For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.
Vince Clarke is one of the true elder statesmen of synth pop. A founding member of Depeche Mode who gave us bright synth anthems like “New Life” and “Just Can’t Get Enough”. As the band shifted toward a darker sound, Clarke left and formed Yaz (Yazoo in the UK) with Alison Moyet, penning more classics like “Nobody’s Diary”, “Situation”, “Don’t Go” and “Only You”. But my favorite Clarke era is the first decade of Erasure with Andy Bell – and deep cuts like “Weight of the World” are a big reason why.
The Innocents was a banner album for Erasure, spawning some of their biggest hits – including “A Little Respect” and “Chains Of Love”, while also containing some of the band’s most beloved songs like “Phantom Bride” and “Ship of Fools”. “Weight of the World” didn’t jump out the way some of those songs did, but it has a staying power in its slow tempo groove. The deep cut was always one of my favorite tracks. Vince’s simple, commanding synth bass lines and circus-esque transition lines. Andy’s soulful vocals. A relic of Erasure at the top of their game.
“You hold your head in your hands And the weight of the world on your shoulders.”