Turn Back the Clock (album) explained

Turn Back the Clock is the debut studio album by English band Johnny Hates Jazz, released by Virgin Records on 11 January 1988 in United Kingdom and on 29 March 1988 in the United States. The album, whose most famous single was "Shattered Dreams", peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and at number 56 on the US Billboard 200. Kim Wilde sings backing vocals on the title track, which reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 in New Zealand. The track "Foolish Heart" was originally released as a single in 1986 as "Me and My Foolish Heart".

The song "Listen", written and co-produced by Phil Thornalley, was later re-recorded for his solo album Swamp, also released in 1988.^[3]

Reception

Michael Sutton of AllMusic wrote, "The music on Turn Back the Clock is generally upbeat synth pop, but the words are often sad. Although Johnny Hates Jazz offer no profound revelations about failed relationships or lost love, there is genuine emotion beneath the studio luster of "What Other Reason," "Different Seasons," "Don't Let It End This Way," and "Foolish Heart."". The viewer described the album as "a true guilty pleasure" with "no artistic risks yet it's too hummable to ignore."

Spin wrote, "They commit many cardinal musical sins, like being satisfied to have reached page three of their MIDI handbook, and figuring they now know everything there is to know about their new synths. This is evident from the first note. So everything has a basic beat and it’s all in synch, and so what?"^[4]

Track listing

All songs written by Clark Datchler, except where noted.

Standard version

1988 original vinyl album and US CD release

1. "Shattered Dreams" – 3:26
2. "Heart of Gold" – 3:20
3. "Turn Back the Clock" – 4:30
4. "Don't Say It's Love" – 3:43
5. "What Other Reason" – 3:20
6. "I Don't Want to Be a Hero" – 3:37
7. "Listen" – 3:44 (Phil Thornalley)
8. "Different Seasons" – 3:31 (Clark Datchler, Calvin Hayes)
9. "Don't Let It End This Way" – 3:40
10. "Foolish Heart" – 3:33 (Iain Macdonald, C. Hayes, M. Nocito, P. Thornalley)

Bonus tracks

1988 CD release

11. "Heart of Gold" (J. Mendelsohn Mix) – 6:41
12. "Turn Back the Clock" (J. Mendelsohn Mix) – 7:03
13. "I Don't Want to Be a Hero" (Extended Mix) – 6:36

2008 UK remastered edition

11. "Shattered Dreams" (12" Extended Mix) – 5:11
12. "Heart of Gold" (Extended Mix) – 6:42
13. "Turn Back the Clock" (12" Extended Mix) – 7:03
14. "Don't Say It's Love" (Extended Mix) – 6:36
15. "Foolish Heart" (12" Mix) – 5:50
16. "Turn Back the Clock" (Unreleased Version) – 4:35

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Turn Back the Clock.^[5]

Johnny Hates Jazz

• Clark Datchler – lead vocals and backing vocals
• Calvin Hayes – bass
• Mike Nocito – synthesizers and drum machine

Additional musicians

• Peter-John Vettese – additional keyboards
• Chris Newman – Fairlight CMI
• J.J. Belle – electric guitar
• Neil Hubbard – electric guitar
• Frank Ricotti – percussion
• Molly Duncan – saxophones
• Neil Sidwell – trombone
• Martin Drover – trumpets
• Anne Dudley – string arrangement on "Turn Back the Clock"
• Stevie Lange – backing vocals
• Miriam Stockley – backing vocals
• Kim Wilde – backing vocals

Production

• Calvin Hayes – producer
• Mike Nocito – producer, engineer
• Phil Thornalley – co-producer on "Listen", mixing
• Greg Jackman – mixing
• Bob Kraushaar – mixing
• Julian Mendelsohn – mixing
• Matt Barry – assistant engineer
• Richard Edwards – assistant engineer
• Terry Irwin – assistant engineer
• Roy Spong – assistant engineer
• Tim Weidner – assistant engineer
• Kevin Metcalfe – mastering
• Sarm West Studios (London, UK) – mixing location
• The Townhouse (London, UK) – mastering location

Artwork

• Stylorouge – design, art direction
• Simon Fowler – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1988)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Albums (Australian Music Report)[6]	72
European Albums (Music & Media)[7]	3
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[8]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)! scope="col"

Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9]	37
European Albums (Music & Media)[10]	19
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11]	31
Norwegian Winter Period Albums (VG-lista)[12]	3
UK Albums (OCC)[13]	23

Notes and References

1. Web site: Inskeep . Thomas . Soto . Alfred . The Bluffer's Guide – Sophisti-Pop . . 22 February 2007 . 28 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924111307/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/bluffer/sophisti-pop.htm . 24 September 2015.
2. Web site: Turn Back the Clock Review. Sutton. Michael. AllMusic. 14 February 2023.
3. Web site: Phil Thornalley – Swamp. Discogs. 14 May 2017.
4. . Spins. Hank Bardowitz . June 1988. 36. 74.
5. Turn Back the Clock . liner notes . . . 1988 . CDV 2475.
6. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . illustrated . St Ives, N.S.W. . Australian Chart Book . 1993 . 159 . 0-646-11917-6.
7. European Hot 100 Albums . . 5 . 7 . 13 February 1988 . 20 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
8. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . fi . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
9. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – CD 1988 . nl . . 13 January 2019.
10. 1988 Year End Eurocharts – Top 100 Albums . Music & Media . 6 . 52/1 . 1 January 1989 . 31 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
11. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1988 . de . Offizielle Deutsche Charts . 13 January 2019.
12. Web site: Topp 40 Album Vinter 1988 . no . . 7 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171016175007/http://lista.vg.no/liste/topp-40-album/2/dato/1988/periode/vinter . 16 October 2017.
13. Book: Scaping . Peter . Top 100 Albums: 1988 . BPI YearBook 1989/90 . London . . 1991 . 66–67 . 978-0-9061-5410-6.