Essex is the title of the fourth studio album of singer/songwriter Alison Moyet. The album, named after the artist's native Essex, England, includes the singles "Falling" (1993), "Whispering Your Name", "Getting Into Something" and "Ode to Boy II". Essex was again a source of controversy for the singer. In order for the album to be released at all, her label (originally CBS/Columbia - as of 1988 a subsidiary label of Sony Music Entertainment) insisted that certain Essex tracks were to be re-recorded and re-produced, and that there be additional material remixed to create a more 'commercial' package. The acoustic ballad "Whispering Your Name" was for example turned into an upbeat dance single and released as the second single after "Falling" failed to live up to the label's expectations. The re-recording of "Ode To Boy", originally from Yazoo's 1983 album You and Me Both, was later given the dance remix treatment by Junior Vasquez.
Due to prolonged litigation with Sony, this was to be Moyet's last full-length studio album for over eight years.

Track listing

All tracks written by Alison Moyet and Pete Glenister unless otherwise noted.

1. "Falling" - 3:41
2. "And I Know" - 3:49
3. "Whispering Your Name" (Jules Shear) - 3:28
4. "Getting into Something" - 4:16
5. "So Am I" (Broudie, Moyet) - 3:45
6. "Satellite" - 4:17
7. "Ode to Boy" (Moyet) - 2:53
8. "Dorothy" - 3:27
9. "Another Living Day" - 3:45
10. "Boys Own" - 4:05
11. "Take of Me" - 4:08
12. "Ode to Boy II" (Moyet) - 2:58
• additional track
13. "Whispering Your Name" (Single Mix) (Jules Shear) - 3:48
• additional track

Personnel

• Alison Moyet - vocals, backing vocals (trks: 1-2, 4-11), tambourine (track: 7)
• Ian Broudie - guitars (tracks: 1-5, 8, 10
• Pete Glenister - guitars (tracks: 6, 7, 9, 11)
• Simon Rogers - guitars (tracks: 1 & 2), programming (tracks: 1-5, 8, 10), mandolin (track: 8)
• Steve Cradock - guitars (track: 6), backing vocals (tracks: 4 & 9)
• Christian Marsac - guitars (track: 7)
• Simon Fowler - backing vocals (tracks: 4 & 9)
• Alan Dunn - accordion (track: 8)
• Chris Haigh - fiddle (track: 8)
• John KcKenzie - bass (tracks: 6, 9)
• Alan Taylor - double bass (track: 6)
• Electra Strings - strings (track: 6)
• Dave Ruffey - drums (tracks: 6 & 9)
• Pandit Dinesh - percussion (track: 9)
• Phil Overhead - percussion (track: 6)
• David Ballard - bongos (track: 7)

Production

• Ian Broudie - producer (tracks: 1-5, 8, 10, 13), sound mixing (tracks: 2-5, 8-10)
• Pete Glenister - producer (tracks: 6, 7, 9, 11, 12)
• Pete Davis - additional production and remix (track: 12)
• Adrian Bushby - additional production and remix (track: 12)
• Steve Rocket - additional production and remix (track: 13)
• Johnny Nitrate - additional production and remix (track: 13)
• Alison Moyet - arranger backing vocals
• Cenzo Townshend - sound engineer (tracks: 1-5, 8-10)
• Neil Brockbank - sound engineer (tracks: 6, 7, 9, 11)
• Victor van Vugt - sound engineer (tracks: 7 & 9)
• David Leonard - sound mixing (track: 1)
• Alan Winstanley - sound mixing (tracks: 6 & 7)
• Phil Legg - sound mixing (tracks: 11)
• Graham Dickson - sound mixing (track: 13)

Non-album tracks, the Essex era

• "Falling" (Infinite Dub) - 8:07
• "It Won't Be Long" (Acoustic) - 4:01
• "Whispering Your Name" (Extended Remix) - 4:57
• "Whispering Your Name" (A Remix a.k.a. Vince Clarke Mix) - 3:41
• "Wishing You Were Here" (Live at Mead Fiddler, April 3, 1992) - 3:45
• "Rise" (Live at Mead Fiddler, April 3, 1992) - 3:05
• "Rock and Roll" (Live at Mead Fiddler, April 3, 1992) - 2:24
• "F.O.S." - 4:16
• "Getting into Something" (Single Mix) - 4:14
• "Getting Into Something" (Midnight Mix) - 4:25
• "Dorothy" (Acoustic) 3:12
• "Ne Me Quitte Pas" (Acoustic) - 3:43
• "Never Too Late" (Remix) - 3:49
• "Never Too Late" (Remix) - 11:05
• "Ode to Boy II" (Factory Mix) - 10:00
• "Ode to Boy II" (NY-LA Mix) - 3:30
• "Ode to Boy II" (NY-LA Dub)
• "Ode to Boy II" (Factory Dub)
• "Life in a Hole" - 3:46
• "Sunderland Glynn" - 2:50

References

• Alison Moyet's official website
• http://www.alisonmoyetforums.net