Working with Fire and Steel – Possible Pop Songs Volume Two


Working with Fire and Steel – Possible Pop Songs Volume Two is the second studio album by English new wave and synth-pop band China Crisis, released in October 1983 by Virgin Records.
The album spent 16 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 20 in February 1984. It includes the song "Wishful Thinking", which was a Top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart.

Critical reception

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Stephen Schnee described the album as "chock full of intelligent, well-written pop songs" where "even the softer moments...are full of life and excitement". The reviewer noted that the band moved away from their early synthpop-style to more ambitious ideas with "Producer Mike Howlett added much to the sonic blend, allowing the melodies to shine while toughening up the band's sound... Apart from their own matured sound on this release, there are traces of rock, pop, and jazz floating between the lines."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Working with Fire and Steel – Possible Pop Songs Volume Two liner notes.
China Crisis
Additional musicians