Surprise Surprise (album)

Surprise Surprise is the 1982 studio album of Mezzoforte on Steinar.[1] Their fourth album – originally released in Iceland as 4 with a different cover – made the band famous worldwide when, after the international release, the single "Garden Party" hit the charts.[2]

Surprise Surprise
Studio album by
Released1982 (1982)
Recorded1982 July–August PRT Studios, London
GenreJazz-Fusion, Jazz-Pop
Length49:27
LabelSteinar
ProducerGeoff Calver
Mezzoforte chronology
Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins
(1981)
Surprise Surprise
(1982)
Observations
(1983)
Singles from Surprise Surprise
  1. "Garden Party"
    Released: 1983

Background

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Earlier in 1982, the second keyboard player, Bjorn Thorarensen who's been with them for their previous two albums, left Mezzoforte. The saxophone player Kristinn Svavarsson became a full member after playing as a guest on the band's first two albums. Surprise Surprise was recorded at PRT Studios, London in July–August 1982 and mixed at Red Bus Studios in September. It was the second time the band worked with producer Geoff Calver in London after the recording of their second album Í Hakanum – released internationally as Mezzoforte and re-released as Octopus in 1996 – in 1980. Despite gaining some popularity and playing concerts in the UK, the album was first released in Iceland in 1982 simply named 4 and then renamed Surprise Surprise for the international release.

Cover

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Surprise Surprise was originally released in Iceland as 4 with a different cover, but the record company decided to use the cover of Mezzoforte's third album – Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins, released only in Iceland – for the international release.[1][2] The 1996 remastered version was released with the slightly modified international cover. This edition has a few discrepancies:[3] Chris Hunter and Bill Eldridge are credited as trumpet and saxophone players respectively – this mistake was even present on the band's official website for a while[4] – Eirikur Ingolfsson is not credited as percussionist, and Shady Calver is credited on her maiden name: Shady Owens.[5]

 
Mezzoforte 4 Icelandic cover art

"Garden Party"

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"Garden Party" was chosen to be released as a single, even though the band wasn't sure whether to include the song on the album. It became Mezzoforte's biggest hit and charted in most European countries and Japan. After its success the band moved to England and started touring in Europe.[2] "Garden Party" has been featured in TV programs and commercials, gaining even more publicity for Mezzoforte through the years. The song was covered by Herb Alpert in 1983.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Icelandic titleLength
1."Surprise"Eythor GunnarssonFyrsta Paragraf (a)1:25
2."Garden Party"Eythor GunnarssonSprett Úr Spori6:00
3."Gazing At The Clouds"Kristinn SvavarssonSpáðu Í Skýin6:30
4."Early Autumn"Fridrik KarlssonUndur Vorsins6:17
5."Action Man"Eythor GunnarssonFjörkálfur4:58
6."Funk Suite No.1"MezzoforteFönksvíta Nr. 1 Fyrir Trommur Og Hljómsveit5:49
7."Easy Jack"Fridrik KarlssonRólegur Jakob4:45
8."Fusion Blues"Fridrik KarlssonFusion Blues5:40
9."The Old Neighborhood"Fridrik KarlssonTilhugalíf Í Gamla Bænum5:32
10."Surprise (Reprise)"Eythor GunnarssonFyrsta Paragraf (b)0:50

Charts

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Album charts (weekly)
Chart (1982) Peak
position
UK Album Chart[6] 23
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 46
Dutch Album Top 100[8] 10
German Top 100 Albums[8] 33
Song charts
Year Title Chart peak positions
UK[6] Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] NL[9] GER[9] BEL[10]
1983 "Garden Party" 17 32 5 36 10

Personnel[3]

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Mezzoforte:

  • Fridrik Karlsson – Guitars (Yamaha and Ibanez electric, Ramirez acoustic), Percussion
  • Eythor Gunnarsson – Keyboards (Rhodes, MiniMoog, Grand Piano, OBX-A, Jupiter 8, Prophet V, Roland Vocoder), Percussion
  • Johann Asmundsson – Bass Guitars (JA-Special, Yamaha, Fender fretless), Percussion
  • Gulli Briem – Drums (Premier drums), Percussion
  • Kristinn Svavarsson – Saxophones (Yamaha alto, Selmer MK VI '58 tenor), Percussion

Additional musicians:

  • Louis Jardim – Percussion
  • Eirikur Ingolfsson – Percussion
  • Shady Calver – Voice
  • Chris Cameron – Voice
  • Steve Dawson – Flugelhorn on Garden Party
  • Winston Sela – OBX programming

Horns Section:

  • Chris Hunter – Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
  • Bill Eldridge – Trumpet
  • Martin Dobson – Tenor Saxophone
  • Stuart Brooks – Trumpet

Technical:

  • Ernst J. Backman: Original International Artwork
  • Geoff Calver: Producer, Engineer
  • Jonatan Gardarsson: Editor
  • Eirikur Ingolfsson: 1996 Liner notes
  • Seventh Heaven: 1996 Artwork and design
  • Oskar Pall Sveinsson: 1996 Digital Remaster

Release history[11]

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Year Format Label Country Note
1982 LP Steinar (Steinar 062) Iceland Titled 4
Steinar (Steinar LP02) UK
MC Steinar (Steinar STEC02) UK
LP Polydor (28MM0275) Japan
Plaza Records (PZ001) Australia, New Zealand
Polydor (811 724-1) Germany
CD Polydor (811 724-2) Germany
1983 LP CGD (INT 20359) Italy
CBS (S 25456) Spain
Jump And Shout (JS 3301) Belgium
1989 RCA (NL 74131) Germany
CD BMG (ND 74131)
1996 CNR Music (2002973) Netherlands Remastered
ZYX Music (ZYX 10024-2) Germany
Record Express (REC 255103-2) Hungary
SPOR Records (MEZZCD04) Austria
Steinar (CD STE 02) Germany
2020 LP Quality Vinyl Projects (GR-150) Netherlands Re-mastered from original analogue master tapes

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mezzoforte". Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. ^ a b c liner notes
  3. ^ a b as on album cover
  4. ^ "Surprise Surprise". Retrieved 17 July 2001.
  5. ^ "Shady Owens". Discogs. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  6. ^ a b "MEZZOFORTE - Artist - Official Charts". Official Charts. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  7. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Mezzoforte - Surprise Surprise". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  9. ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Mezzoforte - Garden Party". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
  10. ^ "Mezzoforte - Garden Party". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2014-09-24.
  11. ^ "Mezzoforte – Surprise Surprise". Discogs. Retrieved 2014-10-01.