Chorus (Erasure album)

Chorus
Studio album by Erasure
Released	14 October 1991
Recorded	1989-1991
Genre	Synthpop
Length	41:29
Label	Mute Records, Sire Records
Producer	Martyn Phillips
Erasure chronology
Wild! (1989) Chorus (1991) I Say I Say I Say (1994)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Chorus, Erasure's fifth proper studio album, was released by Mute Records in the UK and Sire Records in the U.S. in 1991 (see 1991 in music). This album was the last to end Erasure's classic period.

History

Upon its release, Chorus became Erasure's third consecutive number-one album in the UK and gave them four more top twenty hits. In the U.S., it was Erasure's highest-debuting and highest-peaking album on the Billboard 200 at the time, entering at number twenty-nine. It gave Erasure their first Billboard Hot 100 entry since "Stop!" with the title track, which also charted well on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Chorus also charted well in Germany, where it peaked at number thirteen.

Special editions

Chorus was also released as a limited-edition CD in special packaging (cat number LCD STUMM 95). Instead of a jewel case, it came in a folding cardboard box. The cover was also different, with the two portraits taken from the side instead of the front, as on the cassette releases. It included the standard lyrics booklet, as well as 8 picture cards with various artwork. The first four are the stock photography from the booklet and have "e" logo backs: family on the beach (later used for the "Love to Hate You" single cover), a business meeting group, three businessmen at a construction site, and a woman and child bicycling. The next four are the portraits from the album cover, one each of Clarke and Bell from the front and side. The backs of these have patient data from Clarke and Bell's MRI scans.

Another special edition was released as a promotional item for the music industry: a hardcover book entitled Chorus Software User Manual with hidden compartments inside which hold a copy of the CD and cassette as well as the same 8 cards as the other special edition.

Track listing

All tracks by Clarke/Bell.

1. "Chorus" – 4:26
2. "Waiting For the Day" – 3:50
3. "Joan" – 3:50
4. "Breath of Life" – 4:07
5. "Am I Right?" – 4:18
6. "Love to Hate You" – 3:56
7. "Turns the Love to Anger" – 3:56
8. "Siren Song" – 4:44
9. "Perfect Stranger" – 4:05
10. "Home" – 4:14

Chart performance

Chart (1991)	Peak position
Austrian Albums Chart[2]	5
Canadian Albums Chart[3]	21
German Albums Chart[4]	15
Swedish Albums Chart[5]	14
Swiss Albums Chart[6]	21
UK Albums Chart[7]	1
US Billboard 200[8]	29

Personnel

• Andy Bell – vocals
• Vince Clarke – synthesizers, programming
• Dave Bascombe – mixing
• Me Company – design
• Martyn Phillips – producer

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ http://www.austriancharts.at/
3. ^ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/
4. ^ http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Erasure&title=Chorus&cat=a&country=de
5. ^ http://www.swedishcharts.com/
6. ^ http://www.swisscharts.com/
7. ^ http://www.chartstats.com/
8. ^ http://www.billboard.com/

Preceded by Stars by Simply Red

UK number one album 26 October 1991 – 1 November 1991

Succeeded by Stars by Simply Red