ERASURE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD ALBUM MUTE, EMI RELEASE: MAY 23, 2007 REVIEW: MAY 15, 2007

After dabbling in country and western, gentlemen Clarke and Bell have worked their way back into their trademark pop sound with fierce determination. The result is in many ways satisfactory, but "Light at the End of the World" does not match "Nightbird", their last proper album, when put under the microscope.

The overall sound, while electronically intact, does come through a little tired on occasion. I recognize numerous sounds from "I Say, I Say, I Say" for example and there is a distinctly organic feel within all the machine fused pop melodies on this album that confuses me. Fans will be pleased to hear that most songs are classic Erasure, though, peaking in the forthcoming single "Sunday Girl", last single "I Could Fall in Love with You" and the dreamy "Storm in a Teacup". The groovy, house infected "Sucker for Love" is another story, drowning in charmless attitude atypical for the duo.

"Light at the End of the World" sees Erasure work within their own kingdom and it is as impressive as it is enjoyable to listen to their sustained quality of creating catchy pop numbers. While not pushing any boundaries; they have been doing quite enough of that the past year and a half, this is a vibrant electropop plethora, well on par with the very best.

NIKLAS FORSBERG