Thursday Throwback is a weekly colour scheme inspired by an iconic album cover of yesteryear. This week’s throwback is the 1982 album “Marshall Crenshaw” by Marshall Crenshaw. The colours are as follows:
| Colours | HEX | RGB | HSB | CMYK | LAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour 1 | 1A5173 | 26, 81, 115 | 203, 77, 45 | 77, 29, 0, 54 | 32, -5, -24 |
| Colour 2 | A9C6D9 | 169, 198, 217 | 204, 22, 85 | 22, 8, 0, 14 | 78, -5, -12 |
| Colour 3 | #4E9DA6 | 78, 157, 166 | 186, 53, 65 | 53, 5, 0, 34 | 60, -21, -12 |
| Colour 4 | #D9AD77 | 217, 173, 119 | 33, 45, 85 | 0, 20, 45, 14 | 73, 9, 33 |
| Colour 5 | #BF7636 | 191, 118, 54 | 28, 72, 75 | 0, 38, 71, 25 | 56, 23, 45 |
Marshall Crenshaw’s self-titled debut album, released on 28th April 1982 through Warner Bros. Records, marked a significant milestone in the American rock musician’s career. Blending rock and pop sensibilities, Crenshaw captivated audiences with his unique sound, showcasing his musical prowess and enduring talent. The album features many of his most renowned songs, including “Someday, Someway,” “Cynical Girl,” and “There She Goes Again.”
Prior to the album’s release, Crenshaw had relocated from Michigan to New York City in the late 1970s to perform in the musical Beatlemania. It was during this time that he began writing the songs that would eventually appear on his debut album. The album spent over six months on the Billboard chart, peaking at No. 50 and eventually selling close to 400,000 copies in the United States. Contemporary reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with Rolling Stone hailing it as “1982’s most gorgeous singer-songwriter debut” and claiming that “every song here sounds like a classic.” The album was later included in Rolling Stone’s list of The 100 Best Albums of the Eighties, ranking at number 72. Despite its initial promise and critical acclaim, the album failed to achieve platinum status, and Crenshaw’s follow-up album, Field Day, was a commercial disappointment. Musician Jeffrey Foskett included the album on his list of top ten recordings, praising every song as being as good as the previous, a feat unmatched since the Beatles’ Rubber Soul and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. He also commended the production by Richard Gottehrer and the performances by the band, stating that their contributions made it a “true classic.”
The album cover features a colourful photo of Crenshaw sitting at a mid-century dining table, captured by artist Gary Greene at a mutual friend’s home. In a recent interview, Crenshaw expressed satisfaction with the cover art, crediting Greene’s artistic sensibilities for the final result.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or discovering Marshall Crenshaw for the first time, his self-titled debut album is a must-listen. Its timeless quality and universal appeal solidify the album’s status as a standout in the music industry.
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