Music Review: Erasure - Light at the End of the World

Erasure seem to be experiencing a second wind lately. About a decade ago, after the release of Cowboy, they began to just flounder around for a few years. In between the times when they weren't releasing anything, product crept out in the form of either uninspired cash-ins (yet another best-of, Hits!, or a covers album, Other People's Songs) or the thoroughly lackluster studio release Loveboat.

Lately, however, the duo of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell have been dipping into a very nice fountain of youth, and reminding everyone how formidable they have been at creating pop song perfection over the past twenty-plus years. 2005 began with the release of perhaps one of the group's best albums to date, Nightbird, and ended with the live DVD companion piece, Live In Copenhagen. Last year saw them take a break and record the acoustic Union Street. Although a polarizing release for some fans, due to its stark stylistic departure from their norm, it did do one thing very effectively. It showcased the quality of the pair's songwriting ability. Stripped from lavish and technical arrangements, they became rather simple and endearing reinventions on their own. And personally, I loved it.

Now we have the release of their newest album, Light at the End of the World. Where their previous all-original release, Nightbird, was largely awash in mid-tempo loveliness, the new record is geared towards being decidedly more “fun.” Stylistically it falls somewhere in between I Say, I Say, I Say and Cowboy. It makes no excuses for hearkening back to what Erasure do best: electronic beeps, sharp hooks, and pure pop.

The record starts off with the disco influenced “Sunday Girl”, which is bouncy enough to convince you that they're dead serious about having a little dancefloor fun this time around. Things follow in turn with the first single, “I Could Fall In Love With You”, which is as strong and catchy a radio track as the duo have delivered in years. And the pace doesn't let up with “Sucker For Love,” which somehow manages to mash up high 70s disco, gospel-influenced vocals, and a nod to 50s era bubblegum love songs.

Article Author: David R Perry

Lost somewhere in the rolling hills of Tennessee, David R Perry can occasionally be found doing dark, unspeakable things to words. Printed words, spoken words, electronically mangled words... really any kind but twittered words.

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