I have always been a fan of Alison Moyet since I first heard her with Yaz. I've picked up every album I could find that she has graced with her vocals - and never disliked. This album constitutes her first solo effort, and the visible abount of thought and work that went in to song choice, track layout, production and practice really payed off. The musical style is mixed, from soft pop to ballads, but remains smooth in sound - a far cry from the harsher style of Yaz. This album, unlike her later albums which began to decrease the amount of production work and begin to take her on the road towards a more "folk/natural" sound, remains unique in her collection as a final (albeit darker) chapter in her dance/pop career. Well worth acquiring.

Alison Moyet's solo career began with this album after leaving Yazoo (Yaz in USA). And what a solo debut it is! Nine fabulous tracks that haven't lost their strength over the years. Alison's emotive and ruminative voice has a depth many other female singers lack. Though the production by Jolley/Swain tends to be a bit slick, Alison 'Alf' Moyet saves the album from mediocrity with her soulfulness. Alf's songwriting-skills are impressive and her songs emit power. 'Love Resurrection' makes you spin around the room, while 'All Cried Out' makes you want to belt the song in full volume. The latter being the best song on the album. 'Where Hides Sleep' brings out the restlessness in you, as does 'Money Mile'. A praising review, but why only 4 stars you may ask. Simply because Moyet's albums 'Hoodoo', 'Essex' and 'Singles' are a bit better.

Alison's fist solo offering after her departure from Yazoo began a career away from cold synths and dance repitition.

She showed us how warm she really was with the almost revival feel of "Love Resurection" and the sweet "For You Only".

She showed off her powerful soul notes on epics like "All Cried Out" and "Invisible". Got a little bluesy over "Steal Me Blind" and atmospheric on the ethereal "Where Hides Sleep".

Alison is an important artist and in the mid 80s during the promised and disapointing jazz revivals, ALF brought a breath of freshness and vim! She shames Julia Fordham, blows away Tracy Thorn, and rivaled Sade who at the time wore a white backless Billy Holiday ... dress to connect in people's minds that she was trying to be jazz...thankfully this only lasted one album and she became a star on PROMISE...but enough about her.

ALF is a standard now in the Moyet collection and she has just added another gem, her new album: HOMETIME which is almost scarily her best album ever!!

Buy both and love them...thank you.

It's a testament to the strength of Alison Moyet's first solo album that, all these years later, her music is still measured by it (which is a bit unfair, given the quality of her two best and, bizarrely, unavailable albums, "Hoodoo" and "Essex". But I digress...). "Alf" firmly established Alison Moyet as a great soul diva. Indeed few singers can come close to her ability to convey emotion without resorting to histrionics. Following the demise of the influential Yaz, the public's great expectations were met big time with "Alf", which is accomplished, assured and irresistable. Only three tracks were released as A-sides ("Love Resurrection", "All Cried Out" and "Invisible") but there were at least two further potential smash hits here in the shape of the groovy "Honey For The Bees" (subsequently covered by American soul star, Patti Austin) and the gorgeous ballad, "For You Only". The closing track, "Where Hides Sleep", raises goosebumps with its ethereal harmonies weaving and waltzing over a swaying rhythm track. The rootsy "Steal Me Blind" is probably closer to what people expected of Alison and the lyric reflects her comments in a contemporary interview where she mentioned that some of her friends treated her like a bank.

Producers Tony Swain and Steve Jolly left their mark on this album and, overall, the synth-based sound is probably closer to the Yaz sound than Alison might have liked. Certainly this fan was expecting something a bit rawer than "Alf" (Alison finally delivered on this with her masterpiece, "Hoodoo"). Still, with so many great songs, it's impossible to fault this collection. Maybe some day Sony will please us all by re-mastering this album and including the rare B-sides "Baby I Do", "Hitch Hike" and "Don't Burn Down The Bridges". For now, this is a mid-price must-have. Treat yourself.

The first time I found out about ex Yaz singer Alison Moyet was in an article on the music magazine Rolling Stone, were music editors picked her as their earliest selection for Best Female Vocalist of 1984. I end up buying this CD a few years later and I was very impressed by the range and emotional depth of this extraordinary singer. This is the first of 4 solo great recordings; specially the last two, the overlooked gems: Hoodoo and Essex. On those 2 recordings she really got creative with her music and her own lyrics; both her singing and songwriting skills got stronger. It's truly a shame that her CD releases of her best work until today are out print; that is Hoodoo and Essex (you can still find them occasionally on used CD stores). On Alf, from the opening single "Love Resurrection" through the last cut "Where hides sleeps" her voice it's like a hurricane. Also, buy her greatest hits titled: Singles, where she does a contemporary remake of Roberta Flack's classic "The first time I ever saw your face". Finally, we (her fans and hopefully even more people) will be listening her new CD coming out in August 22 titled: Hometime; and early listenings are finding music critics praising this recording. I really hope that she gets more exposure with this new release. Get to know this underappreciated amazing singer; check her website: alisonmoyet.com