LogFAQs > #956242160

110. Yazoo Situation (1982)
from the album Upstairs at Erics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmVlaw36L0

Key lyrics:
Now hes in control, he is my lover
Nations stand against him, hes your brother

When I first got into Depeche Mode, it was difficult to believe the same band that made Never Let Me Down Again and Enjoy the Silence kicked off their career with exuberant pop ditty Just Cant Get Enough. If I had been a bit more curious, I would have gotten into Yazoo before 2019. Songwriter Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode soon after their debut, and Upstairs at Erics feels like the true continuation of that early sound. This is one of those lucky splits where two great projects emerged; Yazoo might have never achieved the lasting success of Depeche Mode, but Clarkes work there is the hidden gem of early synth-pop.

Alison Moyet is key to the project, a rare vocalist who can actually match the more energetic side of synth-pop. There is a unique quaver in her voice that heightens her delivery, casting Situation as an accusatory song. The lyrics suggest she has been hurt by something or someone, but she will not go down without fighting back. Monotonous backing vocals chant move out she is forcing a change. Clarkes synth-line is as upbeat and catchy as they come, yet Moyets thunderous vocals make it sound almost restrained. Many of my favorite synth-pop acts succeeded by mitigating the seemingly intrinsic lightness of the genre through ironic lyrics or pitching downward. Situation is a rare example which embraces every rough edge and runs away with it, the highest form of synth-pop in the raw.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/