Ultravox Album: “Ingenuity”

Unlike its predasessor Revelations, Ingenuity sounds more like the Midge Ure years of Ultravox. Billy Currie is the only original member left but his writing influence is unmistakable. The keyborads on the first track Ingenuity harkens back the days of Rage in Eden. Future picture Forever is just a great song. The Silent Cries sounds very much like something on the Quartet CD. The tracks Distance, Ideals, and A way out a way through, also harkens back to the Rage in Eden/Quartet days. The last track is an instrumental that could have been pulled right out of the Lament CD. Often times new lead singer Sam Blue sounds like a strong voiced Midge Ure, especially on the songs I have mentioned above. This is obviously not the old Ultravox but its very close. Billy Currie and his new mates did a great job of writing to get that old Ultravox feeling back. Just remember, if your looking for the Midge Ure Ultravox you won't exactly get that but if you have an open mind, put on the headphones and drift back to yesteryear.

Seriously, this lineup churned out some great music. Take it from a die-hard fan of the Midge Ure era Ultravox. It's helps that I wanted to like it, and it helps I heard it live first, but it doesn't explain why I keep going eagerly back to it so many years later.

The only original member is Billy Curie. It is an o.k. album but there is precious little in common with the original Ultravox sound. The title track is probably the best one and a good single but the overall feeling is "who is this band?"