Alphabet City

ABC: Martin Fry (vocals); Mark White (guitars, keyboards, programming).

Additional personnel: Howie Casey (saxophone); Judd Lander (harmonica); David Clayton (keyboards); Brad Lang, Danny Thompson (bass); Graham Broad (drums); Louis Jardim, Pandit Dinesh (percussion); Tessa Niles, Linda Taylor, Alan Carvell (background vocals).
Producers: Martin Fry, Mark White, Bernard Edwards.
Personnel: Martin Fry (vocals); Mark White (guitar, keyboards, programming); Judd Lander (harmonica); Howie Casey (saxophone); David Clayton (keyboards); Danny Thompson (double bass); Graham Broad (drums); Dinesh, Luis Jardim (percussion); Alan Carvell, Linda Taylor, Miriam Stockley, Tessa Niles, Dollette McDonald (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Julian Mendelsohn.
Recording information: Marcus Studios, London, England (1987).
Returning to the Motown and Northern soul that provided the basis of their debut album, ABC turned to the pop songcraft on their fifth album, Alphabet City. The increased songcraft is certainly engaging, particularly on the hit "When Smokey Sings," but the songs are usually indistinguishable from each other, resulting in a sleek, stylish, and thoroughly entertaining album that leaves no lasting memory. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine