Surprise Surprise (album)

Earlier in 1982, the second keyboard player, Bjorn Thorarensen who's been with them for their previous two albums, left Mezzoforte. The saxophone player Kristinn Svavarsson became a full member after playing as a guest on the band's first two albums. Surprise Surprise was recorded at PRT Studios, London in July–August 1982 and mixed at Red Bus Studios in September. It was the second time the band worked with producer Geoff Calver in London after the recording of their second album Í Hakanum – released internationally as Mezzoforte and re-released as Octopus in 1996 – in 1980. Despite gaining some popularity and playing concerts in the UK, the album was first released in Iceland in 1982 simply named 4 and then renamed Surprise Surprise for the international release.

Surprise Surprise was originally released in Iceland as 4 with a different cover, but the record company decided to use the cover of Mezzoforte's third album – Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins, released only in Iceland – for the international release.[1][2] The 1996 remastered version was released with the slightly modified international cover. This edition has a few discrepancies:[3] Chris Hunter and Bill Eldridge are credited as trumpet and saxophone players respectively – this mistake was even present on the band's official website for a while[4] – Eirikur Ingolfsson is not credited as percussionist, and Shady Calver is credited on her maiden name: Shady Owens.[5]

Mezzoforte 4 Icelandic cover art

"Garden Party" was chosen to be released as a single, even though the band wasn't sure whether to include the song on the album. It became Mezzoforte's biggest hit and charted in most European countries and Japan. After its success the band moved to England and started touring in Europe.[2] "Garden Party" has been featured in TV programs and commercials, gaining even more publicity for Mezzoforte through the years. The song was covered by Herb Alpert in 1983.

Mezzoforte:

• Fridrik Karlsson – Guitars (Yamaha and Ibanez electric, Ramirez acoustic), Percussion
• Eythor Gunnarsson – Keyboards (Rhodes, MiniMoog, Grand Piano, OBX-A, Jupiter 8, Prophet V, Roland Vocoder), Percussion
• Johann Asmundsson – Bass Guitars (JA-Special, Yamaha, Fender fretless), Percussion
• Gulli Briem – Drums (Premier drums), Percussion
• Kristinn Svavarsson – Saxophones (Yamaha alto, Selmer MK VI '58 tenor), Percussion

Additional musicians:

• Louis Jardim – Percussion
• Eirikur Ingolfsson – Percussion
• Shady Calver – Voice
• Chris Cameron – Voice
• Steve Dawson – Flugelhorn on Garden Party
• Winston Sela – OBX programming

Horns Section:

• Chris Hunter – Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
• Bill Eldridge – Trumpet
• Martin Dobson – Tenor Saxophone
• Stuart Brooks – Trumpet

Technical:

• Ernst J. Backman: Original International Artwork
• Geoff Calver: Producer, Engineer
• Jonatan Gardarsson: Editor
• Eirikur Ingolfsson: 1996 Liner notes
• Seventh Heaven: 1996 Artwork and design
• Oskar Pall Sveinsson: 1996 Digital Remaster