Future Eyes

Description

Future Eyes is the solo debut album by the British singer Sheila Walsh, released on Chapel Lane in 1981. (Chapel Lane was a newly established independent British label releasing superlative – and mostly cutting edge – albums by Christian artists, Future Eyes being their sixth release, Catalog Number CLS 8006.) The album was produced and recorded by Paul Cobbold at Chapel Lane Studios in Hereford, England. Arranged by keyboardist Chris Rolinson. 7 of the 10 album tracks were written or co-written by the British veteran singer-songwriter Graham Kendrick. (Among Walsh’s first efforts as a recording artist was an album by Graham Kendrick entitled Graham Kendrick and Friends – Jesus Stand Among Us released on Dove Records in 1979, only preceded by Oasis’ 1978 album, Promised Land.) In the Readers’ Awards 1981 of the British gospel magazine Buzz, Cliff Richard and Sheila Walsh were voted best male and female singers, respectively.

A remixed version of Future Eyes was released in the US by Sparrow Records in 1982 (also distributed in the mainstream market by MCA), with a couple of tracks co-produced by Larry Norman (“Love in My Life” and “You’re so Important to Me” – the former track was also included on Norman’s multi-artist compilation Barking at the Ants – The British Invasion, independently released on Phydeaux Records in 1981). “Breaking the Ice” and “He Weeps for Our Tears” featured on the original UK release were as well removed and replaced by “Burn On”, the B-side of Walsh’ single “Here With Me” released in the UK by Chapel Lane in 1980 (a single that actually sold 1000 copies the first day it appeared). In 1984 the original UK version of Future Eyes was re-issued by Word Records in the UK, featuring new cover artwork and with the single-only track “Burn On” added on side two of the LP as a bonus track.

Future Eyes was included among the Best Albums of 1982 by American CCM Magazine, voted number seven on a list featuring thirteen albums. – Rarely has a Christian performer debuted in America as powerfully as Sheila Walsh. Part of the impetus behind such an astounding entry into the field is the early work which went into her career in Britain. She has been well established there for a few years, and Americans were somewhat late in picking up on her talent. Thanks to Sparrow, and Phil Keaggy, who invited her to do an extensive American tour with him, Sheila’s quickly becoming an honorary American. Regardless, she’s a fellow believer whose recordings are depthful and noticeably motivational – they get Christians going and doing. Said Karen Marie Platt in her July 1982 CCM review of Future Eyes, Sheila’s American debut: “[Her] clear, dramatic soprano rivals even Barbra Streisand… Electronic, new-wave pop of the first order… The material rings with honest humanity and open-eyed Christian commitment.” Sheila’s welcome here anytime.

Trivia: Three of the musicians featured on Future Eyes – keyboardist and arranger Chris Rolinson, bassist Colin Vallance, and drummer Ray Goudie (also the Executive Producer of Future Eyes) – were part of the first incarnation of the UK based band Heartbeat. In 1981 Scottish-born Ray and Nancy Goudie, who were heading up the music department of British Youth for Christ (a position previously held by Graham Kendrick), identified the need for a backing band to work with other BYFC-associated musicians like Sheila Walsh and Dave Pope. Thus Heartbeat was founded.

The future shines brilliantly for British beauty Sheila Walsh whose clear, dramatic soprano rivals even Barbra Streisand. Produced by husband and record company president Norman Miller, Sheila’s first LP, called ‘Future Eyes’ (Sparrow, SPR 1057), is electronic, new-wave pop of the first order. The material, written mostly by British ccm veteran Graham Kendrick, conjure up the personal intensity of the early (and excellent) Elton John, yet it rings with honest humanity and open-eyed Christian commitment. Arranger Chris Robinson, who also acts as co-writer on a few tunes, contributes much to Sheila’s innovative sound.

Best cuts: «Eyes of a Different Kind», «Future Eyes», «Back to the Old Routine», «Mona Lisa». [Karen Marie Platt, CCM, May 1982]

Back in 1981, Sheila Walsh was one of the original artists signed to the Chapel Lane record label and she was a new wave singer caught somewhere between Hazel O’Connor on the doomy synth pop «Here With Me» and Sheena Easton on the ballad «Back Into The Old Routine». At the time, Chapel Lane with their own studios were putting out pop music of quality and this was one such album. For me I always loved it when Walsh edged more towards the new wave of the era with songs like «Love In My Life» with some great guitar work from Norman Barratt, but really it’s the synths that rule this album. The jerky rhythms of «You’re So Important To Me» and the synth technology displayed on «Fear Of Silence» are very much of their era. Walsh moved from working for YFC to launching her career with this album and soon like the rest of pop music she moved away from new wave to more straight forward pop and then a career on TV. For me, I still remember her at the Albert Hall launch of the label in her bright shining silver suit, every inch a modern pop singer. And back in the day, this was a suitably modern record! [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, September 2008]

LP tracklist (original UK version):

Side One
A1. “Here With Me” – 3:35
A2. “You’re so Important to Me” – 3:30
A3. “Eyes of a Different Kind” – 4:15
A4. “Love in My Life” – 3:20
A5. “He Weeps for Our Tears” – 3:10

Side Two
B1. “Future Eyes” – 3:18
B2. “Fear of Silence” – 3:38
B3. “Back Into the Old Routine” – 2:34
B4. “Breaking the Ice” – 2:52
B5. “Mona Lisa” – 3:25

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Chapel Lane. A remixed version of the album was released in the US by Sparrow Records in 1982, with the original LP tracks “Breaking the Ice” and “He Weeps for Our Tears” replaced by the single-only track “Burn On”. Sparrow Edition tracklist: Side One – Here With Me (3:37) / Burn On (4:05) / Love in My Life (3:28) / Eyes of a Different Kind (4:46). Side Two – You’re so Important to Me (4:00) / Future Eyes (3:20) / Fear of Silence (3:40) / Back Into the Old Routine (2:32) / Mona Lisa (3:42). The album tracks “Burn On” (Time 4:05, Intro :14), b/w “You’re so Important to Me” (Time 4:00, Intro :14), were released in the US as a two-sided promotional 7-inch single by Sparrow in 1982. In 1983 the original UK edition was re-issued in the UK on both cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Kingsway Music, featuring the original Chapel Lane Catalog Number; CLS 8006. In 1984 the original UK edition of the album was re-issued once again in the UK on both cassette (TC-WRD 3013) and LP (WRD 3013) by Word Records, this time featuring new cover artwork and with the single-only track “Burn On” added to Side Two of the LP. (As well featuring a sticker saying: “RE-ISSUE including extra track BURN ON £3.99“.)

Chapel Lane, 1981 (Original UK Edition)

Sparrow Records, 1982 (US Edition)

Word Records, 1984 (UK Re-issue Edition)

An advertisement for Sheila Walsh’s Future Eyes was featured in the May 1982 issue of CCM Magazine.

A full-page advertisement for Phil Keaggy’s album Play Thru Me and his US Tour – introducing special guest artist Sheila Walsh – was featured in the October 2, 1982 issue of Billboard Magazine.