Midge Ure – Chapters: Album Review

Peter Freeth

3 hours ago

Another Midge Ure ‘best of’ collection? Surely we don’t need another version of If I Was? It turns out that we do. We really do.

Alternative versions

Chapters is essentially another greatest hits album but with the added delight of being remixed and rejuvenated. Released on 13th November by Chrysalis Records, this is available on 2 LP black vinyl, a 1 CD standard edition and a 3 CD deluxe edition featuring some interesting alternative versions which is the version reviewed here. You get a disc of remixed songs, a disc of remixes contributed by other producers and a disc of instrumental versions suitable for your bathtime karaoke pleasure.

Something Added

Overall, the sound quality is great. Instrumentation has been padded out from the originals and something has been added without taking anything away from the originals. If anything, the remixes sound more ‘Ultravoxey’ than the original releases from way back. With their combination of piano consonants and breathy synth vowels, they’re somewhere between Quartet and Rage in Eden. It’s good to hear these early Midge Ure solo(ish) tracks getting a new lease of life.

Disc One – Stereo Mixes

A nice cross section of solo releases and team-ups. Yellow Pearl with Phil Lynott. Fade to Grey as Visage of course with Steve Strange and Rusty Egan. After a Fashion with Mick Karn. You can hear those trademark sliding basslines, so reminiscent of Japan. Sister and Brother with Kate Bush. It’s a pleasant reminder that Midge Ure gets about a bit and has done a lot more than most people think. Most people associate Ure with “It means nothing to meeeee” and Band Aid. Most people will not buy this new album release anyway, so who cares what they think? If you’re a fan of Midge Ure or Ultravox or any post-punk electronic music then you’ll be delighted to add this set to your collection.

Disc Two – Remixes

I guess back in the old days, these would have been called 12 inches. They each blend in a new perspective on songs which you’ll know and love. The result is something tighter, punchier, the same yet different. These aren’t songs mangled beyond recognition by the latest Ibiza DJ like many remixes. These are more like valuable artworks, renovated by artisans. The original is preserved and something new is discovered beneath the surface.

Those aforementioned artisans include Craig Armstrong, Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen (Japan), Wolfgang Flür (Kraftwerk) and Chris Payne (Visage/Gary Numan). People who know what they’re doing when it comes to historically valuable electronic artworks.

Disc Three – Instrumentals

The track list for this disc is the same as for the first. The same songs, stripped of Ure’s vocals. Ideal for your singalong retro party nights. Also ideal for really hearing the brilliance of these underlying rhythms and harmonies. A very worthwhile addition to the set.

Raising the Bar

An interesting conclusion to all of this is that I have a few clear favourites from this set, and they’re not just the songs that were my top picks to begin with. The treatment has elevated many of these songs, brought them into the 21st century. There are songs that, for me, were just a little too minimalist for me to begin with. They were enjoyable, just not my favourites. The work done on this new release has shuffled things around a bit, brought everything up to meet a higher bar. Our ears have evolved in these past few decades, we’re used to different production qualities, different points of reference. Midge Ure can now sit squarely back at the centre of your collection. A great investment.