Robert Ellis Orrall – Fixation on vinyl LP. VG+. 1981 Boston power pop debut. Later produced Taylor Swift. Ships from Germany.
About Fixation
A VG+ vinyl pressing of the 1981 debut album from Robert Ellis Orrall, an underappreciated power pop gem that launched a career leading decades later to producing Taylor Swift's debut album.
Fixation is the debut album from Robert Ellis Orrall, released on 5 May 1981 via Why-Fi and RCA Records. Produced by Joe Spaulding, now CEO of Boston’s Boch Center, the twelve track record showcases Orrall’s throaty, energetic vocal style and Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson-adjacent power pop songwriting. This listing is a VG+ vinyl pressing, with a small clip cut on the bottom left of the sleeve, from a Berlin based eBay seller.
- Who is Robert Ellis Orrall
- About Fixation
- His remarkable later career
- Pressing details and buying advice
In Brief
- Artist Robert Ellis Orrall is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Lynnfield, Massachusetts.
- Release Fixation came out on 5 May 1981 via Why-Fi/RCA Records, his debut album, produced by Joe Spaulding.
- Sound Energetic power pop drawing on Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson, described by critics as a hidden gem of the genre.
- Band Featured Kook Lawry on guitars, David Stefanelli on drums and Don Walden on bass.
- Later career Orrall went on to co-write five Number One country hits and produce Taylor Swift’s 10x Platinum debut album.
Robert Ellis Orrall – Fixation (LP, Ind, VG+)
Vinyl LP, RCA Records
Very Good Plus condition vinyl pressing of Fixation, with a small clip cut on the sleeve bottom left, sold by a Berlin based eBay seller with 100% positive feedback.
Pressing Specifications
Critical Reception
Who Is Robert Ellis Orrall?
Born in Winthrop, Massachusetts and raised in Lynnfield, Robert Ellis Orrall knew from high school that he wanted to be a songwriter, self-releasing his debut record Sweet Nothing in 1977 and sending it, by his own account, to every record label in the USA, collecting a stack of rejection letters along the way. His fortunes changed in 1979 when he won a songwriting contest sponsored by Boston alternative weekly The Real Paper, which led directly to a deal with RCA Records. Over the following years he opened for The Kinks, U2 and NRBQ, and scored his first Top 40 hit in 1983 with I Couldn't Say No, a duet with Carlene Carter.
About Fixation And Orrall's Remarkable Later Career
Fixation, produced by Joe Spaulding, who had previously released the American edition of Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green's In The Skies on his own Sail Records, gathered twelve tracks including Something To Tell You, White Noise, Call The Uh-Oh Squad and Problem With Women, eight written solely by Orrall and four co-written. Recorded with his band of Kook Lawry on guitars, David Stefanelli on drums and Don Walden on bass, the album drew comparisons to Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson's tightly wound new wave pop, earning Orrall a devoted if modest cult following. Decades later, Orrall relocated to Nashville, where his songwriting career flourished; he co-wrote five Number One country hits, including Shenandoah's Next To You, Next To Me, and eventually moved into production, helming Taylor Swift's 10x Platinum-certified self-titled debut album, a remarkable full-circle journey from this scrappy Boston power pop beginning.
- VG+ condition, a well kept vintage pressing
- A genuinely underappreciated power pop gem in the Costello/Jackson tradition
- The remarkable debut of an artist who later produced Taylor Swift’s debut album
- Energetic, heartfelt vocal performances throughout
- Small clip cut noted on the bottom left of the sleeve
- Not a sealed or mint copy
- Niche appeal outside power pop and new wave collectors
What is Fixation by Robert Ellis Orrall?
It is his 1981 debut album, an underappreciated power pop record released via RCA Records, produced by Joe Spaulding.
What condition is this vinyl copy in?
The sleeve is graded Very Good Plus (VG+), with a small clip cut noted on the bottom left.
What did Robert Ellis Orrall go on to do?
He became a successful Nashville songwriter and producer, co-writing five Number One country hits and producing Taylor Swift’s 10x Platinum debut album.
What does this album sound like?
Energetic power pop and new wave, drawing comparisons to Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson.
Does this listing ship outside Germany?
The seller is based in Berlin and lists a fixed shipping cost; check the current listing for up to date international shipping options and rates.
Where To Buy This Pressing
Should You Buy This Copy?
- A genuinely underappreciated power pop gem in the Costello/Jackson tradition
- The debut of an artist who later produced Taylor Swift's first album
- Best suited to fans of early 80s power pop and new wave
Fixation marks a remarkable full-circle career’s earliest chapter, and this listing offers a VG+ pressing from a highly rated German seller.