Despite being released in 2005, "Nightbird" wasn't made available on vinyl until 2016. My copy came with a free 12x12" art print of the sleeve which is horrendously blurred and doesn't seem worth the effort. Still, this is quite a good pressing and the sound of the record is very good.
At this stage in their career, Erasure were transitioning from being regarded as a washed up eighties band to electronic pop royalty. This record was the first in a few years that wasn't toe curling awful and it certainly put their legacy back on track in my mind.
"No Doubt" begins with some unremarkable percussion noises before suddenly exploding into a Technocolor world that reassures us that planet "Loveboat" has been left behind. As the song progresses the repeated notes of the bassline build a tension that resolves as Andy sings: "It's more than enough just to gaze in your eyes, I'm dying to show you what love is about."
"Here I Impossible Again" was a single that has a great chorus. I always find myself singing along to this song but I don't have much clue what it is actually about. One of the highlights of the album is the magnificent "Let's Take One More Rocket to the Moon" which is intricate and satisfying. These songs aren't the pure pop of "The Innocents" or "The Circus" but something more considered and mature. Whilst Andy's lyrics have always been subject to a certain degree of introspection, they are especially so on this record. Lead single "Breathe" seems to reflect on a life lived and the need to believe: "Stood the test of time, Though I treated you rough, You were always kind".
The backing track for "I'll Be There" is archetypical Vince Clarke, yet the analogue synthesizers seem to be handled much more imaginatively this time around. I'm guessing Vince began using Logic Pro for this album as the music has both a greater depth and possesses a polished edge that had been lacking on some predecessors. "Because Our Love Is Real" has almost nursery rhyme style verses which are punctuated by a more mature chorus. This song made me reflect on the prominence of Andy's performance and the restraint being shown in the backing tracks.
Another magnificent single "Don't Say You Love Me" opens side two with an amazing flourish. The pulsating synths and vocoder effects rumble under Andy's soaring vocals in a way that I find fascinating. The next track "All This Time Still Failing Out of Love" sounds a bit like ABBA being recorded in a rave style. The reflective mid tempo "I Broke It All In Two" is a great piece of song writing that is well executed. The low point of the album is the unfinished sounding "Sweet Surrender". However, given that this song is still better than anything they had recorded in the preceding 8 years I can live with it.
The ending of this album is something special. Everything about "I Bet You're Mad at Me" is pretty much perfect. The melody is complimented by Vince's swell of synth effects until we reach the all too brief crescendo. A magnificent end to an album that restored my faith in Erasure. 4/5
