Electronic (album)

Electronic is the title of the eponymous debut album by the duo consisting of Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr. The album was first released on 27 May 1991 on the Factory label.

The pair had started working together as early as 1988 and most of the songs came together after sessions rehearsed in 1990. Their debut single Getting Away with It, written and recorded with Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, had been released in December 1989, although was not included on initial editions of the album which eventually surfaced. Some tracks were also previewed when Electronic played live as support to Depeche Mode at Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles, CA, on 04 and 05 August 1990.

The album was a critical and commercial success and went straight into the UK album charts at no.2 the week after its release (held off the top by Seal's eponymous debut), remaining in the Top 40 for seven weeks. The second Electronic single Get the Message, featured on the album, went Top 10 in the UK although a third single Feel Every Beat fared less well (see Singles section below).

Personnel

 * Bernard Sumner - lead vocals, guitar keyboards
 * Johnny Marr - guitar, keyboards
 * Neil Tennant - vocals on Patience of a Saint and Getting Away With It
 * Denise Johnson - vocals on Get the Message

The album was produced by Sumner & Marr who also wrote all the songs, together with Tennant and Lowe on The Patience of a Saint.

Getting Away With It co-written and co-produced with Neil Tennant. Strings arranged and conducted by Anne Dudley.

Tracklisting

 * CD - original UK issue, FACT 290


 * 1) Idiot Country
 * 2) Reality
 * 3) Tighten Up
 * 4) The Patience of a Saint
 * 5) Gangster
 * 6) Soviet
 * 7) Get the Message
 * 8) Try All You Want
 * 9) Some Distant Memory
 * 10) Feel Every Beat


 * LP - FACT 290


 * same 10 tracks, five per side.


 * CD - European issue on Warner Bros.


 * adds Getting Away With It as track 5

Re-releases

 * 1994 re-release (Parlophone, CD)
 * adds Getting Away With It as track 5, slightly different sleeve design


 * 2013 2xCD re-master
 * CD1 - 11 tracks as above
 * CD2 - 12 new & remastered edits of previously released songs, incl. 1992 single Disappointed (see here)


 * 2015 180g vinyl re-issue
 * 5 + 6 tracks (carries Fact 290 & Warner cat. nos.)


 * 2020 LP
 * 5 + 6 tracks - black cover design

Charts

 * UK album charts (1991): 2
 * UK Vinyl Albums Chart: 39 (2015), 5 (2020)

Singles
UK releases only