Illumination
Studio album by
Released9 September 1997 (1997-09-09)
StudioCava Studios, Glasgow
GenreAlternative rock, Indie pop, art rock
Length42:43
LabelDomino Recording Company
ProducerThe Pastels, Gregor Reid, Ian Carmichael
The Pastels chronology
Mobile Safari
(1995)
Illumination
(1997)
The Last Great Wilderness
(2003)
Singles from Illumination
  1. "Unfair Kind of Fame"
    Released: June 1997
  2. "The Hits Hurt"
    Released: August 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Independentfavorable[2]

Illumination is the fourth studio album by the Scottish band The Pastels, originally released via Domino Recording Company in 1997. The album shows the group honing in on a warmer, gentler and more subdued sound compared to their previous work. It is their last studio album to feature longtime member Annabel "Aggi" Wright as a full member before she left to concentrate on her career as an illustrator in 2000. Whilst The Pastels continued to release music, Illumination would be their last proper studio album for 16 years, until the release of Slow Summits in 2013.

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album 3.5 stars out of 5, saying, "Scaling back the snappy production and crisp guitars of their earlier releases, the group crafts a collection of subdued, lovely melodies in the vein of the Velvet Underground's third album."[1] He added, "While the Pastels lack Lou Reed's lyricism or the Velvets' assured experimentalism, the hushed ambience and sighing melodies of Illumination make it a charming listen."[1] Angela Lewis of The Independent said, "The patron saints of Scottish indie pop retain their love of gently poignant lyrics and mellow guitar rustlings with their umpteenth album in 10 years; but now there's a new electronic edge, adding curiosity value."[2]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Hits Hurt"Stephen Pastel3:48
2."Cycle"Pastel, Aggi4:33
3."Thomson Colour"Katrina Mitchell1:43
4."Unfair Kind of Fame"Mitchell4:21
5."Fragile Gang"Pastel2:39
6."The Viaduct"Pastel, Mitchell5:08
7."Remote Climbs"Pastel2:46
8."Rough Riders"Pastel, Aggi4:31
9."On the Way"Aggi3:38
10."Leaving this Island"Mitchell2:31
11."G12 Nights"Pastel1:12
12."Attic Plan"Pastel4:22
13."Mechanised"Mitchell1:31
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14."Frozen Wave"Pastel, Aggi5:07
15."Windy Hill"Mitchell3:59

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

  • Stephen Pastel – guitar, vocals, keyboards
  • Aggi Wright – bass guitar, vocals, melodica
  • Katrina Mitchell – drums, vocals, keyboards, melodica, violin, arrangement
  • Jonathan Kilgour – guitar
  • Gerard Love – guitar
  • Norman Blake – guitar, vocals
  • Dean Wareham – guitar, vocals
  • Bill Wells – piano, arrangement
  • Sarah Ward – flute
  • Isobel Campbell – cello
  • Dawn Kelly – French horn
  • Gregor Reid – percussion

References

  1. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Illumination - The Pastels". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 Lewis, Angela (10 October 1997). "Pop: Album Reviews". The Independent. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
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