#492
Eurythmics, Touch
Impressions:
I thought I was in for a real ’80s electro-pop treat but after the majestic, icy sweep of “Here Comes The Rain Again,” this album surprisingly, became a little bit of a slog. Must have sounded good on a Walkman at the time, but much of the album’s dated, clunky bass and percussion wore on me. Dave Stewart’s Kraftwerk/Art Of Noise affectations made the second side at least somewhat ‘interesting’ and a little more listenable. Annie Lennox’s amazing, powerful voice is the star here and she saves much of this material. When it all comes together on their big hits like “Who’s That Girl”, their music is “glamorous, gilt-edged and sleek by design” pop perfection that thrills, but too many songs don’t quite fit that description. I guess they were better at singles than albums.
Sneaky Track: Paint A Rumour’s Giorgio Moroder sound snuck up on me a little
Should this album be on the list? As an influential artifact, yes. But, like many ’80s albums, too much filler and outdated production. I would replace this with their Greatest Hits or, in a similar robot-keyboard vein, Gary Numan’s “Pleasure Principle.”
Will you listen to this again? Unlikely, probably will stick with their Greatest Hits.
Rating: ★★1/2