Erasure Critical Soundbites ‘Snow Globe’ Out November 11 on Mute Records

SNOW GLOBE cover artwork: http://msopr.com/files/snowglobe_cover_square.jpg

“Let‟s pretend that Andy Bell has ever been anything other than a holiday singer lying in wait. The way he delivers „The Christmas Song‟ on Snow Globe, the first seasonal album by the long-running British synth-pop duo Erasure (which consists of Mr. Bell and Vince Clare) is pure holiday slickness, balmy and heartening. There is harsher stuff on this album, like the Terutonic „Make It Wonderful‟ – „See the Northern Lights as they dance across the sky/They are inspiring/They take your breath away‟ – or the techno- esque Enigma-recalling version of „Gaudete,‟ a Latin traditional. But its standards (apart from „Silent Night‟) are odd and sharp, and „There‟ll Be No Tomorrow‟ and the beautiful „Loving Man‟ are on par with any of its late-„80s hits.” --Jon Caramanica, NEW YORK TIMES, November 29, 2013

“They [Erasure] look to the spirit of the season for redemption, and put their percolating electronics to smart use on a mixed bag of carols, contemporary pop songs (their take on Mel Torme's „The Christmas Song‟ is a quirky trip) and five originals.” --Randy Lewis, LOS ANGELES TIMES, November 29, 2013

“The veteran duo break the chains of Christmas-music conventions, putting their synth- pop spin on Snow Globe with both new tunes and freshly arranged traditional. Andy Bell sings like a choirboy on songs like the lullaby „Sleep Quietly,‟ where they also bring some melancholy to the merriment.” --Chuck Arnold and Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, December 16, 2013

“Have yourself a synth-pop Christmas.” --Jim Farber, NY DAILY NEWS, December 2, 2013

“The duo‟s electro-pop, with several original tracks, is a perfect soundtrack for a chilly- but-jaunty winter‟s eve.” --James Reed and Sarah Rodman, BOSTON GLOBE, November 28, 2013

“A guaranteed first thought when pressing play of this holiday album: „Erasure made a Christmas album?‟ Indeed. British synth-pop duo Andy Bell and Vince Clarke offer traditional songs („Silent Night‟ is a beauty, with multilayered harmonies and digital sparkles) and originals like „Blood on the Snow,‟ which tag seasonal despondency. The minimalist bounce of songs like „There‟ll Be No Tomorrow‟ makes this the album to grab after ditching the family following dinner and meeting friends in clubland.” --Mark Guarino, CHICAGO SUN TIMES, December 2, 2013

“The first holiday album from Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the Brit-pop duo behind such dance-floor hits as „Chains of Love‟ and „A Little Respect,‟ is aptly named. Swirling and synthy, it has a moody, dream-like feel. The tracklist is a wintry mix of standards, originals and a re-imagining of the Latin carol „Gaudete.‟ „Silent Night‟ seems to float on air, and an arcade-pop version of „The Christmas Song‟ is free and fun…” --Aarik Danielsen, COLUMBIA TRIBUNE, November 29, 2013

“The art of the Christmas album has been somewhat neglected in recent years, to the point where it has become the near-exclusive domain of boy bands, gleam-toothed Classic FM staples and housewives' favourites. So it's a bold move for Andy Bell and Vince Clarke to remind us of their pop prowess via a half-covers, half-originals festive set. Bell has claimed he wanted the music to sound like „shards of ice or snowflakes falling‟, and his bandmate has obliged via Tomita-worthy retro electronica that justifies another stab at „White Christmas,‟ and rehabilitates lesser-known carols such as „Midnight Clear‟ and „Sleep Quietly.‟ Elsewhere, „Make It Wonderful‟ and „There'll Be No Tomorrow‟ are vintage Erasure synth-pop, while the sweetly sentimental opener „Bells Of Love‟ is surely a Christmas single waiting to happen.” --Johnny Sharp, MOJO, December 2013

“I've always liked Erasure, but I don't think until now I can honestly say I love Erasure. „Gaudete‟ changes my feeling by being completely mad in a hundred different directions. First, it's from their upcoming Christmas album, Snow Globe, which sounds bloody daft until hearing them absolutely kill this traditional Latin carol. Then they teamed up with Martin Meunier, who workd on Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach to create a stop-motion gothic masterpiece of weird winter worship. Seriously, if church was more like this I'd start going. Erasure brought their freakin' A-game on this one.” --Jef Rouner, HOUSTON PRESS, November 6, 2013

“Erasure's new album, Snow Globe (Mute), is a weird mix of year-end treats. It's a holiday album, of sorts, so it includes Andy Bell's angelic delivery of classics like „The Christmas Song‟ and „Silent Night‟ over Vince Clarke's inventively spare, bleepy-bloopy synth arrangements. There are also dark originals – „Blood on the Snow‟ and „In the Bleak Mid-Winter‟ -- that bridge the gap between holiday songs and more expected Erasure numbers.There are also new dance anthems, including the groovy party-starter „Brooklyn‟ and the sweetly retro „Loving Man‟ that will be the stars of many a holiday party. Does it hold together? Does that really matter? It's fun.” -- Glenn Gamboa, NEWSDAY, November 12, 2013

“There are artists you expect to craft a holiday album – and those you don‟t. British synth-pop group Erasure is one of the latter. However, on their latest effort, Snow Globe, the duo – Andy Bell and Vince Clarke – recreate seasonal classics to fit their aesthetic. Save for a few popular favorites like „White Christmas,‟ Erasure dig deep into the holiday back catalog (see single „Gaudete,‟ sung entirely in Latin) while offering a few originals of their own. It‟s notably tricky to tell which are which, as the buoyant synth melodies seem to work regardless of each song‟s origin. The duo‟s lugubrious version of „Silent Night‟ is soft and honeyed while „Blood on the Snow‟ is a bouncing choral number. Unlike other holiday releases, if you don‟t really listen to the lyrics this could be any new collection of Erasure songs, which is a testament of their understanding of the genre. Emily Zemler, RELIX MAGAZINE, December 2013

“Old Christmas favorites like „Bleak Midwinter‟ …Bell and his cohort of over 20 years, Vince Clarke, do it justice with deep, rich vocals and a measured pace.” – Katherine Flynn, CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND, November 13, 2013

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