SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MIDGE URE – CHAPTERS: THE BEST OF

MIDGE URE
CHAPTERS: THE BEST OF
CHRYSALIS RECORDS

Earlier this year, Midge Ure released a fantastic new studio album, A Man Of Two Worlds. For Chapters: The Best Of, Ure looks back at his early solo days with Chrysalis records. Following the split of Ultravox, Ure released his first two albums, The Gift (1985) and Answers To Nothing (1988) on Chrysalis before leaving that label for Arista. His first two solo albums were extremely successful, critically and commercially. Chapters: The Best Of highlights the hits and album tracks from those two albums, as well as a few extracurricular activities with which he was involved during that time period. It is a brilliant collection, and with the addition of two CDs of previously unavailable versions of the songs, it is something new for the diehards to enjoy.

Ure worked with many diverse artists while with Ultravox and when he went solo. To that point, this new compilation opens with his work with Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott, “Yellow Pearl.” This is a different sound for Lynott in which he embraces 1980s synthpop, but with his own flair. Following that is a new solo recording of the classic Visage song “Fade To Grey”. Ure was a member of Visage for their first two albums and co-wrote and co-produced the music. He has been performing “Fade To Grey” live, and here one gets a chance to own his new arrangement of the song. It is much more energetic and powerful than the original. Also included in the set is the greatest single not released in the 1980s. Kate Bush sings with Ure on his song “Sister And Brother” from Answers To Nothing. It would have been a huge hit. They sound fantastic together and the song has a melody that stays with you.

The hits are here, “No Regrets,” “If I Was,” “Call Of The Wild” (one of the best songs of the 1980s and features one of his best guitar solos), “Dear God,” and “That Certain Smile.” all of them classics, all of them brilliant to hear in one collection. His cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” rivals the original and his take on Jethro Tull’s “Living In The Past” is a welcome addition. All of his music has aged extremely well and does not sound dated.

The second CD features new mixes of 10 of the songs from CD one. These are brand new remixes, and not the previously released 12-inch singles. The new mixes are very different and bring new dimensions to the songs. Former Japan member Richard Barbieri remixes his former bandmate Mick Karn’s collaboration with Ure, “After A Fashion.” This version is sparse and certainly more moody than the original. And it works. Danny Mitchell’s remix of “Wasteland” is fantastic, and the song becomes much more disturbing than the original. Mitchell co-wrote the song with Ure. The other mixes are equally interesting and well worth the price of admission.

CD three features instrumental mixes of CD one. This gives the listener the chance to appreciate the songs on a whole different level. One can hear, more clearly, the intricacies Ure layered in the songs. It is fascinating to hear “Hell To Heaven” (from Answers To Nothing) as an instrumental or “When The Wind Blows” (from The Gift) as instrumentals. The lack of vocals does not distract and if anything, they sound like new songs.

While there have been compilations of Ure’s music in the past, this one is the definitive compilation. He has included non-album singles and collaborations, and he, quite wisely, focused on one era of his career. By doing so, he has allowed fans to appreciate this one time as he was discovering himself as a solo artist. The new remixes and instrumental versions help provide even more context and information of these truly remarkable and brilliant songs. One hopes that he keeps going, and perhaps a compilation of his RCA/BMG days could follow? Regardless, Chapters: The Best Of is an astounding album full of some of the best music created over the past 46 years.

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