Erasure - Tomorrow’s World, a little review
I was dubious about Frankmusik as the producer, I’d heard of him when it was initially mentioned but I couldn’t name any of his tracks, I went and had a listen to his material but nothing really grabbed me about it.
I often wondered what the role of a producer would bring to a project, but that really depends on the producer (obviously). Frankmusik may well produce his own music but primarily he’s an artists with a specific sound.
I’m not privy to the exact process of how this album was put together, but drawing a conclusion based upon the news and tweets I believe Vince & Andy wrote the tracks over a period of time in their traditional way of guitar and voice. Vince then did his thing by building the tracks using his vast array of synths. Andy came in and sang his parts. Then Frankmusik took everything thing away and did his thing. I remember reading somewhere that Frank only went to Vince’s place for week.
Looking at previous Erasure producers and knowing their work from other projects you can see what impact they had on the various Erasure records. Vince is obviously a capable writer and arranger but probably isn’t a recording engineer, someone that can technically record and mix, it’s also something that he probably doesn’t enjoy. I don’t particularly savour it either.
Maybe there wasn’t enough budget to warrant a full blown producer to be involved through the whole process, maybe Frank didn’t feel comfortable working in an unfamiliar environment, maybe Frank was brought in after the songs were already written and semi complete, who knows.
Whilst there’s no problem with this way of working, it’s clear that the end result isn’t a true collaborative process, to me it feels more like a remix project. What’s here is not quite an Erasure record, it’s a fusion of styles, Erasure v Frankmusik and not the realised potential of Erasure on it’s own.
There are without question some overused bits of production technique that really turn me off to repeat listening. Namely side chain compression, which should be kept to the dance floor if you ask me. This is where a compressor is used to give a track or particular part of a track that pumping sound you get typically in trance or techno. The technique is to use the kick drum to activate the compressor effecting another sound, usually a rich pad sound or even the whole track.
It’s used on half of the album…
Be With You - subtle but still there
Fill Us With Fire - far too much effect and spoils the track for normal listening.
A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot - works better with this track and actually there are some places where to me it sounds like it’s working on just the reverb for some parts which is pretty cool, however for the main chorus it seems to be on the whole track.
I Lose Myself - subtle but still there
Then I Go Twisting - the use is more prominent in the choruses
So personally it’s an overused technique and appears to be part of the “Frank” sound which isn’t particularly original and makes the tracks sound like late 90’s dance. Don’t get me wrong I love some of the tracks that came out during that period. Chicane and Paul Van Dyke are in my CD collection somewhere. But on an Erasure record, I’m not so sure.
Melodyne - Yes there’s tons of it on here, obviously not there to correct Andy’s vocals but to add a creative effect. I dunno about this, it’s a personal thing. I like it in some places but not others. I feel for poor old Andy singing some of these bits live.
So do I like it? Yes I do, in-fact I think I love it. Underneath the washes of over effected production are some really good songs. You can hear the Vince parts there and I’d say they’re classic VC. Frank has probably dumbed down much of the parts which would have been complex sequences that interweave throughout the tracks and create the trademark VC wall of sound. But what it’s been replaced with for me doesn’t detract from some really stand out songs, It’s a modern Erasure record.
I have to admit I was disappointed after hearing it on headphones last night. I’m glad that I waited to write a review this evening though, because after I played it in the car this morning, I realised it’s really a disco record and needs to be played at volume to be appreciated. It changed my mood and that’s what I love about music.
Stand out tracks - Be With You, Fill Us With Fire, A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot, I Lose Myself and Then I Go Twisting. So all the tracks with that overused sidechain compression - go figure!
I am slightly kicking myself for not getting tickets to see them live next week in Leicester - bugger.
