# April Moon

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/April_Moon
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/April_Moon.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Moon
> Source revision: 1308465422
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

***April Moon*** is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter [Sam Brown](/source/Sam_Brown_(singer)), released on 2 April 1990 by [A&M Records](/source/A%26M_Records).[2] The album was produced by Sam Brown, and her brother Pete Brown.

The album peaked at number 38 on the [UK Albums Chart](/source/UK_Albums_Chart) and number 30 on the Australian [ARIA Charts](/source/ARIA_Charts).[3][4] The album spawned three charting singles in the United Kingdom: "[With a Little Love](/source/With_a_Little_Love)" peaked at number 44 on the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart); "[Kissing Gate](/source/Kissing_Gate_(song))" at number 23; "[Mindworks](/source/Mindworks)" at number 77. The album has sold over half a million copies worldwide.[5] *April Moon* was certified silver by the [British Phonographic Industry](/source/British_Phonographic_Industry) (BPI) on 17 October 1990.[2]

Then-[Pink Floyd](/source/Pink_Floyd) member [David Gilmour](/source/David_Gilmour) sang backing vocals on the track "Troubled Soul" (he had also appeared on Brown's debut album, *[Stop!](/source/Stop!_(album))*, in 1988).

## Critical reception

*[Music & Media](/source/Music_%26_Media)* named it their Album of the Week, noting that "the follow-up to Brown's 1988 debut LP *Stop!* is a confident step into artistic maturity. Backed by a string of outstanding musicians and vocalists including Dave Gilmour and Phil Saatchi, the artist extends her soulful voice to its limits. The new material is a varied bunch of strong soul-rooted pop songs wrapped in sophisticated arrangements that will stand the test of time."[6]

Russ Hudson of *[Record Mirror](/source/Record_Mirror)* described *April Moon* as an "eclectic overview of contemporary musical modes which has resulted in a directionless album full of melodrama, 'nice' arrangements, and very little else". He noted the broad range of musicians on the album had resulted in a "lack of continuity" and added that "more originality, energy and rawness is needed [to] give Brown's impressive vocals the material they deserve".[7]

In their review, *[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times)* commented that "it is a couple of years since Sam Brown launched herself into the charts...if her new album, *April Moon*, is any indication, she has spent those two years consolidating and refining. Gone is her tendency to over-sing (yell is a blunter word for it). Her voice is now much more controlled and flows easily and confidently through a set of melodious and reasonably catchy tracks....Not a world-shattering album, but easy on the ears and gentle on the intellect."[8]

## Personnel

Adapted from the album's [liner notes](/source/Liner_notes).[9]

### Musicians

- [Sam Brown](/source/Sam_Brown_(singer)) – lead vocals (all tracks), piano (tracks 1, 3–5, 8–12, 15–16), [Minimoog](/source/Minimoog) bass (tracks 3, 5), organ (tracks 3, 15), [Hammond](/source/Hammond_organ) (tracks 4, 6, 12, 16), keyboards (track 2, 14), [SH-101](/source/Roland_SH-101) (track 9), [D-50](/source/Roland_D-50) (track 10), tambourine (track 14), percussion (track 15)
- Pete Brown – guitars (tracks 1–4, 8, 10–15), bass (track 16), backing vocals (track 3, 5–6, 10, 14–16), SH-101 (track 3, 12), keyboards (track 6), percussion (track 6)
- [Joe Brown](/source/Joe_Brown_(singer)) – mandolin (track 2)
- [Vicki Brown](/source/Vicki_Brown) – backing vocals (tracks 2, 7, 13, 15)
- Jim Archer – violin (track 4)
- Paul Bangash – guitar (tracks 1–8, 10–16), backing vocals (tracks 2, 5–6, 10, 14)
- [Guy Barker](/source/Guy_Barker) – piccolo trumpet (track 2)
- Mark Berrow – violin (track 4)
- [Margo Buchanan](/source/Margo_Buchanan) – backing vocals (tracks 1, 5–6, 10, 13–15)
- Ben Cruft – violin (track 4)
- Danny Cummings – percussion (tracks 8, 10, 13)
- Martin Ditchman – percussion (tracks 2, 7)
- Mitt Gamon – harmonica (track 16)
- Will Gibson – violin (tracks 1, 5)
- [David Gilmour](/source/David_Gilmour) – vocals (track 11)
- Tim Good – violin (track 4)
- [Nick Ingman](/source/Nick_Ingman) – MD strings (tracks 1, 4–5)
- Carol Isaacs – piano (track 15)
- Cameron Jenkins – saxophones (track 13)
- Sara Jones – backing vocals (tracks 7, 13)
- Simeon Jones – mouth organ (track 6), saxophone solo (track 13), baritone saxophone (track 13)
- Paul Kegg – cello (track 4)
- Ben Kennard – cello (track 4)
- David Levy – bass (track 4, 15)
- Helen Lichmann – cello (1, 5)
- [Jon Lord](/source/Jon_Lord) – piano (track 6)
- Martin Loveday – cello (1, 5)
- [Ian Maidman](/source/Jennifer_Maidman) – bass (tracks 6, 10, 12, 14), vocals (track 10), [Chapman Stick](/source/Chapman_Stick) (track 8), piano (track 14), acoustic guitar (track 14)
- [Chucho Merchán](/source/Chucho_Merch%C3%A1n) – double bass (track 11)
- Richard Newman – drums (tracks 1–4, 6–8, 10–16), percussion (track 5)
- Naomi Osborne – backing vocals (tracks 10, 15)
- Pete Oxer – violin (track 4)
- George Robertson – violin (1, 5)
- Phil Saatchi – backing vocals (track 1)
- Danny Schogger – piano (track 2), clarinet (track 6), keyboards (track 8)
- [Matthew Seligman](/source/Matthew_Seligman) – bass (tracks 1–2, 7–8, 13), additional double bass (track 11)
- [Paul Silverthorne](/source/Paul_Silverthorne) – viola (track 4)
- Linda Taylor – backing vocals
- Tina Warrilow – backing vocals (tracks 7, 13)
- Chris Wellington – viola (track 4)
- John Williams – violin (track 4)
- [Gavyn Wright](/source/Gavyn_Wright) – first violin (tracks 1, 5), violin (track 4)

### Technical

- Produced by Pete Brown and Sam Brown
- Additional engineering by Pete Brown
- Recording and mixing engineer: Robin Evans
- Assistant engineer: Jock Loveband
- Management: Lisa Denton
- Photography: Mike Owen, Robert Ogilvie; assisted by Clare Hanford
- Design and art direction: Jeremy Pearce; assisted by Simon Carrington and Les Watts

## Charts

Chart performance for April Moon Chart (1990) Peak position European Albums (Music & Media)[10] 83 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 11

## References

1. Smith, Robin (31 March 1990). "This Week - Releases". *[Record Mirror](/source/Record_Mirror)*. p. 32. [ISSN 0144-5804](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0144-5804)

1. bpi

1. uk

1. aus

1. Harris, Craig. ["Sam Brown | Biography"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sam-brown-mn0000592098/biography). *AllMusic*. Retrieved 28 January 2014.

1. ["Previews"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-04-28.pdf). *[Eurotipsheet](/source/Music_%26_Media)*. Vol. 7, no. 17. 28 April 1990. p. 14. [OCLC 29800226](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29800226). – via World Radio History.

1. Hodson, Russ (21 April 1990). "Albums". *[Record Mirror](/source/Record_Mirror)*. p. 19. [ISSN 0144-5804](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0144-5804)

1. ["Hillbillies hit the right chord"](https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122246163). *[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times)*. [National Library of Australia](/source/National_Library_of_Australia). 10 May 1990. p. 9. Retrieved 10 August 2024.

1. *April Moon* (liner notes). A&M. 1990.

1. ["European Top 100 Albums"](https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/90/MM-1990-04-28-OCR-Page-0012.pdf). *[Music & Media](/source/Music_%26_Media)*. Vol. 7, no. 17. 28 April 1990. p. VIII. [OCLC 29800226](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29800226). – via World Radio History.

1. Pennanen, Timo (2006). *Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972* (in Finnish). 1st ed. Helsinki: [Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava](/source/Otava_(publisher)). ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

## External links

- ["April Moon"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/april-moon-mw0000847276). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 2016-05-01.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [April Moon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Moon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Moon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.