Flaunt the Imperfection

• Artist: China Crisis
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1985
• Total Time: 43:04
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

China Crisis underwent a complete change in sound for their third album, completely ditching the heavy dub rhythms and challenging arrangements of 1982's Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain and 1983's Working with Fire and Steel (Possible Pop Songs, Vol. 2) with an altogether smoother and less aggressive sound. That doesn't equal a commercial capitulation, however; if anything, the choice of Walter Becker (of the then-unfashionable Steely Dan) as producer was a more commercially daring maneuver than anything the group had previously attempted. The overall sound is considerably prettier than before -- the placid Eno-like "Black Man Ray? is downright beautiful -- and the arrangements mix synthesizers with traditional instruments in what was for 1985 an unusually graceful way, with neither predominating. Another difference from the earlier albums is that the group's songwriting is much improved, the failed instrumental experiments and tiresome dance workouts that occasionally marred their earlier albums replaced with a newfound melodic sophistication and lyrical acuity. By the time of 1987's What Price Paradise, this sophistication will be unfortunately replaced by callow slickness, but Flaunt the Imperfection is the one album where China Crisis got the balance right. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Highest High	Garry Eddie Gazza	China Crisis	(4:16)
Strength of Character	Garry Eddie Gazza	China Crisis	(2:50)
You Did Cut Me (Lyrics)	Garry Eddie Gazza	China Crisis	(4:18)
Black Man Ray	Gazza Garry Eddie	China Crisis	(3:39)
Wall of God (Lyrics)	Garry Eddie Gazza	China Crisis	(5:32)
Gift of Freedom (Lyrics)	Garry Eddie Gazza, Eddie Lundon	China Crisis	(4:38)
King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)	Gary Johnson, Gary Daly, Eddie Lundon	China Crisis	(4:32)
Bigger the Punch I'm Feeling (Lyrics)	Garry Eddie Gazza, Eddie Lundon	China Crisis	(4:21)
World Spins, I'm Part of It	Garry Eddie Gazza, Eddie Lundon	China Crisis	(4:12)
Blue Sea	Eddie Lundon, Garry Eddie Gazza	China Crisis	(4:46)

Credits

Walter Becker (Synthesizer), Eddie Lundon (Group Member), Colin Campsie (Vocals (Background)), Garry Daly (Synthesizer), Garry Daly (Vocals (Background)), Simon Clarke (Sax (Baritone)), Kick Horns (Brass Arrangement), Nick Magnus (Guest Appearance), Walter Becker (Percussion), Tim Sanders (Sax (Tenor)), Tim Renwick (Soloist), Kevin Wilkinson (Percussion), Steve Gregory (Guest Appearance), Roddy Lorimer (Flugelhorn), Tim Renwick (Guitar), Eddie Lundon (Vocals (Background)), Nick Magnus (Piano (Grand)), Kevin Wilkinson (Drums), Steve Gregory (Saxophone), Roddy Lorimer (Trumpet), Eddie Lundon (Vocals), Nick Magnus (Programming), Tim Sanders (Sax (Soprano)), Simon Clarke (Sax (Alto)), Simon Clarke (Flute), Gary "Gazza" Johnson (Bass), Eddie Lundon (Lyricist), Eddie Lundon (Guitar), Roddy Lorimer (Guest Appearance), Garry Daly (Lyricist), Garry Daly (Group Member), Peter Thoms (Trombone), Eddie Lundon (Guitar), Nick Magnus (Synthesizer), Kevin Wilkinson (Group Member), Simon Clarke (Guest Appearance), China Crisis (Arranger), Nick Magnus (Keyboard Programming), Gary "Gazza" Johnson (Group Member), Walter Becker (Producer), Nick Magnus (Soloist), Roddy Lorimer (Soloist), Gary Johns (Vocals (Background)), Garry Daly (Vocals), Eddie Lundon (Vocals (Background)), Eddie Lundon (Vocals), Tim Sanders (Guest Appearance), Ginny Clee (Vocals (Background)), Gary "Gazza" Johnson (Sequencing Programmer), Gary Johns (Programming), Tim Renwick (Guest Appearance), Walter Becker (Arranger)

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