Cowboy | ||||
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Studio album by Erasure | ||||
Released | 31 March 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1996 | |||
Genre | Synthpop | |||
Length | 49:20 | |||
Label |
Mute Records, Maverick Records |
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Producer | Neil McLellan, Gareth Jones | |||
Erasure chronology | ||||
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Singles from Cowboy | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic |
Cowboy was the eighth studio album by Erasure, released in 1997 by Mute Records in the UK. In the U.S., it was released by Madonna's former label Maverick Records. Cowboy was produced by Gareth Jones and Neil McLellan and marked the band's return to more simplistic three-minute synthpop music.
After disappointing sales and chart placing of their last studio album Erasure, Cowboy returned the duo to the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and it contains three singles (two of which hit the UK Top 30). In the U.S., Cowboy greatly improved Erasure's Billboard 200 peak over their previous album and first single "In My Arms" gave them another Hot 100 entry. Sales also improved in Germany, where Cowboy peaked at number thirty-four.
The album contains eleven Vince Clarke/Andy Bell originals in its UK version. For its U.S. release, the album artwork was changed slightly, the original version of "In My Arms" was replaced with a slightly-different US mix and two bonus tracks were added: a cover version of Blondie's "Rapture" (with Clarke providing the rap); and a version of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Magic Moments" that Erasure had contributed to the Lord of Illusions soundtrack.
Erasure embarked on another major tour of the UK and U.S. to promote this album, in their trademark style it contained elaborate stage settings and costumes (including Clarke dressed as a guitar-playing cactus).