One record at a time: 469. Yazoo - Upstairs at Eric's

"Upstairs at Eric's" is one of those albums that I would expect to find in the collection of any self respecting electronic music fan. This record was originally released in 1982 and my copy is an original UK pressing acquired from eBay in 2017.

As the needle drops we are greeted by the iconic synth riff that opens the hit single "Don't Go". Legend has it that every sound on this track is from a Sequential Circuits Pro-One synthesiser but I seem to remember producer Daniel Miller saying his trusty ARP 2600 was also used, and I can definitely hear some TR-808 claps towards the end. Whilst there are other gems on this record, this track must surely be the zenith of early eighties synth pop.

Most of the other tracks on this record have a certain naivety that both lends them charm but occasionally detracts. Take the snare drum on second track "Too Pieces" which has such a long reverb it just smears across the whole song, or the backing vocals on "Bad Connection" which just seem unnecessary. 

Then there's "I Before Except After C". Usually you might find me saying things like, "this track is divisive" or it "splits fan opinion", but in this case I think it is safe to say it is universally disliked. I presume this experimental track is created using tape loops as it was recorded before Vince had his short affair with the Fairlight CMI. Most American fans will point out that switching this track with the single "Situation" would have made for a much better album, but the decision to release "Situation" as a single in the USA was not approved by the band and they seemed to regarded it as mere b-side material at the time. Interestingly all compact disc releases of the album did indeed omit "I Before Except After C" in favour of the US remix of "Situation", but it was finally restored to the running order when the album was remastered in 2008.

The fist song we encounter that is composed by Alison Moyet is "Midnight". This song receives a complimentary backing track thanks to Vince's Pro One bassline and subtle pads from a Roland Juno 60. Vince Clarke has said during interviews that most of these songs consist of no more than seven or eight elements and this minimalistic approach is also evident on songs like "In My Room" (which also has a rather 'esoteric' vocal contribution from Vince). 

Side B opens with the bands debut single "Only You" which is laced with analogue synthesisers and a perfect vocal performance. Some consider "Goodbye 70s" to be Alison's best composition on the record and its hi-energy approach means it hurtles along in a surprisingly entertaining fashion. The sombre "Tuesday" isn't really to my taste and whilst "Winter Kills" provides nice contrast to some of the disco pomp, it just goes on a bit too long. The final track is the brilliant "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" which seems to mark the sudden appearance of a Linn LM-1 drum machine alongside the ubiquitous Pro One. A patchy album that has become required listening for electronic music enthusiasts thanks to its hit singles. 3.5/5

One record at a time: 468. xPropaganda - The Heart is Strange

xPropaganda is a collaboration between vocalists Susanne Freytag and Claudia Brücken along with producer Stephen Lipson. All three had previously been involved in the creation of the seminal Propaganda album "A Secret Wish" and there's no doubt this record is an attempt to distil some of that classic sound (Universal even went as far as resurrecting the ZTT imprint to hammer the point home). The result is that whilst Ralf Dörper and Michael Mertens continue to record as Propaganda, only their former collaborators actually sound like the Propaganda.

This limited edition red vinyl came with a free art print and was released in 2022. The sound reproduction is on the good side of middling - but the packaging and graphic design is of the highest order. 

The first track "The Night" immediately immediately brings back those "A Secret Wish" vibes with its rumbling synth bass and mute trumpet improvisations. Whilst there are no crunchy Fairlight samples or Trevor Horn 'gags' in the music, it still carries a very distinctive flavour. These unique qualities are in no small part due to the vocals of Susanne and Claudia, but Stephen Lipson has also manages to create a sonic palette that is both contemporary and consistent with Propaganda's eighties vibe.

I enjoy every track on this record, though a few stand out as personal favourites. One such highlight is "Beauty Is Truth," where Claudia and Susanne trade call-and-response vocals over a pulsating electronic backdrop. The groove rolls forward with effortless momentum, knowing it doesn't have to work that hard to impress you. 

The flip side opens with "Don't (You Mess With Me)" where the synths burble and groan as Claudia makes it clear she not a woman to be trifled with. I love the bilingual nature of the vocals and there's no doubt this track deserved to be a single. Another favourite track is "The Wolves Are Returning" which has a fantastic sub-bass, but the saxophone solo does detract from it quite a bit.

I regard this as one of the best albums from 2022 and I still listen to it regularly. There's no doubt there is a special chemistry at play when Stephen Lipson works with Claudia and Susanne and this album captures that magic nicely. That's not to say this album ends up sounding like "A Secret Wish Part 2" as it stands on its own two feet. This is great electronic pop. 4/5

One record at a time: 467. Steve Winwood - Refugees of the Heart

The final Steve Winwood record in my collection takes us out of the eighties with 1990's "Refugees of the Heart". I hadn’t heard this album before ordering it, but since it was on a flash sale for a very reasonable price, I thought—why not?

On hearing the record, things don't bode well from the outset as opening track, "You'll Keep On Searching" begins with the dreaded sound of a saxophone. Still, there’s just enough of the Roland D-50 preset "Digital Native Dance" to keep me listening. As the song crawls along at a mid-tempo pace, weaving through passages of Hammond organ and more saxophone, it feels as though it might never end. After nearly six and a half minutes, we move on to the slightly more palatable "Every Day (Oh Lord)," which offers some interesting rhythmic elements, though it still doesn’t exactly set the house on fire.

Among these rather conventional rock tracks, "One and Only Man" has enough rhythm and synth textures to make it worth a listen, but much of the rest can be safely ignored. I have a dislike of the final track on the first side, "I Will Be There," which is marred by a grating saxophone and runs for at least twice as long as it has any right to.  

Flipping to the reverse side, there’s some country-tinged nonsense called "Another Deal Goes Down", while "Running On" and "Come Out and Dance" are almost indistinguishable rock dirges. The ten-minute-long closing track, "In The Light of Day," starts with a simple synth sequence before gradually building into yet another torturous saxophone solo before it peters out.

Although the credits frequently mention the use of the Fairlight CMI, aside from a few elements on the final track and some scattered drum samples, this album sounds like it was created by session musicians using conventional instruments. "Refugees of the Heart" marks Winwood’s final step away from making music for American radio and is aimed closer to his roots. However, as I stated in my first piece on Steve Winwood, the genres he is generally associated with aren’t to my taste—and neither is this album. 1/5

One record at a time: 466. Steve Winwood - Roll With It

"Roll With It" was released in 1988 and became one of Winwood's most commercially successful albums in the USA. Having had a massive pop hit with his previous studio album, Steve Winwood seemed to deliver a record full of rock tracks aimed at middle America for the follow-up. However, if you look past the machismo and the leather jacket, the old Steve Winwood can still be found lurking on the background.

We kick off with the Motown pastiche that gave the album its name. I say 'pastiche' but this song was so close to actual Motown songs that Holland–Dozier–Holland received a song writing credit. Whilst this is undoubtedly a catchy number it is highly derivative and belongs to a genre I do not enjoy. Hot on its heels is another single called  "Holding On" which sound much more like traditional Winwood territory. 

There's a prominent Roland CR-78 drum machine and a Multimoog bass on the brooding third track "The Morning Side" which sound like something Phil Collins would have come up with. My personal favourite on the album is "Put On Your Dancing Shoes" as it has some great chords in the chorus and some plastic synth brass that is redolent of the eighties.

I know "Don't You Know What The Night Can Do?" was popular at the time of release but I find it a truly unremarkable song. "Hearts On Fire" recycles lyrics and licks from "Higher Love" and sounds a bit too 'mainstream adult contemporary radio' to me. The only other song to mention is the final number "Shining Song" which features the Fairlight CMI "ARR1" preset along with "Fantasia" from the Roland D50. Tame stuff. 2/5

One record at a time: 465. Steve Winwood - Chronicles

"Chronicles" is a compilation album from 1987 that bring together the highlights of Steve Winwood's solo work released on the Island record label. Having just scored a hit with "Back in the High Life" Winwood was hot property in America and the executives at Island records were keen to use their final album under his contract to capitalise. 

To promote the album Tom Lord-Alge was asked to sprinkle some of his auditory fairy dust on the criminally ignored track "Valerie" and another top ten hit was born. Also dunked in the Lord-Alge sheep-dip were "Help Me Angel" and "Talking Back To The Night". Whilst all these remixes sound good, you could argue the originals were perfectly satisfactory. I guess the aim of giving these older songs a more polished sound was to make them more appealing to the new found American market. 

Whilst the track choices for this compilation are fairly evenly split amongst Winwood's solo albums, the only song from his eponymous debut is "Vacant Chair". However, this track is presented as a lean four and a half minute edit rather than the the full fat album mix. Also edited are "Spanish Dancer" and "While You See A Chance" with the former sounding particularly truncated. Interestingly my compact disc and "The streaming services of Lucifer™ " use the full album mixes rather than the edits, so this vinyl is rather unique in that regard.

Personally I'd like to have seen "Big Girls Walk Away" included here and a tasteful edit of "Midland Maniac" might have offered a slightly more holistic view of Windood's solo career. Having said that, this is an engaging compilation and serves as a great introduction to Steve's early solo work. 3/5

One record at a time: 464. Steve Winwood - Back In The High Life

In 1986, Steve Winwood decided to pursue his commercial ambitions and aim for greater success in America. The result was "Back In The High Life," a highly polished album produced by Russ Titelman in New York. Winwood collaborated with a host of session musicians and prominent backing vocalists, while the technically adept Lord-Alge brothers worked behind the scenes to add the finishing touches that would make the record so appealing to the American market. Once released the album sold well and earned Winwood two Grammy awards in the process. All this success prompted his move to the United States—mission accomplished.

Central to this success was the single "Higher Love". Whilst my children know this song thanks to a dance remix of Whitney Houston’s cover version that appeared on the soundtrack to the film "Sing 2", my own first encounter with the song was thirty-five years earlier. Side A of the cassette compilation "Now That's What I Call Music 8" is full of wonderful music and I would always look forward to this track coming along straight after Swing Out Sister's "Breakout". 

One of the standout elements of "Higher Love" is its rhythm track, where drummer John Robinson enhanced the Oberheim DMX drum machine’s sound with dynamic fills and added punch. The remarkable percussive loop that opens the track was actually captured by chance as Robinson practiced in the studio. I've heard esteemed producer and engineer Gary Langan say that a recording engineer’s job is to capture everything musicians produce in the studio—if you’re not recording, you’re not doing your job properly. By this definition, Tom Lord-Alge was certainly doing his job as not only did he manage to record Robinson’s improvisation but he then managed to seamlessly incorporated it into the finished track. 

Famously, Chaka Khan provides backing vocals and the credits also list Nile Rodgers on guitar. The liner notes mention the use of a PPG Waveterm, but I can also hear sounds reminiscent of the Yamaha DX7 (bass) and the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 (brass). The album version of the song is almost six minutes long, but it never feels tiresome. This is peak eighties pop.

The second track, "Take It As It Comes" moves into more conventional rock territory, featuring Hammond organ, chugging rhythm guitar, and a brass section. However, both the song and its execution are rather unremarkable. The single "Freedom Overspill" brings in more synth touches, including a Yamaha DX7 BASS.1 bassline, but the overly showy guitar work by Joe Walsh of The Eagles feels out of place.

Another highlight is "Wake Me Up On Judgement Day". While the verse and pre-chorus are somewhat bland, the song rewards persistence with an uplifting chorus. As the track gathers momentum, Nile Rodgers steps into the spotlight, and the focus remains on the infectious chorus, leaving behind the earlier diversions.

A personal favourite is "My Love's Leavin'" which was co-written with long-term collaborator Vivian Stanshall. This song blends the sound of the DMX drum machine with the ubiquitous DX7 E.PIANO 1 and Tom Lord-Alge’s mix is rich with reverbs, delays, and equalisation, maintaining a palpable tension throughout. The album credits are so extensive that it is easy to overlook that Arif Mardin arranged the synthesised strings on this track. It is an amazing end to a pleasing album. 3.5/5.

One record at a time: 463. Steve Winwood - Talking Back To The Night

“Talking Back to the Night” was recorded entirely in Steve Winwood’s home studio, making it a genuine solo effort. This time, Winwood not only composed every note, but also played, recorded, and mixed the whole album himself. If he had taken charge of the sleeve design as well, perhaps we would have had a more striking cover, but that is a minor complaint. I purchased this original 1982 UK pressing from eBay eight years ago. The sound quality is decent, though not outstanding.

The album begins with the hit single “Valerie”. On this release, you will find the original mix, which feels raw compared to the polished 1987 remix. For those familiar with the latter, this version may seem less refined, but it remains an irresistibly catchy track. The synth textures are prominent and Winwood has mentioned that the Prophet 5 was responsible for nearly all the electronic sounds on the album.

“Big Girls Walk Away” might raise eyebrows with its title, but if you give it your full attention, it proves to be a highlight. The track blends Linn LM-1 drums, Roland VP-330 vocoder and Prophet 5 synth to create a soulful edge to its synth-pop foundation.

After such an energetic start, “And I Go” slows the pace. This is a soul-infused number, featuring Hammond organ flourishes and other familiar genre tropes. There is also a jarring edit at one minute and twenty-two seconds that always catches my ear. “While There’s a Candle Burning” begins unassumingly but gradually builds with synth riffs and seventies-style guitar. Side one closes with “Still in the Game”, which, while melodically bland, offers some appealing synth work.

Turning to side two, “It Was Happiness” is pleasant but somewhat forgettable. However, “Help Me Angel” is a true highlight and is presented here in its original form before Tom Lord-Alge got his hands on it for the “Chronicles” compilation. This song grooves relentlessly, driven by a tight drum pattern and excellent synths. The title track is another mid-tempo, synth-driven piece that is enjoyable but does not leave a lasting impression. Finally, “There’s a River” delivers the slow blues number you might have been dreading; it is best skipped. 3/5