{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox album | name = Marjory Razorblade | type = Double album | artist = Kevin Coyne | cover = Kevin Coyne - Marjory Razorblade.jpg | alt = | released = October 1973 | recorded = | studio = The Manor, Oxfordshire,<br />Blue Horizon Studio, Chipping Norton,<br />Saturn Studios, Worthing, Sussex | genre = Rock | length = 78:40 | label = Virgin VD 2501 | producer = Steve Verroca | prev_title = Case History | prev_year = 1972 | next_title = Blame lt On The Night | next_year = 1974 | misc = {{Singles | name = Marjory Razorblade | type = studio | single1 = Marlene | single1date = 1973 (UK), 1974 (Australia) | single2 = Marlene / Jackie And Edna | single2date = 1973 (France) | single3 = Marlene / Sea of Love | single3date = 1973 (Netherlands, Germany) | single4 = Lovesick Fool | single4date = 1973 (UK) }} }}
'''''Marjory Razorblade''''' is a double-LP by English rock singer Kevin Coyne and was one of the earliest releases on Virgin Records, which had launched four months earlier in June 1973. The double album includes the song "Marlene", which was issued as a single, and "Eastbourne Ladies", which was featured among the selection of tracks played by John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) at the height of the Sex Pistols notoriety on the Capital Radio show ''A Punk & His Music'', broadcast in London in the summer of 1977.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5qvh/|title=BBC – Music – Review of Kevin Coyne – Marjory Razorblade|first=Mike|last=Diver|website=Bbc.co.uk|access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref>
==Cover artwork== The gatefold album sleeve was designed by photographer Phil Franks who was commissioned by Virgin Records. A long time friend and collaborator of prominent graphic artist Barney Bubbles, Franks asked Bubbles to do the layout of the sleeve, and lettering, to show his photographs as he himself printed them, i.e.: without cropping and within black borders. Bubbles also designed the distinctive logo carrying the album title and artist name, though was content not to receive a credit himself.<ref>[https://rarerecordcollector.net/virgin/vd2501-kevin-coyne/] {{dead link|date=November 2025}}</ref>
==Other releases== The record was also released, as a single LP, in the US (Virgin VR 13–106) with a truncated track listing of: "Eastbourne Ladies", "Old Soldier", "Marlene", "Everybody Says", "Lovesick Fool", "House On The Hill", "Nasty", "Talking To No One", "Dog Latin", "I Want My Crown" and "Marjory Razorblade".
In 2010 the album was re-released in Europe by Virgin and EMI, as a double CD, (Virgin VDR 2501, EMI VDR 2501), with 24-bit digital remastering at The Audio Archiving Company and with 16 bonus tracks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kevincoynepage.free.fr/reissuesJanEMI2010.html|title=EMI 2010 REISSUES|website=Kevincoynepage.free.fr|access-date=30 June 2019}}</ref>
==Reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/marjory-razorblade-mw0000739210 |title=Kevin Coyne – Marjory Razorblade |last=Thompson |first=Dave |website=AllMusic|access-date=2021-05-24 }}</ref> |rev2 = ''Christgau's Record Guide'' |rev2Score = B+<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: C|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=C&bk=70|access-date=February 23, 2019}}</ref> | rev3 =''Classic Rock'' | rev3Score = {{Rating|9|10}}<ref name="classic">{{cite magazine |title=Kevin Coyne – Marjory Razorblade / I Want My Crown: The Anthology 1973–1980 |magazine=Classic Rock |date=March 2010 |last=Hughes |first=Rob |issue=142 |page=93}}</ref> | rev4 = Tom Hull | rev4Score = B+<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hull|first=Tom|authorlink=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 1975|url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rekord3.php|title=The Rekord Report: Third Card|magazine=Overdose|access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref> }} Robert Christgau wrote, "Another British eccentric with a voice scratchy and wavery enough to make Mick Jagger sound like Anthony Newley, only this one can write songs. The annoying kid-stuff tone of the perversity here purveyed is redeemed by the fact that there isn't a chance it will sell, not even with the Brit double-LP condensed down to one. Also, 'House on the Hill' is as convincing a madman's song as I know."<ref name="CG"/>
Reviewing the album for the BBC in 2010, Mike Diver described the album as "a synthesis of individual ability into one effective, enchanting end product."<ref name="bbc"/>
==Track listing== All tracks composed by Kevin Coyne except where indicated. ;Side 1 # "Marjory Razorblade" – 1:42 # "Marlene" – 2:37 # "Talking to No One" – 2:25 # "Eastbourne Ladies" – 5:43 # "Old Soldier" – 3:45
;Side 2 #<li value="6">"I Want My Crown" <small>(traditional)</small> – 4:10 # "Nasty" – 4:45 # "Lonesome Valley" <small>(A. P. Carter)</small> – 3:45 # "House on the Hill" – 4:53 # "Cheat Me" - 3:45
;Side 3 #<li value="11">"Jackie and Edna" – 4:05 # "Everybody Says" – 4:24 # "Mummy" – 4:10 # "Heaven in My View" <small>(A. P. Carter) </small> – 3:16 # "Karate King" – 3:18
;Side 4 #<li value="16">"Dog Latin" – 4:55 # "This Is Spain" – 2:10 # "Chairman's Ball" – 3:15 # "Good Boy" – 2:38 # "Chicken Wing" – 4:23
==Personnel== ===Musicians=== {{div col}} * Kevin Coyne – vocals, guitar * Gordon Smith – guitar, mandolin * Dave Clague – guitar, acoustic guitar * Jean Roussel – piano, keyboards<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jean-roussel-mn0000228242/credits|title = Jean Roussel | Credits| website=AllMusic }}</ref> * Tony Cousins – bass, tuba * Chili Charles – drums, congas * Steve Verroca – acoustic case and piano * Malcom Healey – synthesizer * Ed DeGenaro – guitar {{div col end}}
===Technical=== * Steve Verroca – producer * Tom Newman, Phil Newell – engineers * Simon Heyworth – mixing * Alan Corbeth – mastering * Barney Bubbles – sleeve artwork and logo * Phil Franks – Design/Photography
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2no4xBL-zc Kevin Coyne – House On The Hill] (live at BBC TV Studios) reproduced at YouTube *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKaMX7MokjI Kevin Coyne – I Want My Crown] (live at BBC TV Studios) reproduced at YouTube {{Kevin Coyne}}
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Category:1973 albums Category:Albums recorded at Saturn Studios Category:Kevin Coyne albums Category:Virgin Records albums