Tropical Brainstorm

Tropical Brainstorm is the fifth and final studio album by Kirsty MacColl, released in 2000. It was inspired by her trips to Cuba, and many tracks include Spanish or Portuguese lyrics. The album was released with three extra tracks in the US.

Tropical Brainstorm
Studio album by
Kirsty MacColl
ReleasedMarch 20, 2000
Recorded1999–2000
Genre
Length45:06
LabelV2 Records
ProducerKirsty MacColl, Pete Glenister and Dave Ruffy
Kirsty MacColl chronology
What Do Pretty Girls Do?
(1998)		 Tropical Brainstorm
(2000)		 The One and Only
(2001)
Alternative cover
US release cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyA[2]
The Guardian[3]
Robert ChristgauA-[4]

The album was released on vinyl for the first time in October 2021 for National Album Day.[5]

Composition and recording

MacColl stated that, in spite of the role Cuban music played in inspiring her songwriting, her goal was not "to recreate an authentic sound", offering two reasons: "first of all cos I'm not Celia Cruz, and a lot of people like my music mostly because of the lyrics. I didn't want to try and fail at being the Buena Vista Social Club. I wanted to succeed at being Kirsty MacColl".[6] MacColl had previously shown an interest in Cuban culture, as when she wore a Castro hat and smoked a Cuban cigar on the inside cover of her 1995 greatest hits collection; she also spent time in both Cuba and Brazil, took Spanish classes, and began attending Cuba Solidarity Campaign shows.[6]

"Good for Me", a non-album track co-written with James Knight, was her last song.[7]

Commercial performance

Despite the apparent success of the album (certified Silver in the UK), the V2 label dropped MacColl before her death in 2000.

Track listing
  1. "Mambo de la Luna" (Kirsty MacColl, Pete Glenister, Dave Ruffy) – 4:38
  2. "In These Shoes?" (MacColl, Glenister) – 3:392
  3. "Treachery" (MacColl, Graham Gouldman) – 3:51
  4. "Here Comes That Man Again" (MacColl, Glenister) – 4:49
  5. "Autumngirlsoup" (MacColl) – 3:54
  6. "Celestine" (MacColl) – 3:35
  7. "England 2 Colombia 0" (MacColl) – 3:45
  8. "Não Esperando" (MacColl, Glenister) – 4:04
  9. "Alegria" (MacColl, Ruffy) – 2:01
  10. "Us Amazonians" (MacColl, Glenister) – 4:09
  11. "Wrong Again" (MacColl) – 4:16
  12. "Designer Life" (MacColl, Kenneth Crouch) – 2:35
  13. "Head" (MacColl) – 3:56
  14. "Golden Heart" (MacColl, Neill MacColl) – 3:241
  15. "Things Happen" (MacColl, Gouldman) – 2:581
  16. "Good For Me" (MacColl, James Knight) – 4:101

1On US release only.

2Used as the theme for the BBC1 comedy series Any Time Now, and as the theme and bridging music for The Catherine Tate Show (first series). A cover of this appears on Bette Midler's album Bette.

Personnel
  • Kirsty MacColl – vocals, autoharp, lap steel guitar
  • Roy Dodds – percussion
  • Pete Glenister – guitar, programming
  • Chucho Merchán – bass, double bass on "Designer Life"
  • Dave Ruffy – drums, programming
  • Bosco DeOliveira – percussion
  • Joseph de Jesus – trombone on "Celestine"
  • Ernesto Estruch – piano, violin, background vocals
  • Felix Gonzalez – background vocals, Cuban rap on "Mambo de la Luna"
  • Omar Puente – violin, background vocals
  • James Knight – saxophone on "Head"
  • Ben Storey – trumpet on "In these Shoes?"
  • Lee Groves – additional programming
  • Mark Hinton Stewart – keyboards on "Designer Life"
  • Luiz de Almeida – surdo on "Não Esperando", nylon string guitar on "Não Esperando" & "Designer Life"

Charts
Chart (2000) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[8] 39
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Scottish Albums Chart[9] 49
UK Vinyl Albums Chart[10] 18
UK Physical Albums Chart[11] 41
UK Album Sales Chart[12] 46

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Tropical Brainstorm at AllMusic
  2. "Tropical Brainstorm". Ew.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  3. Sullivan, Caroline (17 March 2000). "Lessons in Latin". The Guardian.
  4. "Kirsty MacColl: Tropical Brainstorm". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  5. "Kirsty MacColl - Tropical Brainstorm". National Album Day. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  6. Spencer, Neil (23 December 2000). "Thank you for the Days". Guardian. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  7. Jean MacColl Sun on the Water: The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of My Daughter Kirsty MacColl – 2009 -"... things' he remembers about Kirsty and the time they spent together, he told me, I think one of my favourite memories is writing the song 'Good For Me' together. Of course, we didn't know then that it would be Kirsty's last song."
  8. "Kirsty MacColl | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  9. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  10. "Official Vinyl Albums Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  11. "Official Physical Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  12. "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  13. "British album certifications – Kirsty MacColl – Tropical Brainstorm". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
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