Disco de Erasure: “Other People's Songs”

Erasure is back. The UK synth-pop duo has kicked-off 2003 with yet another great album. Quite descriptively titled, "Other People's Songs" is a 12 track interpretive of some of rock and pop's best songs from the last 50-plus years. I have heard about half of these songs by their original artists, and the rest are new to me. Either way, after listening to this album, they are all sounding most definitely like Erasure tunes. Where most covers album fail miserably, this one has succeeded quite admirably.

"Other People's Songs" gets started with a Peter Gabriel cover, "Solsbury Hill". It is the lead single for the release, and has been revamped in typical Vince Clarke & Andy Bell fashion. There are the trademark bleeps, synth-pop beats, and Bell's warbly voice. "Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime" is slow, melodic, and soothingly beautiful. "Everyday" is a short, fun little ditty. Even though it is a famous old pop song, Erasure have made it their own here. "True Love Ways" is interesting: a Buddy Holly remake that, on one hand, sounds almost like it belongs in the time period from which it originated, but on the other hand it truly displays Andy Bell's own personal vocal abilities, and the 'Erasure sound' is in full embodiment here. Truly a great cover. My favorite song on the album is "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". Strong, heartfelt, wonderful. Quite a powerful rendition. "Goodnight" is a quiet, loving little number. My only quibble is with "Video Killed the Radio Star", the album-ending track. It is very reminiscent of the original version, and I was never a fan of that song. I would have much preferred the inclusion of Erasure's rendition of "Ave Maria", which is on their single for "Solsbury Hill".

All in all, "Other People's Songs" is a success. Doing a covers album is risky. Erasure has managed to pull it off quite well. It isn't a terribly long album but it is high on quality, and isn't that the most important factor? With three years since their last release, it looks like Erasure wanted to take their time to get it right. Just look at the results, and you'll see that it was worth it.

This will not become your favorite Erasure album, unless it's the only one you own. However, there are some great songs on here, especially their versions of "Solsbury Hill," "Make Me Smile," and "Goodnight." The other stuff may be less enjoyable but it's still fun to sing along to in the car, especially if you know the original versions; however, I can see younger fans not liking a lot of the tunes here. So put the best songs in your iPod and you're all set.

Let me start off by saying I'm a huge Erasure fan. I have all their CD's and even the boxed singles sets. I have yet to come accross an Erasure CD I didn't like...Until now. I can't make it past the first song (Solsbury hill). Vince sounds like He's playing on a cheap Casio key board and Andy just sounds tired. I don't feel like they added anything or brought anything unique to the covers. Could have been so good and it's just not.

I was intitally disapointed with this album, but I've now listened to it many times and find that I truly enjoy about two-thirds of this CD.

Easily the best tracks for me are tracks 1(Solsbury Hill),

3(Make Me Smile), 9(Can't Help Falling in Love) and 11 (Goodnight).

I've always like Elvis' CHFIL but this version just is soo lovely and I love the harmonys and techno music mix to it. Solsbury Hill is also lovely sounding without it sound like the original and fresh enough to enjoy listening to both versions. I had never heard track 11's original version, still haven't, but if it is even half as good as the remix it is a very good song. If it isn't then Erasure has really done an amazing job on this piece, very poignant and soft.

All the other songs are of varying degrees of delight and disinterest my least favorite being tracks 2 and 12. I think the rehash of the Buggles, Video Killed the Radio Star is extremely dull and uninteresting with a silly cheap sounding synth voiceover and dull music. It doesn't have half of the life of the original and I was very disapointed since it was something I thought Erasure would do a fabulous remix of. But then I wasn't expecting to enjoy the Elvis remix it is by far my favorite. And track 2 just does nothing for me, not horrible but not interesting either.

Three years after releasing their vastly underrated album "Loveboat," that lovable British electro-pop duo Erasure, featuring vocalist Andy Bell and multi-instrumentalist Vince Clarke, have released a 12-song album featuring their covers of their favorite pop songs.

Kicking off the album is an interesting choice, the transcendant Peter Gabriel song, "Solsbury Hill." This song features a passionate Bell and catchy synth work of Clarke who emits delicious beats and space age flying saucer sounds from his keyboards.

On their cover of Buddy Holly's "everyday," we are treated to a carefree interpretation of the wide-eyed original, right down to Holly's trademark, "hey-hey, a-hey-hey."

And on the Elvis Presley classic, "Can't Help Falling in Love," Clarke uses a liberal dose of synth beats, but Bell's swoon-worthy vocals on this sugary sweet ballad keeps things in check.

Bell's matinee idol vocals on "Walking in the Rain," "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin'," and "Goodnight" are so over the top that at times you're not sure whether to smile or wince. Either way, they are most enjoyable to the ears.

Their cover of the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," may have been a bit much, but the robot voices and "Tron"-esque sounds tend to grow on you after a few spins.

Granted, it's been a while since Erasure was the toast of gay dance clubs and college radio stations everywhere, but the Reagan-Bush era magic is back with "Other People's Songs." I urge everyone who appreciates a modern interpretation of the pop classics to trot on down to the corner record shop and pick up the latest from Erasure.