Syntonic (album)

1990 studio album by Kon Kan

Syntonic is the second album by Kon Kan, released in 1990 by Atlantic Records. Syntonic was the first Kon Kan album to solely feature Barry Harris; Kevin Wynne had departed the previous year.^[1]

Two singles were released from the album: "Liberty!" and "(Could've Said) I Told You So", the latter featuring a recreation of Jimmy Soul's 1963 number one hit, "If You Wanna Be Happy".^[2]

"Time" features a recreation of Canadian band Trooper's "We're Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time)".

Four songs were co-written with Bob Mitchell, who had also co-written Cheap Trick's 1988 number one hit, "The Flame", and songs on Kon Kan's previous album.

Four tracks were produced or co-produced by renowned disco producer John Luongo, who had also worked with Blancmange in the early 1980s.

Two tracks were co-produced by Paul Robb, a member of Minnesota band Information Society.

"Victim" was originally a 1978 Candi Staton single. The Kon Kan version was originally conceived as a duet featuring Tim Curry and Carole Pope.

Track listing

1. "Liberty!" – 4:59 (Barry Harris, Bob Mitchell)
2. "(Could've Said) I Told You So" – 4:07 (Barry Harris, Bob Mitchell)
3. "Victorious" – 4:59 (Barry Harris, Chrissie Lomax, R. Bertola)
4. "Time" – 5:19 (Barry Harris, Bob Mitchell)
5. "Heaven Knows (I'm Missing You)" – 4:57 (Barry Harris, Bob Mitchell)
6. "Victim" – 6:48 (Dave Crawford)
7. "I'll Find Another Love" – 3:55 (Barry Harris, C. Dixon)
8. "My Camera (Oh How I Wish)" – 4:42 (Barry Harris, Bob Mitchell)
9. "Can't Stop the Fire" – 4:40 (Barry Harris, Chrissie Lomax, Scott Humphrey)
10. "Better Day" – 4:11 (Barry Harris, Bob Mitchell)

Personnel

• Barry Harris – lead and backing vocals, keyboards and programming
• Paul Robb – keyboards and programming
• Gregge Tupper – keyboards and programming
• Martyn Phillips – keyboards and programming
• Joy Winter – lead vocals
• Carole Pope – lead vocals
• India – lead vocals
• MC Protege – rap
• Debbe Cole – backing vocals
• Harriet Harrison – backing vocals
• Gordon Grody – backing vocals
• Julia Waters – backing vocals
• Maxine Waters – backing vocals
• Jon Lind – backing vocals
• Chrissie Lomax – backing vocals
• Paul Pesco – guitar
• A.K. Eye – drums
• Al S. Ess – drums and percussion
• Danny Wilensky – saxophone

References

1. Mayes, Alison (December 16, 1990). "Kon Kan: Former small-town boy blown away by far-flung fame", Calgary Herald, p. F4.
2. Cooper, William. "Kon Kan: Syntonic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 17, 2013.