Rewired (Mike + The Mechanics album)

Rewired (Mike + The Mechanics album)
Rewired is the sixth studio album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 2004. This was the first album released by the band following the death of the co-lead singer Paul Young. Partly because of this, the album was credited to "Mike + The Mechanics + Paul Carrack". It is the only Mike + The Mechanics album to date with only one lead vocalist and the last to feature Paul Carrack.
The album was released in the UK as a standalone single CD and as a limited edition CD/DVD combo. The limited edition 2-disc set comprises the 9-track CD album plus a 10-track bonus PAL formatted DVD featuring a video for each song plus long and short versions of "One Left Standing". The album was eventually released in North America by Rhino Records in September 2005 as a single CD only.
In September 2004 the compilation album Rewired + Hits was issued in the UK, which repackaged Rewired and the 1996 compilation album Hits together as a double CD. The cover is a close up of part of the Rewired cover overlaid with both album covers side by side.
Mike Rutherford later called the album "dodgy", elaborating that "I look back at it and you know... we made the record, I didn't think too much about it, but later – I probably should not have done it. The chemistry with Carrack and Young was great, then we lost Paul Young and I kind of battled on – with some nice songs. I shouldn't have done it. And the sound on that – I don't like it."
Reception
In his review for Allmusic, Bruce Eder called Rewired "a fine record, a mix of pop/rock synth-orchestrated balladry that favorably recalls both the mid-'70s work of Genesis and the more pop-focused work of Phil Collins". He particularly praised Rutherford and McIntosh's playing and Carrack's vocals.
Track listing
"One Left Standing" (Carrack, Rutherford, Sharon Woolf) – 5:11
"If I Were You" (Carrack, B.A. Robertson, Rutherford) – 4:21
"Perfect Child" (Carrack, Robertson, Rutherford) – 5:11
"Rewired" (Will Bates, Carrack, Rutherford) – 5:31
"I Don't Want It All" (Carrack, Rutherford) – 5:06
"How Can I?" (Carrack, Rutherford) – 4:44
"Falling" (Carrack, Rutherford, Woolf) – 5:17
"Somewhere Along The Line" (Carrack, Robertson, Rutherford) – 3:52
"Underscore" (Bates, Carrack, Rutherford) – 5:09
Personnel
Mike Rutherford – electric guitars, bass guitar, programming, backing vocals
Paul Carrack – lead vocals, keyboards, electric guitars, drums
Additional personnel
Will Bates – programming (1, 2, 4-9)
Rupert Cobb – additional programming (1), programming (3), backing vocals
Ashley Clarke – additional programming
Robbie McIntosh – electric guitars
Ian Thomas – drums
Neil Wilkinson – drums
Peter Van Hooke – drums
Ricky Hanley – backing vocals
Andrea Hunnisett – backing vocals
Lisa Law – backing vocals
Owen Paul – backing vocals
Sharon Woolf – backing vocals
Production
Mike Rutherford – producer
Peter Van Hooke – producer
Will Bates – additional production, additional mixing (4, 9)
Graham Bonnett – engineer, mixing
Nick Davis – vocal engineer
Ren Swan – additional mixing (1)
Mark Taylor – additional mixing (1)
Jeremy Wheatley – additional mixing (5)
Ian Cooper – mastering
Tim Young – mastering
Jason Day – project coordinator
Hik Sasaki – project coordinator
Darren Evans – art direction, design
Studios
Recorded at Fisher Lane Farm Studios (Surrey, UK).
Drums recorded at Abbey Road Studios (London, UK).
Mixed at Metaphonic Studios (Surrey, UK).
Mastered at Metropolis Mastering (London, UK).
DVD credits
Movies researched and co-ordinated by Peter Van Hooke
Contributions by the National Film and Television School
Animation by Andy Frain and Touchwood Animation
Some movies provided by Isabelle Wuilmart, Will Bates, and Frank Laurin
References
Mike + The Mechanics albums
2004 albums
Albums produced by Mike Rutherford
Albums produced by Peter Van Hooke
Virgin Records albums