Andy Bell — Electric Blue

Erasure singer Andy Bell has broken the chains of band membership to release a solo record that sounds — let's face it — pretty much like Erasure. But that's not to say it's a mere repeat of the duo's early-2005 album Nightbird, which was loaded with soft, sweet and often sad melodies. Electric Blue is Bell's triumphant return to the dance floor and as such, it leans heavily on self-empowering lyrics and thumping club beats provided by Manhattan Clique. As if he needed to reinforce his gay street cred, Bell enlists Scissor Sister Jake Shears to pitch in on "I Thought It Was You." It's a decent, disposable pop record that ironically feels less personal than Bell's last Erasure effort.

Get it from