Not a fan of the "I'll write 3000 words of drivel about a bar of soap to get myself an E" ...
Not a fan of the "I'll write 3000 words of drivel about a bar of soap to get myself an E" school of Ciao-ing. I think it's more important to write something well and succinctly. Of course, I may be in a minority!... :)
Member since:14.09.2003
Reviews:112
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Ultravox are generally considered as a band of two eras- before Midge Ure joined, and after he joined. The odd, often minimalistic musing of their New Wave era of the late 70s had long been brushed away by the time "Rage in Eden" appeared in 1981, the follow-up to their breakthrough album "Vienna".
People generally either love or hate Ultravox, and it's easy to see the reasoning of both sides on this album. Midge Ure's vocals and lyrics are utterly pretentious, the echo of a band that has begun to disappear up itself in no uncertain manner. Scattered throughout the album, such as on songs like "The Stranger Within" are moments of over-theatrical warbling.
That said, some of the songs here are quite beautiful, with the synths on "The Ascent" sounding especially gorgeous. The production is top-notch and the album has a pristine, modern sheen to it which puts it ahead of the competition. If you're a fan of well-crafted synth-pop then I would still recommend the album.
Shortly after this outing, the band's journey into their own collective backside would be complete, and by the time the dreadful "U-Vox" appeared in 1986 they had well and truly thrown in the towel. But "Rage in Eden" is still worth getting, as a reminder of when this band were still at the forefront of what would become the New Romantic revolution.
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I went to see Ultravox on their Rage in Eden tour back in the 80’s but haven’t played this album in years now - only got it on vinyl and no turntable - lol Lexy
Nar 30.11.2004 02:14
Welcome to Ciao. You talk about the sound being far ahead of its time however you dont elaborate on much. Shame really. I thought Id be in for a treat of a review. A compact review that says minimal. If you update with more info, perhaps on more tracks and ones that you think are worth listening to, by all means add it to your review. nar