1234 was not only Propaganda's first album for Charisma -- it was also the first album the group had recorded since its legal battle with ZTT, and the first since its personnel changes of 1988.
Keyboardist Michael Mertens (Propaganda's only remaining original member) and Simple Minds graduates Derek Forbes (bass) and Brian McGee (drums) were still on board, although singer Claudia Brucken had been replaced by Betsi Miller, an American vocalist who fit in nicely.
While 1234 isn't Propaganda's best album and falls short of essential, it's generally decent.
"Heaven Give Me Words," "Only One Word," and "Wound in My Heart" are examples of Propaganda doing what it did well: lush, atmospheric synth-pop.
Attractive melodies were Propaganda's forté, and the group's post-Brucken lineup provided its share.
1234 is the work of a group that was past its prime, but still had some things to say musically.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vicious CircleDerek Forbes, Michael Mertens, Betsi Miller | Propaganda | Play | 04:54 | 11 MB | 26 MB |
| 2 | Heaven Give Me WordsHoward Jones, Michael Mertens, Ian Stanley | Propaganda | Play | 05:11 | 11 MB | 35 MB |
| 3 | Vicious (Reprise)Derek Forbes, Michael Mertens, Betsi Miller | Propaganda | Play | 01:36 | 3 MB | 7 MB |
| 4 | La Carne, La Morte E Il Diavolo | Propaganda | Play | 05:52 | 13 MB | 26 MB |
| 17 mins | 40 MB | |||||
| 17 mins | 96 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashley Alexander | Assistant Engineer |
| 2 | Haydn Bendall | Engineer |
| 3 | Neville Brody | Design |
| 4 | John Brough | Engineer, Mixing |
| 5 | Tim Burrell | Assistant Engineer |
| 6 | Simon Clark | CS-80, Organ (Hammond), Synthesizer |
| 7 | Mel Collins | Sax (Soprano) |
| 8 | Ross Cullum | Engineer, Guitar (Rhythm), Mixing, Producer |
| 9 | Juergen Dahmen | Piano |
| 10 | Simon Duff | Assistant Engineer |
| 11 | Tim Fobes | Composer |
| 12 | Derek Forbes | Bass, Composer |
| 13 | Lorraine Francis | Assistant Engineer |
| 14 | Susanne Freytag | Vocals, Voices |
| 15 | David Gilmour | Guest Artist, Guitar |
| 16 | Greg Hawkes | Synthesizer |
| 17 | Chris Hughes | Computers, Guitar (Rhythm), Producer, Rhythm |
| 18 | Howard Jones | Composer, Guest Artist, Vocals (Background) |
| 19 | Gary Kangan | Mixing |
| 20 | Felix Kendall | Mixing |
| 21 | Alan Lee Kirkendale | Trumpet |
| 22 | Gary Langan | Mixing |
| 23 | Bob Ludwig | Mastering |
| 24 | Robert MacIntosh | Guitar |
| 25 | Spencer May | Assistant Engineer |
| 26 | Brian McGee | Drums |
| 27 | Robbie McIntosh | Guest Artist, Guitar |
| 28 | Michael Mertens | Composer, Electronics, Electronic Sounds, Keyboards |
| 29 | Betsi Miller | Composer, Vocals, Vocals (Background) |
| 30 | Tessa Niles | Vocals (Background) |
| 31 | William Orbit | Post Production, Producer |
| 32 | Pino Palladino | Bass, Brass, Solo Instrumental |
| 33 | David Paton | Bass, Guitar |
| 34 | Tristan Powell | Assistant Engineer |
| 35 | Propaganda | Primary Artist |
| 36 | Noel Rafferty | Assistant Engineer |
| 37 | Andy Richards | Fairlight, Keyboards |
| 38 | Andy Ross | Guitar |
| 39 | Ian Stanley | Composer, Fairlight, Guest Artist, Keyboards, Producer |
| 40 | Neil Taylor | Guest Artist, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm) |
| 41 | Juergen Teller | Photography |
| 42 | John Walsh | Assistant Engineer |
| 43 | Blue Weaver | Fairlight, Keyboards |
| 44 | Martin Webster | Engineer, Mixing |
| 45 | Martyn Webster | Engineer, Mixing |
| 46 | Steve Williams | Assistant Engineer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |