Erasure - The Innocents 21st Anniversary Review

Most people that know my musical taste know that I’m a huge Erasure fan.  In fact, I would say it is an honest assessment of my fandom to state that Erasure is probably my favorite band of all time.   They certainly have the distinction of being my most collected band: not only do they reside as the group with the most CDs in my collection, but also the most vinyl, posters, boxes/sets and promos.  Back in the day, I would travel (sometimes far) to pick up their latest single (usually on vinyl) and the anticipation of getting it home and on my stereo was always a tantalizing prospect: studying the great cover art and often memorizing the credits until I could give it my very first proper listen. That actually hasn’t changed much all these years later, even if the formats have and some of those great record stores I frequented are now gone.  Having confessed this, I’m now going to tell you another secret: The Innocents (Vince Clarke and Andy Bell’s classic third album) was the actual catalyst that launched my lifelong mega-devotion.  My little sister gave me the gift that has kept on giving (and on cassette tape no less) for my 20th birhday.  Just one listen and I was smitten.

Of course I had heard Erasure on the local radio and knew a few of their songs (like “Sometimes,” “Oh L’Amour” and especially their first bonafide US hit single, “Chains Of Love”) but hadn’t joined the fold yet.  It wasn’t hard to fall in love with the album, as it contained not only three huge UK singles (the above mentioned “Chains,” “Ship Of Fools,” and a little anthem called “A Little Respect”) but some equally great album tracks.  I soon backtracked through their earlier releases, and while not complete, I started to have a nice collection of their work.  In other words, the magnificent obsession had begun.

The Innocents is actually the first Erasure long-player proper to get the full remaster treatment.  Aside from four chronological singles boxed sets and this year’s fantastic Total Pop! hits collection, this seems surprising, especially after comparing the sound of the original CDs to the remastered ones—it is literally night and day.  I remember doing this when the first two boxed singles sets, entitled simply Singles Box Set 1 and 2, arrived in 1999.  I heard things, mostly through headphones, that I hadn’t noticed on the original records.  There was a stunning and detectable difference immediately, which isn’t always the case with “remastered” CDs I’ve purchased through the years.  I’ve argued with various friends about whether or not remastered albums sound any better or different and if they justify repurchasing something one already owns.

To me remastering seems to be a natural progression as modern technology improves upon itself.  It appears inevitable that a lot of albums released on CD say ten or more years ago have the potential of simply sounding better now.  That isn’t to say that record companies always do this right—sometimes they don’t, especially if they haven’t used the original master tapes for example.  For this release I actually made a playlist in iTunes and put all the tracks from my original CD and interspersed them with the same tracks from the new 2009 CD and then compared them.  So, “A Little Respect” 1988 version, then “A Little Respect” 2009 version, etc.  It was astonishing to hear the difference and clarity in the newer release.

And so with Erasure and their career-long label, Mute, the real question isn’t over how the remastered sound will be (since they’ve repeatedly proven themselves in this arena) but rather how does the material stand up?  Especially twenty-one years after it was originally released? The answer is: remarkably well.  The Innocents was Erasure’s true first US hit, not to mention their first UK number one album, remarkably hitting that spot twice: first in April 1988 upon its release and then again in January 1989.  Clarke has said that by this album he and Bell were true musical partners, in terms of both the writing and recording of the material.  Demoed mainly on guitar and piano (like most of their songs are still done to this day) at Clarke’s house, the album was recorded in London.  Working with the great Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys, New Order, OMD) as producer, The Innocents sounds different than their prior two releases.  Certainly there is a new maturity to the songs, but there is also something different in the execution, and credit Hague for bringing out the best elements of this duo’s strengths: Clarke’s synth wizardry and Bell’s gorgeous, soulful voice in new ways.

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Comments on this article

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Al

Erasure has the the most comprehensive collection of songs on the planet. When I heard they made a remastered INNOCENTS album, I ran to the store. Throughout the 20+ years they always been in my ears. Thank you Vince and Andy! Bravo.

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Piece Of Heaven

Woww...best anniversary edition in the music industry ever. Just get it and enjoy it..it's really worth it. Well done job guys. Thanks

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Carlitos

Realmente he disfrutado de ERASURE durante toda mi vida, ha sido la dupla que mas me ha gustado y seguidola siempre, así que referente a la remasterizacion de este album, solo puedo recomendarte que si eres segudio del electro pop, techno pop o synth-pop, debes tenerlo entre tus discos. Grandiosamente diseñado, profesionalmente remasterizado e incluye la presentacion oficial en vivo del tour de 1988. A thousand of thanks to MUTE and EMI for this 21th anniversary deluxe edition but specially to Andy and Vince for making the world tasting good!!!

Posted on January 9, 2010 by Dominic Son

I listened with a critical ear and compared the versions of songs, and it was nicely brightened up and cleared out. You can hear several of Vince's synths better in all tracks, and Andy's voice captured in moments of his greatness.

Posted on February 3, 2010 by ariel rivera cofre

me parece extraordinaria la nueva reedicion de un album tan sencible y que marco el estilo de este duo tan querido por nosotros y que lograra tan importantes lugares en los medios. tengo almenos todas las remezclas que aparecen alli, y las versiones singles y el concierto , en sintesis todo el material adicional . pero para todos aquellos que no , los felicito se llevan un gran regalo. gracias erasure, y esperemos que hayan màs ediciones especiales como estas y un nuevo album que nos conmueva como los anteriores. saludos a todos.

Posted on February 9, 2010 by craig

massive fan.ALWAYS have been since 85. over 150 cds in my collection dont give up now lads,loads of love.

Posted on February 27, 2010 by tobin

first i hear of it. going out right after work maybe on lunch hour to buy. the emotion that washes over me when i hear the songs of erasure ( their total body of work) brings tears to my eyes and a suffering of heart for less fortunate persons than i which i pray for daily. erasure has been a constant sound to my ears from the first day i heard them. even before due to yazoo and yaz. love to all peaceful hearts

 

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