Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be 50 Essential Albums by LGBTQ Artists, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Considering that the qualifier “LGBTQ” can often be open to various interpretations, for the purposes of this particular list, we have defined an artist as LGBTQ if he, she or they have ever publicly identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer. Moreover, albums by groups have been included in the list if any of their members fit the aforementioned criteria, even if some members do not.
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ERASURE | Erasure
Mute/Elektra (1995)
Selected by Quentin Harrison
Comprised of singer Andy Bell and producer/arranger Vincent Clarke, Erasure was one of the staple pop pairs of the 1980s to command both the dancefloor and radio. In the 1990s, they continued to make solid music even if the commercial benefit was sometimes lacking. Case in point, their self-titled seventh album drew mixed reviews and modest sales upon its reveal in 1995.
It was a shame considering how strong the songs are. Fluid, atmospheric and experimental, Erasure sees the duo cross their typical synth-pop fixations with gospel (“Rock Me Gently”) and shimmering dance music (“Fingers and Thumbs (Cold Summer’s Day)”). These songs and others notably ventured into five-to-eight-minute suite-like run times, a departure from the traditional three-to-five-minute pop song practice. Erasure rests within their larger body of work as a lost treasure awaiting broader rediscovery.
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