Sad Café

Release

In the UK, two singles were released, "La-Di-Da" and "I'm in Love Again" both of which charted on the UK Singles Chart. On some editions of the album, "Love Today" and "I'm in Love Again" are swapped around on the track listing.

The album failed to continue the success of the band's previous album and it charted at number 46 on the UK Album Charts. It was also certified silver by the BPI in February 1981. In the US, the album was released by Swan Song Records and it charted at number 160 on the Billboard 200.

The album was reissued on CD in 2009 in the US by Renaissance Records.

Reception

Reviewing the album for Record Mirror, Paul Sexton described it as "more of the same. Which is fine, as the band is still relatively young... and there's so much diversity in their music, that it'll take quite a while before they come to the bottom of that particular well. The album doesn't feature any ballads in the form of 'Every Day Hurts', and probably for that reason, won't spawn any hits that big. But 'La Di Da' is already making an impression, and it's indicative of the midpace, happy/sad ambivalence the band specialises in." "It's also good to see vocalist Paul Young, the band's chief lyricist, being able to vary the content of his lyrics, and providing a contrast to the usual love-gone-right and love-gone-wrong fodder".

Personnel

Sad Café

Paul Young – lead vocals, percussion, congas

Ashley Mulford – lead guitar, slide guitar, vocals

Ian Wilson – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals, percussion

John Stimpson – bass guitar, vocals

Vic Emerson – piano, synthesizer

Dave Irving – drums, vocals, percussion

Lenni Zaksen – saxophone, vocals

Technical

Eric Stewart – engineer, producer

Alwyn Clayden – art direction

Vic Emerson – strings arrangement and synthesisation

Lenni Zaksen – horns arrangement

John Shaw – photography

Recorded at Strawberry Studios South in Dorking and mastered at Strawberry Mastering in London