Flash Light is Tom Verlaine's fifth solo album. After a three-year hiatus, during which Verlaine lived in both New York and Europe, he released the album with a large amount of promotion and touring in the UK.

Flash Light
Studio album by
Released1987
StudioSorcerer 2, New York City
GenrePost-punk
LabelFontana (UK), IRS (US)
ProducerFred Smith, Tom Verlaine; David Bascombe (only "The Scientist Writes a Letter")
Tom Verlaine chronology
Cover
(1984)
Flash Light
(1987)
The Wonder
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Blender[2]
Robert ChristgauA−[3]
Record Mirror[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

It was recorded by Mario Salvati at Sorcerer 2, New York City except "The Scientist Writes a Letter", engineered by Mark Wallis. Mixed by Paul O'Duffy at Sarm West, London.

The cover artwork was by Susan Hiller, who also created the cover artwork for the accompanying 7-inch singles, 'Cry Mercy Judge' and 'A Town Called Walker'. Layout by John Rimmer at Pointblanc.

Track listing edit

All songs written by Tom Verlaine

Side one edit

  1. "Cry Mercy Judge"
  2. "Say a Prayer"
  3. "A Town Called Walker"
  4. "Song"
  5. "The Scientist Writes a Letter"

Side two edit

  1. "Bomb"
  2. "4 A.M."
  3. "The Funniest Thing"
  4. "Annie's Telling Me"
  5. "One Time at Sundown"

Personnel edit

Technical
  • Mark Wallis - engineer on "The Scientist Writes a Letter"
  • Paul O'Duffy - mixing
  • Mario Salvati - recording
  • Susan Hiller - cover artwork
  • John Rimmer - cover layout

Charts edit

Album

Year Country Chart Peak position Citation
1987 UK UK Official Album Chart 99 [6]

Singles

Year Country Single Chart Peak position Citation
1987 UK "Cry Mercy Judge" UK Official Singles Chart 99 [6]

References edit

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ Young, Jon. "Tom Verlaine: Flash Light". Blender. Archived from the original on November 9, 2004. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  3. ^ Robert Christgau review
  4. ^ Strickland, Andy (February 28, 1987). "Tom Verlaine: Flash Light". Record Mirror. p. 12.
  5. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Tom Verlaine". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 848–49. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ^ a b "UK Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 22, 2018.

http://www.thewonder.co.uk/flash.htm