1986's Up From the Dark collects a series of U.K. singles recorded by the husband-and-wife team of Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin (both formerly of Hatfield and the North; Gaskin was leader of the group's female auxiliary, the Northettes) in the early '80s. Although Stewart's and Gaskin's roots are in '70s progressive music, these singles show an understanding and appreciation of post-punk dynamics, both in the subtly ironic '60s covers (nearly half of the album, ranging from their hit deconstruction of Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" to a pair of Motown tunes to a sympathetic reading of the Honeybus' freakbeat gem "Do I Figure in Your Life") to a sublime pair of covers of recent singles. Thomas Dolby's "Leipzig," one of his finest early songs, is given a ghostly, gorgeous reading, and this version of Andy Partridge's "Roads Girdle the Globe" is the finest XTC cover ever. Stewart's old bandmates Pip Pyle and Phil Miller contribute, as do King Crimson's Bill Bruford and Gaskin's old singing partner Amanda Parsons, but this is not prog rock nostalgia in any form. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
Dave Stewart (Vocoder), Bill Bruford (Percussion), Durrants School Children (Vocals), Dave Stewart (Drums), Dave Stewart (Vocals), Barbara Gaskin (Moog Synthesizer), Colin Green (Engineer), Barbara Gaskin (Blocks), Simon Ryan (Art Direction), Bill Bruford (Timbales), Nick Bradford (Percussion), Joe Bull (Engineer), Dave Stewart (Keyboards), Dave Stewart (Producer), Allan Barson (Engineer), Dave Stewart (Rhythm Arrangements), Phil Miller (Guitar), Barbara Gaskin (Percussion), Corrine Simcock (Assistant Engineer), Barbara Gaskin (Temple Blocks), Pip Pyle (Drums), Bill Bruford (Log Drums), Ed Poole (Fretless Bass), Pete Ball (Engineer), Andy Duncan (Percussion), Rick Biddulph (Spoons), Ruth Holton (Viola), Jakko M. Jakszyk (Guitar), Barbara Gaskin (Vocals), Bryson Graham (Drums), Simon Ryan (Artwork), Barbara Gaskin (Mini Moog), Chris Porter (Engineer), Jakko M. Jakszyk (?), Chris Porter (Vocals), Nick Bradford (Engineer), Dave Stewart (Producer), Bill Bruford (Drums), Barbara Gaskin (Vocals (Background)), Barbara Gaskin (Cymbals), Simon Smart (Engineer), Rick Biddulph (?), Dave Stewart (Rhythm), Pip Pyle (Percussion), Rick Biddulph (Guitar (12 String Electric)), Georgie Born (Cello), Jakko M. Jakszyk (Vocals (Background)), Dave Stewart (Percussion), Ted Hayton (Engineer), Barbara Gaskin (Performer), Rick Biddulph (Guitar (12 String)), Dave Stewart (Drum Programming), Amanda Parsons (Vocals (Background)), Barbara Gaskin (?), Dave Stewart (Programming), Rick Biddulph (Bass), Barbara Gaskin (Sound Effects), Ed Poole (Guitar), Dave Stewart (Arranger)