Fur is the second album by American singer Jane Wiedlin, released in 1988. The songs "Rush Hour" and "Inside a Dream" were released as singles and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The album has a slick, contemporary production, with mainly programmed music complemented by electric guitar and horns.
The album was written over a span of two years, following the indifferent response to previous album Jane Wiedlin and her subsequent foray into acting.Daily News of Los Angeles, April 1988
Fur reached No. 105 on the US Billboard 200billboard.com and spent 21 weeks on the chart.
Songs Despite the title track addressing the fur trade ("I don't wear fur/Won't do it/Fur's for fools"), most of the songs deal with fidelity ("Homeboy"), blossoming love ("One Heart One Way", "Lover's Night") and the fulfilment of ambitions ("Inside a Dream").
"Song of the Factory" differs from these themes with insistent synth lines and a more abstract lyric ("It is cold/But it is warm/It is one/But not alone"). Wiedlin's favorite song from the album, it includes a remark about producer Shep Pettibone in morse code, in reference to a feud between the renowned remixer and Fur producer Stephen Hague.
Both sides of the original vinyl record closed with slower love songs: "The End of Love" (which was the B-side to "Rush Hour"Discogs.com) and "Whatever It Takes". "Rush Hour" was the first single from the album and reached No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100[ billboard.com] and No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart.Official Charts Company The next single, "Inside a Dream", was a more modest success, reaching No. 57 in the US and No. 64 in the UK.JANE WIEDLIN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company
Critical reception
Fur received mixed reviews upon release. In the Los Angeles Times, Steve Hochman wrote: "'Fur' is the perfect title for [Wiedlin's] second solo release: like a teddy bear it's warm and cuddly, but with no teeth or claws. Part of the blame goes to producer Stephen Hague, whose synth-pop is all fluff and no character".Los Angeles Times, 15 May 1988 The album was described as "shimmering mainstream pop [...] that is sometimes reminiscent of Madonna" in the Daily News of Los Angeles.Daily News of Los Angeles, May 1988
The retrospective review on AllMusic says "'Rush Hour' and the haunting ballad 'The End of Love' are the best of the lot, with 'Song of the Factory' close behind, but many of the other tracks are filler, and a couple just don't work at all", concluding that "Fur largely sounds like Wiedlin was being led by EMI's A&R team instead of thinking for herself".[ AllMusic]
Track listing
Personnel Stephen Hague – producer David Jacob – co-producer Simon Climie, Tessa Niles – backing vocals Neil Taylor – guitar The Kick Horns – horns Rob Fisher – keyboards Bruce Smith – percussion
Charts Chart (1988)PeakpositionCanadian Albums Chart88UK Albums Chart48US Billboard 200Top 200 Albums | Billboard105
References