Smile (Marti Pellow album)

Smile is the debut solo album by Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti Pellow. Released on June 25, 2001, the album spawned two singles: "Close to You" (UK #9) and "I've Been Around the World" (UK #28).[1] "Hard to Cry" was also later released as a radio-only promotional single in 2003, having been included on both of Pellow's follow-up albums: Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile (2002) and Between the Covers (2003).

Smile
Studio album by
Released25 June 2001 (UK)
Recorded2000—2001
StudioRoyal Studios, Memphis
Genre
LabelMercury Records
Producer
Marti Pellow chronology
Smile
(2001)
Marti Pellow Sings the Hits of Wet Wet Wet & Smile
(2002)
Singles from Smile
  1. "Close To You"
    Released: 4 June 2001
  2. "I've Been Around the World"
    Released: 19 November 2001

Production

The album was co-written in its entirety by Squeeze frontman Chris Difford, and was predominantly recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, alongside frequent collaborator Willie Mitchell, whom Pellow had been friends with since the early days of Wet Wet Wet. Pellow also recorded a number of songs alongside Paul Inder at The Pink Room, which served mainly as B-sides to the album's two singles.[2] "Moment of Truth", co-written by former bandmate Graeme Clark, was one of a number of tracks written for a potential sixth Wet Wet Wet album prior to the break-up of the band in 1999.

During his Pellow Talk tour in 2022, Pellow confirmed that the majority of the album was written as a form of therapy following six months in rehabilitation for alcohol and drug abuse. Stylistically, the album adopts much of the soft-rock/soul style of the latter Wet Wet Wet albums.

Promotion

To promote the album, Pellow made a cameo appearance in Emmerdale, where he performed Close to You in the Woolpack for the departure of Kathy Glover.[3] Pellow also made appearances on Top of the Pops to promote both single releases.

A "complete edition" of the album containing all eight B-sides was released onto streaming services in 2021 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the album. These include the first version of Pellow's cover of "The River" by Joni Mitchell, which he would later re-record for his Between the Covers album.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Hard to Cry"
  • Pellow
3:39
2."Close to You"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • James Hallawell
  • Peter Collins
4:16
3."Did You Ever Wake Up?"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Hallawell
  • Pellow
4:40
4."All I Ever Wanted"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Pellow
  • Andy Wright
4:04
5."I've Been Around the World"
  • Pellow
  • Mitchell
4:34
6."This Moment is OK"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Hallawell
  • Collins
4:16
7."New York Vibe"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Caine
  • Pellow
5:15
8."London Life"
  • Pellow
5:58
9."Moment of Truth"
  • Pellow
5:06
10."She Can Lean on Me"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Hallawell
  • Pellow
  • Mitchell
5:32
11."The Missing Sound"
  • Pellow
  • Mitchell
  • Thomas Bingham
  • Pellow
  • Mitchell
5:02
12."Memphis Moonlight"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Hallawell
  • Mitchell
  • Pellow
  • Mitchell
7:49
Smile: Complete Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Maybe One Day"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • D. Mundy
  • Pellow
2:53
14."One Woman"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • Paul Inder
  • Pellow
4:31
15."Rain on My Parade"
  • Pellow
4:19
16."Coming Home"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • D. Mundy
  • Pellow
3:54
17."Out of This World"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • B. Hewerdene
  • Pellow
4:13
18."The River"
  • Pellow
4:08
19."Walk Away"
  • Pellow
  • Difford
  • F. Dunnery
  • Pellow
4:23
20."Universal Bus"
  • Pellow
3:37

References

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