![]() the minutes, her first record since 2007's The Turn, is her first electronic-centric release since her Yaz days, and remarkably neither sounds like a cash grab nor some blind stab at what is current. Of course, it is easy to forget that Alison Moyet began her career as half of the electronic duo Yaz, and has always dabbled with electronic music on her solo albums. There’s no harm in revisiting those newly recorded versions of the Yazoo hits either, if only to appreciate how far she’s come.I am always dubious when a longtime artist returns with an album that borrows liberally from current trends in electronic music, as if it is last stab at relevance and market share. On these newer tracks specifically, Alison showcases all that her voice can do. Minutes and Seconds – Live should serve as a reminder to North American fans of Yazoo that Alison Moyet is still out there making great music and evolving as an artist. “Situation” in particular feels hollow, like Moyet has outgrown and eclipsed her early successes. Once Minutes and Seconds concludes with Yazoo’s “Situation,” it’s hard not to feel that she’s outgrown those Yazoo pop standards. “Remind Yourself,” a cut from The Minutes, without too much imagination, could have been a Shirley Bassey recording for a James Bond film. With age, Moyet’s vocal range has shifted away from pop-diva toward nightclub chanteuse. ![]() Alison’s voice tracks more deeply, mining the song for greater, untested emotion. Compare specifically the stripped-down version of Yazoo’s “Winter Kills” that appears on Minutes and Secondsversus the colder original. There’s a reflection of her troubled personal life in the introduction to “Filigree” that resonates throughout these live cuts. On these recordings, Alison’s voice feels more fragile and alive than on her studio albums. Her latest release, Minutes and Seconds – Live, features a collection of songs culled from Alison’s 2013-14 The Minutes Tour, a tour in support of her 2013 album The Minutes. A return to notoriety in North America eluded her. charts and garnered a nomination for a Mercury Music Prize. ![]() Upon finally being released from her contract with Sony, Alison signed with Sanctuary Records and released Hometime in 2002. 1994’s Essex would be her last record for nearly a decade. These troubles pushed her further and further away from pop-culture relevance. After the painful breakup of Yazoo, Clarke went on to form Erasure, and Moyet ventured off on a somewhat reluctant solo career.ĭuring her more than 30 years in the music business, the 53-year-old Alison Moyet has struggled through disputes with her label (which fought with her over radio-friendly chart toppers), bipolar disorder and crippling agoraphobia. Her bluesy, often husky contralto voice sold more than two million records as a solo artist after launching Yazoo (or Yaz), the Platinum-selling synth-pop collaboration with Vince Clarke. ![]() Not just “a” voice but “the” voice, the instantly recognizable, iconic voice. Former Yazoo frontwoman Alison Moyet has the voice.
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