I went to review You and Me Both, having not listened to their debut, Upstairs at Eric’s, since 2017, and I found on RYM that a lot of fans regard this record as a “contractual obligation” album for Yazoo, and that they believe it’s obvious Yazoo weren’t into the recording merely from listening to this album.
Well, I listened to this album in ignorance of that information – whether or not it’s factual, as I didn’t look it up – and I can’t say I heard anything like that. Now, maybe that’s because I haven’t listened to their debut since last year, and haven’t heard it more than those three times, but I’m honestly flabbergasted by the idea that this record is significantly worse than their debut.
What I heard when I listened to this is equally impassioned vocals from Moyet and perhaps a little more flamboyant (or poppy) programming and keyboards from Clarke. (Again, keep in mind I don’t know this band well enough to really compare the debut.)
The thing that appeals to be about Yazoo over and above most other synthpop groups of the era is Moyet’s singing. That’s still here.
The songs are pretty strong, relative to synthpop, as far as I can figure, so I don’t hear a decline here either.
As far as I can tell, this is pretty good synthpop.
7/10
- “Nobody’s Diary” (Alison Moyet) – 4:30
- “Softly Over” (Vince Clarke) – 4:01
- “Sweet Thing” (Moyet) – 3:41
- “Mr. Blue” (Clarke) – 3:24
- “Good Times” (Moyet) – 4:18
- “Walk Away from Love” (Clarke) – 3:18
- “Ode to Boy” (Moyet) – 3:35
- “Unmarked” (Clarke) – 3:34
- “Anyone” (Moyet) – 3:24
- “Happy People” (Clarke) – 2:56
- “And On” (Moyet) – 3:12
- Alison Moyet – vocals
- Vince Clarke – instrumentation; vocals (on “Happy People”)
- The Sapphires – backing vocals on “Walk Away from Love”
Production Details
- Released 4 July 1983
- Recorded November 1982 – February 1983
- Studio Blackwing Studios, London
- Genre: Synthpop
- Length: 40:32
- Label: Mute
- Producer: Eric Radcliffe and Yazoo