Peace (Eurythmics album)
Peace is the eighth official studio album by British pop duo Eurythmics. It was released in October 1999 on RCA Records and was the only album in the wake of the comeback of the group. Peace reached gold status in Germany for more than 150,000, in Switzerland for more than 25,000 in the UK for more than 100,000, and in the U.S. for more than 500,000 units sold.
Background
On the occasion of the departure of John Preston, managing director of RCA Records, planned his wife to organize a farewell concert for him in January 1998. She asked also Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, whether they wish to participate in this concert as Eurythmics. Both agreed and met at the turn of 1997/1998 to rehearse together, since they were no longer performed together for about eight years. In May 1998, the Eurythmics played again at a charity concert in aid of Cancer in the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Both performances fueled rumors of a reunion of the Eurythmics. In a press release in June 1998, this comeback was denied and announced a best-of compilation with two new songs for November 1998. This took the duo in July 1998 and also wrote more new songs. On the occasion of the awarding of the BRIT Awards in February 1999, Lennox and Stewart There Must Be an Angel playing along with Stevie Wonder and gave on this occasion briefly known that in the same year a new album to appear.
Formation
The recording of the album took place with the name The Church in London's home studio the Eurythmics. Lennox and Stewart began in February 1999 with the recordings. As co-producer Andy Wright acted. While Stewart took up most of the instrumental tracks with the participation of a few session musicians, Lennox arranged the string parts on the keyboard. These were recorded by the London Pro Arte Orchestra conducted by David Whitaker. On 4 July 1999, the Eurythmics since the announcement of the new album were the first time at a concert in Hyde Park in front of 100,000 spectators and played two new songs. On 5 July 1999, the Eurythmics gave another concert in aid of Amnesty International and Greenpeace, as a backdrop in the port of London was the ship Rainbow Warrior II Shortly after Lennox and Stewart flew to Capri, to Clive Davis, head of their U.S. record label Arista Records to present the album.
Before release of the album, the single I Saved the World Today was released on September 25. In early October several songs via amazon.com and aol.com were offered for pre-order exclusive download of the album. On 14 October 1999 the album was presented to the public at a press conference at which the Eurythmics one of the songs played as acoustic versions. The official release took place on 19 October 1999. The album cover was designed by photographer Richard Avedon and shows black and white photographs by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart.
Title list
Reviews
Writes Stefan Friedrich von laut.de that the album go to the ear and that hardly one would have thought after the long break because the Eurythmics succeed as a stroke of genius. The plate WOULD " wonderfully fresh, balanced, lively and positive." The U.S. magazine Out noticed that while the soulful compositions are in the tradition of the publications in the 1980s, but almost completely renounce synthesizer. The reactions of the British music press were mostly positive, the magazine Q called the album a " consistently strong compilation that you can buy without hesitation ."