Alphaville Singles Collection CD

Alphaville: Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd, Ricky Echolette.
Additional personnel: Phil Palmer, Jimmy Ripp (guitar); Phil Todd (saxophone); Guy Barker, Stuart Brooks (trumpet); Neil Sidwell (trombone); Wolgang Loos (keyboards, programming); Dave Lebold, Robin Smith (keyboards); Ken Taylor, Andy Brown (bass); Curt Cress, Roger Linn (drums); Frank Rigotti, Jimmy Maelen (percussion); Gulf Stream, The Rosie Singers, Judy Cheeks, Victoria Miles, Wednesday, Michael Barbiero (background vocals).
Producers include: Colin Pearson, Wolfgang Loos, Peter Walsh, Andreas Budde,
Steve Thompson.
Engineers include: Wolfgang Loos, Stephen Chase, Steve Thompson.
Recorded at Studio 54, Berlin, Germany in 1984; Weryton Studio, Munich, Germany; The Manor, Oxford, England; Media Sound Studios, New York, New York. Includes liner notes by Sean Ross and Yvonne Olsen.
Saying that the band could have been served better with this compilation is putting it mildly -- then again, considering that the group had only released two albums and four singles before this appeared, arguably not much more could be done. Whatever the rationale behind the release, Collection consists merely of those four singles -- "Forever Young" and "Big in Japan" from Forever Young, and "Red Rose" and "Dance With Me" from Afternoons in Utopia -- each included in two versions, one short and one long, some new and some old. As a sampling of Alphaville at its best, it's successful if obviously repetitive. Some of the revampings are actually quite fantastic -- the "special extended mix" of "Forever Young" transforms the dramatic angst of the original into a soaring, triumphant anthem, all without changing anything in the lyrics or its performance, while the album version also appears for contrast. "Red Rose" lets Marian Gold pull off his half-successful Bryan Ferry imitation over a not-bad-at-all soul/Eurodisco confection, while "Dance With Me" amps up the synth-pop beat giddily in both incarnations. "Big in Japan" is the other reason to be here, its cryptic tale of prostitution anchored to a slinky, pounding beat (and fretless bass, likely enough an homage to Japan the band) and blessed with a strong chorus. A brief Billboard article from the year of release composes the liner notes -- while initially curious, it does explain how "Forever Young" in particular was a radio staple throughout much of the '80s for modern rock radio regardless of commercial trends, a neat bit of history to keep in mind whenever '80s music is dismissed out of hand. ~ Ned Raggett
Named after Godard's 1959 science-fiction masterpiece and heavily influenced by '80s synth bands like Depeche Mode, Alphaville was the Munich-based trio of Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd and Frank Mertens. Following their all-keyboards approach longer after synth-pop was fashionable but unfortunately disbanding before artists such as Mouse On Mars made Germanic synthesizer music hip again in the late '90s, Alphaville remained rather outside of musical trends during their mid-'80s lifespan.
THE SINGLES COLLECTION includes the band's highest point, the brooding and atmospheric "Big In Japan." Also featured are a number of other excellent singles, including "Forever Young," "The Jet Set" and "Dance With Me." This set is perhaps the best starting point for the band, as well as a handy sampler for longtime fans.