Rocktrospectiva: The Melodic And Elegant "Cock Robin" Self Titled Album Turns 40

Released in 1985 "Cock "Robin" was the self-titled debut studio album by the US band Cock Robin, the album spawned three singles "When Your Heart Is Weak", "The Promise You Made", & "Thought You Were On My Side". The album was a top 10 hit ironically in several European countries while in their native USA only reached a No. 61 on the Billboard. 

The achieved a gold status in Europe and the singles "When Your Heart Is Weak" and "The Promise You Made" met with the most success in Europe, and still get regular airplay on adult contemporary and pop music stations in countries such as France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. 

The band was founded by singer-songwriter Peter Kingsbery in 1982 and named after a 17th-century story titled "The Marriage of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren", the band formed in San Francisco, California and was signed to CBS Records. The other members were Anna LaCazio, Clive Wright and Lou Molino III. 

Cock Robin's eponymous debut album was produced by Steve Hillage and offered a fantastic soft rock with a plethora of elegant melodies and sophisti pop rock, and the listener can noticed about this across several tracks on the album such as "When Your Heart Is Weak", "The Promise You Made", "Thought You Were On My Side" or "Once We Might Have Known", capable to turn new wave tracks into a something twice different and intense, it wasn't just the work Peter Kingsbery, when you add  the vocals and harmonies of Peter and Anna is when the magic works, perfectly well-crafted by the contagious guitar riffs by Clive Wright and the rhythm section of Lou Molino III to complete the tandem, powered by the guest musician and a polished production by Hillage, no doubt why this album was a smash hit in Europe (Always thinking about Kid Video when listening to this band).

Cock Robin didn't make it far than No. 61 in the United States and maybe that's the reason why this band is totally unknown for many in America (Continental), but Europe the situation was the opposite, the singles and videos created and overnight success in Europe especially with the single "When Your Heart Is Weak" with a video shoot in the California desert by Chris Gabrin adding emotive and evocative images, but "The Promise You Made" was something especial too. The record became a top 10 succees in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and The Netherlands, the singles  "When Your Heart Is Weak", "The Promise You Made" and "Thought You Were on My Side" became big hits and the latter two singles peaked at number 1 and number 4 respectively in Belgium. Their only chart-topper in the United States, "When Your Heart Is Weak" reached No. 35 in the late summer of 1985 which literally means nothing, also became a radio favorite in South Africa in early 1986.

Excellent vocals and catchy tunes, melodies and solos, every song is engaging and memorable, and this made of them a remarkable band in a time of one hit wonder, not so many bands comprised of a male and female band were like them; Peter and Anna's voices blend perfectly and through the album they either share the vocals or take turns being the driving force behind the song. A truly recommended band particularly underappreciated basically in whole continental America. 

 

Cock Robin Track List: 

 

1. Thought You Were On My Side

2. When Your Heart Is Weak 

3. Just When You're Having Fun 

4. The Promise You Made

5. Because It Keeps On Working 

6. Born With Teeth

7. Once We Might Have Known

8. More Than Willing

9. A Little Innocence