Customer Reviews

Chorus

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

When Erasure released "Chorus" in 1991, they were the number one band in the UK and one of the most successful synth pop groups of the era. Having already scored 15 hits on the British charts and topped the LP charts three times (twice with "The Innocents" alone), they began the Nineties from a position of considerable commercial strength. An ominous wind was in the air, however, as Nirvana and the grunge movement exploded out of Seattle just as "Chorus" rose to its inevitable #1 position. Erasure would survive the early grunge years, releasing several more hits and topping the LP charts twice more before the arrival of Oasis and the guitar-based Britpop movement stalled their career with the release of their eponymously titled "Erasure" album in 1995.

"Chorus" was something of a departure for the duo. Following 1989's hugely successful "Wild!" (and its rather notorious world tour), the band took two years off, writing ten of their finest songs. "Chorus" was a synth-lover's delight; a pure analog aural feast for the ears. Vince Clarke's arrangements are more subtle and assured, as are his partner's vocals. Andy Bell's lyrics are among the finest of his career, and there is nothing on "Chorus" short of superb. Not since "The Circus" had the band released such a consistent set. "Chorus" proved them to be more than a bouncy, campy singles band: they were pop craftsmen of the first order. Here was a darker, more introspective album than any of their previous releases, and they would maintain this more thoughtful stance until the release of 1997's nostalgic (but magnificent) "Cowboy."

In short, "Chorus" is one the best pop albums of the 1990s and ranks among Erasure's finest work.

Chorus is Erasure's best cd musically and lyrically. 10 songs at 40 minutes makes this a consistent and cohesive listen. It's darker and edgier than previous Erasure cds and more original and consistent than later cds. All of Erasure's cds are good if you're a fan. Chorus is the one for non-fans as it is more mature dance music. There's no bad songs on this disc. I Say I Say I Say would be my next recommendation because it isn't as danceable as Chorus but it's just as interesting. I don't think Erasure has surpassed Chorus in excellence. The three studio cds that have been released since don't quite match up to the quality of Chorus. Vince and Andy were in top form in 1991. Just listen to "Breath of Life", "Siren Song", "Home", "Chorus" and "Waiting for the Day." All excellent craftmanship. This cd is worth the money.

Chorus

I have every Erasure song ever released commercially, and this is, in my opinion, their best album. Other albums may have stronger singles-it is hard to beat the one-two punch of Drama and Blue Savannah, or Chains of Love and A Little Respect, but this was the first Erasure CD that didn't feel like a collection of singles and b-sides. There are no real weak spots here as on previous efforts. There were four singles taken from this album, and if one didn't know what they were, I think one would be hard pressed to identify them. "Waiting for the Day" is the best Erasure single that never was, and "Turns the Love to Anger" and "Perfect Stranger" are fantastic synthpop songs. It is true, perhaps, that this album may seem darker than others, but the production is gorgeous, the songs are brilliant, Andy Bell's voice has never sounded so rich, and Vince Clark's aural landscape is breathtaking. One of my all-time favorite records.

Can Erasure be dark? Yes.. they can. Where as "I Say I Say I Say" is a light, fantasy like album, "Chorus" digs deep and brings us into the nightmarish side of Erasure. A side we don't normally see and it's refreshing. It's here that Clarke begins to focus more on digital bleeps and less on analog orchestrations than ever before. I have to strongly disagree with many critics (who don't know jack about electronica) that diss Erasure for always sounding the same. I could say the same thing about rock music or rap music, but that's not the case. Clarke seems to be pushing the limits on what he can do with a synthesizer and still create catchy pop music. There are a number of songs on this album that are just as good, if not better than the singles that came out, such as "Waiting For The Day", and "Home". Both are my favorite songs from the album. Erasure, in my opinion, was and is one of the best bands in the world. No one (except for The Beatles) have crafted so many wonderful and experimental albums, filled with so many pop catchy tracks, as Erasure has. Nice job guys.

After listening to this album for the first few times, I originally didn't care for it, and thought it was overrated. Now, -after listening to it a number of times- I think that this is one of their best albums, and is tied with the album: ERASURE, for my second favorite (THE INNOCENTS is my favorite, by far). So, please ignore my previous post that claims this is an overrated album; it isn't. It's very different from Erasure's other music, but in a very special, good way. I love this album...it's DA BOMB.

Chorus is Erasure in their prime from a chronological standpoint and representative of their apex from a music standpoint.

Chorus is unique in that it marks a return of Vince Clarke from the Oberheim Xpander synthesizer (used in Erasure's earlier material which has a more acoustic quality) to analog synths, which tones have a more computerized quality and use all types of metallic bleeps and blips. Clarke employs analog synths in Chorus to create a more sincere and serious -somewhat darker- album than '80s Erasure material, virtually all of which is campy and happy-go-lucky.

Though the sound and direction is different, the end result is the same: Chorus is has all the poignancy and diversity from song to song as vintage '80s albums such as "The Circus" and "The Innocents" had. Some songs are upbeat and dancy, and others are slow but in the end it still sounds like vintage Erasure and remains one of Andy Bell's and Vince Clarke's best efforts, ever.

A gorgeous landscape of electronic bliss would be a fitting description of Chorus. To me, the fusion of bleeps and bells, snappy bass lines, heartfelt melodies and colorful lyrics make this one of Erasure's best offerings. It has an awesome vibe to it; there are danceable songs as well as a couple slower ones, but it flows together joyously...

It may take more than one listen to feel the depth, because it did for me. One thing is for certain, three of my favorite songs of all time are on this one: "Breath of Life"/"Perfect Stranger"/"Home". All the tracks have a unique style though and I also really liked "Joan"/"Waiting for the Day"/"Love to Hate You"/"Turns the Love to Anger"/"Siren Song".

This comes highly recommended in the Erasure collection. If you thought previous CD's were a little lite, this one is more focused. I also think it was the first one where cymbals were used extensively.

Also check out Agnes Poetry and Iris if you dig Erasure's kind of sound. You won't be disappointed!

The CD came in excellent condition, just as described. Fast shipping. Easy to work with this seller.

An irrepressibly joyous album that takes the listener on a wondrous voyage through: groovy dance beats, memorable harmonies and sweeping synth hooks. Erasure always pushes the envelope on what can be found in this genre. They open up the boundaries and create lush musical landscapes with stimulating lyrics and highly original vocals.

Chorus is one of my favorites.

For all its disco glitter, "Chorus," the fifth studio album from Erasure, is a pretty moody affair. A few of the songs deal with relationships that are on the verge of falling apart at the seams: there's the stinging bite of "Love to Hate You," the bitter lyrics of a man betrayed in "Perfect Stranger," and the "you-broke-my-heart" ditty "Waiting for the Day." Musically, it's a bit different from what we've heard before. Producer Martyn Phillips (Jesus Jones) gives the disc an even more electronic feel, with its abundance of synth touches and sonic bleeps. The result is a synth pop album with as much bite as anything by the duo's rock peers. Erasure is one of my favorite groups, and "Chrous" is a fine disc that won't disappoint.