HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL , HOPE TO SEE YOU MORE OFTEN THIS YEAR !
<BRIAN.KIDD@sky.com>...
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL , HOPE TO SEE YOU MORE OFTEN THIS YEAR !
<BRIAN.KIDD@sky.com>
Member since:10.05.2001
Reviews:185
Members who trust:24
Erasures 14th studio album ' Union Street ' was released in April 2006 .It has received mixed reviews , so here's mine !
'Other Peoples Songs ' their 12th studio album was a collection of cover songs that both Andy and Vince enjoy . It brought mixed reviews , but again brought the pop world to the attention of Erasure . Their follow up album ' Nightbird ' was released to critical acclaim worldwide .
Union Street's release has again brought Erasure to the forefront of the pop industry attention again . The UK on the whole seem disrespectful of both the album and Erasure ( with general popularity declining ) , while in the USA popularity is rising and the album has proved a huge success . Indeed the album has been released predominantly with the America market in mind .
But why the mixed reviews - perhaps it's because on this occasion Erasure have dumped the traditional synth sound and gone totally acoustic , perhaps because the contents are reworking of songs spanning their 20+ years in the music business and not necessarily the hits you would imagine to be included . Andy has said " one motivating factor behind Union Street
was to show the songs in a different light, and show that they could work on whatever instrument, synthesisers or guitars. Vince agrees: "We just felt there were songs on our albums that had been missed as songs." .
Union Street was recorded in the Brooklyn studio of the same name, which is owned by guitarist Steve Walsh. He previously played on Erasure's 'Other People's Songs' and then went on to produce album Nightbird. In deciding to use Walsh in this venture Vince is reported to have said "We found this cool guitarist with a cool studio and decided to use both" . And why not !
< Track Listing > ( original version location in brackets )
1) Boy ( Cowboy ) 2) Paino Song ( Wild! ) 3) Stay With me ( Erasure ) 4) Spiralling ( Circus ) 5) Home ( Chorus ) 6) Tendereest Moments ( b-side single Run To The Sun ) 7) Alien ( Loveboat ) 8) Blues Away ( I Say I Say I Say ) 9) How Many Times ( Wild ! ) 10) Love Affair ( Cowboy ) 11) Rock Me Gently ( Erasure )
< Does it work ? >
In a single word YES . Going acoustic has allowed Andy's vocals to show their true light , bringing the richer, more soulful depths of his vocal range to the fore . It also shows the beauty of Vinces musical scores . Sure the synth brings a certain quality to the original songs that many a group would give their soul for , however the selection of tracks used shows us the raw yet striking beauty that lurks in all Erasure songs . I'll not bore you with a track by track evaluation ( after all you can read my other Eraure reviews for a low down the tracks ) , however I will comment on three , namely :
4) Spiralling : Ballad , full of melancholy introspection , heart tugging vocals and crisp understated guitar in the background . This song now has new meaning , is about a partnership breakup and the time it takes to get over such a thing . What however makes this different from the original is the lack of the last verse . We know have a song of sadness but with light at the end of the tunnel , where as the original was sadness tempered with the wish to commit suicide ( I lie not ) - the last verse is '"Show me the way , they say safety in numbers , I lift up my eyes to the sky and imagine a crowd of hearts that surround me , and give me the courage to die . Were you to weep and lie soft at my feet , then you'd wish all my troubles away and imagine the host of angels around me , that give me the courage to die."
11) Rock Me Gently - originally over the top , dramatic almost operatic and 8+ minutes long , with superb musical interlude between the lyrics . Now cut in length by half , it's reborn . The emotion is still their , but brought to the full with simple guitar and beatiful choral accompaniment .
2) Piano Song - All the elements of the original ballad are here , but the use of slide guitar turns this song into nothing short of Country and Western , but boy it really works . Move over Dolly , Andy's here now !
< Availability and price >
Any decent music store will have this for sale or available to order . Prices range from £9.99 ( ASDA ) to £16.99 ( HMV ) so do shop around . Alternatively you can order from www.mute.com , or even get a copy from Ebay ( watch out however for copies - there's a 'Russian release' with 9 bonus tracks added to the album , however one of the bonus tracks ( Send Me An Angel ) is not even an Erasure song ( written , produced , son by Real Life ) )
< Overview >
A stange omission is the acoustic hit version of ' Oh L'Amour ' - a huge hit a few years back , which started the American love affair .
Union Street shows us there is much more to Vince and Andy than the shiny synth pop we all know . Unplugged, both musically and emotionally, they have never sounded so graceful . The album is full of surprises , but hey were talking about Erasure here , never a group to shy away from controversy , never a group scared to experiment . Aways a group to succeed in their aims - the latest Book of British Hit Singles ranks the duo among the Top 100 Most Successful Acts of All Time , what more proof do you want . A definate worthwhile addition for any Erasure fan , and for those new to Erasure a great introduction to proper music .
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'Union St.' is Erasure's follow up to their 2005's return to form album 'Nightbird'. ... more
Synths (as ever) are present, as are Andy Bell's distinctive vocals stylings, making this collection of ballads and upbeat pop classics a must for anybody who apprecia...
Sep 3rd, 2006
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