SUR LA MER

This album marked the culmination of their cheesy '80's synthpop period. It represented the lowpoint of the band and this music has not aged well. Still, there are a few good pop-rock songs here, such as the follow-up single to Your Wildest Dreams, I Know You're Out There Somewhere, as well as No More Lies and Vintage Wine. But the rest are mostly forgettable or regrettable simplistic synthpop ditties or limp ballads, and the few highpoints are not enougn to compensate for the rest of the album. Really sappy pop production and synthpop arrangements remove any potential these songs or melodies could have had. Ray Thomas does not appear on this album, as singer, songwriter, or vocalist, and Graeme Edge has a reduced presence, as most of the percussion are programmed drum machines, and their input did not fit in with the synthpop vibe of the time. Rating: 2.5