Ultravox - Rage in Eden (1981)

You might think it would be difficult to follow-up the wonderful Vienna single and album, and you'd be right. If you like Midge Ure-era Ultravox, there's something here for you, but for the most part, the material is weaker than on Vienna or Quartet. Sophomore slump, maybe? Rage In Eden wasn't Ultravox's second album, but it was their second with Ure. Vienna wasn't exactly a cheerful album, but it wasn't so morbid as to have a track titled I Remember (Death In The Afternoon). Smash Hits gave the album a rating of 5 out of 10 (see below) and that sounds about right.

Track 2, We Stand Alone, contains the phrase "this gigolo and gigolette" several times in its lyrics and while I'm certain I heard the song when I was in high school, I can't imagine why I didn't work the word "gigolette" into as many conversations and term papers as I possibly could back then.

Bonus points for the Peter Saville artwork on the cover.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "polished progressive rock, thumping disco and flamboyant new romanticism"
• CashBox: "gorgeously produced dance club delight"
• Record World: "a beat and production that will have rock dance clubs playing every cut"
• Smash Hits (5 out of 10): "too bland to satisfy"
• Trouser Press: "A very good record, not a great one"
• High Fidelity: "Ultravox concocts an enticing - albeit distant - brand of textured, shimmering rock."
• RPM Weekly: "a powerful rock message that unfortunately will have a limited audience."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #144
• CashBox: #123
• Rolling Stone: #49

Tracks: They definitely chose the best cuts to release as singles: The Thin Wall, which peaked on the British singles chart at #14 and The Voice, which peaked at #16. Also good are We Stand Alone and Accent On Youth/The Ascent; avoid Your Name Has Slipped My Mind Again by ending the CD after 8 tracks. Other tracks are decent filler with the characteristic Ultravox sound.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. I was aware of the album and a couple of my friends had it, so I heard it in the early '80s. I had Quartet and an import copy of the Vienna album, so I guess I thought I was set as far as Ultravox was concerned. In addition to that vinyl, here's a sweet vintage pinback from my personal collection:

Previously revisited for the blog:
Extended: A Collection of 12" Remixes (1998)
The Collection (1985)
Quartet (1982)