I Say I Say I Say

Erasure

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 17, 1994)
• Original Release Date: May 17, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B000000WZI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #131,718 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On their first full-length album since 1991's Abba-Esque EP--a disc that should have made Ace of Base redundant--that lovable computer dance duo Erasure returns with tongue-in-cheek soulful vocals and catchy choruses to spare. I Say, I Say, I Say spawned a monster alternative hit with "Always," and there are three or four more tunes with equal hum-ability and boogie potential. Vince Clark and Andy Bell won't change your life, but programmed pop can be a lot more painful. --Jim DeRogatis

Product Description

Limited edition pop-up CD packaging. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Erasure CD, January 28, 2005

By	S. Sittig "Divawatch" (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

Although most Erasure fans might consider THE INNOCENTS their favorite CD, I have to chose this one. Why? Mostly because I believe this 1994 release not only captures the duo of Andy Bell and Vince Clark at their artistic/creative peak, but it also is incredibly easy to listen too, even though it navigates through many different styles of music.

From the opening track "Take Me Back" all the way to the soft ending of "Because You're So Sweet", Andy Bell's vocals are superb-full of nuance, sensitivity and energy. I don't think he's ever delivered a better complete vocal performance on one CD (although he has delivered better individual performances on some tracks of other Erasure CDs).

But what makes Andy's vocals shine so, is the intricate, amazing setting that Vince Clark has created for them. Not since his early work with Yaz and Alison Moyet, has Clark found a better match for his style.

Of course, the track "Always" was a top 40 success, but in my view, it's one of the weakest tracks on the CD. My favorites are "So The Story Goes", "Blues Away", "Run To The Sun" and "I Love Saturday".

Never has this duo sounded more free, more engaged and more adventuresome, and the only other Erasure CD that comes close to achieving what this CD does, in my view, is COWBOY.

So, if you are a new Erasure fan, and haven't heard this CD, I highly recommend it. If you are a longtime fan and have never placed this one at the top of your list, I suggest you give it another shot!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One to enjoy "All Through the Years"!, August 31, 1999

By	Joel Kathrens (Cheney, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Since my last review (in which I gave this album 4 stars and referred to it as a "middling" as far as Erasure goes), I have come to like this album more and more, and at this point would call it one of my top 4 Erasure albums (it's just so hard to choose a favorite) along with Chorus, Erasure, and The Circus. I love the album cover and how it seems to fit the mood of nearly every song. My favorite song from the album is still probably "So the Story Goes", but "Miracle", "Run to the Sun" and "Always" are close behind. I especially love the choir on the first two I mentioned. It fits in so well with the synth sound and was one of the things I think was missing from "Cowboy" that would have made that a better album. Vince Clark has always written great melodies, and Bell's range is fantastic as well. Try playing "Take Me Back" or "Blues Away" from this album right after listening to "How Many Times" from "Wild!" and you'll see what I mean. In short, this is one of the best albums from the greatest synth-pop group ever. Buy it today.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pop Perfection, November 15, 2003

By	B. Harris (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Synth pop, as a genre, oftentimes fails to get the recognition it deserves amongst music circles. However, throughout the 80s, bands such as the Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, and New Order churned out some of the most listenable and handsomly-crafted songs of that decade. Also at the top of that list would be Erasure, comprised of former Depeche Moder Vince Clark, and former choirboy Andy Bell. Ironic, then, that a group whose fame and noteriety often is synonymous with the 80s released their best album in the 1990s.

I Say I Say I Say is, simply, one of the finest pop records ever constructed. With a strictly synthetic backdrop of vintage keyboards and synths, and fronted by Bell's soaring and soothing tenor, Erasure deliver an album filled with hooks, memorable melodies, and warm abiance. Taken individually, each track stands alone as a pop gem. Taken collectively, the album presents a warm, reflective mood which matches the serene, nighttime sketch on the album's cover.

Opening track "Take Me Back" is as fine an opener as you are likely to find, featuring a bouncy synth backdrop and Bell's gliding falsetto during the chorus. "Always", the album's standout single, will rank as among the best of their career. "All Through the Years" and "Miracle" set a quiet, reflective moode, while tracks such as "I Love Saturday" show that the group has not lost their touch for creating bouncy dance pop.

Elsewhere, the use of the choir on two tracks adds a depth and somewhat ethereal touch not found in previous recordings. All the while, synth-wizard Vince Clark adds an assortment of synth burps and noises on top of his typical layered orchestrations. Nary an "acoustic" instrument is to be found on this album...which speaks to the remarkable talents of Clark and Bell that they are able to create such a warm, inviting album.

Everytime I listen to this album I am taken back to the first time I listened to it...on Christmas Eve night, with a fire in the fireplace and looking outside at the snow. Somehow, the album seemed to fit that mood perfectly. Any lover of well-crafted pop music should include I Say...in their collection, as they certainly won't be disappointed.