XXALISON MOYET : RAINDANCING X

ALISON MOYET : RAINDANCING

Weak In The Presence Of Beauty
Ordinary Girl
You Got Me Wrong
Without You
Sleep Like Breathing
Is This Love?
Blow Wind Blow
Glorious Love
When I Say (No Giveaway)
Stay

Label : Columbia

Release Date : April 6, 1987

Length : 39:22

Review (AllMusic) : "Raindancing" was designed to break Alison here in the States and it's probably the most 'dated' of her albums. Blame that on the production which sounds very 80's and very LA to today's ears. "Weak in the Presence of Beauty" is still catchiest (and written by her old pal Vince Clark), it did well in the UK but registered barely a blip state-side. 'Is This Love' (co-written with Dave Stewart using one of his pseudonyms,) is still the second strongest track present, with 'Ordinary Girl' being a close third. Most of the others drift by, leaving nary a trace of the melody in their wake offering some of Alison's least memorable songs. The voice still sounds great and on 'Glorious Love' even manages to elevate the mediocre material, but it wasn't enough to make her the Adele of her generation on this side of the pond.

Review (Wikipedia) : Raindancing is the second solo studio album by English singer Alison Moyet, released on 6 April 1987 by CBS Records. It reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and features the singles "Is This Love?", "Weak in the Presence of Beauty", "Ordinary Girl" and "Sleep Like Breathing". In the United States, Raindancing was released by Columbia Records with a different cover art and a reordered track listing. Largely produced by Jimmy Iovine, the album includes contributions from various session musicians such as T. M. Stevens, Omar Hakim and Herb Alpert. A deluxe edition of Raindancing was released on 25 November 2016 by BMG. Upon release, Smash Hits said: "Ever since she made her first solo LP, Alf, Alison Moyet has been slagging it off for being a bit of a middle-of-the-road coffee table record, so it's surprising that Raindancing isn't really that different. There's less roaring singing and less emphasis on being intensely 'soulful' but these are still 10 fairly polite pop songs. Not that it's bad – most of it is in the same chug-along vein as the two singles, but it'd be nice if it didn't all sound so safe and predictable. The best songs, 'Ordinary Girl' and 'Stay', are, oddly enough, the two which sound rather like Yazoo." American magazine Cash Box commented: "Moyet's disarmingly plaintive vocals haunt this inviting Jimmy Iovine production." Barry Walters of Spin wrote: "Enter the American mega-mainstream FM guru Jimmy Iovine to tip the scales on her new Raindancing. Gone for most part are the R&B grooves. Although synths still rule, there's nothing remotely Yaz-tech about them. Even when funk occasionally surfaces, as on 'You Got Me Wrong,' it's hammered out with an American rock drum sound that's pure MTV. There's a tangible effort to push Moyet into the 'til Tuesday camp of semisweet pop, especially on 'Weak in the Presence of Beauty'. But most of the originals triumph through Moyet's intimate presence, both as an intelligent songwriter and an anguised voice one never tires of." Musician stated: "Unlike its synth-smart predecessor, Raindancing lacks the instant appeal of Swain & Jolley's intellectualized dance music. But though the performances here take a bit more patience to appreciate, they're no less rewarding; if anything, Moyet's interpretive gifts have grown, and Jimmy Iovine's understated production takes pains not to get in the way. Which is why the likes of 'Sleep Like Breathing' or 'Weak in the Presence of Beauty' hold such lasting allure." Jonathan Butler of People said: "Moyet's solo career has been like one of those baffling marriages in which you adore the wife but can't figure out what she sees in her oafish husband. It's hard to resist the British singer, who has a captivating voice, gracious, full-bodied and colored with a coppery glow. But it's easy to question some of her career choices. On both her solo records, her producers have dragged her out of her element and into the treacherous waters of corny pop sentiment. They mismatch her with too-fast beats that make Moyet sound frowsy and pedestrian." Bombay: The City Magazine stated: "Alf saw the last trace of Vince Clark influence as ex-Yazoo vocalist Alison Moyet set out on her own. Raindancing turns to others like Paul Young and Pet Shop Boys, to provide some breath-taking moments as Moyet strikes a balance between stand-off chic and espresso-warm emotions. And if Raindancing is outstanding for other reasons, they are simple: It has nothing to do with Only You." Billboard stated: "New disk, laced with a high-gloss sheen by Iovine, may produce the knockout for her. Silken single, 'Is This Love?' shows off her robust pipes well, but radio should also pounce on 'When I Say (No Giveaway)' and 'Weak in the Presence of Beauty.'" In a review of the 2016 deluxe edition of Raindancing, Helena Adams of the music website Reflections of Darkness commented: "The purpose of Raindancing was clear: to establish Alison Moyet as the pop star across the big pond. Raindancing is a continuation of the 80s dance-disco beats that indeed, parades much more production that parlays with the synthetic. Raindancing fits the bar of commercial albums back then, the overproduction provides it with a poppy freshness that Alf lacked." Josh Lee of Attitude stated: "Big choruses that demand to be sung along to don't come more insistent than "Is This Love?" and "Weak in the Presence of Beauty but their singer wasn't as enthralled by the album as her fans." Gay Times writer Darren Howard wrote: "It's not that it's a bad album, it's just not very 'Moyet' in places. Having said that, it does contain the almighty 'Is This Love' and the beautiful 'Ordinary Girl' which both show Alison at her best."

Review (Pop Rescue) : The album opens with hit single Weak In The Presence Of Beauty, itself a piece of 80s beauty. Alison’s vocals are rich and warm and the song flows perfectly throughout this mid-tempo pop song. This is the most memorable of Alison’s songs and it fits perfectly with the sound of the late 1980s. The song was the second single, giving her a #6 UK hit single. Ordinary Girl follows this, giving Alison her first writer credit on the album. This song is a little more downbeat in mood, with her vocals reminding me something that you might find on a slightly cheery moment on a Morrissey album. Still, the tempo is up, and the snare drum strikes crisply as the song bounces along. However, the single stalled in the UK, reaching #43. Vocal samples usher in next song You Got Me Wrong, which is has plenty of layers of dramatic sounding synths as Alison and her backing vocals plod their way through this slower song. Pace picks up for the foot-tapping Without You. This song is a light almost folkish pop song, complete with accordion and strumming guitars – quite an easy listen and in a way reminds me a little of Deacon Blue or like a more catchy version of something by Fairground Attraction. Side One closes with Sleeping Like Breathing. Vocal samples again usher in this song, and Alison is joined on the mic by its songwriter David Freeman who gives quite a nice deep contrast to Alison’s voice. The song is a mid-tempo number, and it’s vocals are fittingly dreamlike, giving both plenty of time and space to show off their vocal range. Oddly, this song was released as the fourth and final single – but it stalled at #80 in the UK singles chart. Side Two opens with Is This Love? with its familiar bass and synth. This was a huge hit for Alison, and rightly so – earning her a #3 UK hit single. The melody is hypnotic and together with its chorus, it is instantly recognisable within just a handful of notes, and has become a regular go-to song for 80s pop compilations. The song was actually co-written by David A Stewart (of Eurythmics) under his nom de plume Jean Guiot. Fantastic! Blow Wind Blow opens with piano and breathy vocals. Lyrically, this feels like quite a sad song, but it allows Alison’s vocals to really shine in this somewhat stripped simple song. This is followed by Glorious Love, a much more upbeat and stronger track. The song has plenty of guitars and standard 80s beats, but it’s the chorus that really lifts it along with some well placed backing vocals, making it feel like a great little pop song. Penultimate track When I Say (No Giveaway) opens with a rattle of the snare before giving way to a really fast number. Bass bounces the song along effortlessly as Alison’s vocals dance over it and the little synth sequences. This is another little foot tapping pop gem. The album closes with ballad Stay. A simple beat ties the song together as Alison sings, reminiscing about home. A gentle synth bleeps through the second verse as more haunting backing vocals join in.Verdict : I’m no stranger to Alison Moyet songs, but until finding this album on LP, it was only her 2012 album that made it into my collection. I’m also familiar with her collaborations with the likes of My Robot Friend, and The Lightning Seeds. I also saved her debut album Alf. Over all, this album is quite a nice album through 80s pop and more experimental sounds, although at times it feels somewhat sad – it seems Alison wasn’t happy. There are some great contenders here for what might have been more successful singles (When I Say…, and Glorious Love are the most obvious) than the latter two that saw release. Whilst the album doesn’t feel like it strays too far from her debut, it’s certainly a good sturdy extension. A must-have for Moyet fans.