Reality Effect


Reality Effect is the second album by the British band the Tourists, released in 1979.
This album received much more favourable reviews than the band's first album, with catchier songs and a stronger reliance on the vocals of singer Annie Lennox. The album contained two hit singles, "So Good to Be Back Home Again" and a cover of the 1964 Dusty Springfield song "I Only Want to Be With You".
Although the band featured Lennox and her future Eurythmics partner Dave Stewart on guitar, the bulk of the songs were written by singer/guitarist Peet Coombes. The album peaked at #23 on the UK Album Chart, and spent a total of sixteen weeks in the Top 100.

Reception

Smash Hits said, "Plenty of lasting writing talent but as much character as an iceberg. ELO would have been proud of some of this, but it's SO depressingly sombre. Let down by po-faced lyrics about 'life'."

UK Track listing

All tracks composed by Peet Coombes except where indicated
Side 1
  1. "It Doesn't Have to Be This Way" – 3:45
  2. "I Only Want to Be with You" – 2:24
  3. "In the Morning " – 4:09
  4. "All Life's Tragedies" – 3:48
  5. "Everywhere You Look" – 3:18
  6. "So Good to Be Back Home Again" – 2:39
Side 2
  1. "Nothing to Do" – 3:27
  2. "Circular Fever" – 3:06
  3. "In My Mind " – 4:44
  4. "Something in the Air Tonight" – 3:42
  5. "Summer's Night" – 3:17

US Track listing

All tracks composed by Peet Coombes except where indicated
Side 1
  1. "It Doesn't Have to Be This Way" – 3:45
  2. "I Only Want to Be with You" – 2:24
  3. ”Blind Among the Flowers” – 3:25
  4. "In the Morning " – 4:09
  5. "All Life's Tragedies" – 3:48
  6. "Everywhere You Look" – 3:18
Side 2
  1. "Nothing to Do" – 3:27
  2. ”The Loneliest Man in the World” – 3:04
  3. "So Good to Be Back Home Again" – 2:39
  4. "Circular Fever" – 3:06
  5. "In My Mind " – 4:44
  6. ”Fool’s Paradise” – 4:07

Personnel

;The Tourists
with:
;Technical
  • Andy Lunn, Bill Gill, Dick Plant, Barry Kidd – engineer
  • Tom Allom – producer