DASHING DEBUTS: Erasure – Wonderland

I have decided that several posts this week will be about the fun genre of synth-pop. I started last Friday with Duran Duran, but now I’ll showcase band who still have an incredible amount of respectability. You don’t need much arguing to clarify that Vince Clarke is one of the most influential figures in synth-pop of all time. Though he was a member of early Depeche Mode and founded the short lived Yazoo, Clarke is best known for Erasure, his fantastic duo with Andy Bell. Some songwriters just have that certain talent to make a catchy melody out of anything they can get their hands on and Clarke is an example of this. Followers of Clarke were not at all surprised when he released Erasure’s debut, Wonderland and they heard that literally every single song was as catchy as a synth-pop song could get. Clarke and Bell create some hooks that are undeniable to even the shunners of synth-pop.

Yes, it may indeed be true that Erasure are a guilty pleasure to some. This is simply due to the very feminine and laid back feel that Erasure is displaying, similar to early Pet Shop Boys. I guess we can blame our superficial society, as I would boast that I listen to Erasure any day of the week if needed be! It doesn’t take much to like Erasure though. Take ‘Cry So Easy’ for example, the song is catchy as hell from the get go, and the bridge to the chorus is just brilliant. The chorus of “Baby, cry so easy, expect me to believe in the love you’re looking for,” will get stuck in your head after the first listen as well. ‘Senseless’ has another one of those witty hooks, surprisingly with a simple array of synths. ‘Oh L’amour’ was one of Erasure’s first hits, initially sounding like a slow ballad of some sorts, but then developing into a fast paced rampage of a song of heart ache. ‘Who Needs Love (Like That)’ is a great opener to the album, with another genuine hook coming in the chorus. God, how many times have I said the word ‘hook’ so far? Too many times, but that is the perfect way to describe Erasure songs. Believe it or not, Erasure continues to make music and they are going to release a new album of “dance material” later this year.

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Erasure – Cry So Easy

[audio:https://www.obscuresound.com/mp3/era-cry.MP3]

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Erasure – Senseless

[audio:https://www.obscuresound.com/mp3/era-sen.MP3]

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Erasure – Oh L’amour

[audio:https://www.obscuresound.com/mp3/era-ohl.MP3]

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Erasure – Who Needs Love (Like That)

[audio:https://www.obscuresound.com/mp3/era-who.MP3]

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BUY

Mike Mineo

I'm the founder/editor of Obscure Sound, which was formed in 2006. Previously, I wrote for PopMatters and Stylus Magazine.

Send your music to [email protected].

0 Comments

  1. The first song I heard was Heavenly Action which was introduced by a local radio station. I always thought this was one of Erasure’s best albums. Vince Clarke’s upbeat style was reflected in Depeche Mode’s earlier music. Just Can’t Get Enough is probably still their best song.

  2. […] Another enigmatic duo, I wrote about Erasure’s solo album here. They are easily one of the catchiest and straightforward pop acts of the 80s, writing dozens of hits that continuously appear in movies, commercials, and any other forms of media. However, they are still not recognized as a brand name in the United States, with success but not much fame. ‘The Circus’ is one of the most underrated songs, off of the album with the same name. The album chronicles general British working class, as vocalist Andy Bell sounds determined to convince you of the faults of societal classes. “Father worked in industry, now the workers moved on, and the factory’s gone,” are one of the several lyrics depicting such elements as strikes and unemployment. ‘S Oh yeah, both songs is also catchy as hell, like most of the songs that Vince Clarke has touched. […]

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