The calmer inner meditations of
Erasure
behind them, the duo found themselves on
Madonna
's label in America and released the notably more upbeat
Cowboy
in 1997. The zeitgeist that the duo perfectly encapsulated in the late '80s had long been left behind, resulting in an album that sounds like it wants to keep the party going when all the guests had long gone home. While
itself could drag here and there, it was still an honestly intriguing combination of new and old for the band, something the pleasant (but little more than that)
can't claim. At base, the problem is that while the basic
knack of hummable hooks and fine singing remains unchanged, something seems missing -- what made songs like
"A Little Respect,"
"Stop!,"
and
"Chorus"
more than enjoyably catchy
pop
isn't there.
is amiable but not memorable.
Vince Clarke
to his credit doggedly resists flat out following current
trends in the hopes of greater relevance, so there's something to be said for sticking to one's guns. His usual preferred combination of gentler lead synths and rougher bass tones sounds enjoyably supple as well, with perhaps the only concession to late-'90s
being a greater use of
hip-hop
beats.
Andy Bell
's voice as always hits its fine sweet-sounding heights. But beyond a cut or two, very little honestly connects beyond that, sad to say.
"In My Arms,"
released as a single, has an attractive air to it, with a nicely sweeping chorus, but feels a little too relaxed, not as flat out energetic as it could be. ~ Ned Raggett