Holy Smoke [Peter Murphy]

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): SPV 084-4855

Producer	Mike Thorne; Peter Murphy
Engineer	Fernando Kral

Contains an untitled hidden track following "Hit Song".
Personnel includes: Peter Murphy (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Alison
Limerick (vocals); Peter Bonas (acoustic & electric guitars); Paul Statham (acoustic guitar, keyboards); Rick Shaffer (guitar); Audrey Riley, John Carney, Chris Pitsillides, Gini Ball (strings); John Vartan (ney, tambura, zurna); Mike Thorne (Synclavier); Eddie Branch (bass); Teryl Bryant (drums, percussion); Zoe Caryl (background vocals).
Recorded at Maison Rouge, London, England; The Stereo Society, New York, New York.
Personnel: Peter Bonas (guitar, acoustic guitar); Paul Statham (acoustic guitar, keyboards); Eddie Branch (bass guitar); Terl Bryant (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: Fernando Kral.
Recording information: Maison Rouge Studios, London; The Stereo Society, NY.
Photographer: Anton Corbijn.
Hopes for another surprise American success from Peter Murphy with Deep's follow-up went unfulfilled, as success proved not to be the case; released in the initial craze of the grunge/alternative mega-crossover, Smoke's elegant ballads and angular, arty rockers simply didn't fit in. Taken on its own merits, though, Smoke is quite a strong release, avoiding any cloning of Deep or "Cuts You Up" in favor of a different approach meant to bring out the band's live power more directly. Producer Mike Thorne gets some great performances out of them and Murphy both, giving the album a crisp, solid punch throughout, even during its quieter moments. The album is like Deep in one important respect -- variety, which is showcased successfully throughout. "Low Room" was an especially powerful blast, the band firing out a choppy, strong rhythm as Murphy almost barks his lyrics; similar, if not as totally successful, energy appeared with "Kill the Hate" and "Dream Gone By." On the quieter tip, "Let Me Love You," the understated drive of "Our Secret Garden," and the lovely opener "Keep Me From Harm" are all fine showcases for Murphy at his most love-drunk. "The Sweetest Drop" was the lead single, but better choices would have been "You're So Close," with an anthemic, stunning chorus and a flat-out brilliant vocal, and the cleverly titled "Hit Song." Murphy's dramatic singing, concluding in a duet with guest singer Alison Limerick's lovely falsetto, makes it all the more enjoyable. ~ Ned Raggett

Rolling Stone (6/25/92, p.42) - 3.5 Stars - Very Good - "...An intriguing blend of biting guitar rock and tuneful minimalist pop...HOLY SMOKE is strangely affecting progressive rock that works on the soul as well as the cerebellum..."
Entertainment Weekly (5/29/92, p.64) - "...When the music and lyrics come together--as they often do--it's almost touching..." - Rating: B