#Eurythmics #Annie Lennox #Dave Stewart #synthpop #new wave #electro-pop #alternative rock #blue-eyed soul #British R&B #1980s
Eurythmics, the London duo consisting of vocalist Annie Lennox and guitarist Dave Stewart, released two albums in 1983. These seminal albums would cement their place as one of the New Wave’s most fondly remembered acts. After establishing their synth-pop credentials with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” they released “Touch,” a daring album that builds off their previous success and breaks new ground. Not content to build the album off of the pop sensibilities of the opening track, “Here Comes the Rain Again,” Lennox and Stewart use the rest of their time to build a world of their own, which results in an incredibly challenging, albeit rewarding, listen. While not every song hits home emotionally (“Right By Your Side,” for example, is too upbeat for its own good), all are interesting and complex enough to warrant constant relistening. “Touch” has one standout track, “Who’s That Girl,” a haunting, majestic anthem of jealousy and suspicion. “No Fear, No Hate, No Pain (No Broken Hearts)” and “Paint a Rumour,” the two songs which close out the album, also showcase the band’s strengths, especially Lennox’s ability to be soulful and earnest one moment and icy and detached the next. Throughout “Touch,” she proves herself time and again as one of the genre’s most confident and unconventional performers. Eurythmics have always been well in control of their image, and on “Touch,” they accomplish exactly what they set out to do. Powerful vocals and intriguing arrangements combine to make “Touch” a work of art. From: https://wakemag.org/reviews/2019/12/9/retro-review-touch-eurythmics
Eurythmics were one of the most successful duos to emerge in the early '80s. Where most of their British synthpop contemporaries disappeared from the charts as soon as new wave faded in 1984, Eurythmics continued to have hits until the end of the decade, making their technically consummate, soul-styled vocalist Annie Lennox a star in her own right as well as establishing instrumentalist Dave Stewart as a successful, savvy producer and songwriter. Originally, the duo channeled the eerily detached sound of electronic synthesizer music into pop songs driven by robotic beats. By the mid-'80s, singles like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and "Here Comes the Rain Again" had made the group into international stars, and Eurythmics had begun to experiment with their sound, delving into soul and R&B. By the late '80s, they were having trouble cracking the Top 40 in America, although they stayed successful in the U.K. By the early '90s, Eurythmics had taken an extended hiatus - both Lennox and Stewart pursued solo careers - but reunited occasionally for recording or tours. From: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eurythmics-mn0000206241/biography
