Nightbird (Erasure album)

Nightbird is the eleventh full-length studio album by the British synthpop band Erasure. Produced by Erasure, it was released on 24 January 2005 by Mute Records in the UK and on 25 January 2005 in the U.S.

Nightbird
Studio album by Erasure
Released	24 January 2005 (UK) 25 January 2005 (U.S.)
Recorded	2004
Genre	Synthpop
Length	43:16
Label	Mute Records
Producer	Erasure
Erasure chronology
Other People's Songs (2003) Nightbird (2005) Union Street (2006)
Singles from Nightbird
"Breathe" Released: 3 January 2005 "Don't Say You Love Me" Released: 21 March 2005 "Here I Go Impossible Again / All This Time Still Falling Out of Love" Released: 20 June 2005

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	53/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Entertainment.ie	[3]

History

Nightbird received mixed reviews and was only a moderate commercial success, charting no higher than number 27 in UK. Despite the mixed critical reception, many longtime fans of the band hailed it as a return to the sound and feel of classic Erasure albums like Wonderland and Chorus. Singer Andy Bell's revelation that he was HIV-positive just prior to the album's release shed new meaning on the songs' introspective and sometimes melancholy lyrics.

The album's first single "Breathe" entered the UK Singles Chart at number four – Erasure's highest peak since "Always" hit number four in 1994. No singles from the album charted on the U.S. "Breathe" became Erasure's second number-one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart – their first being "Victim of Love" in 1987.

A massive concert tour accompanied this album which travelled across Europe and the UK as well as North America. The tour, dubbed The Erasure Show, featured the extravagant set designs and costume changes Erasure is known for. The tour wrapped up in June 2005.

The album graphic artwork was made by the British artist Rob Ryan.

Nightbird was Erasure's first studio album not to be issued on vinyl; none of the three singles were released commercially on vinyl, although promotional remix 12"s exist. A vinyl version was finally released in 2016 for the band's 30th anniversary.

Track listing

All tracks written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke.

1. "No Doubt" – 4:01
2. "Here I Go Impossible Again" – 3:43
3. "Let's Take One More Rocket to the Moon" – 4:48
4. "Breathe" – 3:51
5. "I'll Be There" – 3:23
6. "Because Our Love Is Real" – 3:42
7. "Don't Say You Love Me" – 4:03
8. "All This Time Still Falling Out of Love" – 4:18
9. "I Broke It All in Two" – 3:42
10. "Sweet Surrender" – 4:01
11. "I Bet You're Mad at Me" – 4:04

2016 "Erasure 30" 30th Anniversary BMG Reissue LP

Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.

This marked the first release of this album on vinyl.

Chart performance

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Danish Albums Chart[4]	25
German Albums Chart[5]	22
Swedish Albums Chart[6]	34
UK Albums Chart[7]	27
U.S. Billboard 200 Chart[8]	154
U.S. Billboard Top Electronic Albums Chart[8]	2
U.S. Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart[8]	7

References

1. "Nightbird by Erasure". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
2. Allmusic review
3. "Entertainment.ie review". Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2007.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
4. Steffen Hung. "Erasure – Nightbird". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
5. "charts.de". charts.de. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
6. Steffen Hung. "Erasure – Nightbird". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
7. "The Official Charts Company – Nightbird by Erasure Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
8. Erasure. "Erasure – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 June 2012.