Rewired (Mike The Mechanics album)

Updated on Dec 19, 2023

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Released 7 June 2004 Rewired (2004) The Road (2011) Label Virgin Records		Length 44:22 Release date 7 June 2004 Genre Pop rock
Recorded Fisher Lane Farm Studios/Abbey Road Studios 2003–04 Artists Mike + The Mechanics, Paul Carrack Producers Mike Rutherford, Peter Van Hooke Similar Beggar on a Beach of Gold, Word of Mouth, Living Years, Hits, Mike + The Mechanics

Rewired is the sixth studio album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 2004. This was the first album released by the band following the death of the co-lead singer Paul Young. Partly because of this, the album was credited to "Mike + The Mechanics + Paul Carrack". It is the only Mike + The Mechanics album to date with only one lead vocalist.

The album was released in the UK as a standalone single CD and as a limited edition CD/DVD combo. The limited edition 2-disc set comprises the 9-track CD album plus a 10-track bonus PAL formatted DVD featuring a video for each song plus long and short versions of "One Left Standing". The album was eventually released in North America by Rhino Records in September 2005 as a single CD only.

Rewired was also released by Virgin Records in September 2004 in a single case bundle along with Hits. The two albums were repackaged in a 2-in-1 slimline CD case where the CDs themselves are the same as the discs available in the single packaging. The cover is a close up of part of the Rewired cover overlaid with both album covers side by side.

Mike Rutherford later called the album "dodgy", elaborating that "I look back at it and you know... we made the record, I didn't think too much about it, but later – I probably should not have done it. The chemistry with Carrack and Young was great, then we lost Paul Young and I kind of battled on – with some nice songs. I shouldn't have done it. And the sound on that – I don't like it."

Reception

In his review for Allmusic, Bruce Eder called Rewired "a fine record, a mix of pop/rock synth-orchestrated balladry that favorably recalls both the mid-'70s work of Genesis and the more pop-focused work of Phil Collins". He particularly praised Rutherford and McIntosh's playing and Carrack's vocals.

Track listing

"One Left Standing" (Carrack, Rutherford, Sharon Woolf) – 5:11
"If I Were You" (Carrack, B.A. Robertson, Rutherford) – 4:21
"Perfect Child" (Carrack, Robertson, Rutherford) – 5:11
"Rewired" (Instrumental) (Will Bates, Carrack, Rutherford) – 5:31
"I Don't Want It All" (Carrack, Rutherford) – 5:06
"How Can I?" (Carrack, Rutherford) – 4:44
"Falling" (Carrack, Rutherford, Woolf) – 5:17
"Somewhere Along The Line" (Carrack, Robertson, Rutherford) – 3:52
"Underscore" (Instrumental) (Bates, Carrack, Rutherford) – 5:09

Personnel

Mike Rutherford – guitar, bass guitar, programming

Paul Carrack – vocals, keyboards, guitar, drums

Additional personnel

Will Bates – programming and additional production on all tracks

Rupert Cobb – programming on "Perfect Child", additional programming on "One Left Standing"

Robbie McIntosh – guitar

Ian Thomas – drums

Neil Wilkinson – drums

Peter Van Hooke – drums

Ashley Clarke – additional programming

Backing vocals – Sharon Woolf, Lisa Law, Paul McGee, Owen Paul McGee, Ricky Hanley, Rupert Cobb, Andrea Hunnisett

Mixes engineered by Graham Bonnett

Vocals engineered by Nick Davis

Mastered by Tim Young and Ian Cooper at Metropolis Mastering

Recorded at Fisher Lane Farm Studios, drums at Abbey Road Studios

Produced by Mike Rutherford and Peter Van Hooke

DVD credits

Movies researched and co-ordinated by Peter Van Hooke

Contributions by the National Film and Television School

Animation by Andy Frain and Touchwood Animation

Some movies provided by Isabelle Wuilmart, Will Bates, and Frank Laurin

Songs

1One Left Standing5:11
2If I Were You4:22
3Perfect Child5:11

References

Rewired (Mike + The Mechanics album) Wikipedia

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