Circus

Erasure | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: July 7, 1987
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire Records
• ASIN: B000002LB6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,097 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered and expanded three disc (two CDs + PAL/Region 2 DVD) edition of the Synthpop duo's 1987 sophomore album. Disc One features the remastered version of the album. Disc Two includes remixes and BBC radio sessions. The DVD contains TV performances plus the Live At The Seaside concert. Mute Records. 2011. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great 80's synth-pop album, April 28, 2004

By 

Larry D. Rodriguez (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Circus (Audio CD)

It's really sad, the number of times I have seen The Circus in used CD bins over the years. In a lot of ways, this is one of Erasure's strongest albums. As most people know, Wonderland, their first album, was something of a dud. The follow-up, Circus, is the first album to establish the "Erasure" sound throughout. More importantly, it tackles a lot of social issues without being preachy or precious, an uncanny ability Erasure always had. During the course of Circus, we hear about racial injustice (It Doesn't Have to Be), homophobia (Hideaway), peace & harmony (If I Could), and the plight of the working class (The Circus). However, with their catchy hooks, lyrics, and Andy's fine singing, you have enough else to concentrate on without feeling "preached" to!

The album opens with It Doesn't Have to Be, which didn't get any airplay in America (at least in my memory), but is one of their best songs, in my opinion. Apart from being just a great song overall, it draws upon African percussion rhythms, and even has Andy singing in Swahili(?). Everytime I hear it, I think of the video, where he is waving the sparklers around. Next comes Hideaway, which has a lot of personal meaning for me as a gay man, although fortunately I wasn't "rejected by the people that I cared for!" Aside from the subject matter, it's another good song.

Don't Dance seems to be a favorite with other reviewers, and I have to agree. It's a testimony to Erasure's talent that even the "non-singles" can sound this good. If I Could, which comes after, is another one that affects me. The song seems to be about a broken relationship, but the refrain, "If I could make the world a little better, you know I would," suggests something else entirely- a heartfelt cry for world peace. Sexuality is a notch below the rest, only because sonically it's somewhat jumbled. On the other hand, it's one of their most provocative songs ever, with lyrics like, "let's not pretend you're shy about it" and "strip it, do it". Victim of Love, which actually was a radio hit, is one of their most soulful ever. They tap into R&B and Soul, with such lyrics as "I'm gonna find you out."

Leave Me to Bleed is another non-single that tops them all, a great song to listen to if you've ever been jilted by somebody.
Sometimes was another radio hit- did any other synth-pop group use a saxophone melody like that? The Circus, while not an obvious choice for a single, is a stroke of genius, in how it mixes a "carnival" sound with such grave lyrics about the disenfranchisement of the working man. The album "proper" ends with Spiralling, which for my tastes could have been left off altogether, though it has its fans.

The bonus tracks, sadly, are all duds. In the Hall of the Mountain King is just Vince Clarke's electro-reworking of a classical tune. And the remixes of Sometimes and It Doesn't Have to Be are nothing special, just your standard 80's "extended" mix, which doesn't reveal any new facet of the song, or make it danceable. It doesn't matter, though, because the album itself is so strong.

If you think that Erasure's glory days begin with The Innocents, Wild!, or Chorus, think again.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Erasure's First... True Album, July 25, 2002

By 

Eric Dapkewicz (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Circus (Audio CD)

I love "Wonderland", but consider it to be way too similiar to Yazoo (which Clarke had just came from). So "The Circus" is really the album that begins to give us a good understanding of Erasure - the band. From the hip "It Doesn't Have To Be" to the soft "Spiralling", this album has it all. And it is actually a concept album of all things. There's hints in the music from "Don't Dance" to "Spiralling" that lead all back to the actual song "The Circus". What I love about Erasure, is that they often have a number of songs on each album that are just as good as their singles or better. "Hideaway", "Leave Me To Bleed" and "Spiralling" are tracks that were never heard on the radio, but they are three of my favorite tracks from the album. There are hits as well like "Sometimes" and "Victim Of Love". If you are interested in Erasure and don't have this album, get it. You won't be disappointed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars deluxe edition brings most of the Circus mixes and b-sides together, August 4, 2011

By 

Daniel W. Kelly (NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Circus (Audio CD)

Well, if you already have the original US pressing of The Circus and the "singles box", you pretty much have everything on here. If not, this 2-disc edition will give you pretty much everything from the single releases off this album, plus all the tracks that were on the original U.S. release of the album. As others have noted, this easily could have been a 3-disc version that included the 'two ring circus' as well...not to mention all the remixes of "The Circus" from the original 12". Track list:

CD1

CD1-1 It Doesn't Have To Be 3:56
CD1-2 Hideaway 3:48
CD1-3 Don't Dance 3:39
CD1-4 If I Could 3:52
CD1-5 Sexuality 3:53
CD1-6 Victim Of Love 3:42
CD1-7 Leave Me To Bleed 3:22
CD1-8 Sometimes 3:39
CD1-9 The Circus 5:31
CD1-10 Spiralling 3:10
CD1-11 In The Hall Of The Mountain King 2:58
CD1-12 Sometimes (12" Mix) 5:24
CD1-13 It Doesn't Have To Be (Boop Oopa Doo Mix) 7:17

CD2

CD2-1 Sexuality (12" Mix) 6:48
CD2-2 Sometimes (Shiver Mix) 5:53
CD2-3 The Circus (Bareback Rider Mix) 6:24
CD2-4 Who Needs Love Like That (Betty Boop Mix) 7:34
CD2-5 It Doesn't Have To Be (Cement Mix) 5:35
CD2-6 The Soldier's Return (The Return Of The Radical Radcliffe Mix) 5:06
CD2-7 Victim Of Love (Vixen Vitesse Mix) 5:50
CD2-8 If I Could (Japanese Mix) 3:45