Look Sharp! is the second studio album by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, released on 21 October 1988 by EMI, two years after their debut Pearls of Passion (1986). It was recorded at EMI Studios in Stockholm and at Trident II Studios in London between March and September 1988. The album was an immediate commercial success in Sweden, debuting at number one and eventually being certified 6× platinum there.
Although commercial success elsewhere was initially modest, the album was the duo's international breakthrough. It went on to be certified platinum or multi-platinum in numerous territories, while four of its singles attained commercial success. In the United States, the album was released on March 14 1989, and certified platinum and the singles "The Look" and "Listen to Your Heart" both topped the Billboard Hot 100, while "Dangerous" and "Dressed for Success" reached numbers 2 and 14, respectively, on the same chart.
Contents
Background and release
"Dressed for Success" and "Listen to Your Heart" were released as the album's first two singles in Sweden, with Per Gessle and EMI choosing to highlight Marie Fredriksson as Roxette's lead vocalist. They were immediate hits in Sweden, peaking at numbers two and three, respectively. "Chances" was released as the album's first single in France, Germany and Italy, but it failed to chart.
"The Look" was released as the album's fourth single in January 1989, becoming another top 10 hit in their home country. While studying there, an American exchange student from Minneapolis, Dean Cushman, purchased the album and brought it home, giving a copy of it to his local Top 40 radio station, KDWB 101.3 FM. "The Look" quickly became popular, and the station began distributing the track to their sister radio operations. EMI America had previously rejected the duo as unsuitable for the American market, and Roxette did not have a recording contract there.
"The Look" had already entered the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100 before the duo began official promotion. It would go on to peak at number one eight weeks later. It gradually became a global hit over the next year, topping the charts in 25 countries. It also spent six weeks at number one on the Australian Singles Chart. The album's previous singles (excluding "Chances") were re-released internationally. Roxette would go on to have four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Listen to Your Heart"; while the album's final single, "Dangerous", peaked at number two.
Critical reception
The album received mixed reviews from critics. In a retrospective review, AllMusic complimented its singles, but said that the album tracks "aren't necessarily filler, but they also aren't as strong as many of the cuts that made up Roxette albums that followed. [...] Only 'Chances' and 'Shadow of a Doubt' show glimmers of the skills the duo would soon flourish." A review for Los Angeles Times echoed a similar sentiment, praising its singles and "Shadow of a Doubt"—along with "Cry"—but said that: "the problem is that most of Look Sharp!'s music is of such a light, ephemeral nature that it disappears without a trace the minute the record leaves the turntable. Looks like Roxette's forte is pop music that is prettily presented but totally disposable."
Accolades
Roxette were nominated for two Grammis Awards—the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards—in 1989, for Artist of the Year and Best Pop/Rock Group. Fredriksson and Gessle each won an award for Best Pop/Rock Female and Best Composer, respectively. Both Roxette and Fredriksson won numerous Rockbjörnen awards during this period. They were awarded Best Swedish Album and Best Swedish Group at the 1988 ceremony, and won the latter award again the following year. Fredriksson won the award for Best Swedish Female over four consecutive years, from 1986 to 1989.
Commercial performance
Look Sharp! was an immediate commercial success in Sweden, selling over 140,000 copies within ten days of release. It spent seven weeks at number one, and was certified platinum in the country for shipments in excess of 100,000 units. In the US, the album was certified platinum on 20 January 1990 by the RIAA for shipments in excess of one million units. As of 2009, it sold 408,000 copies there since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data in May 1991. It peaked at number four in the UK, where it spent over a year on the charts. It was certified platinum by the BPI in December 1990 for sales in excess of 300,000. As of 2001, Look Sharp! had sold over 9 million copies worldwide.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Look Sharp!.
Roxette are Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson
Recorded at EMI Studios, Stockholm, Sweden and Trident II Studios, London, England
Remastered by Alar Suurna at Polar Studio, Stockholm (2009 reissue)
All songs published by Jimmy Fun Music, except: "Dance Away", "Cry" and "Half a Woman, Half a Shadow" published by Shock the Music/Jimmy Fun Music