ALISON MOYET 

The Minutes

[Cooking Vinyl]

As Yaz, Alison Moyet and synth-pop maestro Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Erasure) recorded one of pop’s most simple yet haunting songs, “Only You.” Here, Moyet has another significant other: producer Guy Sigsworth (Bjork, Robyn, Madonna). And Sigsworth’s presence is significant; these wonderfully arranged and produced songs find the pair flitting with ease from edgy to laissez-faire. Breezy opener “Horizon Flame” leads to “Changeling,” a jittery urbane statement on the modern condition. The bitter, rousing torch song “When I Was Your Girl” details a failed romance, while love blooms anew in “Apple Kisses.” “Right as Rain” is classic four-on-the-floor dance, and “Filigree” nods to Clarke with bubbly, pulsing keyboard. This is Moyet’s first album in a half-decade, and you can almost hear the urgency, like she knows precious minutes are ticking away. Luckily, she makes each one count. –LL