Erasure: Tomorrow's World

[Flaffer]

not bad at all, on a slight tangent I've woken up from nightmares three times over the last two nights (genuinely). The three hooded Andy Bell dolls I expect will now make it a hat trick, but it is a good image.

[Drico One]

That's an inventive video. On its own merits, that's a decent track too. However, in the great scheme of Erasure's career, I'm at a loss as to what the point of this is. It doesn't fit in to their oeuvre at all. Andy's gay-lib imp seems to have gone to Christendom and converted in a bid to seem even weirder than he already is. Strangely, he comes across all establishment as a result.

At their best, Erasure meant something. They personified a determined fight for inclusion on their own terms, a visceral scream for tolerance and acceptance, a joyous, defiant shout for personal liberation. Yes, they dressed it all up in fairy dust and whimsy, but they stood for something that teenagers could relate to.

This? I don't know what to make of it. As a track, it's fine. But what does it stand for? What's the message? It's not even the latest installment in their continuing story. It's artistically redundant. It just seems so out of place, so not them.

Unlike others, I like Erasure, so "not them" isn't much of a recommendation to me. Still, all things considered, at least there's nobody sitting on a toilet in the video.

Drico.

[Jamesqdot]

This? I don't know what to make of it. As a track, it's fine. But what does it stand for? What's the message? It's not even the latest installment in their continuing story. It's artistically redundant. It just seems so out of place, so not them.

Unlike others, I like Erasure, so "not them" isn't much of a recommendation to me. Still, all things considered, at least there's nobody sitting on a toilet in the video.

Drico.

I happen to like Erasure too. What I fail to understand is the prevailing opinion of many that this, and indeed the Christmas themed album, is somehow "not them". Maybe its something to do with the timing of my earliest Erasure purchases, which were You Surround Me followed quickly by everything else from the Wild! and then The Innocents period. But as far as I can tell, Erasure have always been "into" the whole Christmas thing. Crackers International is effectively a Christmas EP, and the You Surround Me, Supernature and Star packages all shared Christmas elements, from the artwork through to the b-sides. It trickles through into various other albums as well, such as I Say, I Say, I Say, for example.

This is just an extension of that. I don't see myself exclusively playing this at Christmas, just as I don't exclusively play any of those other tracks at that time of year. They remind me of it, but so what?

This sounds far more like a typical - or perhaps I should say familiar - Erasure album in terms of production and the overall tone than Tomorrow's World and many, many albums previous to it.

[Drico One]

What I fail to understand is the prevailing opinion of many that this, and indeed the Christmas themed album, is somehow "not them". Maybe its something to do with the timing of my earliest Erasure purchases, which were You Surround Me followed quickly by everything else from the Wild! and then The Innocents period. But as far as I can tell, Erasure have always been "into" the whole Christmas thing. Crackers International is effectively a Christmas EP, and the You Surround Me, Supernature and Star packages all shared Christmas elements, from the artwork through to the b-sides. It trickles through into various other albums as well, such as I Say, I Say, I Say, for example.

Is it a prevailing opinion? I thought it was just mine. Anyway, I think the reason I find this record out of place is because they've done nothing of any great merit for ages - their last album was about half an hour long - and suddenly they're making some Christmas novelty record. Erasure did indeed touch on the Christmas theme in the past, but Stop would have been a hit at any time of year - its Christmas bells were purely opportunistic given the release schedule. Stop was and is timeless. It would have gone top 5 in July. Their version of Gaudete is, well, very much of a certain time - if not place. In other words, there was so much more to their music in the past. Now, they seem as timeless as the Christmas tree bauble that comes with the limited edition.

Having said all of that, I quite like Gaudete - and I really like the video. Andy is plausible as a deviant castrato and Vince carries off the hooded Medieval organist with aplomb. It just won't last into January...

Drico.

[Jamesqdot]

Is it a prevailing opinion? I thought it was just mine. Anyway, I think the reason I find this record out of place is because they've done nothing of any great merit for ages - their last album was about half an hour long - and suddenly they're making some Christmas novelty record. Erasure did indeed touch on the Christmas theme in the past, but Stop would have been a hit at any time of year - its Christmas bells were purely opportunistic given the release schedule. Stop was and is timeless. It would have gone top 5 in July. Their version of Gaudete is, well, very much of a certain time - if not place. In other words, there was so much more to their music in the past. Now, they seem as timeless as the Christmas tree bauble that comes with the limited edition.

Having said all of that, I quite like Gaudete - and I really like the video. Andy is plausible as a deviant castrato and Vince carries off the hooded Medieval organist with aplomb. It just won't last into January...

Drico.

No, it isn't just you. I've read similar comments and opinions in various places.

Stop was just one track on Crackers International though. Yes it was the featured one to promote the release, but it is a proper EP in the old sense of the word, and given that it features a further two Christmas tracks (She Won't Be Home & God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, both of which are getting new 2013 versions on the deluxe edition of the album) one with a strong Christmas theme.

What irks me is that there's clearly some quirky production going on in this, which is quite typical of Vince and predictably polarising. If this didn't have the ridiculous cover and obviously kitsch title, and they hadn't announced it as a "Christmas" album, I suspect the reception would have been a lot less frosty.

[transforce]

I think it's great. First Erasure single I've bought in a very long time.

[Syncratic]

Is it a prevailing opinion? I thought it was just mine. Anyway, I think the reason I find this record out of place is because they've done nothing of any great merit for ages - their last album was about half an hour long - and suddenly they're making some Christmas novelty record. Erasure did indeed touch on the Christmas theme in the past, but Stop would have been a hit at any time of year - its Christmas bells were purely opportunistic given the release schedule. Stop was and is timeless. It would have gone top 5 in July. Their version of Gaudete is, well, very much of a certain time - if not place. In other words, there was so much more to their music in the past. Now, they seem as timeless as the Christmas tree bauble that comes with the limited edition.

Having said all of that, I quite like Gaudete - and I really like the video. Andy is plausible as a deviant castrato and Vince carries off the hooded Medieval organist with aplomb. It just won't last into January...

Drico.

No, it isn't just you. I've read similar comments and opinions in various places.

Stop was just one track on Crackers International though. Yes it was the featured one to promote the release, but it is a proper EP in the old sense of the word, and given that it features a further two Christmas tracks (She Won't Be Home & God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, both of which are getting new 2013 versions on the deluxe edition of the album) one with a strong Christmas theme.

What irks me is that there's clearly some quirky production going on in this, which is quite typical of Vince and predictably polarising. If this didn't have the ridiculous cover and obviously kitsch title, and they hadn't announced it as a "Christmas" album, I suspect the reception would have been a lot less frosty.

To some extent I agree with this. In theory this fits into the gothic Erasure of Crown of Thorns, Siren Song, So The Story Goes element of Erasure. That said, that was going on 20 years ago. I like the video and don't hate the track. It jars with the imagery of the artwork and some of the misjudged tracks. That said, I love 'Make It Wonderful' of what I've heard and the recent remix work of Vince.

[Jamesqdot]

Here you go folks... you can stream the entire album on YouTube for a limited time.

[dynamobjornen]

After the first spin i think that "Bells Of Love", "Gaudete", "Make It Wonderful" and "Loving Man" are the true highlights. "White Christmas", "The Christmas Song" and "Silent Night" are....., well they suck really. Credit to Vince for beautiful classic analogue arrangements throughout the album.

The problem is that it is the songs with little or no connection to christmas that are the really good ones.

A decent effort over all IMO, 3/5.

Edit. wow, "Make it Wonderful" is actually amazing, love it!

[dynamobjornen]

Here you go folks... you can stream the entire album on YouTube for a limited time.

Great find by the way, just went over and looked at the Erasure forum and it seems they are still unaware that they can listen to the full album

[Patrick Bateman]

Great find by the way, just went over and looked at the Erasure forum and it seems they are still unaware that they can listen to the full album

To be fair, most of them are still unaware that it's not 1988.

[dynamobjornen]

Great find by the way, just went over and looked at the Erasure forum and it seems they are still unaware that they can listen to the full album

To be fair, most of them are still unaware that it's not 1988.

[Drico One]

Good grief. That was lamentable.

I suppose if you're going to go from Top of the Pops to a cruise ship somewhere over the rainbow, it can't be much of a surprise when you come back with a ripe-for-the-pluckin' Pocket Simon-inspired Christmas turkey.

To be honest, I'm almost distressed after hearing that. It's hideous. I don't know what's worse: the appalling demise of a once-great pop duo (and yes, they were stellar in their heyday), or the fact that they didn't have the good taste or sense to realise that this is just grade A excrement completely unbecoming of them. Abject.

Drico.

[Disco.]

Some good songs on that album, Roll on Christmas.

[DJ Pat]

I didn't expect a lot but was pleasantly shocked