,A Project With Louise Tucker

Very nice clean vinyl with a good cover and inner sleeve.

Midnight Blue was a synthesizer-based classical project from Louise Tucker, Charlie Skarbek, and Tim Smit, though it was Tucker who got her name on the cover despite the fact that the production credit and the majority of the writing credit would go to Skarbek and Smit.

Leading off the festivities is a re-working of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Midnight Blue".  While a synth-heavy performance, it retains the feel of Beethoven's composition wonderfully.  And Tucker is phenomenal, putting an excellent operatic vocal on top.  With a very classical-rooted voice and sensibility, she is the highlight of the offering (which would likely have much to do with her name being on the cover).

The rest of the album, mostly composed by Skarbek and Smit, usually follows the same basic blueprint - well-arranged, classical-based synth music with excellent vocals.  Some tracks don't have quite the classical feel of the title track, but they help round things out a bit, and it's all solid.  Definitely worth checking out if you appreciate operatic female vocal and solid, classical-based material in an '80s setting.


Louise Tucker - vocals, organ
Charlie Skarbek - vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizers, composition
Tim Smit - piano, synthesizer, composition
produced by Charlie Skarbek and Tim Smit with Pat Stapley
1982 Arista Records (AL 8-8088)