The German tour was its own little segment, with a set of shows that had a personality all of their own, coupled with a great atmosphere – and it’s all captured here; one of those great packages you’ll just want to shed a tear over because – well – you own one!
[Purchase] Recorded live (April 2010) at the Admiralspalast Theatre in Berlin (along with some segments recorded in Hamburg) – one of the few preserved venues of the pre-World War II era, Moments from Eden is more than just a document of the new set additions featured during 2010’s Return to Eden 2 tour.
The exquisite physical package, both striking and ornamental, features a 10” Red Vinyl, A4 Art Print (courtesy of Townsend Records), CD and booklet, all presented within its very own textured gatefold sleeve. The contemporary illustration is courtesy of renown artist Rian Hughes, showcasing an avantgarde representation of Ultravox’s inspirational art music mould. The booklet of fine photography documents an architectural romanticism set alongside choice picks of Ultravox lyrics – a super combination.
The EP itself features “New Europeans,” “White China,” “Loves Great Adventure,” and “Herr X,” with a version of “The Thin Wall” available as a download only addition. All the tracks exhibited here hold a raw live energy and a challenging style, so intimately guided by a precise fine tuning of sounds; “The Thin Wall” seems to be even more extravagant that it ever was, finer details more evident, accompanied by added subtle embellishments, while “New Europeans” rocks harder than it did thirty years ago.
Perhaps the biggest surprise on this release is the quality and perfection of “Herr X.” While I expected this to be little more than a necessary extra – it has ended up being one of those stand out tracks. What is uniquely special about this particular version – aside the obvious vocalizing in German from Warren Cann, is the characteristics of that grand auditorium in Berlin that appear to have been captured here. Listen carefully and you’ll pick up that natural reverberation that was experienced in the hall and although subtle on this recording compared to actually being there, it really does bring out a satisfying dominant strength in the bass line. The acoustics of this venue really did standout – giving us one of the best sounding gigs on the tour – “Herr X” is testament to that.
The German tour was its own little segment, with a set of shows that had a personality all of their own, coupled with a great atmosphere – and it’s all captured here; one of those great packages you’ll just want to shed a tear over because – well – you own one!
Another satisfying Moment from Eden captured, with the remarkable visual imagery within the booklet set to enhance the effect.
Moments from Eden (Live EP) is out now on Eden Recordings. [Purchase]
