- Salvation (album)
Infobox Album |
Name = Salvation
Type =Album
Artist = Alphaville
Released = 1997
Recorded = 1995 - 1997
Genre = Rock
Length = 53:51 (US Release: 70:18)
Label = Warner / Metropolis
Producer =Andy Richards
Reviews = *Allmusic [http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:8orj288y05ja]
Last album = "Prostitute"
(1994)
This album = "Salvation""'
(1997)
Next album = "Dreamscapes "
(1999)"Salvation" is an album by Alphaville, released in 1997 in Europe, and - with different artwork and three bonus tracks - in the U.S. in 1999. Three tracks from the album were released as singles:
* "Wishful Thinking" (1997)
* "Flame" (1999)
* "Soul Messiah" (1999)The German synthpop-pioneers' last album with a major label. Salvation hit the stores in 1997 and marked a tumultous time for the band: Ricky Echolette had left Alphaville during the production and Marian Gold and Bernd Lloyd were in a constant struggle with their record label which resulted in virtually no promotion for this album, and the subsequent split that led Alphaville to establishing their own, concert- and online-focused communication, promotion, and distribution platform.
Even though the circumstances for Salvation were not favorable, the album became quite a success - the first one for Alphaville since their 1986 release Afternoons in Utopia. This is mainly due to the band returning to their synthpop-roots and heavily infusing them with dance/techno. A departure from the experimental predecessors, Prostitute and The Breathtaking Blue, the straighter, simpler style appealed to old fans and a younger audience alike.
Musically, there is nothing new to be found - mostly well-engineered and -performed synthpop-ballads and dance/techno tunes, lyrically appealing but not stunning. Two songs that stand out are the complex and cryptic "Point of Know Return" and the elegant classic ballad "Pandora's Lullaby." Gold's voice is still one of the best in the business, used on what is -by the band's high standards- a rather mediocre album.
Track listing
# "Inside Out" – 5:17
# "Monkey in the Moon" – 3:53
# "Guardian Angel" – 4:14
# "Wishful Thinking" – 3:48
# "Flame" – 3:49
# "Point of Know Return" – 5:52
# "Control" – 3:31
# "Dangerous Places" – 3:58
# "Spirit of the Age" – 4:31
# "Soul Messiah" – 4:53
# "New Horizons" – 5:35
# "Pandora's Lullaby" – 4:30
# "Life is King" – 6:10 ("US release only")
# "Wishful Thinking physical" – 5:54 ("US release only")
# "Monkey in the Moon demo" – 4:23 ("US release only")
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