2WO
Studio album by
Strange Advance
ReleasedFebruary 1985
RecordedPhase One Studios, Toronto, Britannia Row, London, UK, Mushroom Studios, Vancouver, BC, ESP Studios, Buttonville, Ontario
GenreRock, new wave
LabelCapitol
ProducerDrew Arnott
Michael Kamen ("Nor Crystal Tears" only)
Strange Advance chronology
Worlds Away
(1982)		 2WO
(1985)		 The Distance Between
(1988)

2WO is the second studio album by Canadian new wave band Strange Advance released in February, 1985. It featured two hit Canadian singles, "We Run" and "The Second That I Saw You". Along with their first album, this was a Canadian gold record for the band.[1]

Background and writing

This recording features heavy use of keyboards and synthesizers including the Fairlight, Yamaha DX7, and Jupiter 8.

Recalling the inspiration behind the hit song "We Run", Drew Arnott said it was "one of those 'wake up sweating' dreams. I just described what I saw. The smallest things can be the most inspiring. Ed Shaw added a delay to a sound in "We Run" which made the whole track come alive for me. Major bow to Michael Kamen for the strings and Scott Litt (REM) for the mix."

One song written during the 2WO sessions but left off the record was "Lady with a Blade", which would later appear on the 1995 compilation album Worlds Away & Back.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Tomas Mureika of allmusic calls 2WO "A seriously overlooked album".[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Drew Arnott, except where noted[4]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I'll Be the One to Cry"Drew ArnottDrew Arnott3:56
2."The Second That I Saw You"ArnottArnott3:20
3."We Run"ArnottArnott3:59
4."Prelude"ArnottArnott2:02
5."Home of the Brave"ArnottArnott6:34
6."The Sounds of Life"ArnottArnott4:00
7."Blue Fire"Darryl KrommArnott4:14
8."Just Like You"ArnottArnott5:41
9."Running Away"KrommArnott4:15
10."Nor Crystal Tears"KrommMichael Kamen5:06

Album credits

Personnel

  • Darryl Kromm – lead vocals, guitar
  • Drew Arnott – keyboards, drums, vocals, lead vocal on "We Run"

with:

  • Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve – bass
  • Gerald O'Brien – keyboards and arrangement assistance
  • Howard Ayee – bass on "We Run", "The Second That I Saw You"
  • Dawnlee Tait – backing vocals
  • Andy Bown – 12 string guitar; bass on "Running Away"
  • Ed Shaw – guitar
  • Andy Newmark – drums on "Running Away"
  • Earl Slick – guitar on "Running Away"
  • David Roberts – backing vocals
  • Steve Sexton – keyboards on "We Run"
  • Keith Scott – guitars
  • Chitose Ishikura – Japanese voiceover on "The Second That I Saw You"
  • Chris Arnott – Gaelic voiceover
  • Kevin Markland – percussion
  • Laura Oldham – slapstick
  • Michael Kamen – oboe, keyboards, vocal effect on "I'll Be the One to Cry"
  • Domenic Troiano – guitar on "The Second That I Saw You"
  • Tony Lester – guitar
  • Simon Brierley – lead guitar
  • John Jones – piano
  • Ericka Goodman – harp
  • Bernie LaBarge – backing vocals
  • John Forbes, Jean Piche, Dee Long, Drew Arnott – Fairlight programming

Production

  • Drew Arnott –– producer
  • Michael Kamen – producer of "Nor Crystal Tears", string arrangements on "We Run"
  • Remixing – Scott Litt; Drew Arnott & Lenny DeRose on "Nor Crystal Tears"
  • Engineering – Lenny DeRose, Andy Jackson, Dave Oglivie, Dee Long, Scott Litt
  • Mastering – Bob Ludwig, Masterdisk, New York

References

Citations
  1. ↑ "Artist: Strange Advance Biography". jam.canoe.ca. Jam!. 7 December 2004. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  2. ↑ AllMusic Review
  3. ↑ Tomas Mureika. "Strange Advance > 2WO > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  4. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. "AMICUS No. 5482513". collectionscanada.gc.ca. canada.gc.ca/main_e.html. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
Other
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