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album // Electric Blue
[Coming soon]
single // Crazy | iTunes
: buy this single
If I was Erasure's Andy Bell upon
listening to the top 40 on Sunday I think I'd be pretty livid as
my debut solo single entered the charts at 35. For a start I'd feel
like my own fan base - loyal still after 20 years and responsible
earlier this year for propelling Erasure's 'Breathe' to number four
in the UK charts - had failed to support my first solo efforts.
But I'm not Andy Bell, I just evidently appear to be one of the
few Erasure fans who bothered to buy 'Crazy'. On all three formats
too, traitors.
What's not to like? 'Crazy' is an infectious, anthemic
track that would sound excellent in certain clubs, with a throbbing
beat and bassline overlaid by masterful synths. Does it sound like
Erasure? Well, yes and no - Andy delivers one of his most euphoric
vocals while Manhattan Clique dip their toes in Vince
Clarke-like synth progressions, giving the feel of a one of
the better of Erasure remixes from over the years. And yet the lyrics
are somehow more direct, and in some respects not so 'literal',
giving the feel of a proper dancefloor-oriented style; and Vince
has never been able to lay down such a tightly pulsing 4/4 beat
(sorry Vince). What can I say? It should have been far bigger.
The two-track CD1 comes with a radio edit of 'Crazy'
(which was mixed by occasional Erasure assistant Bob Kraushaar)
and the playful B-side 'Little Girl Lies', wherein Manhattan Clique's
Philip Larsen and Chris Smith are joined by Adrian
Revell, Winston Rollins and Martin Shaw on horns. This has a soulful
pop style, reminding me most of 'Paradise', the B-side to Erasure's
'Drama!'.
CD2 has remixes from Cicada and King Roc which intensify
the clubby sound of 'Crazy', while Manhattan Clique offer what seems
to be an extended mix. Vince Clarke lends his support (unlike you,
you know who you are) with his first remix in ages, and it's distinctive
Clarke material - a quirky synth hook and odd percussion. Surely
this alone was worth buying this for? The DVD features the apparently
expensive video which features masked cops with truncheons, angel
wings and folk with flames instead of faces, and Andy Bell looking
as confused by this garish Dali meets Bosch vision of hell as I
am. If you want close-ups of Andy's silver-painted nipple (come
on, for some of you this must have made you want to buy this),
you will be gratified by the photo gallery that accompanies the
audio of the pleasant acoustic version of 'Crazy' and the B-side
'Names Change'.
CD1:
1. Crazy (Radio Edit)
2. Little Girl Lies
CD2:
1. Crazy (Cicada Vocal Mix)
2. Crazy (MHC Master Mix)
3. Crazy (King Roc Remix)
4. Crazy (Vince Clarke Remix)
5. Crazy (Album Version)
DVD:
1. Crazy (Video)
2. Crazy (Acoustic)
3. Names Change
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