Wonderland [CD]

Vince Clarke is a genius. Easily one of the most original and talented songwriters of his generation, he's a modest bloke who nonetheless has been inspirational for what seems like an eternity. Forming Depeche Mode with some friends in Basildon, a bleak new town in Essex in 1980, Clarke quit them just as they became a major pop act, moving on to form Yazoo with Essex blues diva Alison Moyet. After two excellent albums and just eighteen months together, he and 'Alf' called it a day.

Eighteen more months of introspection and reflection saw Clarke try out new projects - including the Assembly's major hit Never Never (sung by Feargal Sharkey, now a UK government music advisor!) - he hankered after being in a band again and to play live. He even doubted his massive talent and considered packing it all in to become a carpenter. Originally Erasure was conceived as a continuation of the Assembly, with different vocalists being involved but fate was to take a hand...

Clarke auditioned dozens of potential vocalists and had almost given up by the time Peterborough lad, ex-choir boy and Clarke fan Andy Bell stepped up to the mike and the rest became history. The early Erasure were not immediately successful; releasing three singles (all featured on this album) which failed to dent the charts. They toured a good deal around the UK's universities and colleges and their hard work eventually paid off.

What's Wonderland like? It's a great album and a very strong (if overlooked) debut. Packed with stonking songs like (Who Needs Love) Like That?, Oh! L'Amour, Reunion, My Heart...So Blue and Love Is A Loser, it's difficult to see how it didn't succeed back in 85.

Clarke's songwriting is full of superbly melodic hooks, stimulating basslines and shape production values. Andy Bell's vocals come through loud and clear and are the perfect vocal layer, his lyric writing showing early signs of real insight and intelligence.

The partnership of Clarke and Bell is now one of the most successful of British pop history. Go back to the start and see how it all began.

'Push Me Shove Me' has to be one of the best tracks from any band at that time, a blend of old school dance and dark urban Europop quite unlike anything else they've attempted. I wish the band had explored this particular sound a bit further as the singers voice and tempo works so well with Vince's beats and bridges.

'Cry So Easy', Andy's only solo writing credit with the band, see's the singer telling of his disappointment with his cold lover and although his voice sounds a little weak it adds to the theme of the song. I liked the recent acoustic rework of this track on the 'Boy' EP, although it will not appear on the 'Union Street' album which is a shame.

'Reunion', 'Oh L'amour' and 'Love Is A Loser' are a precursor of what was to follow over the next 20 years. Perfectly pop, perfectly foot-tapperble and perfectly sweet. The original version of 'Who Needs Love Like That' as the album's introduction sounds dated now, a better mix can be heard from the re-issue single on the greatest hits bundle 'Pop'. The lesser quality tracks 'March On Down The Line' and 'My Heart So Blue' plod a bit but make good fillers regardless.

Although you won't find it on the album, the B-side 'Don't Say No' from the 'Heavenly Action' single is another superb piece of old school dance, the remixes are also worthy of a blast late on a Friday night if you can hold of them.

All in all a good idea of where Erasure were on their way to in 1985 but also a chance to dream about where they could have gone.