album // The Circus
Following the disappointing sales of their debut
Wonderland, but resolving not to simply split up, Vince
Clarke and Andy Bell followed their lengthy promotional
tour by immediately heading back into the studio with Wonderland's
producer Flood to record their second album, 1987's The
Circus. It was with this album, preceded by the UK number 2
single, the seminal 'Sometimes', that secured Erasure's success.
In direct contrast to Wonderland's poor fortune, all four
singles from The Circus - 'Sometimes', 'It Doesn't Have To
Be', 'Victim Of Love' and the title track 'The Circus' - were hits,
while the album itself rocketed to the top of the UK charts.
The Circus took the unique digital sheen
that characterised Wonderland's soundscapes, polishing the
whole thing with a glossy mix from PWL underling 'Mixmaster'
Phil Harding. Each and every song is distinctive, and the album
was a richly-deserved hit for both Erasure and Mute Records.
Crucially for a singer who was forced to defend himself against
the criticism that he was merely apeing Alison Moyet's singing
style on Wonderland, it is here that Andy Bell finds his
signature style. Vince, on the other hand, continues to perfect
his highly effective and distinctive, synth sound.
The album commences with the African percussion
of 'It Doesn't Have To Be', before moving into the enduring live
classic - and something of an early band anthem - 'Hideaway'. 'Hideaway',
I always felt, was somehow autobiographical for Andy Bell, but I
could be wrong. It appears to detail a secret that the song's subject
can no longer contain, but which disappoints his parents no end
- 'One day the boy decided / To let them know the way he felt
inside / He could not stand to hide it / His mother she broke down
and cried'. To me it sounds like a 'coming out' song, one which
seemed to find a particular resonance among some of Erasure's fanbase.
Sonically, it is brilliant - a simple one note melody starts the
track, which is gradually joined by other sounds, while the beat
and bassline don't kick in until the chorus is almost upon the listener.
A stunning live version can be found on the Wild! video,
finding Andy starting the track seated on a set of steps before
becoming more lively as the song progresses. 'Don't Dance', on the
other hand, is a sultry electro number with a prowling bassline,
and appears to be a tirade against running with the pack - 'Don't
dance to the rhythm / You can live without it' runs the chorus.
It's a sleek, minimalist piece of electropop, lots of little sounds
and swoops.
'If I Could' is a tender, sentimental track that's
also very resigned and melancholy - 'If I could / You know I
would / Make the world a little better'. Vince provides a moving
backdrop of orchestrally-influenced synths and simple melodies.
'Sexuality', the B-side from 'Sometimes', follows with a slightly
different mix that kicks off with a loud snare fill and generally
seems to enhance the overall sound.
'Leave Me To Bleed' is one of Erasure's darkest,
most mysterious tracks - a song about deceit and betrayal in a relationship
with one of Vince's most edgy keyboard riffs and a predatory beat.
Final track, 'Spiralling' is, to serious Erasure fans, an amalgamation
of two songs, 'Spiralling' and 'Safety In Numbers', since the two
sections were performed separately on the tour to promote the album.
The first part is another emotional piece, a saddening song that
Andy pours his entire heart and soul into, the lyrics detailing
the sense of insularity following a break-up...except, now as an
adult I hear this more as a suicide note, clarified by the wispy,
drifting folk accordian coda of the 'Safety In Numbers'. Typically,
my theory is blown out by Andy's live performance of the latter
portion, which was incredibly camp.
Three bonus tracks are included on the CD, the 'new'
mix of 'In The Hall Of The Mountain King' (from the limited 12"
of 'It Doesn't Have To Be'), the 12" mix of 'Sometimes' (by
Erasure and Flood) and the 'Boop Oopa Doo' mix of 'It Doesn't Have
To Be' (by Phil Harding).
The Circus was the album that introduced
Erasure to the mainstream, and it truly is a masterstroke borne
out of commitment and sheer hard work. With The Circus, Erasure
achieved the success they richly deserved, establishing the duo
as a powerful force in synthpop's chequered history.
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