Cargo (album)
Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Business as Usual1981Two Hearts1985studioCargoMen_at_Work_-_Cargo.jpgMen at WorkTemplate:Start date1982AAV Studios, Melbourne, Paradise Studios, Sydney and Westlake Audio, Los AngelesTemplate:HlistTemplate:DurationColumbiaPeter McIanx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Cargo is the second studio album by the Australian pop rock band Men at Work, which was released in April 1983. It peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart, No. 2 in New Zealand, No. 3 on the United States Billboard 200, and No. 8 on the United Kingdom Albums Chart. Four singles were released from the album, with "Overkill" being an international top 10 hit in Canada, Ireland, Norway, and US Billboard Hot 100. This was the last Men at Work album to feature the original lineup.
Background
Australian pop rock group Men at Work released their second album, Cargo, in April 1983, which peaked at No. 1 – for two weeks – on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart.<ref name="Kent"/> In New Zealand it reached No. 2.<ref name="NZ Charts">Template:Cite web</ref> The album was recorded and finished by mid-1982 with Peter McIan producing again, but its release was pushed back due to the continued success of their debut album, Business as Usual.<ref name="McFarlane">McFarlane, 'Men at Work' entry. Archived from the original on 13 May 2003. Retrieved 15 September 2014.</ref><ref name="Nimmervoll">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name="Holmgren">Template:Cite web</ref> On the international market, where Business as Usual was still riding high, Cargo appeared at No. 3 on the Billboard 200,<ref name="AllMalbums">Template:Cite web</ref> and No. 8 in the UK.<ref name="UK Charts">Template:Cite web</ref> The lead single, "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive", was issued in Australia, ahead of the album, in October 1982; it reached No. 6<ref name="Kent"/> there in late 1982 and peaked at No. 28 in the US the following year.<ref name="AllMalbums"/> The second single "Overkill" was released in March 1983 and made it to No. 5 in Australia,<ref name="Kent"/> and No. 3 in the US.<ref name="AllMalbums"/> A third single "It's a Mistake" followed in June and only reached No. 34 in Australia,<ref name="Kent"/> but peaked at No. 6 in the US.<ref name="AllMalbums"/> The much less successful fourth and final single "High Wire" was released in late 1983 and only reached No. 89 in Australia,<ref name="Kent"/> but reached No. 23 on the US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks.<ref name="AllMalbums"/> The band toured the world extensively in 1983.<ref name="McFarlane"/>
Reception
In Smash Hits, Fred Dellar praised Cargo as "an immaculately constructed album of outback pop for in-front people".<ref name="sh"/> Rolling StoneTemplate:'s Christopher Connelly wrote that Cargo "may lack a track with the body-slamming intensity of 'Who Can It Be Now?' and 'Down Under', but song for song, it is a stronger overall effort than Business as Usual". He chiefly praised the album's dark, paranoid lyrics.<ref name="rs"/> John Mendelssohn of Record also felt that none of the tracks measured up to Men at Work's early hits, but went further, saying the album in its entirety is inoffensive but forgettable, with "Upstairs in My House" being the only highlight. He found the band's instrumental solos particularly dull, and assessed that Men at Work's one asset is that "Colin Hay may be the most effortlessly soulful pop singer since Sting".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised "Overkill" and "It's a Mistake" as "demonstrating more depth than anything on the debut". However, he asserted that the album parallels their debut in that it focuses on two strong singles while it is "weighed down by filler".<ref name="allmusic"/>
Track listing
Template:Track listing Template:Track listing The live tracks on the 2003 remastered edition are from a concert recorded 28 July 1983 at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland (tracks 13 and 14) and from a 1983 concert in Berkeley, California (track 15).
Personnel
Men at Work
- Colin Hay – lead vocals (except on tracks 3 and 9), guitar, background vocals
- Greg Ham – flute, keyboards, saxophone, harmonica, background vocals, lead vocals on track 9
- Ron Strykert – guitar, background vocals, lead vocals on track 3
- John Rees – bass, background vocals
- Jerry Speiser – drums, background vocals
Production
- Peter McIan – production, engineer
- Paul Ray – engineer
- David Price – assistant engineer
- Greg Noakes – photography
- Ron Strykert – artwork
- Nathan D. Brenner – international manager
Charts
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Weekly charts
| Chart (1983–84) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name="Kent">Template:Cite book</ref> | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 3 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref name="stye">Template:Cite web</ref> | 11 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1983) | Position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 46 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 16 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 15 |
| US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 39 |
Certifications
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