A Certain Ratio is an English group formed in 1977 in the suburbs of Manchester and composed of Martin Moscrop, Jez Kerr, Donald Johnson, Simon Topping and Peter Terrell.
A first album "The graveyard and the ballroom", where rather a cassette, was released in 1979. Cassette that goes relatively unnoticed, especially in such a format.
It took two years and the year 1981 to see their first - real - album with "To each" released. Relatively modest success once again.
It was especially with the album "Sextet" which was released a year later in 1982 that the group finally achieved critical and public recognition. An ephemeral highlight because not everything that comes out later will achieve the same level of success.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Flight 1980
The double 1981
Do the du 1981
Waterline 1981
Knife slits water 1982
Guess who ? 1982
I need someone tonite 1983
Brazilia 1984
Wild party 1985
The runner 1986
And then she smiles 1986
Bootsy 1987
Backs to the wall 1989
The big E 1989
Loosen up your mind 1991
Clips :
1980 ... the sound is trendy but the sound too dark to allow the band to break through at the high level. They will have to raise the level of play, that's clear ...
1981 ... and this is not the title that will change the situation unfortunately. The inspiration of the group is too minimalist for now ...
1981 ... at the gates of the experimental. There is a niche to be taken in this area, it is clear but there is much better than them in this category. Nice try but lost in advance ...
1982 ... then comes this title. The sound is more trendy and above all more structured. A title that allows the group to pass the essential level that they lacked until then in terms of minimum recognition
1982 ... a plateau has passed, of course. But we are still far from the recognition of the General Public and even more global ...
1983 ... the sound is very dance oriented but they still haven't understood that you shouldn't mix speed and rush. It will come...
1984 ... the South American mode will not change the situation unfortunately. It's nice but nothing more ...
1986 ... the group changes again musical orientation and sets out again towards a more New-Wave sound. At some point, you have to try everything. And it worked out pretty well for them on this one ...
1986 ... there is better, it's obvious. The group finally found its style in the year 1986, it was about time. Good job !
1987 ... the rest is a little more muddled and we find the sound of the years before. Not sure this is the right strategy ...
1989 ... the end of the decade which will not bring much more. The group will have hatched during the 1980s but will not have known how to explode as it should. Pity...
1989 ... but it was without counting on this title ! Here it is, finally, the title of the revelation, the real one. The group signs here quite simply the biggest title of all its discography and especially its most inspired and successful title. A little late but hey, we take anyway. HU-GE !
Wiki :
Official Website :
https://www.acrmcr.com/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :