24 Carrots
24 Carrots is the ninth studio album by Al Stewart, released in 1980. This was Stewart's first album with his new band Shot in the Dark. Tracks 1-4 are co-written with Peter White. The single "Midnight Rocks" reached the top 30 on the Billboard charts in 1980, reaching #24. Two other singles were released from the album: "Mondo Sinistro" and "Paint By Numbers". The album has been re-released in 2007 with bonus tracks and in 2020 for its 40th Anniversary.
| 24 Carrots | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 August 1980 | |||
| Recorded | May 1980 | |||
| Studio | Davlen Studios, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 41:14 | |||
| Label | Europe: RCA US: Arista (original release) Razor & Tie (1994 reissue) Collectors' Choice Music (2007 reissue) | |||
| Producer | Chris Desmond, Al Stewart | |||
| Al Stewart chronology | ||||
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Three music videos were created for the singles, with them featuring Stewart and backing band Shot in the Dark playing in a typical band set-up, although the "Mondo Sinistro" video also featured Stewart in some quirky restaurant scenes hitting on a young waitress (played by Cassandra Peterson, prior to her fame as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark).
Track listing
1980 Original LP edition
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Running Man" | 5:12 |
| 2. | "Midnight Rocks" | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Constantinople" | 4:44 |
| 4. | "Merlin's Time" | 2:43 |
| 5. | "Mondo Sinistro" | 3:07 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Murmansk Run/Ellis Island" | 7:18 |
| 2. | "Rocks in the Ocean" | 5:15 |
| 3. | "Paint by Numbers" | 5:29 |
| 4. | "Optical Illusion" | 3:24 |
1994 Razor & Tie edition bonus tracks
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Here in Angola" | 4:39 |
| 2. | "Pandora" | 4:37 |
| 3. | "Indian Summer" | 3:33 |
2007 Collector's Choice Music edition bonus tracks
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Candy Came Back" | 3:44 |
| 2. | "The Ringing of Bells" | 4:15 |
| 3. | "Tonton Macoute" | 4:11 |
CD1
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Running Man" | |
| 2. | "Midnight Rocks" | |
| 3. | "Constantinople" | |
| 4. | "Merlin's Time" | |
| 5. | "Mondo Sinistro" | |
| 6. | "Murmansk Run/Ellis Island" | |
| 7. | "Rocks in the Ocean" | |
| 8. | "Paint by Numbers" | |
| 9. | "Optical Illusion" |
Bonus tracks
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Running Man (Single Version)" | |
| 11. | "Paint By Numbers (Single Version)" |
CD2 (Demo Sessions for 24 Carrots – Davlen Studios LA – August 1979 – Previously Unreleased)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Midnight Rocks" | |
| 2. | "Murmansk Run/Ellis Island" | |
| 3. | "Running Man (Instrumental Demo)" | |
| 4. | "Paint By Numbers" | |
| 5. | "Jackdaw" | |
| 6. | "The World Goes To Riyadh" | |
| 7. | "Merlin’s Time (Instrumental Demo)" | |
| 8. | "Ringing of Bells" |
CD3 (Live at Hammersmith Odeon – London – December 10, 1980 – Previously Unreleased)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Running Man" | |
| 2. | "Time Passages" | |
| 3. | "Broadway Hotel" | |
| 4. | "Mondo Sinistro" | |
| 5. | "Roads To Moscow" | |
| 6. | "On The Border" | |
| 7. | "Year Of The Cat" | |
| 8. | "If It Doesn’t Come Naturally, Leave It" |
Personnel
- Al Stewart - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Synthesizer
Shot in the Dark
- Peter White - Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
- Adam Yurman - Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Robin Lamble - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion
- Krysia Kristianne - Backing Vocals
- Bryan Savage - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Additional Musicians
- Harry Stinson - Backing Vocals
- Ken Nicol - Backing Vocals
- Bob Marlette - Keyboards
- Russ Kunkel - Drums
- Mark Sanders - Drums
- Jeff Porcaro - Drums
- Steve Chapman - Drums
- Beau Segal - Drums
- Lenny Castro - Congas
- Robin Williamson - Mandocello
- Sylvia Woods - Celtic Harp
- Jerry McMillan - Violin
Charts
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Chart (1980) | Position |
|---|---|
| United States (Billboard 200) | 37 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] | 51 |
References
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. 24 Carrots reviewallmusic.com. Retrieved on 2011-06-17.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 294. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
