung Up Live in Denmark 1976 Live at the Rainbow 1973
Compilation albums	Gimme Dat Ding The Sweet's Biggest Hits The Sweet The Sweet Singles Album Strung Up The Golden Greats The Ballroom Blitz & More Sweet Hits Platinum Rare Action: The Sweet Anthology
Singles	"Funny, Funny" "Co-Co" "Little Willy" "Wig-Wam Bam" "Block Buster!" "The Ballroom Blitz" "The Six Teens" "Peppermint Twist" "Fox on the Run" "Action" "Love Is Like Oxygen"
Related articles	Discography Members
Category