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midgeure orchestrated
Artist: Midge Ure
Title: Orchestrated
Genre: Classical Synth Pop / Synth Rock
Release Date: 1st December 2017
Label: BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited


Album Review

The legendary voice of ULTRAVOX was born in 1953 in Scotland. In the eighties the band was extremely successful. Nevertheless in 1985, MIDGE started his ambitious solo career and with his, in the same year released, first album ‘The gift’ he produced already two hit singles. But here his creativity and productive work didn’t end. Furthermore he founded many bands, worked with lots of them entering the charts. Thus it is no wonder that with such a long and diverse musical career he got many awards. Also he is known for his social engagement. Together with BOB GELDOF he founded BAND AID. He also took a stand for the release of Nelson Mandela. Nevertheless his life was not only bright and shiny as he had some ups and downs as well. But he managed to fight his way back and is creative and busy as ever which is reflected by the huge amount of releases. Including this studio album he has launched 13 studio albums, 7 compilation, 13 live albums (partly with DVDs), 28 singles/ EPs.

It took MIDGE 18 months to rework the well-known songs of ULTRAVOX and MIDGE URE in close collaboration with the composer TY UNWIN. For those who watched the BBC documentaries over the past 10 years will have heard of the works of TY. MIDGE himself is also quite familiar on working with big orchestral groups throughout his musical career with playing several shows at the “Night Of The Proms”, performing with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, or with SCHILLER. So the release came right in time for the festive season and actually I think music with classical arrangements are definitely made for the winter season. Of course there are lots of bands and musicians who jump on the classical train for the Christmas season and most of them fail with flying colours with their carelessly patching arrangements together. Fortunately MIDGE URE is such an ambitious musician who produces and delivers quality and the length of the production of this album speaks for itself.

Exchanging the synths with strings, wood and brass gives a well-known song already a different atmosphere but TY also successfully rearranged the songs in a way that they get more depth, arcs of suspense and intensity. And MIDGE also made it to approach the songs vocally in a different way: here more restrained and soft - there more powerful, full of emotions. If you expect only the old songs, MIDGE has a surprise in the bag as also a new song sneaks in the album ‘Ordinary man’. A very fine song I have to say and now I’m curious how the original will sound as I assume that MIDGE URE will not continue to rearrange the old familiar songs in different musical genres but start (or maybe has started already) working on new material. However buying this album will not disappoint its listener as it is not a dull rehash but a very fine piece of music. The album is available as CD, MP3 and can also be streamed


Tracklist

01. Hymn
02. Dancing with tears in my eyes
03. Breathe
04. Man of two worlds
05. If I was
06. Vienna
07. The voice
08. Ordinary man
09. Death in the afternoon
10. Lament
11. Reap the wild wind
12. Fragile


Website

http://www.midgeure.co.uk / https://www.facebook.com/midge.ure


Cover Picture

midgeure orchestrated


Rating

Music: 10
Sound: 10
Total: 10 / 10


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