Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion

loungerejuvenation

Review by Morgen Shirley

Sweet Illusion: Junior Campbell’s Forgotten Gem from ’73 Alright, let’s get this straight—Junior Campbell’s Sweet Illusion isn’t your typical 1973 album. It’s a quirky little cocktail of Pop, Funk/Soul, and Soft Rock vibes that somehow works, even if it feels like it was made by someone who couldn’t decide what genre to commit to. Released across a whopping nine countries (Germany, UK, Australia—you name it), this record has been floating around in obscurity for decades. But hey, sometimes the best things are hidden under piles of dust. Let’s break it down. The man himself wears multiple hats here: songwriter, producer, arranger—you know, the whole shebang. And while John Burns did his thing as engineer, making sure everything sounded crisp, there’s no denying this is Campbell’s baby through and through. Now, onto the tracks themselves because, honestly, not all albums can hold up after nearly 50 years—but this one kinda does. First off, we’ve got “Ode To Karen.” This track hits differently, like when you stumble upon an old photo album and realize how much cooler life used to be. Its lush vocals paired with a soft rock groove make it stick in your brain like gum on a hot sidewalk. Plus, the title alone makes me wonder who Karen is—are we talking about that Karen? You know, the one always asking to speak to the manager? Or maybe she’s just some mystery muse inspiring Campbell to pour out his soul. Either way, it’s memorable enough to keep looping in my head long after the needle lifts off the vinyl. Then there’s the title track, “Sweet Illusion.” If ever there were a song designed to soundtrack a lazy Sunday afternoon spent staring at clouds, this would be it. The arrangement is smooth, almost hypnotic, blending gentle guitar licks with Campbell’s dreamy voice. Listening to it feels like floating downstream on a raft without a care in the world—until suddenly you hit a rock and remember you should probably pay attention. That’s the magic of this tune; it lulls you into a false sense of security before sneaking in moments of unexpected depth. Now, full disclosure: mastering credit goes to someone mysteriously listed only as “C.” Was this Campbell’s secret alias? A studio intern? Your guess is as good as mine. But whoever they were, they nailed it—the sound quality holds up surprisingly well for something recorded back when bell-bottoms were still fashionable. Looking back, Sweet Illusion is the kind of album that slips through the cracks but deserves a second glance. Sure, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. It’s charming in its simplicity, a reminder that music doesn’t have to try too hard to leave an impression. And here’s the kicker—I listened to this entire album while eating leftover pizza, and now I’m convinced both experiences improved each other. Funny how art works like that, huh?

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: junior-campbell-sweet-illusion.zip
  • MP3 size: 20 mb
  • FLAC size: 220.4 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Ode To Karen
Sweet Illusion
Sweet Illusion
ode To Karen4:40

Video

Sweet Illusion - Junior Campbell ( of Marmalade )
Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion 1973

Images

baixar álbum Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion
Album herunterladen Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion
last ned album Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion
ladda ner album Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion
lataa albumi Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion
descargar álbum Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion

Catalog Numbers

  • 84.179
  • DM 387
  • DMA-10243
  • DM 387, DM. 387
  • 6101 018
  • DM 387 Y
  • SDM 129
  • DM 85090
  • DM 378Y

Labels

Deram

Listen online

  • lyssna på nätet
  • kuunnella verkossa
  • ouvir online
  • online anhören
  • écouter en ligne
  • lytte på nettet
  • escuchar en línea
  • ascolta in linea
  • online luisteren

Formats

  • Vinyl
  • 7"
  • 45 RPM
  • Single
  • Promo
  • Stereo

Companies

RoleCompany
Record CompanyThe Decca Record Company Limited
Phonographic Copyright (p)The Decca Record Company Limited
Published ByCamel Music
Mastered AtDecca Studios
Printed ByMiletryck
Licensed FromThe Decca Record Company Limited
Manufactured ByValentim de Carvalho CI SARL

Credits

RoleCredit
EngineerJohn Burns
Written-ByCampbell
ProducerCampbell
Arranged ByJunior Campbell (tracks: A)
Mastered ByC

Notes

  • A Promo
  • Mastering credits derived from runout information
  • Picture sleeve. 4-prong push-out centre.
  • First cat.nr. on cover, second on label.
  • Echantillon gratuit - Trade Sample
  • ℗ 1973

Barcodes

  • Matrix / Runout (A Side: etched. ): 7YDEC1100 ZXDR53288
  • Matrix / Runout (B Side: etched.): 7YDEC1101 ZXDR53289
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A, Runout, Stamped): 1 ZXDR-53288-TI-IC UH
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B, Runout, Stamped): 1 ZXDR-53289-TI-IC UI
  • Matrix / Runout (Side A Label): ZDR 53288
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B Label): ZDR 53289
  • Matrix / Runout (ROG A): ZXDR-53288-TI-IC
  • Matrix / Runout (ROG B): ZXDR-53289-TI-IC
  • Matrix / Runout (A Label): ZDR 53288
  • Matrix / Runout (B Label): ZDR 53289
  • Rights Society: GEMA
  • Matrix / Runout (Runout (Stamped) Side A): AA 6101 018 1W 1 ℗ 1973 670 1 04
  • Matrix / Runout (Runout (Stamped) Side B): AA 6101 018 2W 1 ℗ 1973 670 1 04
  • Rights Society: STEMRA
  • Rights Society: BIEM

About Junior Campbell

télécharger l'album Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusiondescargar álbum Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusionlataa albumi Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusionladda ner album Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusionlast ned album Junior Campbell - Sweet IllusionAlbum herunterladen Junior Campbell - Sweet Illusion
Scottish composer, songwriter and musician. He was a founding member, lead guitarist, piano player, and singer with the Scottish bands and and co-wrote and produced some of their biggest successes. Campbell is also known for composing music for film and television drama, and as an arranger and producer for many musicians including .

Real Name

    • William Campbell

Name Vars

  • C. Campbell
  • Campbell
  • Campbell Jr.
  • Campbell, J.
  • Campell
  • Champbell
  • G. Campbell
  • J. Campbell
  • Jnr Campbell
  • Jnr. Campbell
  • Jr. Campbell
  • Junior William Campbell
  • Juniors Campbell
  • W. Campbell
  • W. Campell
  • William \
  • William Junior Campbell
  • Д. Кемпбел
  • קמבל

Aliases

  • William Campbell

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: Junior Campbell’s album *Sweet Illusion* is like a musical time capsule from 1973. It blends pop, funk, soul, and soft rock in a way that feels smooth and personal. Fun fact—Campbell didn’t just write and produce the whole thing; he also arranged the songs on Side A himself. Tracks like “Ode to Karen” and the title track “Sweet Illusion” even appeared in multiple countries, from Germany to Canada. The album was mastered by someone credited simply as "C," adding a little mystery to its legacy. Not bad for an artist who seemed to do it all!

Comments

vcsteindl
2025-03-16
God wat a disc
wynnkhoa
2025-03-15
This would be popular if it were featured in Guardians Vol 3
enuryaman
2025-03-14
Some songs are timeless this is just brilliant, it's flawless
delzio16
2025-03-13
Simply amazing and timeless...lindylou.
keishashippy
2025-03-13
Fabulous!
dgul74
2025-03-12
Anyone has a mp3 of this song? Cannot find it on iTunes.
ventasaguaangel
2025-03-11
Why can't you find Junior on CD I LOVE THIS
alumno3
2025-03-10
???????
wajahatsaeed80
2025-03-10
Always loved his music. Does anyone know the producers that came up with the sound?
aqn3
2025-03-09
An absolute gem of a song, chorus and verse are immense.....way ahead of its time, and a travesty this wasn’t a number one ,
denenklavardagen
2025-03-08
Brilliant song
gcjordi
2025-03-08
An all time great
alomarangoz
2025-03-08
Bought This...Still Good
fighterdex
2025-03-07
Great sound, takes me back to the day
youcefbentria
2025-03-07
classic soul. as good as any Motown recording!
macieksk8ef3485f77
2025-03-07
what a great record! takes me back to 73. great times at college in cov.
ggryckiewicz1978
2025-03-06
Hi, you might not believe me but ur my grand father ! :)
Another good Glasgow guy, we always punch above our weight at music.
tmahirah1999
2025-03-06
Great stuff. Discovering his stuff via revisit to Marmalade/Blue etc.
rgvantinteren
2025-03-06
great song from the best decade ever for music the seventies adrian symcox leics
dentistariccardi
2025-03-06
must agree with you aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa memores
tpavlo
2025-03-06
spot on m8, im glad it wasn't hammered back in the day, masterpiece
maritzachina41
2025-03-06
soulful hint of northern 'motown great mix love it xx