Upstairs at Eric's

Product Information

Upstairs at Eric's was Yazoo's debut, and Moyet's vocals aside, it was pretty standard synth pop stuff. "Don't Go" and "Only You" were the big hits - both hitting the top 3 and cementing the band's reputation here in the UK. Sure, they both sound pure 1982, but they're still strong pop singles regardless, and Moyet's voice lift both above other synth-heavy stuff that was charting at the time. Contrasting the band's big hits, "I Before E Except After C" is a real love it / hate it number, and I'm afraid the experimental cut-up vocal stuff just doesn't work for me. In fact, outside of the two big hits, "Goodbye Seventies", "Winter Kills", and Moyet's voice, there's not a lot on Upstairs at Eric's that would encourage me to return to it on even an irregular basis. Seen as one of the best albums of 1982 and one of the finest from the decade, Upstairs at Eric’s reached number two in the U.K. Although Yazoo’s second and final studio album, You and Me Both, was released a year later and hit number one in the U.K., I still feel their debut is their peak and crowning glory. I knew about Yazoo as a child and, as a fan of theirs, I was especially interested in Alison Moyet’s solo career. There is nobody in music quite like her. The same goes for Vincent Clarke. An amazing duo who released a wonderous debut album, it is no wonder so many critics lined up to give it praise at the time. Since its release, Upstairs at Eric’s has gained a lot of respect and inspection. This is what AllMusic said in their assessment:

On the 30th anniversary of Upstairs at Eric's in 2012 Clarke told The Quietus that there had been no grand plan for the album's creation:American album certifications – Yaz – Upstairs at Eric's". Recording Industry Association of America. 22 February 1989. Upstairs at Eric's: "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Vol.37, no.22. 29 January 1983. ISSN 0033-7064– via Library and Archives Canada.

The rest of the disc ranges from the pop confection “Bad Connection” to the dance floor staple “Situation” to the sassy, commanding “Bring Your Love Down (Didn’t I)” to the driving “Goodbye Seventies” and the appropriately chilling “Winter Kills.” Yaz Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018 . Retrieved 2 August 2022. The discography of English synth-pop duo Yazoo consists of two studio albums, one live album, six compilation albums, two extended plays (EPs) and nine singles. Their debut studio album, Upstairs at Eric's, achieved platinum status both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Jones, Alan (1983). "The Top 100 UK Albums". Chart File Volume 2. London: Virgin Books. pp.82–83. ISBN 0-907080-73-1. Christgau, Robert (30 November 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved 7 January 2012.

Contributors

The highlight of the debut disc is the evergreen ballad "Only You." A sad lament set to a timeless melody. One of those songs that you have to be tone deaf to not be even remotely charmed by. Heard in supermarkets worldwide. a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrateded.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. SH#" (# being a number) at the end of the matix number along with "SLM" and "△ 2193" together indicate that both the metal Mother Disc AND the metal Stampers used to press the A Side were made at Sheffield Lab Matrix. There are some weak spots on the album, especially “Bad Connection,” which might have been better used as a non-LP b-side. And the final song, “Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I),” seems to be a pastiche of several of the other songs.