Eurythmics – Touch

1983 was it? That's the year I saw Eurythmics live. Annie with her orange hair and ELECTRIC personality. What was she on?! She performed like an animal, her eyes were everywhere and her voice was phenomenal.

As for Touch, I don’t know why, but for me one of the most haunting tracks is No Fear, No Pain, I love it. Who’s that Girl is obviously a beautiful track, there is an acoustic version on the UK Miracle of Love 12” where the song shines. On that 12” Dave’s guitarwork is some of his best. The Touch cover portrait of Annie is iconic.

So, (opposed to what DrDayIn below states), no, I would never “lose interest” in the Eurythmics, and specifically Annie, she’s too much of a force – one of the leading female voices. The future did get rockier and that wasn’t my preferred direction either. I think they wanted US fame; it was calculated.

In general, it was a bumpy road for the Eurythmics duo, not unheard of in music. The string of albums is not even, but there are many, great songs along the way. 1984 was an odd-one-out album. However, the Savage album and titular track is a sophisticated work of art. The Savage cover artwork is one of the strongest / wittiest rock portraits ever. Annie takes ‘doll’ to the limit and breaks it; succeeded and preceded by many other interesting portraits . . .

Its ok. This for me is where I lost interest in Eurythmics. Annie started doing the soul thing, which never worked for me. Here Comes The Rain and Whos That Girl are fantastic singles. Right By Your Side sucks. The other tracks are the definition of album tracks and sound to me like they were made up in the studio. 2/5

Nothing you already don't (want to) know about Eurythmics - however, how familiar are you with their albums? Although I personally state 'Sweet Dreams' my album of choice for the desert island listening pleasure, 'Touch' was actually the first one to grab my attention - I buying the tape version several times as my cassette player always chewed up the tape.

Ironic for you, if you tend to rely on hits (regardless, whether it's Eurythmics or someone else in that respect). While justifiably progressive and with deserved critical and commercial success in years to follow, I guess most Eurythmics albums are somewhat overshadowed. The art of their melancholic synth-driven powers already evident on the first two albums (radically different 'In the Garden' and the spookier twin brother 'Sweet Dreams') comes full pace on 'Touch'. In a way, the duo repeated the formula experiencing skyrocket stardom with 'Sweet Dreams' - by using the very same, cheap equipment (I think it was Soundcraft mixing that's being d properly on the inner sleeve of 'Touch'), but the results are as stunning and extraordinary.

While any Eurythmics fan can give a personal recommendation of a certain album, 'Touch' is undoubtedly the universally acceptable introduction to post-punk Eurythmics, brave to mess with synthetics giving it soul without exaggeration (Dick Cuthell's trumpet work plus Dean Garcia's bass slap are also adding to the strange atmosphere). Of course, if there was any other singer involved other than Annie Lennox, I dare doubt Eurythmics would ever be as effective (with all due respect regarding Dave's production skills and effort). Because it is Annie who truly dominates here - her bizarrely mysterious, obliquely stripped s/m look on the front cover and the voice behind the mask that match perfectly - it is ok to feel romantic listening to 'Here Comes the Rain Again' or 'Who's That Girl?' as the albums principal smash hits, but if you scratch beneath the surface, there is a world most feel quite uncomfortable with.

Eurythmics songwriting here is somewhat abstract in order to reach the other side - the aspect of 'death' is at times too scary; 'Cool Blue', kinda-song about indifference and/or loss, immediately echoes the impression of a corpse, while the menacing 'Aqua' in all of its dead calm and the album's closing computer-esque mantra 'Paint a Rumour' address the problem of drug abuse and AIDS (or so it seems)...

'Regrets' and 'The First Cut' also follow suit perfectly, in all of the album's undertone charm with the finest example of the lot - 'No Fear, No Hate, No Pain (No Broken Hearts)' in all of its orchestral/vocal rage and lamentation (the full blast of emotion it is). The only cheerful moment is 'Right By Your Side' - a song which might not entirely fit into the set but makes 'Touch' a strange album of shifting moods, coming on a little too early in hope for the album's "happy ending".

In the year 2013, 'Touch' will turn 30. It still sounds like a broken-hearted love letter from the future.