On the Beach [Import]

Chris Rea | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 7, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Atlantic UK
• ASIN: B000007381
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,932 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. On The Beach

2. Little Blonde Plaits

3. Giverny

4. Lucky Day

5. Just Passing Through

6. Its All Gone

7. Hello Friend

8. Two Roads

9. Light Of Hope

10. Auf Immer Und Ewig

11. Freeway

12. Bless Them All

13. Crack That Mould

Editorial Reviews

The perfect album for a day at the beach, Rea's eighth album takes the listener from the water's edge of the title song to the sunny fields of the French countryside in 'Giverny'. Originally released in 1986. Warner.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Timeless CD!, August 3, 2001

By 

John Kroesche - See all my reviews

This review is from: On the Beach (Audio CD)

Unlike most albums released in the mid 80's, this one is not dated. It it the perfect anytime album. The soft soothing music is a perfect fit for Chris Rea and his unique vocal presentation. It is also the best of all the Chris Rea albums. (so far) The song "Giverny" is a great catchy song, but my favorite is still "Just passing through". Simply lovely! I bought this CD for my dad for father's day a few years back and it remains one of his favorite albums in recent times. I have searched Chris Rea's entire catalog for another gem like this one. All of his albums contain a few gems (sans Tennis; what was he thinking?) But this CD is loaded with great songs.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Atmospheric Gem, August 15, 2000

By 

Gavin Wilson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On the Beach (Audio CD)

I came to this album late -- a girlfriend introduced me to it -- and I know next to nothing about Rea himself. But that in a way helps, because this album stands on its own as a magnificent piece of mood music, a slightly plaintive ode to holidays and loves of the past. In different hands, this could have been simple lightweight pop music, but the whole packaging of the album, from the lapping surf on the opening track, to the visual design of the cover, gives it a wonderful atmosphere.

The standard of musicianship is high: Dave Mattacks played drums on the Joan Armatrading album, and Max Middleton did the keyboards on the very heavy 'Blow by Blow' of Jeff Beck. Rea himself has a catarrhal voice which, while not quite possessing the gravelly nature of Tom Waits's, often sounds as if he is just recovering from something seriously bronchial.

Many of the tunes here are great. The only ones that seem possibly out of place are the upbeat ones which disturb the mellow sunbathing mood. Rea has always been wielding a guitar whenever I've seen him on TV, but with many of the tunes,I cannot tell whether they were originally written on guitar or keyboard. Rea has himself re-recorded the track 'On the Beach' several times, but the version on this album -- the first -- is by far the best and much more subtle.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Chris Rea Classic., January 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: On the Beach (Audio CD)

This CD is the mellower side of Chris Rea, and may surprise you at first if you're used to his more rocking music (a la "Road to Hell" and "Dancing With Strangers"), but it is a gem. Originally released in 1986, this is what I would consider the CD that began to display Rea's real talents in songwriting, musicianship and mood setting. Very smooth, and excellent from start to finish.