To many of us that enjoyed the New Wave synth-pop filled early 80’s, Alison Moyet is not a stranger. Her unmistakable voice fronted the band Yaz, (now called Yazoo). Their album, Upstairs at Eric’s was almost a requirement in your cassette tape collection. I still have mine!
With that in mind, it should be no surprise that I heard elements from those Yazoo days, all through Moyet’s upcoming album, Key. This album, which will be released on October 4, was created in celebration of 40 years as a solo artist! That’s definitely a milestone that deserves a bit of honor!
Key is filled with 16 previous songs she has reworked into new creations, along with 2 new songs. In the information sent with the music to review, I read that Moyet refuses to repeat herself. I am sure that made her task harder. She had to trust creative process in her re-working of some fan favorite songs. “All Cried Out” is a song off her first solo album, Alf. After I listened to it for this review, I went back to the original to compare. Doing that made me realize that she has brought about a maturity in her music that deepens the emotion in the song. The present-day version is more sultry & darker, whereas the original, is a bit more upbeat. The song talks about not putting up with an uncaring partner anymore. Lyrics like ”Take back your cold and empty heart / I’m all cried out / You took a whole lot of loving / For a handful of nothing”. Those are some harsh words, yet they sound hauntingly menacing in the new version. The vocal changes over the years, along with the reimagined instrumentation give the cold words more of a punch.
“Is This Love?” is off the album Raindancing. When comparing this to the Key version, I hear another perfect example of the maturity she has poured into her creations. The original is very upbeat, with the wistful daydreaming lyrics of a young lady contemplating her feelings after a breakup. The deeper soulful version gives the song a more accurate emotion with the lyrics. It opens with the daydream; “In a fleeting moment / of a restless day / driven to distraction/ I was captured by the game”. It continues; “I could not forsake you / for tumbling away / And If I live in Wonderland / I’m better off this way / I choose never to forget”. When paired with the deeper, more mature version, the sadness is profound.
Let’s not forget that there are 2 new songs on this album. “Some Small Ale” and “Impervious Me” are wonderfully blended in with the rest of the album. I honestly believe the best part of this album, is the mastery of recreation Moyet presents in this work. She stated in the previously mentioned review attachment, in reviewing her 40 years as a solo artist, she wanted “to look at the trajectory of those decades, and explore songs that, in their original form, were never fully realized or have had their relevance to me, altered by time.” Mission accomplished, Ms. Moyet. Well done.
I’m Music Magazine Writer Michele Hancock
Alison Moyet (@alisonmoyetofficial) • Instagram photos and videos
