| This Side of Paradise | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 13, 1986 | |||
| Studio | Electric Lady Studios, New York City; additional recording at the Woolhall, Bath, and the Town House, London | |||
| Genre | Pop, album rock | |||
| Length | 50:12 | |||
| Label | Geffen Records | |||
| Producer |
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| Ric Ocasek chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Kerrang! | [2] |
| Rolling Stone | (Mixed)[3] |
This Side of Paradise is the second solo studio album released by Ric Ocasek, lead singer and songwriter of the Cars. It was released in 1986 by Geffen Records. Though it was a solo album, other members of the Cars played significant roles. Greg Hawkes plays keyboards and bass throughout the album (he appears on most of Ocasek's solo albums), and also co-wrote "Hello Darkness" (most Cars albums feature one Ocasek/Hawkes tune). Benjamin Orr is on backing vocals for three songs. Along with Hawkes and Orr, the track "True to You" also features Elliot Easton on guitar. Both production and drumming were by Chris Hughes (formerly known as "Merrick", drummer for Adam and the Ants). Hughes had been the recent producer of Tears for Fears most popular two albums. Steve Stevens from Billy Idol's band plays guitar on over half of the album.
In addition, Roland Orzabal from Tears for Fears (guitar on "Emotion in Motion"), Tony Levin from King Crimson/Peter Gabriel, Tom Verlaine of Television and G. E. Smith of the Saturday Night Live Band guest on various tracks.
The first single from the album, "Emotion in Motion", which was aided in its promotion by a video that received heavy airplay on MTV, reached number 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks for one week, becoming Ocasek's only solo chart-topper (as a member of the Cars, he topped the chart with the singles "You Might Think" and "Magic" in 1984, and "Tonight She Comes" in 1985). Ocasek remains the only member of the Cars to have a number 1 hit single. The video for "True to You" also received a fair amount of MTV airplay in late 1986.[4]
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ric Ocasek This Side of Paradise review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
- ^ Henderson, Paul (30 October 1986). "Ric Ocasek 'This Side of Paradise'". Kerrang!. Vol. 132. London, UK: United Magazines ltd. p. 23.
- ^ Coleman, Mark (20 November 1986). "Ric Ocasek - This Side of Paradise". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2011-09-13.
- ^ MTV Programming, Billboard December 13, 1986