With Ultravox appearing to be all done with, Billy Currie met Midge Ure while both were working on the album “Visage” (which we’ll get to soon) for New Romantic “face” Steve Strange. Ure had previously bounced around various bands including Slik, allegedly been auditioned for the Sex Pistols, thence the Rich Kids with Glen Matlock and played live for Thin Lizzy. He was an Ultravox fan and was asked by Currie to join a new lineup. This line up (Ure, Currie, Cross, and drummer Warren Cann) toured the US again in late 1979 and when they were picked up by Chrysalis Records most of this album had been written and road tested. I’d always thought this record sounded like it may have been written with John Foxx (in mind) but it turns out it wasn’t.

It was to Conny Plank they returned to make this new album, although it was this time recorded in London and Plank mixed it back in Germany at Conny’s Studio. Just to get us in the mood and to remind us this is still, in fact, Ultravox we kick off with an instrumental, the new singer can wait just one track. “Astradyne” is a belter too, 7 minutes long and with 3 of the four musicians credited with playing synths alongside their regular instruments (Billy Currie’s violin is still featured), while drummer Warren Cann handles drums and electronic percussion. There’s another (almost) instrumental later on, the VERY Kraftwerk sounding “Mr. X”.

And then in comes Midge and his singing. I’m not particularly a fan, his vocal style is a little histrionic for my liking, but hey, this album begat 3 hit singles, “Passing Strangers”, “All Stood Still” and of course the title track. Yes I’ve been ignoring thus far the fact that this album is home to what may be the UK’s most famous #2 single (you wanna know how bad the great British record buying publics taste is ? They thought Joe Dolce’s “Shaddap You Face” was more worthy of the #1 spot than “Vienna”). Having said that about Joe Dolce, “Vienna” isn’t a particular favourite of mine either. Compared to similar Ultravox(!) songs of the past, things like “My Sex”, “Hiroshima Mon Amour”, “Slow Motion” etc., it really pales in their shadow. Yes it launched this Ultravox on a chart bothering, extremely successful 80’s career but it’s not one I pay much mind.

“Vienna” is a record I own more as a tidy up to a period I liked, rather than because I really like it as an album. It’s not a bad album, it’s not great either and it really doesn’t get anywhere near the John Foxx fronted Ultravox(!) to my ears but hey, this version was waaaaay more successful so (again !) what do I know ?

Astradyne - https://youtu.be/_QfISgmIZSg?si=av_3w6Xd20kMUeQP