Non-Stop - Andy Bell

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by: Joe (United States)
on: Thursday, 28-October-2010

Although not as strong as Electric Blue, this is still a great set from one of the best. Andy Bell delivers. He saves the best for last. The final three tracks Non-Stop, DHDQ, and Honey if you Love Him will have you wishing for more. Cant wait for the next one!!!!

by: Buzz Anelli (United States)
on: Sunday, 10-October-2010

I bought this CD, even though I wasnt familiar with Andy Bells previous work, because the your site samples are mesmerizing. On the CD, the complete songs are haunting, memorable, and very well written, arranged, engineered, mixed, and mastered. The total sonic experience is highly danceable and sparkling, while being personable and intimate. I believe that the studio technique used is called layering. For example, the synth snare drum sound may be mixed with a noise signal, or another instrument sample, to soften the impact, yet retain brilliance. Then the layered snare sample is sequenced into the mix.
Some comments have erroneously stated that the mix is over-compressed, a la separately discussed under the topic loudness war. When you look at the tracks with a visual application, such as Waves, you will see that there is no flat-topping of the waveforms. Conversely, when you look at some remastered CDs, you see a lot of waveforms flat-topped, or clipped, by a mastering engineer that raises the volume level above the maximum 0 dB. In that case, the result is a louder, but annoyingly distorted, track.
Thankfully, Andy Bell and Pascal Gabriel do not succumb to loudness war pressure. When you listen to these tracks on a high-quality stereo system, or with excellent quality headphones, you can hear every part distinctly--and there are some amazing effects presented. Here, the musicianship is very simple--there are no over-the-top guitar solo histrionics that come out of nowhere and then disappear. Who said that simplicity is beauty? This is a musically simple, and beautiful, artistic work.

by: Daryl in Oshkosh (Oshkosh, WI USA)
on: Monday, 6-September-2010

It took me awhile to appreciate this one as much as I do now, but that was true with his previious solo CD too, which is one of my favorite CDs. I would give that one, Electric Blue, five stars.
The first time I heard Non-Stop, I knew there were several great songs on this disc; will you be there, touch, and dhdq. Honey if you love him was amazing the first time I heard it, and still love it.
All of the rest continued to keep growing on me the more I heard them, except for slow release, sorry Andy, I know you menioned it as one of your favorites in an interview I heard, but it just drags everything else down.
I loved the other slower ballad songs on his first CD, which I saw that he dissed in an interview which I was very surprised about.
Maybe the stuff that comes easier for him are not as easily appreciated by those who create them, but I love those.
These songs are designed to be fun fast food if you will, as another reviewer mentioned. They do not quite reach me as much on an emotional level as Electric Blue does.
I would give it five stars except for those reasons, and the fact there are only ten songs.

by: Douglas King (Cincinnati, OH United States)
on: Monday, 9-August-2010

*** 1/2

With Non-Stop, Andy Bell continues to show how his solo work is the yan to Erasures yin. (Or maybe its the yin to Erasures yan. Whatever.) Erasures music is whimsical, with soundscapes that are often innocent and childlike, inhabited with Andys androgynous, emotive voice. Andys solo material seems to be more conventional modern disco/dance music, with consistently higher beats per minute, and more of the sexuality and grit that coincide with club life.

Its good, though. Less original, but the quality is still there. Similar to Kelis last album, Andys voice is so heartfelt that it keeps the songs from ever sounding too mechanical (as a lot of dance music does). And the production is really pretty good (think X era Kylie Minogue or Confessions era Madonna). You would listen to an Andy Bell album on the way to the club, or on the treadmill. Erasures music is better suited to before bedtime.

by: Robert H Teachey (Houston, TX, US)
on: Wednesday, 21-July-2010

Andy Bell has seriously outdone himself. He burst onto the scene as the lead singer for Erasure and has continually upped the game with every collection.

Electric Blue was phenominal and I didnt think hed ever top that album.

Non-Stop is easily the best CD hes recorded! Its at once relevant and catchy. The songs stick in your head and MAKE you want to listen to them over and over. Theres one ballad on the CD and I normally skip over ballads... Pop singers should sing upbeat pop... not soggy ballads. However, Slow Release is just strange enough, and the words so personal, that it made me stop and play it again... and then again. Its the one ballad on a pop album that I dont skip over!

Lyrically, hes always been far above any other singer. His words stand alone as prose, but when put to the catchy syncopation and quirky synth arrangements, his phrasing creates whole new levels to the words...

Its one of those CDs to which I will never tire of listening!

And if Bell ever reads this... Keep recording... NON-STOP! No time off... No vacations! Get back in the studio now! We need more more more!

by: The Music Man (Hawaii)
on: Sunday, 11-July-2010

Aloha from Hawaii...

This CD is, as the title says, non-stop dance...love it how he brings his artistic electronic pizzaz to music...love it...

by: J. Grigg (Tucson, Az)
on: Wednesday, 7-July-2010

Ive been playing this disc almost Non-stop since I got it! Its Dance Pop perfection. Bells voice is as hypnotic as ever (especially on the track Slow Release) & the songs are perfectly crafted, full of hooks & infectious melodies. A rare treat to find an album where every track is memorable. The slick classy production lends a trippy sonic vibe that enhances but doesnt overwhelm. Call On Me, Will You Be There? are particularly infectious & DHDQ is sly fun. This is Bells best solo effort so far & one of the best discs of the Summer, if not the year. Enjoy!

by: Donald A. Crow (Fort Worth, tx)
on: Wednesday, 7-July-2010

I am a fan of erasure and of Andy bell. I loved his first solo cd and i love this cd as well!!!

by: Jason Stein (San Diego, CA United States)
on: Saturday, 26-June-2010

Its been three years since Erasures last album Light At The End Of The World, and five years since Andy Bells solo debut, 2005s Electric Blue. Non-stop is the equivalent to late night drive-thru. Tasty and fattening, but ultimately non-nutritious.

I have to say I liked Electric Blue better. Bell definitely goes retro here and with varied success. The best tracks Running Out, Subject/Object, Will You Be There?, Touch, Non-stop, DHDQ and Honey If You Love Hime (Thats All That Matters) all have catchy melodies that at the same time feel watered down or muted. The lesser tracks Call On Me and Say What You Want are electro-disco throwaways that dont really amount to much. The worst track is easily Slow Release with its relentless chorus drilling its way into your cranium.

Non-stop is Andy Bell having fun, but its not necessarily fun for his fans. He could have done more to vary the sounds on this album while still retaining a club feel. I think he might have needed a better producer here.

Three and a half stars because its good, but not up to par with his previous works, and it just falls short of the mark.

Heres how Non-stop compares to previous work:

Erasure:
1986 Wonderland: Three and a Half Stars
1987 The Circus: Four Stars
1988 The Innocents: Four Stars
1989 Wild!: Four Stars
1991 Chorus: Five Stars
1994 I Say I Say I Say: Four Stars
1995 Erasure: Four Stars
1997 Cowboy: Four Stars
2000 Loveboat: Three Stars
2003 Other Peoples Songs: Three Stars
2005 Nightbird: Four Stars
2006 Union Street: Three Stars
2007 Light At The End Of The World: Three Stars

Andy Bell Solo:
2005 Electric Blue: Three and a Half Stars
2010 Non-stop: Three and a Half Stars