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
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)
