Wonderland (Erasure album)

Wonderland is the debut studio album by Erasure, recorded in 1985 soon after the duo's formation. It was released on 1 May 1986 by Sire Records in the USA and 2 June 1986 by Mute Records in the UK and Germany.[2] Not an immediate success, the three singles released from it failed to crack the Top 40 in the UK, nor did any of them enter the Billboard Hot 100. "Who Needs Love Like That" would eventually make the British Top 10 in 1992, and "Oh L'amour" became a UK Top 20 in 2003, both in remixed form promoting their Pop! The First 20 Hits and Hits! compilations respectively. However, the album fared better in both Germany and Sweden, where it was a Top 20 success.

Wonderland
Studio album by
Erasure
Released1 May 1986 (1986-05-01) (USA)
2 June 1986 (1986-06-02) (UK/Germany)
Recorded1985-1986
GenreSynthpop
Length37:08
LabelMute (Germany/UK)
Sire (USA)
ProducerFlood
Erasure chronology
Wonderland
(1986)		 The Circus
(1987)
Singles from Wonderland
  1. "Who Needs Love Like That"
    Released: 2 September 1985
  2. "Heavenly Action"
    Released: 11 November 1985
  3. "Oh L'amour"
    Released: 21 April 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Erasure's initial exposure in the US came via dance clubs, as two singles did hit the top ten on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

At the time of its release, Wonderland was considered a failure, especially when comparing it to Clarke's prior successes with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Early reviews of the album dubbed Andy Bell as 'an Alison Moyet imitator'.

Wonderland is widely revered as a classic example of mid-80s synthpop, by most critics, and is appreciated now as the beginning stages of one of electronic music's most enduring acts.

Track listing

All songs were written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke, except where noted.

USA release (Sire)

Side one
  1. "Who Needs Love Like That" (Vince Clarke) - 3:19
  2. "Reunion" - 3:25
  3. "Cry So Easy" (Andy Bell) - 3:35
  4. "Senseless" - 5:20
  5. "Heavenly Action" - 3:30

Side two
  1. "Say What" - 3:56
  2. "Love is a Loser" - 3:02
  3. "March on Down the Line" - 3:26
  4. "My Heart... So Blue" (Clarke) - 4:31
  5. "Oh L'amour" - 3:04

CD bonus tracks
  1. "Who Needs Love Like That (The Love That Mix Version)" - 6:11
  2. "Oh L'amour (The Funky Sisters Remix)" - 7:17

UK and Germany releases (Mute)

Side one
  1. "Who Needs Love Like That" (Clarke)
  2. "Reunion"
  3. "Cry So Easy" (Bell)
  4. "Push Me Shove Me" (Clarke)
  5. "Heavenly Action"

Side two
  1. "Say What"
  2. "Love is a Loser"
  3. "Senseless"
  4. "My Heart... So Blue" (Clarke)
  5. "Oh L'amour"
  6. "Pistol"

CD bonus tracks
  1. "Say What" (remix)
  2. "March on Down the Line" (remix)
  3. "Senseless" (remix)

The US version drops the tracks "Push Me Shove Me" and "Pistol" and adds "March on Down the Line" which was originally the B-side to "Oh L'amour" in the UK (and also appeared in remixed form as a CD bonus track on the UK version of the album). The CD versions of both the UK and US versions of the album have different remixes as bonus tracks.

The UK and US album versions of "Oh L'amour" were slightly different. The Brazilian edition of the album contains the live version of "Oh L'amour" as track 6.

Chart performance

Original release
Chart (1986) Peak
position
German Albums Chart[3] 20
Swedish Albums Chart[4] 13
UK Albums Chart[5] 71

1988 re-issue
Chart (1988) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[6] 82

1989 re-issue
Chart (1989) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[7] 73

Release history
DateRegionLabelCatalog
2 June 1986United KingdomMute RecordsSTUMM25
United StatesSire Records25354

2011 remaster and repackage

On 4 July 2011, EMI re-released Erasure's first two albums in 2CD/DVD format. Both feature the original album remastered, plus another disc of tracks associated with the album, and a DVD containing promo videos and a live concert.

Track listing
Disc one: Original album
No.TitleLength
1."Who Needs Love Like That?"3:19
2."Reunion"3:25
3."Cry So Easy"3:35
4."Push Me, Shove Me" (Remix)5:20
5."Heavenly Action"3:30
6."Say What"3:56
7."Love Is a Loser"3:02
8."Senseless"3:26
9."My Heart... So Blue"4:31
10."Oh L'amour"3:04
11."Pistol"3:30
12."Say What" (Remix)7:22
13."March on Down the Line" (Remix)6:07
Disc two: Bonus CD
No.TitleLength
1."Who Needs Love Like That?" (Mexican Mix)6:11
2."Push Me, Shove Me" (Extended as Far as Possible Mix)4:09
3."Don't Say No" (Ruby Red Mix)6:09
4."Heavenly Action" (12" Mix)6:11
5."March on Down the Line"3:46
6."Oh L'amour" (PWL Funky Sisters Say 'Ooh La La')7:17
7."Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" (Remix)4:58
8."Cry So Easy" (BBC Radio One Session: Bruno Brookes, 15/11/85)3:43
9."Who Needs Love Like That?" (BBC Radio One Session: Bruno Brookes, 15/11/85)3:33
10."Senseless" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)3:32
11."Heavenly Action" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)3:38
12."Say What" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)3:25
13."Push Me, Shove Me" (BBC Radio One Session 5/12/85)2:50

2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

2016 "30th Anniversary Edition" USA Audiophile Remaster LP

In December 2016, American boutique record label Intervention Records released an audiophile-quality analogue remaster of the US release sourced from Sire's masters still held by Warner Brothers in the USA. The release was pressed on 180-gram vinyl and in a 60s-style Tip-On jacket.

Intervention also planned and begun work on a similar release of Erasure's second album, The Circus, for the first quarter of 2017, but it was withdrawn in February of that year.

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References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. "Erasure • Albums • Wonderland". Erasureinfo.com. 2 June 1986. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  3. "charts.de". charts.de. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  4. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Erasure&titel=Wonderland&cat=a
  5. "The Official Charts Company - Wonderland by Erasure Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  6. "The Official Charts Company - Wonderland by Erasure Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  7. "The Official Charts Company - Wonderland by Erasure Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.

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