First of a Million Kisses

Fairground Attraction | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GN35U
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,079 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. A Smile in a Whisper

2. Perfect

3. Moon on the Rain

4. Find My Love

5. Fairground Attraction

6. The Wind Knows My Name

7. Clare

8. Comedy Waltz

9. The Moon Is Mine

10. Station Street

11. Whispers

12. Allelujah

13. Falling Backwards [*]

14. Mythology [*]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and great, the first and best of the few from Fairground Attraction, June 27, 2011

By 

Archer Books "Archer Books" (Dubai UAE) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: First of a Million Kisses (Audio CD)

Legend has it that Fairground Attraction started life as a street-busking band in Glasgow in the mid-1980s. What is certain is that they were signed to RCA in 1987 and produced this seminal piece of artistry, released in 1988 hot on the heels of their UK number one chart-topping single `Perfect' (also featured on this album).

`First of a million kisses' is in every way outstanding and deservedly went platinum. If you've never heard this album and you like good music, do yourself a favour and get yourself a copy, or download it. The musical style is a subtle blend of pop, gentle rock, folk, Cajun-type rhythms, and especially trad-jazz. Most of the material was composed by Mark Nevin, the guitarist and chief creative force: however, what you hear up-front is the magical, extraordinary and powerful vocals of Eddi Reader whose voice gives FA its distinctive sound through its various slow and up-tempo numbers. As a singer, she's really something special and with a different vocalist the band would have had a different character.

The instrumentation is mainly acoustic including double bass and basic, non-intrusive rhythmic percussion, overlaid by Nevin's tight, clean and distinctive guitar solos and occasional sax or clarinet to spice up the jazzy numbers (like `Clare'). Reader though is indisputably the star: her melodic and engaging singing is superb throughout, and is what ultimately holds the listener's attention and lingers in the memory.

After more than 20 years, FoaMK has not aged and still sounds fresh. The album overall is upbeat and joyous in tone, though some of the songs have quite poignant lyrics which lean towards longing and sadness. `Hallelujah' might be regarded as one of the greatest love songs of all time (incidentally one of the lines in this song "...and we'll kiss the first of a million kisses..." is used for the album's title) and so far never covered or imitated, though it's hard to imagine this gem might be improved by a different singer.

It's a shame FA lasted only two years as a recording entity: by 1990 they had split. Both Nevin and Reader had moderately successful follow-on careers (and Reader has continued to produce some first-rate solo material), but the international success - especially in the UK and in Japan - achieved by FA eluded them. A second album `Ay Fond Kiss' and a live album recorded in Japan followed, but FoaMK is the brightest star in the small constellation of this band's all-too brief recording career.

4.0 out of 5 stars It's Got to Be Worth It, December 10, 2010

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: First of a Million Kisses (Audio CD)

Edie Reader is in possession of a voice that works magic on the slightest of phrases. Which is why "The First Of a Million Kisses" was the best reason to ever hear her sing. Guitarist and songwriter Mark Nevin wrote a batch of songs that were almost all - pardon the stretch here - "Perfect." He tackled forms from light dancehall to country swing and Edie made them all sound like they were the most urgent messages on the face of the planet.

Hence a song as pure and guiless as "Perfect." I remember hearing this CD from a friend at RCA and immediately shoving all the other CDs on my desk to one side so I could listen to it over and over, for most of that week. Out of all the music I was sifting through, Fairground Attraction sounded the most lifelike. To this day, I am amazed at how well this disc has held up. A song like "Station Street" can still get me choked up, as can "Allelujah."

Most of the playing here is organic and airy, and the production kept things uncluttered and uncompressed. It's kept "The First Of a Million Kisses" from falling into a space where an album's sound traps it to their times instead of becoming timeless. And any singer that can give me goosebumps (as Edie does at the end of "Whispers") will always have a place in my CD collection.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful timeless pieces, November 14, 2010

By 

Bigwig Y (CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First of a Million Kisses (Audio CD)

I still remember the first time I heard "Perfect" on TV loong time ago. I had not listened to this CD for decades and finally bought a copy again. This still sounds fresh and beautiful. Amazing.