The Up Escalator

The Up Escalator is an album by Graham Parker and The Rumour and was released on May 23, 1980 by Stiff Records as LP (SEEZ 23) and as cassette (ZSEEZ 23).[1] In the USA, the album was released by Arista. Released after Parker's successful 1979 album Squeezing Out Sparks, the album features production by Jimmy Iovine.

The Up Escalator
Studio album by
Graham Parker
Released23 May 1980
GenreRock
LabelStiff Records (UK)
Arista (US)
ProducerJimmy Iovine
Graham Parker chronology
Squeezing Out Sparks
(1979)		 The Up Escalator
(1980)		 Another Grey Area
(1982)

Upon its release, the album saw mixed-to-positive reviews, with many criticizing Iovine's production. Parker separated from the Rumour shortly after the album's release.

Background

The Up Escalator was released as the follow-up to Parker's successful 1979 release, Squeezing Out Sparks. The Rumour's keyboardist, Bob Andrews had left the band after the Squeezing Out Sparks tour, being replaced on The Up Escalator by studio musician Nicky Hopkins, the E-Street Band's Danny Federici, and Peter Wood of Quiver.[2] The album was produced by Jimmy Iovine, who had been a popular producer at the time for his work on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Damn the Torpedoes and Patti Smith's Easter.

Compared to the band's previous album, The Up Escalator was commercially less successful, staying on the charts for less time. Following a few additional concerts and television appearances, Parker and the Rumour split due to musical differences (Parker claimed the band had been "butchering" his songs).[2]

"Stupefaction" was released as a single, backed with the non-album track "Woman in Charge"; the single failed to chart.[2] The track "Endless Night" features backing vocals from American rock musician Bruce Springsteen, who named Parker as the only musician he would pay to see perform.[3][4]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[5]
Smash Hits9/10[6]

The Up Escalator has seen mixed reception from critics, many of whom took issue with Jimmy Iovine's production. Mark Deming of AllMusic said of the pairing of Iovine with Parker, "The idea looked good on paper. ... But one listen to The Up Escalator reveals that Iovine's trademark sound somehow escaped him for this project; the recording and mix are flat and poorly detailed ... and the often mushy audio manages the remarkable feat of making the Rumour, one of the most exciting rock bands of their day, sound just a bit dull."[5] Debra Rae Cohen of Rolling Stone similarly stated, "The new album seems like an attempt to 'gentrify' Parker, to turn him into a commercial classic-by-association by surrounding him with blue-chip artifacts. ... Such an attempt merely devalues Graham Parker's artistry as well as his past achievements. It also drastically undermines his material."[4]

Despite its production, many have praised Parker's songwriting on the album. Deming pointed to "Empty Lives," "The Beating of Another Heart," and "Endless Night" as examples of "A-list material" on the album.[5] Geoffrey Himes of The Washington Post wrote, "The Up Escalator is one long howl for an endless night that will cut through the alienation of the 'Same thing, same way, every day, stupefaction'" and noted that "Parker's music is just as powerful an argument as his lyrics."[3]

Track listing

UK version

All tracks are written by Graham Parker, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."No Holding Back"3:18
2."Devil's Sidewalk"3:14
3."Stupefaction"3:30
4."Love Without Greed"3:24
5."Jolie Jolie"2:39
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Endless Night"3:35
2."Paralyzed"3:13
3."Maneuvers"3:28
4."Empty Lives"5:06
5."The Beating of Another Heart"4:20

US and Australia version

All tracks are written by Graham Parker, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."No Holding Back"3:18
2."Devil's Sidewalk"3:14
3."Stupefaction"3:30
4."Empty Lives"5:06
5."The Beating of Another Heart"4:20
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Endless Night"3:35
2."Paralyzed"3:13
3."Maneuvers"3:28
4."Jolie Jolie"2:39
5."Love Without Greed"3:24
Bonus tracks (2003 reissue)
No.TitleLength
1."Women In Charge"3:28
2."Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions" (Live 1981)4:49

Charts
Chart (1980) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 36
Canada 27
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company) 11
United States (Billboard 200)[8] 40

Personnel

Certifications

Canada-Gold [9]

Sources
  • The Up Escalator album cover

References
  1. "Stiff - Home". Stiff-records.com. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  2. Cabin, Geoff. "Graham Parker and the Rumour: The Complete History - Part Four". Rock Beat International. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  3. Himes, Geoffrey. "Graham Parker -- 'The Up Escalator'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  4. Cohen, Debra Rae. "The Up Escalator". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  5. Deming, Mark. "The Up Escalator – Graham Parker & the Rumour / Graham Parker". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  6. Hepworth, David. "Albums". Smash Hits (June 12–25, 1980): 31.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 229. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Squeezing Out Sparks – Graham Parker > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  9. "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
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