Tomorrow's World (album)

Tomorrow's World
Studio album by Erasure
Released	3 October 2011
Genre	Synthpop
Length	31:38
Label	Mute
Producer	Frankmusik
Erasure chronology
Light at the End of the World (2007) Tomorrow's World (2011) Snow Globe (2013)
Singles from Tomorrow's World
"When I Start To (Break It All Down)" Released: 23 September 2011 "Be with You" Released: 21 November 2011 "A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot (Germany only)" Released: 9 March 2012 "Fill Us with Fire" Released: 12 March 2012

Tomorrow's World is the fourteenth studio album by English synthpop duo Erasure. The album was released through Mute Records^[1] on 3 October 2011 in the UK, and 11 October 2011 in North America.^[2] As with their previous album release in 2007, the record reached #29 on the UK chart.

Tomorrow's World was written in New York, London, and at Vince Clarke's cabin studio in Maine, between January and June 2011, following Erasure's short break, which found Andy Bell recording and releasing his second solo album Non-Stop, and Vince Clarke reuniting with former Yazoo partner Alison Moyet for the Reconnected tour. Clarke used his vintage collection of analog synths for the final touches. All songs are written by Bell and Clarke.^[1]

The album was produced by Frankmusik and mixed by Rob Orton, who has previously remixed other well-known electronic artists such as Lady Gaga and Pet Shop Boys.

The first single from the album was "When I Start To (Break It All Down)", which was released on 23 September 2011.^[3] It received its first UK airplay on BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce show. "Be with You", the album's second single reached number 7 in the U.S Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot" was released as the third single in Germany as a digital download only. "Fill Us with Fire" was released as the third single on 12 March 2012.

Track listing

All tracks written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke. 

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(62/100)[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Rolling Stone	[6]
Allmusic	[7]
The Independent	favorable[8]
Entertainment Weekly	83/100[9]
MusicOMH	[10]
No Ripcord	[11]
The Telegraph	[12]
The Guardian	[13]
Consequence of Sound	[14]
Now Toronto	[15]
Pop Matters	[16]

Allmusic.com wrote "Electro-pop enthusiast Frankmusik is the wise choice made here, and the results are generally quite good, sometimes excellent. Many tracks benefit from the attractive combination of lead singer Andy Bell's increased lyric-writing skills and the hired producer's presentation of the 2011 house music "thwak". There's a cohesiveness issue that keeps this one off their top shelf, but Erasure have settled nicely into that groove that the best veteran bands often do. Last time out it was the vital release while this time it's the very attractive diversion, adding new flavors to a group that sounds much more inspired than you'd expect at this point."^[7]

The Independent wrote "Reconvening after a four-year hiatus, the duo have carried on where they left off – meaning the Frankmusik-produced album is gentle, blissful and devoid of the exuberant electro romps of yesteryear. Andy Bell's voice has unmistakeably changed over time, in a way which is difficult to pinpoint exactly, other than to say that there's less vibrato, more control."^[8]

MusicOMH wrote "Tomorrow's World appeals to fans of Erasure's later albums just as much as it appeases those who swooned along to A Little Respect in 1988."^[10]

No Ripcord wrote "Tomorrow's World isn't a bad album but it's not a complete 'return to form' either. Its strength is having enough of a sense of songcraft to add weight to the keening, theatrical melodrama of Andy Bell's vocals. The production definitely gives their sound more currency, but you get the impression that Erasure are a bit late to the party - ironic when you consider how long they've been around. Aside from the choice of producer, there isn't much in the way of surprises because this is basically an updated take on how you’d expect an Erasure record to sound: accessible songs, flamboyant vocals and fizzing synths."^[11]

The Telegraph wrote "Melancholic early Eighties electropop gave way to synth groups whose music gushed with simpler upbeat feeling. Erasure, Vince Clarke’s outfit post-Depeche Mode, were kings of such chirpiness. They sold 25 million albums while remaining affably personable (especially cheeky singer Andy Bell), and their 14th album is full of hi-NRG anthems, cheesy pop-house and Tigger-ish bounce. Business as usual, then, with few new thrills."^[12]

The Guardian wrote "The duo who wrote gems such as "A Little Respect" and "Ship of Fools" should be saluted for a fine 25-year pop career, but this album won't be remembered as vintage Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. It's their first in more than four years, stuffed with big, bright synthetic dance tracks straining for "feelgood": floor-fillers by numbers, were they not dull to the point of paralysing. Even with Frankmusik included among the production credits, these one-time synth-pop pioneers sound lifeless compared with all the 80s-raiding whippersnappers so indebted to them."^[13]

Consequence of Sound wrote "Erasure probably suffers, in some way, from the non-linear rule of musical inspiration; their latest album, Tomorrow's World, sounds like a lot of other releases in dance and electronic music in recent years, and yet plenty of those names cribbed from groups like them. The English duo’s 14th studio album is an archetypal example of upbeat, affirming, fist-pumping synthpop, and an example of the highest order – but it doesn't sound very original at all. Not any more. Tomorrow's World doesn't let us down; if you want an example of the first wave of synthpop and excellently crafted, catchy dance music, there aren’t many better than Erasure, and this is another album that affirms their reputation. But the album’s title is perhaps a step ahead of what the album actually contains. Still, you could put any track from Tomorrow's World on at a party, and people would get up and dance to it. Perhaps that's all the world needs – tomorrow's, anyway."^[14]

Now Toronto wrote "For their 14th album in 26 years, Erasure add a little grandeur to their precise synth pop with help from Frankmusik, an L.A.-based British producer only as old as the band itself. Singer Andy Bell and keyboardist Vince Clarke might be getting up there, but their swooshing melodies and yearning lyrics fit right in with the epic builds, vocal effects and fist-pumping energy of American dance pop, a testament to their solid songwriting instincts. Bell's soaring tenor sounds positively elated by the thunderous beats and delivers with full force on every track. In fact, sometimes it feels like he's competing too hard with the intensity of the big, expensive-sounding production – especially on the mid-tempo numbers. Then again it's all about the pop hits with Erasure, and when Bell connects with a hook, the effect is heady."^[15]

Chart performance

References