2008 digitally remastered reissue of the Synthpop duo's debut album coinciding with their reunion tour. Originally released in July '82, the album from former Depeche Mode songwriter Vince Clarke and vocalist Alison Moyet explored the pair's unusual potential to stunning effect. From the raunchy Synth Funk of 'Goodbye 70s' to the chilling darkness of 'Winter Kills', it was one of the most complete debut albums to have emerged throughout the decade as a whole, with the cover image of dismembered showroom dummies echoing the music's sense of dislocation from the standard pop formula. Features the hit singles 'Only You' and 'Don't Go'. Mute.
There was a time when you couldn't step into a dance club without hearing at least part of this recording booming over the sound system. The often over-played hit, "Situation," was a bubbling caldron of nasally synth noodlings, a whopping bass line, and drum machine wallops. Alison Moyet's looped laugh in the middle of the song ended up as a sample, over-used a thousand times over. Yaz was an interesting blend of Moyet's smoky blues and jazz tinged vocals with Vince Clarke's digital disco. Moyet's voice alone was instrument enough, and the melodies here perfectly showcased her incredible range. Upstairs easily moved between energetic dance floor exuberance ("Don't Go" and "Good-bye Seventies"), blues-inspired wailers ("Midnight"), and icy electronic minimalism ("Winter Kills"). It was an explosion of a debut, touching upon '80s gay disco, synth pop, and diva-ism in one fell swoop. The CD closes with the overlooked "Didn't I Bring Your Love Down," an infectious barn burner with a call/response break that blows the roof off of Eric's little techno-pop room. --Steve Gdula
| 25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:  Catchy 80's Electro/Pop At It's Best!, By highway_star (Hallandale, Florida United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: Upstairs at Erics (Audio CD) Yaz appeared on the "New Wave" scene in 1982 with the hits "Situation", "Don't Go" and "Only You". Fronted by Vince Clark (ex-Depeche Mode) on synthesizers and an unknown female vocalist named Allison Moyet, Yaz (originally Yazoo) created catchy electro/pop. Yaz's debut album "Upstairs At Eric's" produced several huge club hits with "Situation" (here in it's entire "Club Mix" version), "Don't Go" and the moderately successful "Only You". The first two songs are synthesized discoish club tunes with strong vocals courtesy of Moyet. Club jocks pumped these songs thru their sound systems to packed dancefloors (I know cause I was one of the jocks that spun both these tunes, sometimes several times a night) worldwide. But the album also had other great songs such as "Bad Connection", "Goodbye Seventies", and "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" to name a few. If you enjoy... Read more 8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: everything you've read about this is true...., By This review is from: Upstairs at Erics (Audio CD) This is the FINEST piece of electronic pop music to come out of the Eighties. The marriage of Vince Clarke's cold electronics and the gospel/blues influenced vocals of Alison "Alf" Moyet is a match made in music heaven. Even the more experiental pieces here work really well, although casual fans slag them off as being overblown and pretentious. Filled with hits, both ballads and dance floor fillers ( "Only You", "Situation", "Don't Go") Even the deeper album cuts are great - "( Didn't I ) Bring Your Love Down" is a stomper we STILL play at our house parties,the haunting "Winter Kills" just might well be Alison's finest vocal performance on record ( and this was on her DEBUT for God's sake )and the bluesy "Midnight" still sends shivers down my spine. A few of more pop-flavoured songs round out this collection, making it very perfectly balanced. It's not "just a dance record" it's a piece of music history, an undeniable classic. 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: Don't go....., By Stefan Crane "Stefan Crane" (CA USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Upstairs at Erics (Audio CD) You'll NEVER remove this disc from your player. This is a promise to all the music lovers out there. Young and old alike. This collection of tracks sways from the digital orgasm of Clarke's instrumentation to the bassa boom of Moyet's vocals. This collection is started with the energy inducing "Don't Go": Moyet pleads with you not to exit, you'll never want to as Clark's keyboard hugs you as tight as Moyet's voice. The other "shiners" here are "Goodbye Seventies", "Situation", "Bad Connection" and the mega-looped "I Before E Except After C": an eloquent vocal conocotion. "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" is another crooner. You'll be dazzled by both the odd instrumentation and the oddly masculine femininity of Moyet's voice. Lather, rinse and repeat. |
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