Checkmate
Studio album by
Roger Christian
Released1989
StudioSorcerer Sound Recording Studios, New York City
GenreSoul music, pop, funk
Length38:13
LabelIsland
ProducerGary Katz
Roger Christian chronology
Checkmate
(1989)		 Better Friends
(1992)
Singles from Roger Christian
  1. "Take It From Me"
    Released: September 1989
  2. "Worlds Apart"
    Released: February 1989

Checkmate is the debut album of British singer Roger Christian. It was produced by Gary Katz and released October 9, 1989 by Island Records. The album features background vocals by The Persuasions on three tracks, “Stay With Me Tonight”, “Chains” and “Mwanzia”.[1][2]

Two singles were released from the album, “Take It From Me” and “Worlds Apart”, peaking on the UK Charts respectively at No. 63 peaking at No. 97.  The album and singles received international airplay, including West Germany and Spain.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Background

An original member of The Christians with his brothers Garry and Russell, Roger left the band to start a solo career.[10] He wrote seven of the ten songs for his solo album with collaborators including Dan Hartman, Peter Vale, and Barry Parker.

Critical reception

Kevin Murphy for Record Mirror, compared “Checkmate” and Roger Christian as bearing “many of the hallmarks of his brothers in The Christians, opining “There’s Roger’s rich, soulful voice with its shrill reminders of Johnny Nash and warm memories of Marvin Gaye coursing through its veins”. He calls “Loving You Is So Easy” a “relaxed smooth Sam Cooke pastiche”, remarking on the “uptempo brashness” of “Take It From Me”, and describes “Mwanzia” as “spiritually refreshing and as warm as evening cocoa.”[11]

Music & Media wrote “A confident solo debut largely made of gritty R&B material…straightforward, economical production by Gary Katz goes together well with the brassy arrangements and Christian’s straight-from-the-heart vocals”.[12]

Singles

Music & Media praised “Take It From Me” calling it “A great debut in a Motown style, very like The Drifters.”[13]

Track listings

Credits adapted from album liner notes.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Take It From Me"Dan Hartman, Roger Christian3:22
2."Checkmate"Barry Parker, Bob Galvin, Christian4:03
3."Stop Start"Parker, Christian3:43
4."Stop Yourself From Falling"James Wraith3:48
5."Stay With Me Tonight"Parker, Christian, Tony Griffin1:17
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Loving You Is So Easy"Hartman, Christian3:56
2."Chains"Wraith4:18
3."Worlds Apart"Miles Waters, Peter Vale, Christian3:50
4."Mwanzia"Billie Hughes, Roxanne Seeman5:02
5."Love Will Find A Way"Parker, Galvin, Christian3:41

[14]

  • 4 Track Vinyl Single Sided Promo
  1. "Worlds Apart”
  2. "Stop Yourself From Falling”
  3. "Take It From Me”
  4. "Mwanzia”

[15]

Personnel

Credits adapted from album liner notes.

  • Roger Christian – vocals, backing vocals
  • Dan Hartman – backing vocals
  • Frank Floyd – backing vocals
  • Jimmy Hayes – backing vocals
  • Joe Russell – backing vocals
  • Sam Butler – backing vocals
  • Gary Katz - producer
  • Michael H. Brauer – mixer

Mastered at The Townhouse

References

  1. ↑ "Master Chart Albums Of The Week" (PDF). Music & Media: 1. 4 Nov 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  2. ↑ "New Releases UK/International" (PDF). Music & Media: 26. 30 Sep 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  3. ↑ Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia. DK Pub. ISBN 978-0-7894-4613-8.
  4. ↑ "Station Reports" (PDF). Music & Media: 24. 2 Dec 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  5. ↑ "Station Reports" (PDF). Music & Media: 43. 13 Jan 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  6. ↑ "Station Reports" (PDF). Music & Media: 42. 11 Nov 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  7. ↑ "ROGER CHRISTIAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  8. ↑ "BBC Radio London - Dotun Adebayo, 16/10/2022". BBC. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  9. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R & B and Soul. Virgin. ISBN 978-0-7535-0241-9.
  10. ↑ Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia. DK Pub. ISBN 978-0-7894-4613-8.
  11. ↑ Dee, Johnny (4 Nov 1989). "Albums" (PDF). Record Mirror: 18 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  12. ↑ De Bruyn Kops, Pieter (4 Nov 1989). "Previews Albums" (PDF). Music & Media: 24 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  13. ↑ "Previews Singles" (PDF). Music & Media: 18. 17 Oct 1989 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  14. ↑ "Checkmate - Roger Christian | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  15. ↑ Roger Christian - Checkmate (4 Track Promo), retrieved 2023-05-03
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