ANNIE LENNOX - NO MORE "I LOVE YOU'S"

I don't remember where I picked up this single but I do remember why I bought it.  It was shortly after I'd seen Bram Stoker's Dracula and Annie Lennox sang the last song played during the credits.  'Love Song For A Vampire'.  I looked for an album of hers that included the track but I couldn't find it anywhere.  So long before I bought "Medusa", I picked up this little gem for one of the b-sides included.

Still, the strongest song on the disc is actually the title track, 'No More "I Love You's"'.  This is a German single and it comes in a slim case like most European singles do.  There were three tracks and the second was a Joni Mitchell cover.  It's actually a nifty little release and special because at the time I wasn't aware you could find 'Love Song For A Vampire' anywhere else.  I'm sure you can now, but back then I was all about owning that tune.

Once again, it's a nice single.  Great to have three quality tracks on the one disc.  It's a nice quick listen and enjoyable all the way through.

My final words:  A SPECIAL TREAT ROLLED UP IN A LOVELY PACKAGE.

ANNIE LENNOX - NO MORE "I LOVE YOU'S"

01. No More "I Love You's"

02. Ladies Of The Canyon

03. Love Song For A Vampire

EURYTHMICS - SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)

I think this was the first essential Eurythmics cd of the 80s. The first release was rather lackluster and acoustic. This release was responsible for their first top 40 hit in the states. And it marked the beginning of a love affair with America that lasts to this very day.

Annie Lennox is an exciting vocalist. She's got amazing expression and Dave Stewart can write some off beat interesting songs that lend themselves perfectly to her style. They're an interesting duo. This is another one of those discs I can put in and listen to from start to finish. It's great all the way through. There's an intensity to the way Stewart composes music. The bass and rhythm section are usually fairly strong and drive the momentum of the song forward in a surprising way. When you couple it with Annie's expressively animated vocals, you come up with songs that seem more like scenes from a modern day musical. The stories are interesting and timely.

The opening track sets the darker tone for the album. Using a stranger with candy metaphor for love. It's a dangerous thing that can really mess you up if you're not careful. Both 'Wrap It Up' and 'I Could Give You (A Mirror)' are favs of mine. 'Sweet Dreams' is the chart topping hit, while 'This Is The House' infuses a latin flare to the duo's sound. The final track, 'This City Never Sleeps' is a mysterious and moody piece that effectively conveys the feeling of sleeping in a big city. It soothes and settles as well as unnerves. It's a complex piece and promises a diverse subject matter from future releases. In sum, this disc is an invitation to embrace and absorb the sound of a rising power in popular music. It's a classic 80s and Eurythmics album everyone should own. If you only buy one Eurythmics disc... This is the one. My final word: ESSENTIAL.

EURYTHMICS - SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)
01. Love Is A Stranger
02. I've Got An Angel
03. Wrap It Up
04. I Could Give You (A Mirror)
05. The Walk
06. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
07. Jennifer
08. This Is The House
09. Somebody Told Me
10. This City Never Sleeps