Album Highlights Rain Worlds on Fire In My Arms Boy How Can I Say Save Me Darling Weakest Track Precious Rating

Critical Quote
"Now this is more like it. If there is one band that defines world pop music then it's got to be Erasure. From the disco ballads of 'Rain' and 'Worlds on Fire' to the camp joy that is 'Save Me Darling', Erasure prove the secret to making loads of great albums, is to write loads of great songs." - The Sunday Mirror


Onge Review
Released sandwiched between extensive Erasure touring, this is an album full of the most perfect pop songs which deserved much better than a UK chart highest of tenth. The album never received the coverage it deserved and hence the public were denied the opportunity to familiarise themselves once more with Erasure's sensational song writing. The album could not begin any better than with Rain, an amazing passionate dance classic which was worthy of much more than to be an obscure EP eligible for the UK charts. A wonderfully executed vocal performance over a perfect disco melody makes this one of Erasure's finest triumphs. Despite the marvel of Rain, it is followed by another storming track in Worlds On Fire. An interesting, if nearly over synthesised arrangement from Vince is complimented perfectly by another fine performance from Andy, with superb All Through The Years style backing in the chorus. Fine imagery encased in the lyrics make this another excellent Erasure track. Reach Out is a good Erasure song, one at first that I wasn't too keen on. Another up tempo beat once more provides Andy with the platform to do what he does best, helped by fine backing vocals from Andy Caine and Paul Williams. In My Arms is a wonderful Erasure ballad, worthy of being the single it was but one which sadly under-achieved in the UK charts. A beautiful song, with a perfect soft melody this song is one of Erasure's best which deserved the relative success it achieved Stateside. Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me is one of the few anomalies in this album. An overlong title detracts some credibility and it was a poor choice as Cowboy's second single. However it is so catchy it would be harsh to overlook this track, and it did have a very good video. By no means a classic, but likewise it is no failure.

Precious is also no classic and is possibly the weakest track on this extremely strong album. There is little wrong with it; it has another fine backing from Vince and Andy's lyrics are sufficient but it lacks a certain something evident in many other of Cowboy's tracks. Treasure completes the mid-album dip of less-than-great songs, but with its interesting imagery, computerised voices and another fine performance from Andy it is by no means a poor song. The production by Gareth Jones and Neil McLellan, as with all the album is of the highest standard, with that polished discoy feel found in most tracks. Boy is another wonderful Erasure track, complimented by a superbly potent chorus and guitar plucking. Another song that can so easily fill your head leaving you humming it all day. This would have made an excellent single, as would How Can I Say. Similar in style to Boy, it possesses all its strengths with Andy once again excelling himself vocally throughout the chorus. Again Vince's arrangement is perfect making this another great Erasure effort. With so many strong songs it is hard to choose the best, but arguably Save Me Darling is Cowboy's optimum. An arrangement of shear genius once again intrinsically linked with a wonderful Andy performance, this song deserves a place in anybody's music collection. The song climaxes in typically fine style leaving any listener awe-inspired. Some wonderful lyrics merely add weight to the claims as this as one of Erasure's finest ever tracks. The album concludes with the mandatory ballad, in this case Love Affair. Another fine track to conclude this, my all time favourite album.


Summary
Although not over popular generally amongst fans, I regard this as Erasure's finest hour, at least as albums go. Some argue it is too commercial and unexperimental, but I feel Andy and Vince hit the nail on the head as far as perfect song writing goes. With superb production and melodic and vocal performances, it is a crime that this album underachieved and could with some media coverage have resurrected Erasure's career after Erasure flopped. Mute must take some blame for this album's relative failure, with so many possible hits on this album only two genuine singles were released, and Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me was not a good choice. I know Erasure toured the world and couldn't promote any singles, but really they must now rue this as a missed opportunity. Cowboy could have been a great success, instead it proved to be Erasure's second consecutive album flop.



* Want a second opinion? Disagree with what I've written? The Fan Reviews section of this site is home to reviews written by other fans and also allows you to post your own review of this, or any, Erasure album.