Wild!＜限定盤＞

イレイジャー結成30周年記念!3作品をオリジナル・ヴァイナル・マスター/180g重量盤レコードで一挙リイシュー!アルバムがこれまで5作品UKナンバー1に輝く、トップ10シングル17曲(トップ40においては35シングル)、ブリット・アワード受賞歴もあるイギリスのエレクトロ・ポップ・バンド!1989年にリリースされたイレイジャーの4thアルバム『ワイルド!』全英1位、ダブル・プラチナ獲得作品!
デペッシュ・モード、ヤズーのヴィンス・クラークとシンガー/アンディ・ベルによるエレクトロ・ポップ・バンド、イレイジャー。オーディションで選ばれたアンディ・ベルがヴィンス・クラークと組んで1986年にデビュー!前作の『ジ・イノセンツ』は全英1位を獲得し、メインストリームにその名を馳せたイレージャー。続く今作も全英1位、そしてダブル・プラチナを獲得!収録されている大ヒットソング「Blue Savannah」、「Drama!」を含むシングル4曲は全てトップ20位入りを果たす。

Following the commercial and critical success of The Innocents, Erasure sidestepped slightly on Wild!, with slightly mixed results. On the one hand, the by-now-established Erasure song formula resulted in a number of tunes sounding like revamps of earlier numbers, diminishing the overall impact. "How Many Times?" is a ballad by numbers, while, some amusing bitchiness from Bell aside, "2000 Miles" is nice but a timekiller. One or two other cuts fall into this category, making Wild! something of a choppy affair at best. On the other hand, Erasure tries stretching its most since the orchestrated rerecordings on The Two-Ring Circus, often with great success. "Drama!" has a slightly hysterical tone to it, but its strong dancefloor surge and weirdly droning backing Bell harmonies help make it another winner. The gangshout /vocals (background) are also a kick as well -- especially as they were provided in part, via an uncredited appearance, by the Jesus and Mary Chain! "You Surround Me" is another flat-out winner -- it's another slow ballad, but with big, echoing backing that adds a sense of extra theatricality. Other strong numbers include the relatively low key pulse of "Blue Savannah," which sounds like a light motorik/Kraftwerk number given the appropriate Erasure sparkle, and the charging "Brother and Sister," with a sharp synth hook and chorus. Beginning and ending with versions of "Piano Song," the latter letting Bell get in some of his best singing, Wild! is a mixed but still worthy affair. ~ Ned Raggett