I don't know...I still have a sour feeling about Erasure, and I'll tell you, it all comes down to Andy Bell simply sounding like a male version on Alison Moyet (of Yaz). It just doesn't make sense to me that Vince Clarke would break up the prior popular duo of Yaz to simply go on and create another version of them.
Though they failed to garner much attention with their debut, Erasure would finally break through with the single, Sometimes, which peaked at number two in the UK and Germany. It would apparently become the first of many successful hits for the group. The album it would end up on, 1987's The Circus, would reach number six in the UK, and spawn additional hits, It Doesn't Have To Be, Victim Of Love, and the album titled track, The Circus.
Playing through it, the album opener, It Doesn't Have To Be did certainly stand out as okay, but ultimately wasn't anything to write home about. In fact, by track four, and a series of mediocre tunes, I would be lying if I said I even remembered how the song even sounded. At this point, I was too focused on what I said above. Andy Bell just sounds like Alison Moyet, and frankly, I'd rather be hearing these songs sung by her.
Side one of the album droned on, continuing to deliver blandness at its best. Considering side two boasted three hits, I set my expectations a bit higher than I probably should have. This resulted in the opener, and hit for that side, Victim Of Love, being pretty disappointing. If this was a hit, I don't see how.
Surprisingly, things turned around pretty abruptly with the non-hit, Leave Me Blead. It really shocked me that I was suddenly enjoying thing, and all the more better when the following tunes, and aforementioned hits, Sometimes, and The Circus, consecutively came up next. Where was this album hiding? Why didn't Erasure start with these two tracks instead?
The Circus wouldn't make too many waves in the US. However, it did spawn a couple hits on the Hot Dance Music / Club Play. Additionally, as a whole, the album did manage to hit the Billboard Hot 200, peaking at 190.
Erasure would also release a counterpart remix album that same year, The Two Ring Circus. Surprisingly, it would actually fair better on the Hot 200 than its parent album, though not by much, peaking at 186.
1988 would finally bring their USA breakthrough with the album, The Innocents, but we'll dive into that one tomorrow. As for now...Still not a big fan of Erasure. However, I'm coming around a bit. I just wish Andy Bell had his own style and voice, and wasn't just a carbon copy of Moyet.
Click "HERE" to go back to the home page. For more posts related to this one, please click the labels below.
Disclaimer:
They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins
posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None
of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or
distribution.
 |
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 1, 1983 |
 |
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 1, 1988
|
