Erasure has always released great singles, with good albums attached, but here they have released an album where every song could stand on its own as a single. Andy Bell's vocals perfectly suit Vince Clarke's gorgeous synthesizer washes and melodic hooks.

Side one is anchored by "Chains of Love," a superb dance-floor evocation of gay life in the city. From the wistful, half-spoken opening line, "How can I explain / When there are few words I can choose?" the song takes off into a pounding synthesizer beat that can keep the listener dancing until the end. Also particularly effective on side one are the dance number "A Little Respect" and the pop-oriented "Heart of Stone." The preachy, socially-oriented "Hallowed Ground" is saved by a great melody.

Side two has a grab-bag of interesting songs, from the off-beat rhythm of "Witch in the Ditch" to the soulful "Weight of the World." "Yahoo!" may be the best dance song, with it's gospel-type shout-along chorus. In addition, side two has a heart-breaking, haunting song, the bonus track "When I Needed You." The difference in quality and musicality between this stunning track and any other Erasure ballad is unbelievable. Finally, if Erasure's version of "River Deep-Mountain High" does not work as well as Tina Turner's, as so many critics have carped, how many bands or singers could possibly render a song as well as Ms. Turner? To their credit, Erasure did not try a straight cover of the song, instead adding synthesizer flourishes to create a more dance-oriented song.

The Erasure fan most likely already owns this album. The novice Erasure listener would find this the best place to start. Just about every song would find its rightful place on an Erasure greatest hits album.

I remember the first time I listened to Ship of Fools and When I Needed You. I was in eighth grade and beginning the worst crush of my life on my gay best friend; Erasure's equally unattainable (to me) Andy Bell not only looked like him, but the melancholy song lyrics combined with Bell's beautiful voice made it the perfect music for unrequited love. That's all ancient history. In our thirties, my good friend and I are still very close and content in our respective love lives, and Andy Bell's voice is still as moving as it was then. Only now I find the album uplifting rather than depressing!

For those unfamiliar with Erasure, Vince Clarke, the instrumentalist, was one of the original members of Depeche Mode, which he later broke off from to start YAZ with Alison Moyet. Andy Bell, the singer, was one of the first openly gay performers, who also held religious affiliations. Whether that interests you or not, he's a phenomenal singer and the pop synth tone complements his high yearning voice well. And The Innocents is a terrific example of Erasure's work. Some of it is almost gospel--River Deep, Mountain High. It's a fun album and very danceable. If you like Human League, Depeche Mode, YAZ, or The Pet Shop Boys, then I think this might be an excellent fit.

I first bought this album (on tape no less!) back when I was 14 years old. I haven't listened to it in over 10 years and after I rebought it on CD, I can safely say that this album has stood the test of time and lost none of it's magic. The grand opening of A Little Respect is awesome, as are similar chart successes like Chains of Love and Ship of Fools. Vince Clark's electronica and Andy Bell's soulful, at time mournful voice singing fantastic lyrics are still outstanding.

Lesser known, maybe more overlooked songs like Phantom Bride and Hallowed Ground are as good as the singles. My favourite though is Yahoo. This gospel infused song just lifts you right up there. Play it loud and don't be ashamed to sing along with the chorus. Weight of the World, Witch in the Ditch and Imagination are good too. The only number I don't like is Sixty Five Thousand, it just doesn't seem to fit in well with the rest of this beautifully written album. The same could be said of the dance remix of River Deep Mountain High but that song manages to scrape through.

If you like good elecronica pop with wonderful lyrics, buy this album. This is Erasure at their finest.

Erasure is one of my favorite groups from the '80s that has put out consistent and timeless synth-pop. For me their music never sounds dated, especially their earlier material from the '80s. I recently acquired "The Innocents" because my all time favorite Erasure songs are on this album. "A Little Respect" and "Chains of Love" are songs that I grew up on in the '80s. I particularly adore "A Little Respect". The infectious melodies and melancholy lyrics are absolutely perfect. What I really love about Erasure is their abilities to mix lyrics of unrequited and/or lost love with upbeat, catchy melodies. I don't know how Vince Clarke and Andy Bell does it, but they make melancholy sound good in their songs. I hear hope in their most melancholy songs. I might be the only person who found "Chorus" a disappointment, if not highly overrated. The songs on that album did not stuck out for me as did the songs on "The Innocents". The only track that I found to be only so-so was the instrumental "Sixty-Five Thousand". I wasn't too keen on the song but I'm not saying that it is a bad song either. "Phantom Bride", "Imagination" and "Witch In the Ditch" are my favorite tracks off the cd, well of the songs that I have never heard before. Erasure is one of the few groups from the '80s that stills put out consistent,quality pop music today. Going back into their catalogue only makes me fall in love with their music all over again.

One of the only albums I know every word too. The best sing along album of all time. The new synth music is good but it will never be as good as erasure.