release date: May 1993
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Roddy Frame
label: WEA / Warner - nationality: Scotland, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Birds" - 2. "Safe in Sorrow" - 3. "Black Lucia" - 5. "Spanish Horses" - 6. "Dream Sweet Dreams" - 9. "Vertigo" - 10. "Valium Summer" (4 / 5) - 11. "The Belle of the Ball"
5th studio album by Aztec Camera is another return to a more slick pop sound instead of the jazz feel one found on the predecessor, Stray. Ryuichi Sakamoto and Frame produced the album together, and knowing the works by Sakamoto one could have imagined a more experimental result. Instead it's a bit confined as a bold synthpop release.
Yes, it's atmospheric but also somewhat sterile and as such not the best of Aztec Camera albums, although, it hardly contains any fillers. Critics point to the use of synths and drum machines instead of real musicians - I don't mind, nor see that as a obvious mistake. Sakamoto has made many albums using electronics, which are full of life and beautiful tunes. Despite that the music nicely arranged it really only contains one truly great song, imho: "Valium Summer". Back in the early '90s, I found the album a rather big disappointment succeeding the great Stray (1990), however, it really isn't all that bad - it's just a bit unfocused and without much traditional soul.
The following year Frame featured on Sakamoto's '94 album Sweet Revenge on the song "Same Dream, Same Destination", which is another truly fine song.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]
