Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There are many reasons to believe that the 1980s was a decade in which to forget musically, it cannot be denied that the pop scene, aided by the advance in music television and the mass appeal of the accompanying video, was something of an extravaganza, it was the raging hulk that couldn’t be slowed down and few other bands and their music from other genres were able to corner any type foothold in the minds of the music fan.
The near stranglehold belied the fact that there was some good stuff that came out of the decade, more than some, it was just misplaced and it was that music that captured the ear in the 80s which at least kept the following decade ticking over in amongst the severe drought that the 90s endured.
One such band that kept the decades flowing with decent lyrics, well defined attitude, a sprinkling of fun and the willingness to further the sound of the electronic art was Erasure, Vince Clarke and Andy Bell’s project which has defied Time with combined complete assured whimsy and brutal strength and has seen them release a 30th Anniversary retrospective and a mass of remixes under one huge package, one that has captured the sound that was forever being played, Always it seems is just another word for forever,
The appeal of Erasure cannot be easily dismissed, its pop sentiment flourishes under the weight of expectation, Vince Clarke’s near domination of the electronic art form produces intelligence and understanding and Andy Bell himself is a showman of the pop world, it is a match that many find irresistible and charming.
The remixes aside, Always appreciates the point of a retrospective, the ability to look back in the catalogue and offer a tantalising grasp of a band’s worth and physical output, especially when the band has endured for three decades and a constant stream of hits.
With tracks such as Oh L’Amour, Sometimes, The Circus, the excellent A Little Respect and Love To Hate You strewn into the very fabric of the album, it’s not just easy to see the allure of the band but as the listener takes on each song it becomes evident that you’re not just hearing a pop group, you are taking on the words and values of a colossus.
The art of releasing a retrospective is lost on some bands, they are too indulgent, sometimes they get lost in the void of commercialism and offer nothing new at all, they offer only fluff and the chance to be shaken down to enrich the coffers of the marketing team, Always though goes past that, it truly feels as though it’s a labour of love and one that captures the sights and smells of two men who have consistently entertained and identified with a certain genre of music throughout.
An enjoyable twist on the best of range, it is Always good for the soul to be able to dance in another person’s thoughts, Erasure have certainly seen to that.
Ian D. Hall