Customer Reviews

Pearls Of Passion (2009 Ramastered Version - Includes Bonus Tracks)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's important not only to understand the direction Roxette's taken in the past 12 years but to appreciate how far the Swedish supergroup has come in its musical, vocal and creative development. Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson started out on a pure-pop road filled with synthesizers and spunky little tunes, and all of that is evident on Pearls of Passion, originally released in Sweden in 1986.

There were singles from this album that hit big in Sweden, such as "Neverending Love" (the very first Roxette release featuring Per and Marie), "Goodbye to You" and "Soul Deep," as well as a few single releases in Italy and Canada. And this re-release features the original 1987 version of "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Heart)," which was re-mixed and re-mastered for the 1990 Pretty Woman soundtrack, that version becoming Billboard's No. 2 pop single of the year. Other than that, it's hard to imagine why anyone who isn't familiar with or a fan of Roxette would buy this album.

But, if you're a tried and true Roxette junkie like I am, you'll appreciate this album and even like it. "Neverending Love" has an interesting melody, and "Voices" and "So Far Away" are beautiful ballads. And principally interesting here is how differently Marie Fredriksson sang back then compared to the last five years, when her voice has become softer and a bit gruffer. She almost screams on this album, and it's nice to know how much she's evolved as a pop-rock frontwoman.

Once the 1999 Roxette comeback release is out, you REALLY will appreciate what this band's been through and where it is going. Rox on...

Let's get to the point; this is an outstanding 80s pop album, comfortably exceeding all of Roxette's later work. It has the Roxette trademarks of soaring tunes, harmonies and rhythm. However, what marks it out are the excellent 80s production values which make the whole album soft on the ear by ensuring each track receives deft strokes of the engineer's brush. It therefore has great subtlety (which is often lacking on later Roxette works) which help each track to provide hidden depths with repeated listening. The songwriting is consistently good (a Roxette trait if ever there was one) - Joy of a Toy, Neverending Love and I Call Your Name are all great rock/pop tracks. The standout is Call of the Wild which has such emotional depth that it ranks with It Must Have Been Love (an extra on the album).

It's hard to believe some of the other reviewers' comments about some poor songwriting and implications of superficiality (bubblegum indeed...). Such accusations are a mile wide of the mark. This is a very serious pop album that ranks alongside the best works of the 80s whilst remaining individual and providing high quality from start to finish.

If you are a Roxette fan you should definitely buy this. If you are an 80s pop fan then you have even more reason. It won't let you down.

I've been a huge fan of Roxette for years, and I just recently purchased "Pearls Of Passion." I have to say, I was really impressed.

This album is a must for any Roxette fan, but it's also a great album to have for any fan of the eighties. It features some great songs such as "Secrets That She Keeps," the upbeat "Pearls Of Passion," "Neverending Love," "Joy Of A Toy," my personal favorite, "Like Lovers Do," and many other outstanding tracks.

Roxette's subsequent albums do show an elevation in music-writing talent, but "Pearls Of Passion" is still one great album.

It's always a crapshoot when you go back to find early works by artists you like. More often than not, they simply don't measure up to their later efforts. Once in a while, however, you uncover a gem that's as good or even better.
Pearls of Passion, unfortunately, isn't one of them.
Oh, it shows definite promise of what was to come. The voices and production values are pretty much the same. However, the caliber of the writing just doesn't measure up. It might be because Per wrote most of these for his own third solo album and then recorded them with Marie.
In any case, I just didn't find they same quality as subsequent efforts. Also frustrating is the fact that most of the songs I DID like were released on other CDs, albeit not necessarily the same mix. And why the heck is the title song considered one of the "Xtra Trax"?
An interesting note is how subdued the guitar work is here. I guess it wasn't until Look Sharp that they started to "love the sound of crashing guitars."

Except for "Must Have Been Love," which I don't believe has ever been on a Roxette CD before, the bonus tracks are throw-aways. It's somewhat interesting to hear different mixes, but it would have been much more so if the songs were good!
I'm a completist, so I'm glad I bought PoP. Even though I didn't add too many good new songs to my Roxette collection, even one is more than I had before.
I obviously didn't really care much for this CD. If I was only comparing it to this duo's other works, I would have only given it two stars. But hey, this is Roxette. I can't possibly give them less than three!
But all this doesn't mean you won't like PoP. If you're a big Roxette fan, I would give it a shot.

Over the years Roxette has created some of the most melodic, catchy, and rockin' pop tunes around. This CD is a genuine gem for not only their fans, but anyone who likes 80's music. The extra tracks are all good, with the acoustic demo of "I call your name" being a real standout. The inclusion of "It must have been love" helps give this CD some weight, as the only thing lacking from the original album was a bonafide hit. But make no mistake about it, this is pure Roxette, a little unrefined and a little unpolished, but still GREAT!

Pearls of Passion, although dated, is a fascinating album. It surprisingly features the most interaction and chemistry between the voices of Per and Marie. POP no doubt sets the stage for a whole slew of great albums to come!

I have to say the reason I bought this is for collection purposes more than anything and that is what it proved to be really in the end. I guess I was curious at first but its not one of their best efforts. Although there are still some good ones on here and its worth a listen but its not one I listen to lots. But for classic 80s fans go for it.
Soul Deep - well its already on the Joyride album so nothing new
Secrets that she keeps - I really like this one actually for the mixture of Per and Marie. I think its great when they swap it around a bit like Silver Blue.
Goodbye to You - 80s classic. Title says it all
I Call Your Name - funky beat. Ok song.
Surrender - Now this is one of my favourites on the album. It has a sweeping epic quality to it and a sense of magic and mystery. I like it when Per sings. He sounds like a pixie. ha ha.
Voices - This is another good track. Sweeping and epic with Marie and Per both singing, swapping over. I like the imagery. It almost has a warsong quality to it with all its talk of crossing the borderline and "hunters of men". Good track.
Neverending Love - funky 80s discolike track. What more can I say. Perhaps a precursor to Look Sharp album although the whole album is. It has a similar quality really now that I come to think of it.
Call of the Wild - Cool name for a track. Per singing. Another cool epic sounding tune. Cool imagery. Romantic. Obsessive almost. Pixie Per.
Joy of A Toy - Revisiting these tracks they are better than I thought actually. This is not as bad as I thougt it was.
From One Heart To Another - A schmoozy duet. Per sings a lot on this album doesn't he.
Like Lovers Do - Just as I am about to trash the song I hear it as if for the first time and it doesn't sound as bad as I thought it did. Every Roxette album grows on you I think. Its just initially that shock at the difference from their other albums. You rue it at first then come to love it.
So Far Away - also found on the Tourism album. A different version. Not sure which I like better. Toursim is more acoustic, this is more synthesised which again gives it more of an epic quality.
Pearls of Passion - The title track. I think I quite like this one too. Good old Per eh. "A banquet of believers". Nostalgic.
It Must Have Been Love - Well there you can buy this album for this song if you want. If you don't know Roxette so well.
Turn To Me - Kind of a bit cheesey - but catchy number. Classic 80s.
The rest are all remakes, rerecordings and pretty boring. Don't know why they bothered so much with 3 versions of Neverending Love it gets a bit tedious. Perhaps could have put some later stuff on or unplugged stuff or something.
Well the album is better than I thought - definitely a precursor to Look Sharp. Similar funky, synth based, style but also has some nice epic like songs on it. Per is a pixie. Make it 4.5 stars for me which rounds up to 5.

1.Soul Deep 2.5/5
A rather weak performance for Roxettes high standart

2.Secrets That She Keeps 4.3/5
Actually very good but the ending is very unfitting when Marie sings "the love of you and me" doesnt sound right, i expect better from a genius like Per

3.Goodbye To You 5+/5
Very nice melody, especially enjoy Maries voice in this
one

4.I Call Your Name 3.4/5
hmm

5.Surrender 5/5
great song easily a classic

6.Voices 3.4/5
to repetetive

7.Never Ending Love 4/5
another good one

8.Call Of The Wild 5/5
Marie gets to show off her voice in this one once again quite different from the other songs

9.Joy Of A Toy 4.2/5
Typical Rox pop

10. From One Heart To Another 5+/5
Beautiful duet probably the best Song alongwith "It Must Have Been Love"

11. Like Lovers Do 4.7/5
Another top notch really love the melody

12. So Far Away 3.8/5
Not bad when i want to listen to something quite otherwise its a bit boring definetly not a song to start your day with

13.Pearls Of Passion 4.2/5
very good but weak start

14. It Must Have Been Love 5+/5
whats there to say? The "Pretty Women" version is somewhat supirior over this one

I have listened this album over and over and I absolutely LOVE IT... It has two of my favorite roxette songs on it, 'Neverending Love' and the title track, 'Pearls of Passion' are to die for... I also like the songs 'Soul Deep' and 'Secrets That She Keeps'...

I am an avid Rx fan and have been since I was 12. If you love Rx and want a taste of the 80's I recommend this item..

Ive been a fan of Roxette since The Look, was surfing YouTube one night and saw
the video for So Far Away. I was blown away it's such a haunting soulful ballad.
I did some searching and found it was on the Pearls of Passion CD. The whole CD is just amazing. Give it a listen Im sure You'll agree.