Yazoo Album: “Upstairs at Eric's [Japan Bonus Tracks]”

While I love the U.S. version of this seminal synth-pop CD, now that I just bought the UK Import version, I love it even more, if that's possible?! WHY? Because for some strange reason, the U.S. version OMITTED the amazing "lost" album track "TUESDAY," as well as YAZ(OO)'s final single together, the hyper electro dance ditty "THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE," as well as the sought-after ORIGINAL U.S REMIX of "SITUATION" by Francois K! What are you waiting for? EVERY track is brilliant - I am partial to non-single tracks like MIDNIGHT, IN MY ROOM, etc. - but now with these "new" cuts, this really is a nice addition to any 80s/electronica/pop/soul CD collection. I wonder why ALISON MOYET and/or VINCE CLARKE can't quite make albums as good as this one nowadays?!

If you are a fan of Vince Clark/Alison Moyet/Yaz(oo), then you must have this album. It is superior to the American release, as it has the great album track "Tuesday," and their third UK single, "The Other Side of Love," neither of which appear on the US CD.

"Situation," "Don't Go," and "Only You" are three of the finest technopop songs ever produced. The marriage of the voice of Alison Moyet to the spare techno landscape provided by Vince Clark provided a template for 80's dance music. Often imitated, never equalled.

This classic album came out of the early 1980s synth-pop craze. OMD and Eurythmics were two other duos that produced superb music in the style, and Human League's wonderful album

dates from the same era.

Moyet's soulful vocals blend perfectly with Clarke's simple but engaging synth melodies to create timeless pop classics like Don't Go, Situation and the sublime Only You (

recorded a remarkable a capella version). This song is sheer poetry!

Not all the tracks are of this high standard, but they're all interesting, including the sound collage thingie I Before E. This is certainly one of the masterpieces that brought synth-pop to the mainstream in the footsteps of artists like Kraftwerk, David Bowie, Suicide and Gary Numan.

After reading the reviews here on Amazon I picked up the import version of this CD. What all the prior reviewers have said is true. This is an excellent CD from beginning to end with maybe only a hiccup or 2 along the way.

The sound quality on this CD stinks and I don't like it. I understand this is an older recording but the volume on this CD is super low. This is a CD in need of a remaster. I would think at this point they could just run it through some software to fix it but what do I know.

I remembered early '83...:) very nice! If you like Erasure, you must like this album.