ERASURE - THE CIRCUS

I'm really gonna catch it here from Erasure fans so I'm going to tred as lightly as possible when I say this...  First, let me be honest and say although I knew about Erasure and I listened to them on the radio, at school and with my friends, I never actually bought one of their albums until I was 20.  I knew who they were, I knew Vince Clarke was writing the music, but during my high school years, I was more into Martin L. Gore and Depeche Mode than Vince.  I had the Yaz albums, but I didn't latch onto Erasure.  And a large part of that was simply because they were hugely popular in my school.  To this day, I know straight classmates who will go to Erasure's outlandish concerts even though deep down, they're anti-gay just because Erasure was such a huge part of their teenage lives.

When I finally started getting into Vince as a song writer, I went back and picked up Erasure's back catalog, but for me, these earlier albums will always be remembered mostly by the singles I was hearing rather than the albums as a whole.  That's why, as I put this disc in to listen to it, I honestly lump it together with pretty much everything right up until "Chorus".

"The Circus" is responsible for some of Erasure's most popular and mainstream music.  It is a serious album.  I'm always amazed when I listen to these records how incredible all of this early Erasure material is.  Not only were they writing incredible pop music, they were also championing a cause and breaking the rules of established music companies.  Erasure might not have been "Out" but they weren't "In-the-closet" either.  In my mind, Erasure were a band that helped change the cultural opinion of a generation about gay and lesbians in society.  They're so much more than just a pop band.

Although not all of these songs were released as singles, I know each and every one of these songs as if they were.  They were played in assemblies, school dances, during lunch period...  pretty much any social event you can think of I was exposed to this music.  I even remember one of my art classes...  The teacher would let students play cassettes while we were working if she approved of the music and Erasure made the cut quite a few times.  I knew all of these songs by heart well before I purchased the CD.

In my opinion, the best tracks on this disc are 'It Doesn't Have To Be', 'Sexuality', 'Victim Of Love', 'Leave Me To Bleed' and 'Sometimes'.  But let's be honest, the rest of the material is just as strong and good.  

I'm not sure if this is limited to the US release, but my CD includes 3 bonus tracks.  Edvard Greig's 'In The Hall Of The Mountain King' from Henrik Ibsen's play, "Peer Gynt".  This unusual cover went a long way to prove Clarke's image as a true musical genius.  And also showed Erasure fans, the band wouldn't limit itself to bubble gum pop.  Instead, they would do whatever they deemed worthwhile musically.  This appreciation for non-popular music would show up many times again throughout their recording history.  The other two tracks are mixes of 'Sometimes' and 'It Doesn't Have To Be' respectively.

The album is produced by Flood who ended up being credited with taking Depeche Mode to rock and I believe was responsible for some amazing work with U2; which sorta surprises me.  As daring and progressive as the material is, it maintains the strong pop sound of the band's 80's material.  Flood is a producer I normally think of as pushing and challenging a band's sound.  Maybe this was at the start of his career and he was cutting his production teeth on records like this.

No matter how you choose to look at this record, it's a classic.  Either it's part of the 80's run of super hit records by Erasure the band, or it's a classic 80's record anyone interested in that musical period should listen to.  It certainly defined much of my youth.  No doubt there are reissues with more tracks and a better overall showcase of the band during this time, but my copy is simply this one.  And I think it's great!

My final words:  AN 80'S CLASSIC FROM ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND INFLUENTIAL 80'S BANDS!

ERASURE - THE CIRCUS
01. It Doesn't Have To Be
02. Hideaway
03. Don't Dance
04. If I Could
05. Sexuality
06. Victim Of Love
07. Leave Me To Bleed
08. Sometimes
09. The Circus
10. Spiralling
11. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
12. Sometimes (Extended Mix)
13. It Doesn't Have To Be (The Boop Dopa Doo Mix)

ERASURE - LOVEBOAT

Until "Loveboat" came out, the last Erasure album I liked all the way through was "Chorus".  Because "Loveboat" wasn't released in the US until 3 years after it's release in the UK and Europe, my copy is an import from the UK.  I actually downloaded a pirated copy of the disc and listened to it before I bought it.  I couldn't believe it didn't have a US release!  I thought it was phenomenal!

In my opinion, "Loveboat" is one of their strongest albums.  There's not a single track on this disc I don't absolutely enjoy.  From the opening strums of guitar on 'Freedom' to the fade out on 'Surreal', I was completely hooked.  Each of the tracks is catchy, sensible and all around fun to sing and dance to.  It's rare for a pop band to release a disc loaded with one great tune after another.  For me, Erasure achieved that with this disc.

There are songs I like more than others, but when I play this disc, I put it in and let it go.  I have all the tracks memorized and I sing along without hesitation.  I find it engaging.  Even some of the slower tunes are above average.  'Where In The World' is a slower number, but it has some interesting vocals that make it fun to sing.  There's a difference in the drum sounds used on this record too.  It seems like Erasure got an upgrade in their sound banks.  The first track this is evident on is 'Crying In The Rain'.  When the song starts, you hear a drum I can only describe as matte finish drums.  It doesn't have much of an echo but it does sound funky.

On the next track, 'Perchance To Dream' we get more of the new drum sounds and an interesting vocal arrangement by Andy Bell as he sings part of the song in his falsetto.  'Alien' is a track that relies on Vince Clarke's trademark sound effects to build the song.  Fans of the band all enjoy Clarke's ability to fill the spaces between the chords with his electric whirs and pops.  It's part of the appeal.

My favorite track on the album is probably 'Here In My Heart'.  It reminds me of so many other Erasure tracks I've loved over the years.  One song in particular it reminds me of is 'In Your Arms' from "Cowboy".  My second favorite track is 'Catch 22' and it also fits into that perfect Erasure song category for me.  'Moon & The Sky' is a powerhouse tune.  You get some drums that sounds similar to the Linn Drum Machine clap sounds.  The bass lines are deep and the groove is funky!  This is an excellent jam in my opinion and I love the R&B soul feel to it.  It's very Prince-like.  

The final track on the album is 'Surreal' and for me, this song would feel right at home on "Chorus".  I adore it.

According to my online research, Madonna's Maverick label shelved the album for lack of a hit single.  I find that absolutely ridiculous.  I hear hit singles all over this record.  It did eventually get a US release.  Along with the cover album, "Other People's Songs" in 2003.  In my opinion, that was a huge mistake.  A band like Erasure has a hardcore following.  There are Erasure fans who will purchase anything the group puts out.  That being the case, Maverick could've been assured of at least a certain number of units sold.  I'm not sure what that figure would be but I'm sure it's more than most groups on that label could pull off at the time.

I think this is an album that Erasure expanded their sound, songwriting and musical styles successfully on.  It could be considered at experimental as "Erasure", but in this case, the result was much more positive.  I think they did exactly what they set out to do.  My second favorite Erasure album for sure...  My final words:  AN OVERLOOKED GEM IN THE ERASURE BACK CATALOG.

ERASURE - LOVEBOAT
01. Freedom
02. Where In The World
03. Crying In The Rain
04. Perchance To Dream
05. Alien
06. Mad As We Are
07. Here In My Heart
08. Love Is The Rage
09. Catch 22
10. Moon & The Sky
11. Surreal

ERASURE - "ERASURE"

This is the self-titled 1995 album by 80's band, Erasure.  For those of you who aren't in the know, Erasure are a duo consisting of Andy Bell and Vince Clarke (of Yazoo and Depeche Mode fame).  They enjoyed a great deal of success with their previous albums but this one was a bit of a dark horse.  

Up to this point, Erasure were most notable for great pop music.  They were the undisputed masters of the 3 minute hit single.  With amazing hooks and catchy lyrics easy to sing along with, they were an established band with a loyal following.  

But something changed with this record.

After this album came out, Vince Clarke started doing side projects like The Clarke/Ware Experiment where he developed soundscapes rather than pop songs and we see the origin of that happening here.  Some of the songs on this album have long synth solos and complicated motifs playing under the main vocals.  To call the record challenging would be a fair assessment.  If I'm not mistaken, this album started a slide in album sales for the band.  This is the first record in a long time that failed to make #1 in the UK.

The disc is obviously experimental and was the band's attempt to break out of the musical confines they found themselves in.  This can either be a good or a bad thing depending on the result.  I love groups who challenge themselves, but like most critics and fans, when it doesn't work out, I can't hide my disappointment.  "Erasure" is a little harder to judge.  It doesn't exactly succeed and it doesn't fail.  I'm not sure it broadened the palate of Erasure fans, but at the same time, it did in many ways expand what they would expect in the future from the band.

One thing is certain, Clarke and Bell are an amazing song writing team and they compose music that is simply joyful.  This album is no exception.  The infectious hooks and sing along melodies are all present.  It's the longer song times that initially hold you back from getting too caught up.  But in even this regard, Clarke seemed prepared.  They would extend the songs with trance-like beats and qualities that make the tracks seem almost religiously zen.  Take 'Sono Luminous' for example...  After the main body of the song ends around 5 minutes you still have a three minute slow fade out that ends with Bell singing acapella in a gospel style.

The very next track, 'Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)' delivers another long fade out.  This one lasts around two minutes and appears in the middle of the song.  'Rock Me Gently' is the most egregious example of these soundscape solos.  Clocking in around 10 minutes, over half this song is a synth trance solo. 

These songs are all mid-tempo with nothing really breaking the dance barrier.  Another reason fans might not like the disc.  

The first time I heard this album, I wasn't sure what to make of it.  I sorta thought it would grow on me the way the Pet Shop Boys album "Bilingual" did, but unfortunately, it hasn't.  I still like the music.  I'm especially partial to the singles from this album.  The edited versions of songs are more enjoyable and some of the b-sides during this time are outstanding.  I love them!

But the truth is, this might be the last Erasure disc I'll pull from my shelf to listen to.  I almost always listen to it only when I'm on an Erasure kick and I work my way through their records.  Still, it's so much better than a lot of the stuff coming out during that period of time.

My final words:  AN EXPERIMENTAL CHOICE FROM A POPULAR GROUP!

ERASURE - "ERASURE"
01. Intro: Guess I'm Into Feeling
02. Rescue Me
03. Sono Luminous
04. Fingers & Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)
05. Rock Me Gently
06. Grace
07. Stay With Me
08. Love The Way You Do So
09. Angel
10. I Love You
11. A Long Goodbye

DEPECHE MODE - CONSTRUCTION TIME AGAIN

Another Depeche Mode album I have two versions of.  I have the original US CD and the Deluxe Edition.  There are some slight differences but I'll discuss those when I actually get ready to type the track list.

This was Depeche Mode's third album and actually the second of theirs I actually bought.  If you break down Depeche Mode's evolving musical sound over the years, "Construction Time Again" is the quintessential record for the early years.  Unlike "Speak & Spell", (which is more of a Vince Clarke creation than a DM record), and "A Broken Frame", (on which Martin cut his writing chops for the first time), CTA shows a more mature and settled songwriting style and set the standard for the rest of the 80's.  The band would choose unusual subject material and the songs would often be sensitive and insightful at the same time.  This is also a record where they begin to embrace the industrial barrage of engineered sounds they would become so famous for.  Part of this is because of Martin's exposure to the German industrial sounds of bands like Einstürzende Neubauten.

You can definitely hear a theme on this record and that is disappointment.  Having taken over as lead song writer for the band and suddenly finding himself successful, Martin L. Gore looks at the world around him and realizes it's not what he expected or even wanted it to be.  From the initial track, 'Love, In Itself' he discusses these small epiphanies.  For Martin, The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" turned out to be a lie spoon fed to the masses to keep people hoping things would turn out better than they were.  For him, Love...  In itself, wasn't enough.  He continues the theme in 'More Than A Party' by comparing the world to a party where greedy people send one message while doing the opposite.

"Keep telling us we're to have fun
Then take all the ice cream so we've got none"

Gore was also heavily inspired by a trip to Asia where he saw firsthand the devastation of extreme poverty.  Morally, he wasn't able to reconcile his world with the suffering he witnessed and songs like 'Pipeline' and 'Everything Counts' continue the theme of financial inequality and his growing disillusionment.  'Shame' describes his embarrassment of his own success while 'Told You So' attempts to address the serious and often fruitless political efforts of business' and governments to pass the buck without taking responsibility for their actions.  Especially those that harm others.

The final track, 'And Then....' is Gore's call to arms.  Realizing the world wasn't nearly as big as it had once seemed, he sends out a plea asking people to start to care and make a change.

New band member, Alan Wilder also contributed songs to the album.  Although not exactly in line with Gore's overall theme, his songs compliment Martin's quite nicely.  'Two Minute Warning' creates a sense of urgency and necessity while 'The Landscape Is Changing' shows an awareness of environmentalism even before it became a huge topic of discussion.  Gore's material dealt primary with the human condition while Wilder reflects on the world as a whole.  Between the two of them, they created an album of socially conscious and relevant material.

This is probably one of my favorite DM albums.  I love it!  I remember working late at night when I would have the closing shift and driving home listening to these songs.  I found them so inspiring I can't even begin to put it into words.  It definitely helped me form a world view and define my sense of right and wrong.

There's a hidden reprise of 'Everything Counts' at the end of the album just after 'And Then....'.  The US Version also includes the 12" long version of 'Everything Counts' as a bonus track.  The Deluxe Edition features the disc in its original form without the added mix, but it includes the second disc with all sorts of bonus material.  I'll specify everything in the tracks lists below.  For the record, since the cover is identical, I'll only post the one pic here.

My final words:  AN INFLUENTIAL BRILLIANT PIECE OF MUSIC.  

DEPECHE MODE - CONSTRUCTION TIME AGAIN
01. Love, In Itself
02. More Than A Party
03. Pipeline
04. Everything Counts
05. Two Minute Warning
06. Shame
07. The Landscape Is Changing
08. Told You So
09. And Then....
10. Everything Counts (Reprise)
11. Everything Counts (Long Version) (US Only)
DVD CONTENT
01. A Short Film: Depeche Mode - 1983
02. Love, In Itself
03. More Than A Party
04. Pipeline
05. Everything Counts
06. Two Minute Warning
07. Shame
08. The Landscape Is Changing
09. Told You So
10. And Then....
11. Everything Counts (Reprise)
12. Get The Balance Right!
13. The Great Outdoors!
14. Work Hard
15. Fools
16. Get The Balance Right! (Combination Mix)
17. Everything Counts (In Larger Amounts)
18. Love, In Itself (4)

ERASURE - COWBOY

I'm gonna try something different this time...  I've made a habit of trying to break the albums down into individual songs, but I think that gets tiring after awhile.  There are so many mediocre songs I have to try to find ways to describe.  So from now on I'm going to limit my comments to things that stand out and attract my attention.

This is the perfect album to start with.  "Cowboy" was released in 1997 on Madonna's Maverick label.  I'm not sure if this was Erasure's first release on that label, but I think it was the only one.  I might be wrong.

On the heels of the self-titled "Erasure" album, "Cowboy" saw Vince Clarke and Andy Bell returning to their traditional pop roots with catchy 3 to 4 minute songs instead of the experimental soundscapes they'd produced on "Erasure".  The more radio friendly atmosphere of "Cowboy" allowed the band some chart success in the UK and Europe.  Some of the band's singles were having impact in the US as well.

I first heard about this record not by following the charts or seeing it in the record store...  I heard the single, 'In My Arms' during the ad loop playing in a movie theater.  In the US, prior to the trailers, some theaters back in the 90's started experimenting with a looped audio track playing ads, trivia and short entertainment pieces in order to keep movie-goers from growing impatient as they waited for the film to start.  One of these clips was 'In My Arms' from Erasure.  The first time I heard it, I loved it and immediately went out and bought the album.

My impression was relief they'd moved away from the long songs of the previous album.  Now years later this disc has become what I consider the standard for Erasure releases.  I quite like Vince Clarke.  I think as a musician, he's amazingly talented and vastly unappreciated.  Because his focus is on electronic music and he works heavily with electronic instruments, he's written off by most folks.  He's not considered a genuine musician.  In reality, he's not only gifted, but able to write dramatically different and unique music pieces. 

Where Vince truly shines is sound engineering.  He creates so many different sounds unique to Erasure songs.  It's impossible for other groups to copy them.

On "Cowboy" Vince is in full form.  He generates catchy simple pop melodies, one after the other.  As usual, Andy Bell contributes the lyrics and vocals.  Their partnership seems to work well and their enjoyment in each other is forever present in their music.

Now back to what I consider a standard Erasure release...  "Cowboy" fits that description.  I can honestly say I like the entire album.  There's not a single song on here I think is horrible, but I'm not in love with it.  There are certain songs that stand out for me and if I'm creating a playlist there are tunes I'll take from this album.

'Worlds On Fire' is one of these, however my absolute favorite song on the disc is easily 'In My Arms'.  Perfect choice for a single and in my opinion, the perfect song on the album.  I love the sentiment.  I find it romantic and sweet.  'Treasure' is another song I quite enjoy.  I find it a bit of a musical mishmash, and the lyrics are a jumbled mess.  But all of that seems to come together during the chorus when Andy get down and really belts it out.

As a prelude of sorts to the cover album they did later on, the US version of "Cowboy" contains two covers.  One is 'Rapture' by Blondie, but my copy doesn't have this track.  I do have the second cover, 'Magic Moments' by Burt Bacharach and David Hall.  I've heard both and I love them both.  It's a shame my copy only has the one.  I wonder why.  Might have to upgrade it.

I'm an Erasure fan, but I'm not die hard.  I don't buy everything they put out.  Sometimes I mean to.  I think about it and I'll pick up a strange or rare bit here and there, but I've never committed to collecting them.  Maybe one day I will.  In the meantime, I'll enjoy individual discs as they come.  My final words: A RETURN TO FORM AND A SATISFYING ADDITION TO ERASURE'S GROWING CATALOG.  WORTH OWNING!

ERASURE - COWBOY

01. Rain

02. Worlds On Fire

03. Reach Out

04. In My Arms

05. Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me

06. Precious

07. Treasure

08. Boy

09. How Can I Say

10. Save Me Darling

11. Love Affair

12. Magic Moments

DEPECHE MODE - SOME GREAT REWARD

I have two versions of this disc.  The first is the standard CD and the second is the Collectors edition that includes the original CD plus a DVD with additional content.  "Some Great Reward" is the 4th album by Depeche Mode.  I had the cassette for years, but I didn't buy the CD until the last month of my time in Europe.  I bought the CD in a small pawn shop of sorts in a little Austrian town called Dornbirn.  My copy is the European release of the CD.  I've actually decided to donate it to a friend in Europe who likes Depeche Mode but can't afford a lot of CDs right now.  I think I'll ship it over so he can enjoy it.

When you consider Depeche Mode and their history, this is the album where the band settled into its 80's sound.  The first record was a Vince Clarke effort and it sounds totally different from all subsequent records.  "A Broken Frame" was the album Martin Gore cut his teeth on as lead songwriter and "Construction Time Again" still feels like it has some rough edges with moments of brilliance.  "Some Great Reward" is a solid piece of work and releases around this period all sound similar to it.  Even though their style continued to evolve over each additional record, this disc is the template of how future recordings would be composed and engineered.

Martin Gore's fascination with German industrial sounds and music seemed to create a working man's New Wave.  If bands like Duran Duran and The Human League were the British equivalent to posh music; Depeche Mode were the blue collar working class.  With sounds engineered from striking metal or steel barrels...  Or any number of industrial products struck to produce a percussive noise; Depeche Mode made a name for itself by producing music based on sounds no one else was using.  They became an entity unto themselves.

The first song on this disc is iconic to fans of the band.  'Something To Do' was an anthem of sorts.  As a teen in the 80's, (or any generation for that matter), one of the most difficult and annoying aspects of life is monotony and boredom.  Not only did the song champion the plight of the working class who "work too hard for so little"...  It also focuses on the seeming futility of life.  There's nothing to do but work to survive.  This bleak observation resonated with fans especially with middle class and working class youth.  You can also hear the unique percussion elements throughout this song that the band created through their extensive sound engineering.

The second track is a more melodic number that doesn't rely heavily on metallic percussion.  'Lie To Me' is also the song that gives the album its title.  The lyric goes:
"Lie to me
Like they do it in the factory
Make me think that at the end of the day
Some great reward will be coming my way"
Once again, the futility of life is a theme explored.  You can also see this song in the cover artwork.  A young married couple are standing outside what appears to be a factory or warehouse.  The implication is social unions such as weddings or buying a house are the rewards for a lifetime of hard work and slave labor.  I quite love the mellow groove and softer feel of this song.  In fact, it's one of my favorites.

'People Are People' is up next and this is without a doubt one of the band's biggest hits from the 80's!  It was huge!  It takes a somewhat naive poke at racism and bigotry; but is still an important statement.  I think this song was uniquely positioned for a number of reasons...  The 80's would prove to be the first generation who simultaneously had different races and genders as its pop superstars equally.  Most kids growing up in the 80's weren't familiar with racism as a reality, but rather a concept.  And that's why this song wasn't so much a rallying call to arms, but a reminder not to follow the path of those before us and embrace a concept we didn't understand.  Once again, 'People Are People' uses the famous industrial percussion.

The first ballad of the album appears next in the form of 'It Doesn't Matter'.  Martin Gore takes over on lead vocals and delivers a sentimental, though strange observation on infidelity and the nature of love.  There are some engineered sound patches used in this song, but they're more melodic than percussive.  'Stories Of Old' is the fifth track and once again, there's a heavier focus on melody.  The tune deals with an unwillingness to follow the established story book format of life that supposes finding the perfect bride is the ultimate goal of life.  Martin and the boys refuse to sacrifice their success and pleasures for the simple possibility of love.

On 'Somebody', Martin returns to lead vocals on what became one of the band's most famous and popular ballads.  This sweetly sincere and somewhat naive song pokes fun at its own fragility.  It's both something to revile and love all rolled up into one sappy, sentimental expression of devotion.  Played almost entirely as an acoustic piano piece, you can hear some distant sounds playing like background noise.  Is that the whistle of a train?

'Master And Servant' returns the heavy percussion and delves into the casual nature of sexual intercourse that seemed prevalent during the 80's.  Morality had shifted somewhat and Depeche Mode wanted to draw attention to it while comparing it to a flawed system of political and economic wealth disparity.

'If You Want' continues with the high energy of both melodic elements and percussive elements.  This song has all the energy of a circus!  The music is spinning and at times, carnival-like.  It's followed by the final track, 'Blasphemous Rumours'.  This is another popular tune among fans and deal mainly with irony and how in the end it must all be a huge cosmic joke by God.

If I were to say this album had an overall theme, I'd say it was a celebration of mundane live and the futility of wanting something more.  In the end, you only have what you have.  And following the plan of the system won't lead you to ultimate happiness.

It's a complicated look at reality and for young people, it espoused many fears of growing up and what they saw ahead of themselves.  Either in the lives of their parents or in the world around them.  This is an album that deeply resonates with its listeners but offers little hope.  The only true hope was in the music itself.  The only real peace of mind is found in the escapism of listening.

I loved this album as a kid and years later, when I listen to it as an adult, I still love it and find it compelling and intricate.  As young people, Depeche Mode were a deeply thoughtful group with a view of the world very people could share.  My final words:  AN EPIC COMING OF AGE ALBUM BY A BAND THAT WAS ALREADY LEGENDARY.

DEPECHE MODE - SOME GREAT REWARD
01. Something To Do
02. Lie To Me
03. People Are People
04. It Doesn't Matter
05. Stories Of Old
06. Somebody
07. Master And Servant
08. If You Want
09. Blasphemous Rumours
DVD CONTENT
01. A Short Film: Depeche Mode - 1984
02. Something To Do
03. Lie To Me
04. People Are People
05. It Doesn't Matter
06. Stories Of Old
07. Somebody
08. Master And Servant
09. If You Want
10. Blasphemous Rumours
11. If You Want (Live In Basel)
12. People Are People (Live In Basel)
13. Somebody (Live In Liverpool)
14. Blasphemous Rumours (Live In Basel)
15. Master And Servant (Live In Basel)
16. In Your Memory
17. (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me
18. Somebody (Remix)

ERASURE - I COULD FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU

Erasure...  What can you say?  They built themselves a loyal following during the 80's and 90's that's never waned.  Of course my interest lies mainly with Vince Clarke rather than musical partner Andy Bell...  But I admit, I enjoy Bell as a vocalist.  He's soulful and projects well.  He's also full of personality.  As a songwriter, I'm often baffled by his lyrics.  They're often nonsense...  Random words strung together.  But whether or not you get into the lyrics with Erasure is kinda beside the point.  What is lyrics do is paint a visual scene.  Probably more than any other artist, you can fit Erasure songs into your life easily because you latch on to one line and that sums up a moment in time for you.  The song then magically becomes that entire situation summed up in one glorious tune.  And you will always see it through that lens.  Erasure is a highly personal group for many people because of this.

'I Could Fall In Love With You' is the first single from the "Light At The End Of The World" album.  It's one of Erasure's dynamic pop efforts that could easily transition to a ballad under the right circumstances.  The music is light-hearted and fun.  The beat is energetic and Bell really invests himself into the vocal performance.  

The first two tracks are edits of a mix by Jeremy Wheatley.  They pretty basic mixes and stay relatively faithful to the original version.  They're more like arrangements of the existing tracks rather than an actual remix.  I'm happy with them.  

The next three tracks are edits of a mix by Lee Monteverde.  This mix has a heavier rhythm section and barrels along at a great pace.  Of the two mixes, it's the superior.  The 'Dub 2' is my favorite of the mixes.

The last track is 'I Like It'.  This is a non-album b-side.  It's not one of their strongest, but it's still pretty good.  The tempo is slower than usual for Erasure, but it gives Bell a chance to explore a more complex vocal arrangement.  I would normally write this track off, but if you listen to the whole thing, there are so many little interesting moments, you have to like it.  It forces you to dig it.

Erasure don't disappoint on this one.  You get great value for your money.  5 mixes, a b-side and the album version of 'I Could Fall In Love With You'...  My final words:  IT'S A WINNER, FOLKS!!!

ERAURE - I COULD FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU
01. I Could Fall In Love With You (Jeremy Wheatley Radio Mix)
02. I Could Fall In Love With You (Jeremy Wheatley Extended 12" Mix)
03. I Could Fall In Love With You (Monteverde Radio Edit)
04. I Could Fall In Love With You (Monteverde Vocal Extended Mix)
05. I Could Fall In Love With You (Monteverde Dub 2)
06. I Could Fall In Love With You (Album Version)
07. I Like It (B-Side)

YAZ - UPSTAIRS AT ERIC'S

I'm trying to remember how I discovered Yaz.  I do remember not knowing how closely they were tied with both Depeche Mode and Erasure.  In fact, I stumbled across them rather late in the 80's rather than when they were actually releasing.  My fascination with the group was sealed when I bought a copy of this album on cassette and heard the song, 'Midnight'.  At the time, I thought the group featured a male lead singer.  If you consider that and the lyrics of the song, it's no wonder I found this group fascinating.  I was struggling with my sexuality at the time and hearing a tune that seemed to be from the perspective of a gay man was something any kid in my position would gravitate to.  Finally, someone was writing music I could identify with.  Ultimately, 'Midnight' was written and performed by a female singer.  So that's slightly disappointing, but also goes to show you how undercover sexuality still was back then.  How desperate gay kids were for music and culture that they could relate to.

Now, let's talk about the music.  The album features vocalist Alison Moyet and electronic music wizard Vince Clarke.  The group was called Yazoo in the UK but here it was shortened to Yaz.  The music highly resembles the structure and sound of Depeche Mode's first album almost entirely written by Clarke, but Moyet brought something to the mix Clarke didn't have before on his own.  She brought soul and volume.  Moyet is a strong vocalist and she can dump a lot of emotion into her singing.  Although the songs are split up crediting one or the other as writer, it's obvious Vince did most of the music arranging and in some cases, wrote music for Moyet's songs.  Her style and depth forced Clarke to develop deeper rhythms and stronger bass motifs.  In effect, she brought R&B to his compositions.

Right off the bat you hear phatter beats driving the intensely paced rhythm of 'Don't Go'.  This song is absolutely brilliant.  It's followed by 'Too Pieces'.  Another smashing number.  This sparse tune is effectively one verse surrounded by a souffle of sound.  It's light, delicate and provocatively sad.  'Bad Connection' is another superb track.  It bounces, it bops and dances along at such a wonderful speed.  The lyrics are simple, fun to sing along with and catchy.  This is one I always get in trouble with.  Just the other day, while I was driving home, I was singing this one at the top of my lungs in my truck with the window down right up until I noticed by neighbors were watching me.  I quickly stopped singing only to get shouts and applause.  Doubtfully because my singing was so go...  Mostly because they enjoyed watching me make a fool out of myself.  But there you go, sheer perfection and I couldn't stop myself.

'I Before E Except After C' is a rather strange number.  It's one of Clarke's early forays into composing soundscapes or writing music specifically to evoke or create a feeling.  It features various people including Moyet reading instructions manuals to various keyboards and one speaker talking about the mythology of dragons.  It's highly experimental and oddly captivating at the same time.  I actually like the song!  'Midnight'...  What can I say?  It's soulful, amazing and sheer joy when you hear it.  This is a song I could picture many famous divas covering.  It has the depth and the power to successfully transition to a soul medium.  Imagine Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin or Rosie Gaines tackling this one.  Wow.

'In My Room' is one song I enjoyed but didn't think much about until I saw a movie towards the end of the 80's called, "The Chocolate War".  This was one of the tracks featured in the film and it was quite effective.  After seeing used in a narrative, I've never viewed it or heard the same way again.  It's more meaningful now.  'Only You' is probably the biggest hit from the album and although I like the number, it's not my favorite off the album.  I've heard dozens of covers, but nothing compares to the original.  'Goodbye Seventies' is a Moyet written number and this one really swings.  It's got those deep beats, the heavy bass motif running throughout and an overall stunning vocal delivery.  This one has the guts and power some of the others are lacking.

'Situation' is another pulse pounding powerhouse from the album and it's awesome!  This was another successful single and you have to hear it to believe it.  'Winter Kills' is the second experimental track on the disc.  I say this because it is surprising, unexpected and stark.  It's almost entirely comprised of a classical piano piece with a slightly sinister edge playing just below Moyet's striking dialogue and singing.  It's haunting, spooky and sad all at the same time.  Well done, Yaz...  They swing and hit again on the experimental songs.  The final number is 'Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)'.  This is another soul infused blistering pop effort that leaves you breathless and wanting more.

Ultimately, this album doesn't have a weak link in the chain.  It's great for whatever reason you may be listening to it.  It's an amazing example of British synth pop, New Wave, soul pop, whatever...  You can be a diehard fan of Moyet, Clarke or Depeche Mode and walk away completely satisfied with the record.  My final words:  ABSOLUTE YAZZY PERFECTION!!!

YAZ - UPSTAIRS AT ERIC'S
01. Don't Go
02. Too Pieces
03. Bad Connection
04. I Before E Except After C
05. Midnight
06. In My Room
07. Only You
08. Goodbye Seventies
09. Situation
10. Winter Kills
11. Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)  

ERASURE - OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS

Ok, this one is complicated.  I'm not a huge fan of covers and Erasure made an entire album FULL of them.  I might've skipped the disc entirely, but I was invited to this tour and it was the first time I was seeing them in concert.  So, I picked up the CD in preparation for the show.

Musically, the sound is typical Vince Clarke circa that time period.  He makes the songs much more exciting than the original versions.  But he's not a miracle worker and even though Vince and Andy may like these songs, I'm not partial to most of them.  Not even Erasure versions make them worth hearing.  At least in my opinion.

'Solsbury Hill' is a Peter Gabriel cover and this is probably my favorite track on the whole disc.  I like his version and I like theirs.  It's followed by 'Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime'.  The original version is by a group called The Korgis.  I'm not familiar with this group.  I don't know anything about them, but I have heard other versions of this song.  Erasure's is subdued and rather quiet.  I'm not sure it brings anything to the album.  I don't hate it, but I'm not rushing to play it either.  'Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)' actually sounds like something Erasure would write themselves and Andy's vocals make the track his.  It's not a bad tune.  In fact, it's quite enjoyable.

Buddy Holly is represented twice on this disc and 'Everyday' is the first of these two tracks.  Although Erasure have covered some classic rock tunes in the past; and done so quite successfully, this one seems a bit lackluster and never moves beyond a light shake and maybe a toe tap or two.  Next up is a cover of The Three Degrees big hit, 'When Will I See You Again'.  The music is upbeat and Andy delivers a credible version of this classic.  It's followed by The Ronettes 'Walking In The Rain'.  This is the third Phil Spector composition they've covered.  I've always thought it was a rather strange song and the version here does nothing to change my mind.

'True Love Ways' is the second Buddy Holly track and it has a simple rocking swing that's delicate and sweet.  The arrangement is quiet and showcases Andy's vocals.  He's right on target here, folks.  Those crooning ballads of the 50's sound wonderful under Andy's careful renditions.  Despite originally thinking this was a waste of time, I actually love this number and I've pulled the disc out a few times just to hear it.  Probably because I enjoy hearing Andy sing it.  The Righteous Brothers get a nod with 'Ebb Tide'.  I've never liked their sound, but this track sounds like it would fit on "Loveboat" and the deeper drum track saves it from slipping into complete obscurity.

What classic covers album would be complete without an Elvis Presley tune?  'I Can't Help Falling In Love' is a Presley staple.  Vince and Andy offer a passable version.  But it's nothing to get excited about.  'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'' has the distinction of being a doubleheader.  It's the second Phil Spector track and the second Righteous Brothers cover.  It's a boring song and it goes nowhere here.

If I had some input on this disc, I might've switched the last two tracks and put 'Goodnight' at the end.  It is, after all, a parting of sorts.  I've never heard it before and I don't even know the artist it's taken from.  It's similar to other tracks Erasure have done in the past and it has the distinct feel of a "Chorus" outtake.  It wouldn't surprise me if it was recorded during those sessions.  The final number is a Buggles cover.  'Video Killed The Radio Star' was a huge MTV hit and it's a great 80's song.  Erasure pay homage in grand form.  They're a product of the 80's and I think Clarke's musical quirks, beeps, blips and burps are perfect for this delightful number.  It's performed in a more reserved manner than the original; but it's bubbly fun from start to finish.

This really is a complex album to review because I can't rant and rave about it as much as I'd love to.  I have great respect for both Andy Bell and Vince Clarke.  As a musician, I think Vince Clarke is a singular vision.  He understands the binary code of modern music more than any other artist out there.  He's completely ahead of his time.  And Andy has the soulful voice of a Diva!  But the quality of the music they've selected to cover isn't nearly as interesting or accomplished as they are.  

I feel a little disappointed.  I CAN say the show was absolutely amazing and I'm so grateful I got the chance to go.  It was a magical evening and it happened during a time in my life when I was very happy.

My final words today are:  A SKIP-ABLE DISC FROM A LEGENDARY DUO.  :-(

ERASURE - OTHER PEOPLE'S SONGS
01. Solsbury Hill
02. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
03. Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
04. Everyday
05. When Will I See You Again
06. Walking In The Rain
07. True Love Ways
08. Ebb Tide
09. Can't Help Falling In Love
10. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
11. Goodnight
12. Video Killed The Radio Star 

FAMILY FANTASTIC - ...NICE!

Did you ever wonder what would've happened to disco if it hadn't become so unpopular back in the 70's? Lots of 80's electronic bands continued the legacy left behind by disco artists. In fact, disco could be said to be the forerunner to 80's pop. No matter how you look at it, successive genres of music have flirted and titillated audiences with snatches of disco style. But nothing like what the Family Fantastic has done. This is a band that embraces the legend of disco and updates it to a current standard. From reading I've done online, I know members of this band have backgrounds with a variety of groups, but I don't really know any of them outside of Vince Clarke. That's right, folks! Vince Clarke from Depeche Mode, Yaz and Erasure fame. You could call this another side project for him. He seems to have a never ending supply of beats and little ditties locked away in his head waiting for a chance to jump out and find a home. This project is no exception.

So now you know my attraction to the band. Why I bought the cd and paid full price. And you're asking yourself... Does he like it? Surprisingly... I do! Under the guidance of Clarke, (and don't fool yourself, you hear him all over these tracks), Family Fantastic employs some talented singers who take rather embarrassing lyrics and punch them up to power soul levels with disco beats swirling like laser lights all around them. You could seriously skate to this stuff.

'Get Up' starts the album off with a call to dance. Family Fantastic urges you to move out on the floor! 'Get Up' also gets a rather lackluster remix treatment as one of 3 bonus tracks at the end of the disc. 'Get Up' is fun, but hardly as infectious as 'Treat Yourself' the next track and one of the two best songs on the album. 'Treat Yourself' even features bells ringing in the background making me wanna stand up and shout, "You can ring my bell!" 'Funky Feet' and 'Spread Your Love' are both highly energetic numbers. They're both fun, but not as memorable or infectious as 'Treat Yourself'. 'Hey Nu Nu' is a song on the more cringe worthy side of things. The lyrics are quite boring and somewhat embarrassing. The fact this song gets a remix treatment at the end of the disc makes me question the taste of certain band members.

'Halfway To Heaven' is another dance number with a heavy rhythm movement and an almost Stock, Aitken & Waterman formula in the music and progression. Check out those generic background vocals and the punctuated "Whoa's" on the chorus. The generic material continues with 'One Love One Life' a mid-tempo ballad also in the hit making tradition of S.A.W. productions. The surprising track is 'Better Days'. Not because it's good, but because former Prince associate Taja Sevelle gets a writing credit here. It certainly has her sound and writing style. I'm surprised she's involved with this project. This is the other song that gets a different version at the end. The last track of the album is an acoustic version of this song. It's followed by the other truly ecstatic number, 'Soy La Reina'. This song sounds more like something Erasure would be doing. In fact, the vocalist singing wordless scales in the background sounds strikingly like Andy Bell. Like the name suggests, the song has a decidedly Latin feel to it. It's very exciting and I often see it on the internet as an unreleased Erasure outtake. But don't be misled... It has a home right here on this album. The final track is performed in the tradition of old school rap via Curtis Blow and The Sugarhill Gang. It's fun and interesting but sometimes a bit embarrassing. Hehehe.

In the end, there's more to love than to hate about this record. The music is fun even though it sometimes seems generic. As for the 3 bonus tracks, I wouldn't worry too much about getting them. In each instance, the mix doesn't do the original track justice. Ultimately, this record is all about the music. Not the lyrics or the vocalists. It's about the joyful music produced and written by a musical genius. Sit back, veg out and let nostalgia wash over you like waves on a beach. My final words: TREAT YOURSELF TO FANTASTIC FUN.

FAMILY FANTASTIC - ...NICE!
01. Get Up
02. Treat Yourself
03. Funky Feet
04. Spread Your Love
05. Hey Nu Nu
06. Halfway To Heaven
07. One Love One Life
08. Better Days
09. Soy La Reina
10. Doin' This Thing
11. Hey Nu Nu (Trance)
12. Get Up (Bleep)
13. Better Days (Acoustic)

VINCE CLARKE/PAUL QUINN - ONE DAY

I think this little single was recorded after Clarke left both Depeche Mode and Yazoo. It was probably around the time he was working on The Assembly project; which he envisioned would feature a different singer on each track. I don't know much about Paul Quinn and truthfully, I haven't done any research on the guy. I felt his vocals were barely adequate. There's nothing about his voice or style that really reaches out and grabs me. Still, I'm guessing it's another one of those collaborations.

'One Day' is a decent song. It sounds a lot like Clarke's earlier material. It's got catchy melody, great rhythm for a mid-tempo ballad and interesting lyrics. Once more, Vince shows he's mastered the skill of writing pop hits. With 'Song For' I'm a little less supportive. The song's ok, but it's not nearly as interesting or diverting as 'One Day'. The lyric drags on about some girl being gone and he goes on and on about her red lips, blah blah... Really unimaginative cliche lyrics there. Quite annoying and sadly, drags the song into obscurity. Seriously, if there was a bigger project in the making with these two, I'm glad nothing became of it. Clarke does much better with highly talented vocalists. My final words: SKIP IT UNLESS YOUR COMPLETING A COLLECTION.

VINCE CLARKE/PAUL QUINN - ONE DAY
01. One Day
02. Song For
03. One Day (Extension)
04. Song For (Extension)

THE ASSEMBLY - NEVER NEVER

Back in the early 80's after Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode, he was contemplating his next move as a musician. Along with Eric Radcliffe, he came up with the idea for The Assembly. The band was going to record each song with a different vocalist. Sadly, the only officially released tracks from the project appear on this release. 'Never Never' features Feargal Sharkey on lead vocals. The single is fairly straight forward. It has the standard version of the song, standard version of the b-side and then two extended versions. Extended versions were extremely popular back then.

'Never Never' is a pleasing number. It's nothing remarkable considering Vince Clarke's body of work both to date and afterwards. And yet it possesses a tender fragility in the emotional vocal delivery by Sharkey. You can hear the resignation in his voice. A quiet defeat. It's very touching. The extended version contains additional music mostly at the beginning of the track. The introduction is quite long, yet serves to accent the message rather effectively.

'Stop/Start' is an instrumental piece. Clarke did a number of these pieces in those days. Each one of them could easily be pop songs if lyrics had been written and this one is no exception. It's got a wonderful beat and is enjoyable to listen to. The differences between the regular and extended versions are minimal, making both versions fairly similar.

Considering the enormous back catalog of Clarke compositions and his continued work in music, you have to admire these foundation tracks that even now sound lovely and inspiring. If you can locate this single, it's worth a listen. A very enjoyable piece of synthpop history! My final words: ENJOYABLE CLASSIC!

THE ASSEMBLY - NEVER NEVER
01. Never Never
02. Stop/Start
03. Never Never (Extended Version)
04. Stop/Start (Extended Version)