Album Review: Andy Bell – Ten Crowns

Legendary frontman Andy Bell has been the songwriter behind many tunes, but it’s only more recently that solo releases have taken centre stage. Best known for his part in 80s pop sensation Erasure, one of the most successful duos of the 80s with 20 million records sold worldwide, and being an icon of the LGBTQA+ community, Andy has dropped a number of solo albums since 2005 including his Torsten series, a number of soundtracks that accompanied stage acts also performed by Andy. As his first official album since 2010, Ten Crowns is technically a long awaited return.

Opener Break Thru The Interstellar sets listeners up for what they can expect from the album, a reverb-drenched euro-pop banger complete with themes of outer space and escapism. It manages to balance a nostalgic atmosphere and contemporary mix perfectly, built for the extended club mix. Lies So Deep features TV star and singer Sarah Potenza prominently on the back end of the song, her gravelly tone bringing gravitas to the driving synth pop and matching Andy’s own voice very well. Heart’s A Liar somehow manages to up the features level, however, as Andy sings alongside Debbie Harry. It’s a self-empowerment anthem, and having Debbie’s world-weary voice sing about losing love seems to add an extra layer of depth to the lyrics.

Dance For Mercy and Don’t Cha Know are two mid-album highlights, the former a throwback dance tune with sampled string flourishes and a groovy bass line, while the latter takes a more atmospheric root but retains the driving energy with punchy kicks and glittery keys. Godspell sounds the most contemporary of all the songs on the record, the bass and drum combo something that could have fit on the latest Weeknd album. The final two tracks, Put Your Empathy On Ice and Thank You, take the finale to opposite extremes. The former is a bouncy throwback power anthem, while the latter turns abstract, Andy singing the praises of his life and how fortunate he’s been over a sound bed of strings, choir vocals, and synths. 

Ten Crowns is a bold album, unafraid to project back to the heyday of euro-dance and 80s club pop. Each song has been well crafted, Andy’s voice sounding as crisp and clear as ever. It’s a wonderfully joyous listen, something that is more than needed with current affairs, and brings with it an effervescent message of living your life to the fullest and having fun. 

Ryan Bulbeck

Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.