Erasure - "Nightbird"
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- KVRAF
- 2278 posts since 8 Apr, 2003
Just heard a copy of Erasure's new album to be released in January. Mr Clarke has mastered softsynths with nary an analog instrument to be found here. The preceding single "Breathe" is typical Erasure and decently catchy. Can't wait to hear the remixes.
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- KVRist
- 499 posts since 11 Jul, 2004 from Southern California, USA
I have to say that I am LOVING this album. 
It's been getting mixed reviews, which is a bit unfair. While it's true that Nightbird really doesn't push the boundaries in any way and rests heavily on new permutations of old progressions, some critics have missed the virtue of this album's craftsmanship and shimmering polish. Besides, it's pop. The Guardian's reviewer, for example, needs to get off her high horse.
This is Erasure's most accessible album since Cowboy and I feel that it's their best since Chorus, which has been my favorite. (I exclude their covers and hits collections.) Nightbird mercifully lacks the excessive floweriness found in some of Loveboat's tracks (e.g. "It's Not Just a Love Affair"), achieves a measure of emotional balance that was missing in Cowboy, and spares listeners the overdose of bubble gum they received with I Say, I Say, I Say. If you've been waiting for Erasure to get good again, your wait is over.
It's been getting mixed reviews, which is a bit unfair. While it's true that Nightbird really doesn't push the boundaries in any way and rests heavily on new permutations of old progressions, some critics have missed the virtue of this album's craftsmanship and shimmering polish. Besides, it's pop. The Guardian's reviewer, for example, needs to get off her high horse.
This is Erasure's most accessible album since Cowboy and I feel that it's their best since Chorus, which has been my favorite. (I exclude their covers and hits collections.) Nightbird mercifully lacks the excessive floweriness found in some of Loveboat's tracks (e.g. "It's Not Just a Love Affair"), achieves a measure of emotional balance that was missing in Cowboy, and spares listeners the overdose of bubble gum they received with I Say, I Say, I Say. If you've been waiting for Erasure to get good again, your wait is over.
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- KVRist
- 79 posts since 4 Aug, 2002 from Utah
Did he use only softsynths and no hardsynths? Did he talk about what softsynths he used? I know the Arp 2600 is his all time favorite synths so he must be all over the Arturia and TimeWarp versions...
L8ter Oscill8ters!
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- KVRist
- 499 posts since 11 Jul, 2004 from Southern California, USA
Here is a clip from an interview that the Erasure Information Service did with Steve Walsh, who produced and recorded the vocals on Nightbird:
Nightbird is a slight departure for Erasure (at least in technical terms) as Vince worked entirely with software synths. Did Vince seem enthusiastic with this change of direction?
You know I still can't believe the results he achieved with the soft synths. It really shows how good of a musician/arranger/programmer Vince is. He seemed to like the challenge. I know he loved the recall-ability of the sounds. The bass sounds are fat and he really was able to create the classic Erasure sounds on the laptop. I would be surprised if he went back to completely using analog hardware synths in the future.
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- KVRist
- 499 posts since 11 Jul, 2004 from Southern California, USA
Here is a picture of a small setup. This looks like Pro Tools, perhaps. Or is it Audio Logic as mentioned below? There are other pictures available here.
Vincent Clarke wrote:We are using all software synths, including:
Oddity
Waldorf Attack
Reactor 4
Audio Logic ES2… etc etc
The backing tracks are programmed into Audio Logic.