Erasure - Light at the End of the World
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Free Music Notes for Light at the End of the World
Free Music Review: Classic Erasure sound--maybe a little too classic?
Hit: 4 Stars
For those who loved Andy Bell's electro house-injected solo CD, the latest Erasure release, which finds Vince Clark totally sticking to what he knows best--his 1986 synthesizers--may disappoint. I personally was hoping the band together would have moved ahead with the times as Andy did solo, instead of sticking with that same sound that they used in the 90s that found their record sales dropping. Fortunately for them, 80s retro is in, but even bands who use it to their advantage (Shiny Toy Guns, Infernal, Lasgo) manage to bring the 80s into the new millennium. Erasure hasn't quite succeeded here accept for on one track, but there's no denying that this is safe and familiar territory that should please the band's fans. Some notes on each track:
1. Sunday Girl (Shockingly, it's NOT a cover of the blondie track. This has that fairly dated Erasure synthpop sound of the 90s.)
2. I Could Fall In Love With You (another dated 90s synthpop track)
3. Sucker for Love (this track is absolutely delicious. Definitely retains that old school Erasure sound, but does what the whole album should have done--it injects some modern electro house nrg to make this one an absolute winner)
4. Storm in a Teacup (that classic mellow synth dance sound Erasure has been doing for years---making it sound like something you've heard before...)
5. Fly Away (sounds a bit dated yes, but the chorus is Erasure melody and dance at its best)
6. Golden Heart (remember blue savannah song? this one has that feel)
7. How My Eyes Adore You (typical downtempo Erasure synthpop)
8. Darlene (see number 7 above)
9. When a Lover Leaves You (see number 7 and 8 above)
10. Glass Angel (see number 7, 8, and 9 above but give it a moodier, gloomier egde)
11. Be My Baby (Classic Erasure dance pop. Dated yes, but again, Erasure at their most comfortable)
12. I Don't Know Why (Classic Erasure perfection. Probably one of the best synthdance tracks on here)
Most definitely, this limited edition version with the 2 bonus tracks is THE version to get, because the bonus tracks are two of the best songs on here.
Free Music Review: Enjoyable, Solid Release
Hit: 4 Stars
I have just received my Limited Edition version and have listened to it about 3 or 4 times. Definitely the boys went back to their more comfortable style, but you can see they have included influences of both Andy's solo work and the previous 2 or 3 CDs. This is pure Erasure campy fun, with touches of personal feelings and emotions on certain tracks. I will say up front that i really enjoy all of the songs - not a particularly weak track to be found with "How my Eyes Adore you" being the song I like the least. That being said, the first 6 songs are particularly strong for different reasons. Love Sunday Girl, I could fall in Love with you, and Sucker for Love....But the Standouts to me are "Fly Away", "Storm in a Teacup" and "Golden Heart". I always listen to their CDs a few times through without reading the lyrics - just really listening to all of Vince's and Andy's work and usually there are songs that give me goosebumps for whatever reasons...The three songs I mentioned as my favorites/standouts had this effect on me. Fly Away in particular is very moving. I agree with other reviews in that this is a CD for Erasure fans..If you dont like classic Erasure, you probably wont enjoy this CD as much as true Erasure fans. It is a classic collection of "shake your money maker" Dance Floor ditties with some touching ballads. The additional songs on the limited addition are worthy, but not standouts. I actually like the song ("I like it") they included as the extra single on the "I could fall in love with you" single better than the two they included on the limited edition. Also, I still feel NightBird is probably the best overall Erasure release, but this is a solid performance as well. I look forward to the Tour to hear these songs live.Free Music Review: Doing What They Do Best
Hit: 4 Stars
Erasure hasn't made all-out uptempo dance music in a while, and to make up for that lack, they hit us 1-2-3 with their best disco songs since 1995's "Cold Summer's Day." "Sunday Girl" is a tour-de-force--a song about what happens to fickle lovers when the lights are low and the music is high. It is their best single in years. They follow this with "I Could Fall in Love With You," currently riding high on the US Dance Charts, and the manic, beat-heavy, dramatic "Sucker for Love." The vocal bridge on this last song is stunning. Andy Bell's singing on all these tracks is strong, forceful and melodic. Hearing him belt out these tunes, we are reminded that he is not only a very good singer, he is one of the all-time great dance divas.
Lest you think "Light at the End of the World" is an all-night dance party, the next three songs are gorgeous ballads, beginning with the highly personal "Storm in a Teacup." "Fly Away" and "Golden Heart" showcase Andy's soaring vocals. His singing and vocal arrangements throughout the album are focused and strong.
The synth arrangements on "Sunday Girl," with it's retro-disco touches, and on "Sucker for Love" are attention grabbers, but most of the rest of the backing tracks are fairly low-key. There are some nice touches sprinkled throughout, but there are also some jarring moments--like the overly shrill bridge on "Storm in a Teacup." Overall, the arrangements serve as a nice backdrop to showcase the strength of the songs. Of the last four songs, the other real winner is "Darlene."
Erasure is enjoying a wonderful renaissance, begun with "Nightbird" and continuing here. 20-odd years on, they continue to produce satisfying, sometimes transcendent songs.
Free Music Review: This is what Erasure does best!
Hit: 4 Stars
People who are dissatisfied with this release have got to be kidding. This bubbly, electronic stuff that is signature Erasure is one of the main reasons Vince Clark left behind the confines of Depeche Mode and the soul-dance pop of Yazoo. Could you imagine Vince going along with the dirge like pretensions of Alison Moyet and Depeche Mode's combined outputs for the past few years? I think not. He had to return to form, even after "experimenting" with live discs and acoustic sets to prove his depth. That's not why we love him or Andy Bell. Much in the same Abba truly excelled when they stuck to form with their brand of pop, so too does Erasure truly shine above all when they embrace the sounds that made them come into existence in the first place. We don't need Erasure to be the Pet Shop Boys (look no further for a wild, all-over-the-place duo that's succumbed to pretension). So what if "Sunday Girl" sounds like "Is This The Way To Amarillo"? Neil Sedaka's "Amarillo" was pure joyous pop and Erasure is pure joyous dance-pop. That track alone is worth the price of admission to this CD. I don't think Vince has come this close to composing songs "musically" so joyous since "Oh L'Amour," "Sometimes," "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me," or his grand initial musical statement with Depeche Mode, "Just Can't Get Enough". To the naysayers...leave those pretensions at the door and just dance around and go along the ride with Vince and Andy once again!Free Music Review: Consistant.
Hit: 4 Stars
A shorter, punchier Erasure release, but of course not without it's dark moments. This is not the greatest of their albums, though it is very, very infectious. Nightbird is hard to top.
There seems to be two Erasures - One is the duo that gave us Chains of Love, Star, Chorus, Don't Say Your Love is Killing Me, and Freedom. Then there is another Erasure that gave us much of the ERASURE, I SAY and NIGHTBIRD albums. Sadder, darker, warmer. This new record is sadly the former. It's great dance music, hummable and gospel-tinged with a 130 bpm disco thump, but besides Storm in a Teacup this is a pretty shallow album. A great shallow album. You can hear the Other People's Songs/Electric Blue influences.
The only REAL complaints I can voice is the relatively short running time, a general lack of variance in tunes from song to song compared to some Erasure outings of the past, and the cheap-ish looking cover and packaging. If you are a fan though - you can buy confidently, knowing this record is somewhere in the WILD!/COWBOY range of vibe and quality, and certainly better than others...