Product Description Union Street, Erasure's new acoustic CD was recorded in a small studio in Brooklyn, NY. Andy Bell says that they "show the songs in a different light, and show that they could work on whatever instrument, synthesisers or guitars". "We just felt there were songs on our albums that had been missed as songs," says Vince Clarke. .com Erasure with dobro, mandolin, and steel guitar? Believe it. Union Street is the sound of the British synth-pop duo--Andy Bell and Vince Clarke--unplugged. The title comes from the Brooklyn studio in which they re-recorded 11 lesser-known tracks from throughout their career. Ten come from seven albums, while "Tenderest Moments" was a B-side. Designed more for slow dancing than disco dancing, this acoustic set puts the focus on the lyrics and Bell's ardent, yearning voice. Highlights include "Stay With Me," which is graced by a lovely flute solo, and the gospel-tinged "Rock Me Gently," with Jill Walsh providing heavenly counterpoint (both from 1995's Erasure). "Blues Away" (1994's I Say I Say I Say), however, would've worked better without the falsetto, while "How Many Times" (1989's Wild!), ironically, would've worked better in a higher register (Bell is at his best in his natural range). Overall, though, Erasure make this unexpected departure work. If the songs weren't strong enough to begin with, it wouldn't have been worth the effort, but they withstand the changes Bell and Clarke have have put them through quite nicely. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
K**K
My favorite group!
Like all other Erasure music I have, I love this CD and now have more Erasure to listen to!
C**R
These cranky folks crack me up!
This album is great..and all the whining about how they didn't do their biggest hits yada yada yada. Get over it, it is their choice to not record the songs that already have a bunch of different versions out there and do songs not quiet as over done. I'm all for that. This album and the Boy single are great!Hehehe and even more amusing we just got back from seeing them perform the acoustic stuff live and it totally rocked! They have drums, a full on Bass, steel guitar, penny whistle autoharp etc..it was the most amazing concert! All the songs they did, including some of the expected big hits missing from this cd were so amazing to hear in this format. Using Latin rythms, country, rock-a-billy and just straight acoustic they really knew what rythm to pick for each track everything worked! If you go to Erasure's website you can find a link to order a recording on CD of the Live concert.
C**N
fun
you may read some review's about just typical Erasure putting out another album of their same songs, but who doesn't like listening to Erasure in a different style. this is a fun album. I wish it had a few more songs on it. thanks Erasure for this album.
P**R
Unexpected treasure....
Like many Erasure fans, I approached 'Union Street' with a sense of uneasiness: 'Acoustic arrangements of b-sides and album tracks'....hmmmm. After buying it and quickly scanning the playlist, I was pleasantly surprised by the choice of tunes that included some of my very favorite Erasure songs. I wondered how Andy and Vince were going to improve on near perfection, but I was missing the point. After the first listen, I realized that song-improvement or enhancement was not the goal of this work. I feel that Erasure were trying to draw out the individual magnificence that resides in each of these lesser known, non-single songs by breathing a totally new kind of life into them. The absolute highlight and greatest pay-off comes with 'Stay With Me'. Already a great song, the acoustic treatment makes this a stunningly beautiful and moving track - I love the percussion and woodwind arrangements that give a certain mystical, eastern flavor to it.We all know about Andy's remarkably consistent vocal range (for evidence, just listen to how he effortlessly morphs from 'Blues Away' to 'How Many Times?'), but perhaps the biggest surprise is how wonderfully compatible his voice is with very different instruments. That's the joy of this album: its unexpectedly good nature. 'Blues Away' is another highlight track, the falsetto vocal sounds as good as ever, and while the music may not quite create the same heart-wrenching mood as the original, it still has a great deal to offer, giving an almost contemporary feel to this song. 'Home' and 'Love Affair' are also musically creative, showing that many of these songs adapt brilliantly to different approaches.While 'Union Street' mostly shines, as with any risky undertaking, it does miss the mark here and there. 'Piano Song' really doesn't cut it without the haunting piano melody of the original, and 'Rock Me Gently' just sounds so completely edited and hurried after the marvelously epic nature of the first-time-around release. And here is the paradox with 'Union Street': it helps greatly to be already familiar with these songs in order to truly appreciate the acoustic reworking, but in being familiar with them, it makes you prejudiced as to any attempt to rework them.More than simply an interesting diversion, 'Union Street' is rewarding and worthy in its own right.
T**.
Five Stars
Great CD
J**N
Five Stars
excellent
F**S
It's More Than Fundamental To Be In The Union Street On 2.006! (Please, Forget About The Critics!)
On reading all those negative reviews specially dedicated to this album, I was sincerely shocked, after all it represents to me the definitive slap on all Erasure's knockers... Anyway I'm not so surprised with those commments, since Erasure have been target for jokes since the beginning of their career... But what makes me feel really bothered is to read critics that accuse Erasure of recording the same album every time. What a lie! A pop duo who dared to record such a different albums just like the self-titled or Loveboat or even this last one cannot be accused of repeating themselves. In addition Clarke & Bell aren't worried in following musical trends for conquering new fans indeed. Actually, Erasure's fans know that what makes a good *pop* song is basically good lyrics + good melody and not its position in musical charts, which are basically occupied by artificial and disposable ones. And Erasure own many, many songs that own those two qualities! Well, but let's talk about what really matters here: Union Street is an extremely BEAUTIFUL album and I'm not exaggerating at all! Besides it really owns just gorgeous (and practically ignored) ballads from Clarke & Bell, exception for "How Many Times?", which is just good at my opinion. All the other 10 songs present in this (AMAZING) compilation were very well-chosen. But Erasure own many other underrated ballads that could be perfectly put on this (SUPERB) work, such as: "Witch In The Ditch" & "Hallowed Ground" from Innocents, or "Turns The Love To Anger" and "Siren Song" from Chorus, or "Take Me Back" & "All Through The Years" from I Say (x3), or "Grace" & "A Long Goodbye" from the self-titled, or yet "Surreal" & "Where In The World", both ones from the largely disliked Loveboat, but nothing prevents Erasure from performing all these other ones on The (SENSATIONAL) Acoustic Tour. Regarding the fact this one is totally acoustic, I must confess that I was really worried about how Union Street would sound, but this fear has disappeared as soon as I heard it at the first time! And I almost cried when I did it since all the songs are so well-sung and well-played here. It's really amazing to discover again how great all those songs are. I mean they are all the same ones, but the acoustic instruments gave to them a new chance for being properly enjoyed. In short, Erasure have proved one more time they are far from being a disposable dance-pop band, since Andy's voice has never sounded so beautiful as on this one and Vince could get here a great opportunity for showing he is a brilliant musician (not only a brilliant keyboarder) on creating wonderful acoustic arrangements for all the songs (of course together with the rest of the great team responsible for this REMARKABLE album). By the way, hey, Erasure's haters, don't worry, Erasure will continue to make great records despite all yours bad vibes, after all V&A have flown so high with their talents that your hate will never get them! So if you are looking for some good music to listen to on this year (and on the next years too), it's more than fundamental to go to this Union Street to enjoy great moments of the most perfect musical pleasure.
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