Midge Ure, Billy Currie, Chris Cross and Warren Cann make up the 1980's band Ultravox They haven't done a darn thing in twenty eight years. But for some reason they decided to gather up and record once again.
They offer up this song "Brilliant". The song starts off so oddly horrible. Why is Midge whisper singing when he has such a fabulous voice? One thing is for certain they are very comfortable sticking with that 80's thumpy synth cuz its the only thing that remotely has a Ultravox sound.
Until the chorus. Theres Ure's voice! Finally. I began to wonder if he maybe had a throat ailment and I didn't want to think bad thoughts or be crass. Nah, its there he is just choosing to sound fluttery and lemme tell ya it ain't working. The music is fun and very very 80s new romantic, and when the vocals are pure they are fabulous, but there isn't enough of it.
Sorta disappointing but it is just the first track, perhaps there is something else of value on the horizon. This is not "Brilliant". Grab a listen from my good pals at Slicing Eyeballs.
Ms. Bach – It’s months later and I am of the opinion that the new Ultravox album is beyond dreadful. I consider it the worst thing they have ever released; in any lineup of the band. Much of what makes it so dire is the insistence of Midge Ure on singing like he is passing a kidney stone, for some unknown reason. The “Return To Eden” recording evidences much power and strength on Mr. Ure’s part. I actually like his singing as of 2009 better than old live recordings I have of the band in my vast Ultravox collection. Sure he lost high end with age, but he gained much power over the singer of ’80-’84. Why has he chucked it all away to sing like he does on much of the new album is a mystery to me.
Even so, the caliber of the songwriting suggests that this enterprise was doomed from the start. None of these songs have a successful bridge; the band generally just vamps for a few bars. I actually think three of these songs were quite good. When “Live” started the album off, it was actually in danger of sounding great. “Flow” wasn’t bed either. Both of them sounded like “Quartet” outtakes, but that’s better than much of what came afterward in Ultravox’s career. But apart from “Lie” nothing else passes muster without the band committing what sound like fatal gaffes to my ears, which have 32 years of Ultravox fandom associated with them!
So much of this album is dull, methodical an plodding in pace, I can’t believe that they decided to release this largely dreadful, in fact dire, music! Tracks like “Change,” “Remembering,” “One,” and especially “Fall” are like aural Chinese water torture! When this album ended, I actually said “that’s it??!!” I have to say I was actually incensed at what I’d just heard. And I gave this album over a dozen careful listenings to make sure that my first impressions weren’t wrong. I have to say that I can no longer listen to it again because it invariably causes my mood to become dark and foul with its sheer incompetence! This record was so bad, I can never buy another Ultravox album again… and I have hundreds of their releases in my home!
What has shocked me, even more than the poor quality of the album [that they dared to release this after the bad-but-not-thisbad "UVOX" album of 1986 is mind-boggling to me] was the mindless comments of the Ultravox Zombie Army, which I see are here in force, as usual. The ad hominem attacks and rantings of most Ultravox fans defending this album as if their religion had been publicly disparaged [maybe it has?] has caused me to really question my Ultravox fandom after 32 years! Maybe I was wrong? In any case, thanks for your objective and honest airing of your opinion on this song, which is far from the worst thing on this album, sad to say.
Mr.Monk- Thank you. Sorta creepy isn’t it, when fans become so blinded by past glory that they cannot (or will not) admit that their idols have failed?
Thank you so much for your insight, it’s much appreciated.
I have been similarly attacked on the OMD official forum by a fanatic. People were calmly discussing the album and many OMD fans were not, shall we say, drinking the Kool-Aid. Then one snapped and went off on me. It got me thinking how many people, but not myself, obviously, identify with an external entity, be it nation, sports team, religion, or even a band. I must lack that gene. When a favorite band of mine produces shoddy work, I want to let them know about it, lest they do it some more.
Most professional reviews were in line with your posting. One or two stars out of five seems to be the [generous] assessment of most people who are paid to paid to consider this music. Conversely, when reading amateur writing, this rating is largely inverted with a shocking number of rave reviews and only a handful of bloggers willing to call a spade a spade. One particularly vicious press review [ http://www.list.co.uk/article/42303-ultravox-brilliant/ ] invoked some strongly repulsive personal attacks by rabid fans and reading the review, one could tell that the writer always had it in for Ultravox, but I can’t say his review of this album was off the mark!
When this album arrived in the mail I devoted about two weeks on my blog to a thorough “Rock GPA,” where I reviewed the band’s entire body of albums and assigned each release a grade on a four point grade scale. Thousands of words later, I had to conclude that Ultravox were so far off the rails, that they’d never see the roundhouse again.
Dimitris look again there are more than 2.
two pathetic morons,get a life losers
My God Helen, were you actually around during the 70′s & 80′s when Ultravox first rose up to become pioneers of the Electronic/New Romantic era. They showed a lot of today’s artist’s what it is to make great music with what is today classed as ancient instruments.No pre programmed pop music which is available for today’s so called music artist.So easy for someone to sing over a pre programmed piece of music.Listen Helen, do all the real Ultravox fans a favour & get the COMPLETE Ultravox back catalog & LISTEN to them.Then realise why so many people like them.
My God Richard, yes I was. And for the love of God will you all calm down all I said is its not a great tune. I havent insulted the band their careers or their past present or future— I even suggest the rest of the new album could be better. Simply said no one else is even giving the band any attention so you find it spunky to come here and throw down. Do you see any major markets giving Ultravox any time at all? The song is lame- Midge and the band can do better and if you think this is Brilliant than it is not I with hearing issues and you cant handle the truth.
While I’m not quick to disagree with your critique of the song “Brilliant”, I have to criticize you for your ignorance when you stated that “they” haven’t done a darn thing in 28 years. In fact, Midge has especially been busy, as has Billy. Research first, please.
Goodness, I rarely come across such an anodyne article that for some reason, is eliciting near death threats to this poor girl Helen! She is making no pretensions to be writing “journalism” with this blog post, and besides…
“Brilliant” does kinda suck.
Helen I’m a huge fan and I think you made ok points, I just think your review came across harsher than it needed to be, though obviously you dislike the song more than me. I think it’s great in fact, and I would even be pleased if the whole album was full of songs like this, but I’m hoping for more darkness, vibrancy and intensity from the rest of the album. I don’t quite know why you said they hadn’t done a darn thing in 28 years – Midge and Billy must have released 20 or so solo albums between them.
You’re right, I do tend to come across rather brash! Thank you for your comments and opinons.
There was a time (30 years ago, ho-hum) when journalism was a serious profession that required a university career (at least in the civilized countries) including structure, spelling, neutral description of the facts (NEVER EVER valueing personally), always written in 3rd person singular (NEVER EVER including the 1st person singular).
Regardless of whether one likes the song or not, nowadays, it seems that anyone may write, or then again the media in question cannot possibly afford professional writers anymore and hire “n’importe quoi”. Oh, sorry, I forgot where I am… It’s French for “anything”.
il n’ya plus -iman
For gods sake! ULTRAVOX are ULTRAVOX We don’t want them to sound like The Bay City Rollers! It’s a new album and if it did not sound like ULTRAVOX I would be Bloody furious.
Yes we have waited for ever for this album but thank god they have done it……..DAMED IF THEY DO……. DAMED IF THEY DON’T!……… Midge, Warren, Chris, Billy, GOOD LOOK, LOVE YOU!!
I dug this track. 80′s synthpop was never really my bag, but Ultravox always stood above their peers during those days because of their melodic sophistication (check out the key change on the chorus). Then theres a nice piano break at about 2:35 followed by some powerful drum licks to tie it all back together. It’s no “Vienna” or “Reap The Wild Wind”, but is unmistakably Ultravox, has some powerful moments and is certainly a notch or two above decent.
Helen, how old are you?
I tell you something – also the Germans can get exited about your “review”!!!
This song is very much Ultravox and when you complain about Midge´s whispering listen to “Man of two worlds” which is a fantastic song too.
The song Brilliant is growing and Midge´s voice is also growing in this song but you seem to be used to too much US-Crap, sorry – best example was the awful “We are the world” copy of “Do they know it´s christmas”.
Go back and listen to Vienna, Rage in Eden, Quartet, Lament and you will have to adjust your review.
This isn’t a review, just plain crap.
You silly geezers. I dislike the song,
” Why is Midge whisper singing when he has such a fabulous voice”, and “The music is fun and very very 80s new romantic, and when the vocals are pure they are fabulous, but there isn’t enough of it.” Is actually a plea for the Ultravox I have loved all my life. Ure sounds wonderful when he isnt doing that odd whisper, and the band is capable of so much more. I’m not going to bow down when a band serves me a half baked song when I know there is better—- which is why I say :”Sorta disappointing but it is just the first track, perhaps there is something else of value on the horizon.”
Quit giving Ultravox fans and Midge Ure fans a bad rep with your tantrums and realize that even the best of groups can serve up sub par recordings.
Helen this is the fault of people like you that it does nothing good happening musically on the media! You must realize that you and your colleagues around the world influenced the musical world! Ultravox has nothing to prove, whether you like it or not, and unfortunately a lot of great bands are not known by the fault of people like you! A bit of honesty from you say this song is good musically, that has ultravox keep its trademark and that the voice of Midge is simply better suited to the music
Simon from Belgium !
Shite review, and you need to learn to spell.
I love this single and can not wait for the the CD release here in the states.
in my opinion, this is not a review but just a piece of trash journalism. I am biased and have been a huge Ultravox fan since ‘Vienna’ but this is unjustified criticism and simply unwarranted. I love the style that Midge sings it. It is also a fresh sound, very Ultravox and very unique in its own right.
How about the fact that this is Ultravox’s first recording in 28 years? Now that is an amazing story in itself!
and you call yourself a reviewer? you know nothing of good music nor do you know anything about ultravox let alone the history of ultravox, the ultravox sound and the importance ultravox played in shaping the music of the future, they were also the pioneers of the modern video music clip. ultravox were ahead of their time and their new song brilliant is brilliant, i feel so blessed to have ultravox in my life. go back to reviewing beiber or one direction. if that’s the crap that’s around today, i want no part of it.
Get a grip Toni they are intitled to their opinion I suggest you stick to thinking you know more than you do. How’s australia
your not even worth the effort
Helen,
I think an otologist might help you. You don´t seem to recognise a good song when you hear it.
And I think only the English can get so excited over such an ordinary band -iman rock nyc
Jealous because America don´t have such good bands?
Sorry to tell you that I am not from England
Ordinary is in the eye of the beholder, Iman.
There are indeed some who fail to see the beauty of the Mona Lisa and call it “ordinary”. The fault lies not with DaVinci…
Oh no, that Ultravox sound !! What did you expect Ultravox to do, change their sound so they sound like the rest of today’s trash. That us their trademark sound and that is why people still love them and have waited 28 years for this “Brilliant” single and what will be a “brilliant” album.
Perhaps when the album and single are sitting at the top of the charts you might then write a decent review and eat your words.
‘And I think only the English can get excited about such an ordinary band’
Oh dear – it seems that the Administrator is not only unable to post an objective critique but is also full of predjudice bile as well….
You sir, are an ignorant bigot.
Really? I guess I went to India and enslaved the indigineous people and made em drink tea… eh? eh?
I think it’s safe to say that no-one writing any comments on this site did that…let’s also bear in mind it’s not the ancestors of the present-day English who went to America and decimated the native population, as the majority of THEIR descendants are present-day Americans…isn’t this a music site, though?
Helen,
Let me commend you on a marvellous piece of juvenile journalism that unfortunately has cost me 5 minutes of my precious life….
Anyone that uses phrases such as ‘cuz’ leads me to conclude that they were not part of the golden 80′s era, and therefore not best placed to write an objective review.
Please can we have an objective critique of this album, and not a member of the Justin Bieber generation…..i.e someone over the age of 25 who doesn’t have to google ‘Ultravox’?
I never loved Midge more than when he formed Rich Kids… if they could tear Glen away from the Faces, that’s a reunion I could live with. As for the perpetually adolescent Helen, I am afraid we can’t blame youthful indiscretion – iman rock nyc
“BRILLIANT” is an excellent Single and a fabulous Return of the fab four after so many years. They have combined modern cutting edge technique with the so typical Ultravox instrument sounds like Moog Bass, Piano and Warrens pushing drums.
Mrs. Bach – it´s just your opinion – thanks god – by the way – Brilliant is “so disappointing” that it is today at No. 7 of UK´s Amazon´s Hot New Releases …
Cheers.
I prefer a new Ultravox song to 99% of what passes today for music. Shrug…