Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
The epitome of neo-romance, 30 Jan 2003
The early 80s synth genre was dominated by a movement called the 'Neo-Romantic'. Bands like 'Visage' manifested the romance and the 'Human League' offered the universal dance sound. Ultravox combined both, which this is very evident in 'Lament'. Any purchaser will be in synth heaven with this album, and with meaningful coherent lyrics one can become absorbed in those 'syncopated rhythms'. 'White China', 'One Small Day', 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes' and the remixes of 'White China' and 'One Small Day' are upbeat and full of vigour, flavour, emotion and romance. The title track 'Lament' offers a truly wonderfully melancholic vibe which gives the album an altogether more reflective and mature sound. This is NOT synth-'POP', it may have been conceived to be POPular in the early 80s but after 19 years it has aged oh so gracefully and sends shivers down my spine. Especially the blazing instrumental section of 'One Small Day' with the soaring guitar displays. 'A Friend I call desire' is a moodier sounding track reminiscent of 'One Small Day' and Visage's 'Fade To Grey'. If you liked Ultravox's 'The Collection Album' buy this without hesitation right away. This album offers a more maturer reflective sound over the almighty 'Human League', a band I greatly admire.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
The Vienna quartet's last hurrah, 9 Jun 2005
Lyrically and musically, this is Ultravox at their peak, IMHO.Midge Ure & Chris Cross finally put down some lyrics that make you think 'that's what I'm feeling too'. White China looks forward to the return of Hong Kong to China, One Small Day celebrates the little victories we all have, Dancing with Tears in my Eyes describes the terror a nuclear war would bring, whilst Lament moves with simplicity. Man Of Two Worlds is inspired by the rugged Scottish heartlands and the battles fought with the English. Heart of the Country speaks of betrayal by the motherland. When the Time Comes is a defiant end of a love affair lyric, whilst A Friend I Call Desire accurately moves through the affect of desire on a relationship. Musically Ultravox are on top form too; Midge blasts guitars and warm vocals all over this; Chris Cross plays some rivetting bass on guitar and synth, whilst Warren Cann's robotic tendencies of previous releases are softened, Billy Currie ices the cake with brilliant and subtle shades of synths; the quartet also employ some of the best sampling of the era (remember this was 1984!). the bonus material does not match the original eight songs, but the extended remix of One Small Day shows just how you radically take apart and reassemble a song. Extra bonus points: the quality of repackaging and remastering, Extreme Voice do a fantastic overhaul of the original dramatic sleeve, add lyrics and give the disc an imaginative use of 2 colour inks to re-create the Standing Stones.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
A last hurrah, 16 Feb 2005
A stonking album and the last decent one that Ultravox mk 3 produced. 1984 saw a lot of changes in British music: the synth revolution had started to wane, provoking a backlash of (usually American) guitar bands. It was also the year Ultravox reached their creative and commercial pinnicle.Lament spawned no less than four singles, the lead one being One Small Day, an all-out rock song with severe guitar from Ure and Cann's towering drums well to the fore. The video was shot on by the remote Callanish standing stones in the Hebrides (that's them in the cover pic) and boy was it a cold day! Currie plays with no gloves on and looks frozen stiff! The whole album is very tight and well produced with tracks like Man Of Two Worlds and A Friend I Call Desire outstanding. Unfortunately, tensions within the band - typified by Currie and Cann not being invited to the Band Aid session - began to surface. Ure took time out in 1985 to record and release his debut solo album, The Gift, Cann was shown the door after over ten years in the band and they went on as an ill-advised trio, recording the awful U-Vox album in 86. Lament represents the end of an era. Currie reformed Ultravox with others later, Ure having quit in 87 and bassist Chris Cross retired to return his former vocation of psychotherapy. This is a band at the height of their powers. They were stunning and I loved them.
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