Ultravox - Future Picture (1995)

By 1988, the members of Ultravox decided to disolve the band. Midge Ure and Billy Currie both produced several solo albums, but Currie decided to resurrect the Ultravox name, first by re-recording "Vienna" (as "Vienna '92" and then an album, Revelation. That lineup quit, and he regrouped with a whole new lineup to produce a studio album and to tour Europe. This CD is a recording from their 1993 tour of Italy, and while it has all of the classic Ultravox songs, they are not performed by the classic lineup. Sam Blue's vocals are not in the same league as Ure's, and while the band are competent, they are not as tight and together as the classic lineup of Ure, Chris Cross, Warren Cann, and Currie. The newer songs from the Ingenuity album, such as "Distance," "Ideals," and "The Silent Cries," come off much better and are actually quite good. Currie actually dips into the John Foxx days with "Slow Motion," which would have been better left alone. While this CD has moments, casual fans are much better served by the original studio albums or a good compilation. This album should be of interest to completists and collectors.