Select (album)

Select
Cover photo by Gered Mankowitz
Studio album by Kim Wilde
Released	10 May 1982
Genre	Synthpop, new wave
Length	40:44
Label	RAK
Producer	Ricky Wilde
Kim Wilde chronology
Kim Wilde (1981) Select (1982) Catch as Catch Can (1983)
Singles from Select
"Cambodia" / "Watching for Shapes" Released: November 1981 "View from a Bridge" / "Take Me Tonight" Released: April 1982

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Select is the second studio album by Kim Wilde, released on May 10, 1982 via RAK label.

Overview

The first single from this album, "Cambodia", was released in November 1981 and signalled a different sound from the Wilde camp, with an electronic and synth sound different from The Enid sound of her last album. The songs were again written by Marty and Ricky Wilde and produced by Ricky Wilde. The lyrics of the songs were similar to the first album: the second single "View from a Bridge" and the album track "Wendy Sadd" seemed to be about suicide, "Chaos at the Airport" described a nightmare about flying and "Ego" was quite the opposite of a love song. "Can You Come Over" was recorded at the Wilde's home. The cover image was a photograph from Gered Mankowitz.

This sequel to the debut album topped the charts in a host of European countries and hit #8 in Australia — although it did not surpass the success of its predecessor. The album was certified Silver in the UK.

Critical response

Select was initially received less favorably than Wilde's debut album. Stephan Waldon of Juke praised Wilde's vocals and Marty and Ricky's songwriting, despite finding the production too "stylised in the current pop mode". Nonetheless, he describes "Just a Feeling" as "a beauty" and "Cambodia" as "the albums best track".^[2] Elly McDonald from The Record described Wilde's voice as "amazingly vacant" but praised Marty and Ricky for having "a wonderful sense of dramatic tension and an ear for soap operas within three verses".^[3] Writing for The Sun, Nick McFie called "View from a Bridge" a "clever little song" but described the rest of the album as "dull".^[4]

Track listing

All songs written by Marty Wilde and Ricky Wilde, except where indicated

Side one

1. "Ego" — 4:11
2. "Words Fell Down" — 3:31
3. "Action City" — 3:25
4. "View from a Bridge" — 3:32
5. "Just a Feeling" — 4:12

Side two

1. "Chaos at the Airport" — 3:20
2. "Take Me Tonight" — 3:56
3. "Can You Come Over" — 3:35
4. "Wendy Sadd" — 3:49
5. "Cambodia + Reprise" — 7:13

Bonus tracks (2009 remastered CD edition)

1. "Watching for Shapes" ("Cambodia" B-Side) — 3:42
2. "Cambodia (single version)" — 3:57
3. "Child Come Away" — 4:05
4. "Just Another Guy" ("Child Come Away" B-side) — 3:19
5. "Bitter Is Better" (Masami Tsuchiya, Bill Crunchfield) — 3:43

References

1. Mason, Stewart. "Kim Wilde Select review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-05-10.
2. Waldon, Stephan. "Review - Select". Juke. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
3. McDonald, Elly. "Review - Select". The Record. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
4. McFie, Nick. "Review - Select". The Sun. Retrieved 2012-10-21.