return to "The Innocents"

Who doesn't love Erasure? Vince Clarke and Andy Bell have certainly weathered the ups and downs over the last 25 years. It's odd that their imperial period hasn't been revisited until now. On October 25, Mute, their label for their entire career, will reissue a remastered, expanded, deluxe edition of their third album, "The Innocents", complete with bonus tracks, b-sides, remixes and live recordings.

The tracklisting has just been revealed. And it's a corker! The first CD features the original CD version of the album. The second disc includes the much sought after, 7" version of "River Deep Mountain High", the US mixes of "Chains Of Love" and "A Little Respect" by Shep Pettibone and Justin Strauss, respectively, and four previously, unreleased tracks from the BBC's "In Concert" recording of Erasure at London's Hammersmith Odeon on "The Innocents" tour from 1988.

The bonus DVD is a treasure trove of gems including "The Innocents" concert from the Birmingham NEC, originally released as a VHS video in 1989, replete with remixed and remastered audio and two, previously unreleased performances from that show. The DVD also includes the promotional videos for the three singles taken from the original album, a selection of TV performances from the BBC archives and "The Innocents" live in mp3 format.

It's a thrill to see a reissued album handled with tender, loving care. The album will be preceded "Phantom Bride", an EP of brand new remixes of key album tracks from "The Innocents" commissioned exclusively for this release.

Not sure why they never released "Phantom Bride" as a single from the album in the first place. It is one of the album's standout tracks. I suspect it had something to do with the fact that they had "Stop!" already in the can and felt they had lightning in a bottle.

Let's hope we see the remainder of their albums given the same brush up treatment, especially "Wonderland", "The Circus", "Wild!" and "Chorus".

The tracklisting for the 21st anniversary edition of "The Innocents" is as follows:


CD 1
"The Innocents"

1. A Little Respect
2. Ship Of Fools
3. Phantom Bride
4. Chains Of Love
5. Hallowed Ground
6. Sixty-Five Thousand
7. Heart Of Stone
8. Yahoo!
9. Imagination
10. Witch In The Ditch
11. Weight In The World
12. When I Needed You (Meloncholic Mix)
13. River Deep Mountain High (Private Dance Mix)

CD 2
"The Innocents" - B-sides, Remixes & Rarities

1. Ship Of Fools (Shiver Me Timbers Mix)
2. When I Needed You
3. River Deep Mountain High (7" Version)
3. Chains Of Love (The Unfettered Mix)
4. Don’t Suppose (Country Joe Mix)
5. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (The Dangerous Remix)
6. A Little Respect (12" House Mix)
7. Like Zsa Zsa Zsa Gabor (Mark Freegard Mix)
8. Love Is Colder Than Death
9. Phantom Bride (BBC "In Concert" live recording)
10. Heart Of Stone (BBC "In Concert" live recording)
11. Hallowed Ground (BBC "In Concert" live recording)
12. Witch In The Ditch (BBC "In Concert" live recording)

DVD
"The Innocents Live", BBC Television Performances & The Videos

"The Innocents Live" (NEC Birmingham 15/11/88)
1. Chains Of Love
2. A Little Respect
3. The Circus
4. The Hardest Part
5. Push Me Shove Me
6. Spiralling
7. Hallowed Ground
8. Oh L’Amour
9. Who Needs Love Like That
10. Stop!
11. Victim Of Love
12. Ship Of Fools
13. Knocking On Your Door
14. Sometimes
15. Witch In The Ditch (previously unreleased)
16. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (previously unreleased)

"The Innocents" At The BBC

1. Ship Of Fools (from "Going Live!")
2. A Little Respect (from "Top Of The Pops")
3. The Innocents Live (BBC 35minute TV Special - First Broadcast December 12, 1988)

"The Innocents" - Promotional Videos

1. Ship Of Fools
2. Chains Of Love
3. A Little Respect