Welcome To The Pleasuredome

This album can make you gay. The fact that there is a song called Krisco Kisses on here instantly bumps it up to a 5. An absolute rebellion against everything in power in the 80s, this is sleazy, angry, and so incredibly fun.

WOW. Another band I thought I had never heard music from. This album blew me away on the first listen. Welcome to the Pleasuredome instantly secured a place in my “top long songs” as well as an after vinyl playlist. Heart thumping, energy, dramatic, fun, god I wish I had been able to witness this album live. Listening, I realised that I knew Relax, and also appreciated their covers of Born to Run and War. The history behind Relax and the controversy around normalising LGBT discourse makes it all the more deserving of the glory I am bestowing on it.

Je to snáď jeden z najväčších debutových albumov, čo kedy vznikli. Patria k tým, ktorí ma sprevádzajú od počiatkov môjho záujmu o hudbu...

When released a real breaker

So this album rocks. So fun, gay, and cinematic - but with depth and heart too! Listened a few times and could keep going. ‘Relax’ is an all time classic. I feel like this album transported me to a gay club in LA in the 80s and it’s awesome. Top Songs: Welcome to the Pleasuredome, Relax, War, Born to Run, Wish The Lads Were Here, Krisco Kisses, The Power of Love

Another classic New Wave record? 100% in. 5/5

excellent musicianship and production. bold statement for 84.

I really enjoyed this one!

Yeah, I'll give it an extra star. Wish there was more quality synth pop on here this list instead of boring indie shit. Three all time songs on this album? Guess that deserves the max rating as the songs stand their ground 40+ years across space and time.

A banger

Only knew the hits but wow, this is a really great album...if you like pop music...

Pure 80s, pretty weird, no notes

I did not expect to like this as much as I did. This album is crazy, has many epic moments. It felt extremely 80s but in the best way possible. I feel like this is very close to what The Clash were doing in the later years but in a different genre. I especially liked the long and epic "Welcome to The Pleasuredome" (song).

BOMBO creativiteit en BOMBO coherentie

It's camp. It's cheesy. It references Xanadu and the then Prince Charles. It contains Relax, Two Tribes and, in my opinion, the best Christmas song ever, The Power of Love

Peak

Such a great album. The first 2 sides are all excellent songs, and the last 2 are pretty good. Out of all of Trevor Horn's production work, this might be my favorite.

this would make a great soundtrack for a musical also this version of born to run is WAY better than the original

Maybe it's nostalgia, but this is probably a five star album. Sure, it sags a little in the middle, but the title track alone is magnificent. Also Two Tribes, The Power of Love, Relax, and several of the non-singles are great. It's really a Trevor Horn album though.

To listen to it all these years later, Frankie Goes to Hollywood's debut magnum opus has lost none of its potency. A single album can't be everything, but this comes rather close to that distinction. An album that spawned multiple hit songs that stayed atop the charts for months, and a driving dancehall declaration of rebellion against the powers that be. A declaration for the rights of gay men (and queer folks generally) to have just as much agency to put their love and sexuality out there into popular culture as the scores of guy/girl romance and torch songs already existing. It would hold its own as a political and social statement: parodies of Ronald Reagan, criticism of the Cold War, and a celebration of the history of social activism. This album has it all. It also happens to be great music you can dance to.

Oooooh - now this is a tricky one to rate. On the one hand, there is no denying the seismic impact this had originally. Although marginally too young to fully understand, my 2 (much) older brothers had this virtually on repeat and so "Relax" and "Two Tribes" are etched into my brain forever. On the TV you could see the self-belief coursing through Holly & Paul which, teamed with the relentless groove, was like nothing I'd seen before. And then follow that up with a massive Christmas track, because, well, why not. But, in the cold light of day, there's some (actually, quite a lot) of filler. I feel like it should only get a four, but, should this be "THE LAST VOICE THAT YOU WILL EVER HEAR", then you're going out in style..........

Good energy, '80s references, and fun.

What a journey this album takes you on. Trevor Horn is a production god.

I've listened to this album many times. It has a beat that attracts me and Holly Johnson's singing adds incredibly well to the hard hitting rythym and music. It's a great album to listen to with headphones on and the sound turned up to 11.

Nothing says "80s Club Music" better than Welcome to the Pleasure Dome. The title track, Relax, Two Tribes, and War were all massive club hits and MTV darlings. There's good reason for that - the songs are phenomenal. The rest of the album is also chock full of great songs that make you dance. This is not vacuous techno though; There is serious artistry and social commentary here. Frankie Goes to Hollywood never achieved anything like this album again. They produced a few club hits and one more mediocre album after Welcome to the Pleasure Dome but nothing that achieved this level of musical and cultural impact. They burned bright for a short time but, oh how bright it was.

Loved this album in the 80s. Not quite as enthusiastic today. But still one of my favourites.

Highlight der 80er!

It truly was a warm welcome to the Pleasuredome.

Ridiculous but amazing

C'mon guys, +60 minutes? Just kidding I love long albums. 5/5

i always celebrate when my app gives me yet another eclectic 80s pop album. say what you will, but this decade had a true renaissance of sheer innovation and creative expression that few, if any time periods have matched. this album is very fun, very bold, and very... homosexual when it wants to be. whenever you're throwing a party, out on the town or with your lover, this album hits a lot of needs for a lot of people. in a world of rather campy dance-pop, this album really energizes you in a way where you too... makes you want to pay a visit to the pleasuredome. it's an album that basically says "fuck you, i'm gonna live my life no matter what society or the government says". the world is burning. let's dance.

Not sure how you can hear this and not think this is one of the greatest albums ever. Masterfully produced and played, and totally immersive. I fall right into their little world. Or perhaps its a movie

No brained had only listened to this album last week , as I love it , so controversial and one of the best music videos of all time with two tribes . In my top 10 albums

One of the highlights of the 80's in style, performance and production.

Allein schon wegen "Power of Love" 5 Sterne wert. Das Album ist abwechslungsreich und immer wieder interessant zu hören. 5/5

I don't know what I was expecting but an absolute banger, of which the single is only a part, was not it.

Helvete vilken bra skiva! Storslaget, varierat, grym energi och enastående sång. Alltid varit svag för Power of love och Relax har man förstås också hört, men i övrigt var det här nyheter för mig. Bra covers också, även om deras egna grejer är bäst. Inte en tråkig stund trots längden. Det verkar inte bättre än att man kanske får konstatera så här på ålderns höst att man puttar från ruffen.

Awesomeness!!

Some absolutel bangers.

Really liked it

This is a great album and probably my favourite from that time having that distinctive 80’s sound. There are one or two caveats - the album could be regraded as a Trevor Horn solo album as I gather few of the group members actually played. The singles on the album whilst good received much better treatment on the 12” singles and subsequent remixes. Also there is a lot of padding and would have been better as a single album. This can be achieved by formulating your own playlist missing off those duff tracks. The best feature of the album is the accidental Christmas song Power of Love. Behind Fairytale…. this is probably one of the best Christmas songs ever. The title track is really well produced and sounded great played loud over my middling hifi system. If the lesser songs on the album are disregarded this is a top 80’s album. 5/5 7/10/25

AAAAAAAAAAAA i am such a sucker for these kinds of albums!!! the drive-by truckers one…..the meat loaf one…..2112 to an extent….. just so good. i love these highly theatrical full stories of differing styles of music. no songs specifically stood out during this one but i had a great time throughout. anything less than 5 would be disingenuous i think

Awesome and unexpectedly full of classic covers...

Iconic album

Vilken platta detta är! Inledningen med Two Tribes, Relax och War i rask följd. Världens bästa cover med Born to Run. Och avslutande Power of Love. Produktionen, the dansanta svänger, drivet i trummorna, mixen av instrumentala och synthinsatser Solklar femma.

This band was pointed to be the 80's Beatles... Don't know what happened but I remember they're huge and some of their songs we're playing every day on the radio! Two Tribes and War are always great tunes and listening to them nowadays is scary, considering everything that's going on

I came for the Relax, and stayed for the rest of the opera that had quite a few re-makes (surprising, yet still decent).

a debut album as crazy and bombastic as this isnt something you see very often, much less something good. All the hallmarks of 80's pop but also with a much more grand presentation. it feels like a musical or soemthing in terms of scope. Also an amazing title for an album.

If someone told me this was the original soundtrack to Showgirls I’d believe them. Perfect for a production of Goddess staring Nomi Malone

Something about hearing Frankie Goes To Hollywood cover "San Jose (The Way) hit my funny bone in exactly the right way. I hadn't laughed that hard in ages. Thank you for the mood boost, generator! Absurdity of the cover songs aside, this is peak queer 80s synthpop - I much prefer this to Soft Cell.

a mad eclectic mix of ballads, covers and epic arrangements, never thought i'd 5 star this but there you go

Es ist ein bombastisches Debüt voller Provokation, Glamour und musikalischer Vielfalt. Frankie Goes To Hollywood verbinden Synthpop, Rock und Theatralik zu einem klanggewaltigen Erlebnis. - „Relax“ with the „Power of Love“. „Fury“ sticht als düsterer, intensiver Track hervor – ein brodelnder Kontrast zum opulenten Titelstück. 😊

Gold. Gotta love FGTH. Or there's something very very wrong.

Phenomenal - totally blew me away

Only knowing their hit songs I was really surprised at how wild this album was, I thoroughly enjoyed it

This is absolutely fantastic. Anthems of songs, great themes, vocals are on point and instrumentals are out of this world

Really enjoyed this. Full of bangers and without any real filler. Listened multiple times

This is such a powerhouse. The power of love song is soooo powerfull. It's been on my mind ever since it was the closing track of "all of us strangers", so great. just incredible

When my grandad passed away it was around the same time as my birthday and my Auntie got me this as a present that year because he loved the album. So for that it has special memories and I can’t not give it a 5/5. I don’t find the album itself perfect, I think it peaks from relax to two tribes. I think the title track goes on too long. Then the only star in heaven and the power of love bring the album up when they fill it with covers. But It’s too sentimental to me 5/5

Wow! This blew me away. Sure it's dates but so is the Rat Pack if we're honest and we don't hold that against those cats. I did not expect so much depth and angst from the Relax band. I listened to this three times in one day and loved every moment of it.

5 stjerner

WOW this one is a banger. Saved in my library.

Like everyone else, I knew of Relax. But I couldn't have told you who it was by even if I tried. But now I'll never forget. That was such a banger of a fuckin album. The Bruce cover is immaculate, Relax is great, San Jose is a real fun. But the crem de crem - All 13+ minutes of welcome to the pleasuredome. I think i listened to it 3 times yesterday? So so so good - really revved me up. Killer stuff

Y'a vraiment des bangers là dedans, mais même en l'écoutant 2 fois, je me vois pas lui donner un 5. My bad, Frank EDIT DU FUTUR: OK FRANK, ÇA KICK VRAIMENT À LA TROISIÈME ÉCOUTE

An album that pays tribute to a lot of great music of the past but is also able to present a cohesive theme of its own.

Wow this one was a surprise. Didn't think it would be any good but turned out I was very wrong.

Pretty interesting, I have to admit. I absolutely knew the song Relax. Very diverse record overall, it uses elements from many genres.

There is just something I will always love about this LP. Is what it is.

I bought this double album when it came out and it was a killer. Horn's production was astonishing, although it was abysmal of him to rerecord most of the tracks with his studio musicians, as the band was not up to his expectations. Nevertheless, I love every single track of it. Back then, I didn't recognize all the direct and indirect gay insinuations (well, besides Relax, where there was not much not to be understood).

This album is a lot of fun, so I'm giving it five stars and adding it to my Tidal library.

Outstanding!

Very nice album!

Falls off a little in the second half, but the first half is strong enough to carry it to five stars (meaning good enough to download for regular listening, not perfect).

I can't believe I've never heard a bit of this album before. It is BIG and powerful and broad. So amazing. It contains so much and gives me new ideas and visions. 5.5

"Relax" and "The Power of Love" is on the same album? I was singing the refrain from "War" some time in the past and I didn't know it was from Frankie. Really good album.

I had forgotten that there were quite so many covers on here. The fact that they were so subversive and revolutionary and groundbreaking makes me forgive them. The covers are okay but not what this album is about. To be in the UK at this time when Frankie Goes to Hollywood we’re the zeitgeist and rebels and brought the underground into the light. The fact that Relax was number one in the charts but all the mainstream media refused to play it just made us want it more. Two Tribes, Relax and The Power of Love WERE the early 80s - powerful, provocative and danceable to boot! And my RELAX t-shirt dress was a summer staple. For all the filler and cover missteps - I just don’t care. I’m gonna say what I exclaimed when I saw that these boys were the album of the day! Fuck, yeah!

What an odd album. This was an amazing journey. I hit play without looking at the track list and kept getting lovely surprises along the way. Forget the originals (which are fantastic) but a cover of Born to Run? San Jose? I love The Boss and Burt Bacharach!

Banger!

By turns outrageous, raunchy, angry, tender, and all of it works spectacularly. Holly Johnson has a real gift for turning every emotion up to 10.

A mighty album of mad 80s pop, art and Trevor Horn. It still sprawls around and sounds like a moment in time.

Många hits och schyssta covers. Kanske något lång.

Really enjoyed it

... Long time ago.... Still nice to Heard. A Milestone

So cheesy, so poppy, so 80's but...... ...how to resist something so undeniably big in hits and swagger?

Always loved this album.

This is incredible. Not sure how I hadn't listened to it the whole way through before

Love it. Listened to the alum many times. Stellar from start to finish.

I actually really liked this!! I'm still making noises with my mouth and it's been 8 hours since I listened!!

I so heard of them, but somehow never listened to them the way I wanted to. I've read a lot of reviews and now I have hiiigh expectations. Genre-wise I'm all here for it too, synth-pop is generally catchy and now FGTH must have a unique sound that will hook me. I only had "power of love" added to my playlist, though I have no idea how it sounds like. Also the cover is very very gay and I love that, makes me feel like they're a comedy group and doesn't take stuff seriously, maybe they don't, but they also make too much of a quality music apparently. First song, opera? It's definitely an intro to the whole album, but because of such a long song title I thought it would be longer. It's eerie and the woman is already singing opera, love that tbh. Oh he talks and laughs. Guitar is joining with the woman alongside. Already hearing the synth. He vocalised a little and stopped, so did the song after it. Second song, 13 MINUTES? This better be worth it wtf. I do like the name tho. There are animal sounds in the background and he sang a little. It sounds like Gorillaz's interlude. The beat came on and now it sounds like real music. The vibes are good, it's not dancey nor happy or sad, just fine. Monkey sounds made by man, I think. He doesn't really sing, just talks. Just realised that Spotify's album cover is fully different from this one, but it's the same album and they do match in a way. He's talking fast now and there's a sonical and lyrical interaction. He has a good voice too. It's full and doesn't need anything else, but also I'm waiting for something massive to happen. The beat progressed. It got undervolumed now. He has good lyrical delivery I suppose, makes it less boring. Made it like the song is finished, but it's still going with some weird sounds. Ooh the beat drop was amazing. It's non lyrical and sounds like Pink Floyd getting ready for the next song. It's getting more and more uninteresting, I was gonna add this to the playlist, but I'm just gonna skip the half of it anyway. It's vibey and listenable just some parts are extended unnecessarily. Just realised that there are two types of voice here, either two guys sing or they just change their voice. Outro is quite good, it's progressing, getting faster and stuff. Talks like a villain at the end, deep voice he has I mean, also manically laughs. It's a grower for sure. Third song, this is the most listened song, so I should like it. Chorus really hit me, it's a catchy one. He has vocals and I love them. Production-wise it's different and full of sounds, perfect for my ears. Oooh the instrumental break is soooo good sonically, he sings a little, but it's a break for me. "When you wanna come...come" such a funny line to me, plus idk how to interpret it. 4th song, world music as a genre vibes already. Ohhh it's that song named "war" sample of that, maybe vice versa not sure. The beat is so dancey and exotic. 6 minutes is a lot, but if it stays this good I'm here for it. He is talking like Madonna does in some songs, but this one seems more informational vibed. There're long pauses in between and that's kinda annoying. The Spotify album cover is so artistic and stuff and this one's straight out gay, still don't know which one is better. Finally he sings. The last parts of the song are too good to ignore tbh, thought it would be worse and I am happily mistaken. 5th song, violin and dramatic vibesss loveee that. Ooooh nevermind beat is energetic and fast, the intro is sooo misleading. This one's more rock with synth. His voice is overshadowed by the instruments, which mostly I don't like, idk what to think about that here for now. It's fully rock now and it's kinda progressing. Oh everything stopped and than technotronic beat came on, then the previous loudness renewed, the chaos, people, album is extremely chaotic and that's the best part in it. 6th song, he's so British here, and the fuck is he talking about. It's veeery rare, but I extremely like this interlude lyrically and sonically, equally. Couldn't have made it any better. 7th song, it's giving funeral. Lyrical delivery is just sad, not "someone is dead" sad tho. This one is pop and less synth and rock. There are men background vocalising after he sings a little. There is a dialogue at the end at it perfectly transitions into the 8th song, he screams "ha" and the song is fast and full of energy. This one's more rock I think. It's catchy and doesn't sound unoriginal. He moan screamed more than one time at some point. Lana made "born to die" based on this, she took the negative turn tho(totally joking if it isn't clear). Every song is different and I love every of them differently. 9th song, is this bossa nova? This one's a soft one, his voice and the whole vibe calms me. It's kind of jazzy too, but very little of it is in here. Chorus is so catchy and the delivery of it is the best part. The versatility in this album is too much in a good way. 10th song, weird instrument I've heard before played at the start and then their classic beat came on. Chorus is not their best. The verse is catchy in a way that I want to learn it. It's chaotic now, they all sing together, that's what it sounds like. Didn't get the vibe of this one. 11th song, there's dialogue at the start. Oooh and then western beat appears. There's no lyrics here I suppose. It's getting better and better sonically. It's rocky overall, and very catchy, but there's something missing, it sounds like an intro to something. It got worse somehow. I think I hear moans, but they are not very loud and they don't make the song any richer. Song is fading away, but it's too early. Definitely smn is breathing here. Weirdest song on the album, in a bad way. 12th song, started with some talking, and now it sounds like a soldier war song, nevermind it's funky and dancey now. The chorus is very good, that's the one that made me think it was soldiery. Ohh they're saying "hunger hunger", makes sense now. I wanna add the song, but it's controversial not in the way you think tho. 13th song, the start and the first verse is quite boring, but then it builds up. The chorus is catchy especially the lyrical delivery. The beat was progressing and now it's back to the original one. It's fully rock now, and I think I hear an electric guitar. Last verse(I think) is quite different even sonically. Song is fading away. 14th song, the start is the best thing I've heard today. Same goodness is followed in the verses too. Oooh that guitar delivery is soo satisfying. This is giving Tim Curry with the way he sings. Chorus is so Arctic Monkeys, kinda erotic voice he has suddenly I mean. Then it gets childish in the best way possible and also clownish. There's a woman R/B voices joined. Idek if I'm listening to a verse or a chorus, because it's fully different, might be a bridge actually, and it's the best follow-up of what happened before. Everything stopped and he started singing like what I said Arctic Monkeys sounds like, again. One of the best songs in the album in my view. 15th song, I so don't remember this song at aaall. It's a sad one, expected from the title. This one's more pop than rock and synth, this happened for the second time, but these two songs are quite different. OOOH THE VIOLINS ARE THE BEST PART, really push the song to another level. Chorus is so strong. Celine Dion also has a song named "the power of love" and I don't remember if it's the same, must be tho, but who's the original singer, I can't fine anyone who sang this song before 1984. Unexpected mood change, but necessary tbh. 16th song, oooh this really does finish up the album. Sonically it's very something they haven't done before, he said "no more" and bang the album is finished already? I wanted more, sad thing is they don't have much albums out apparently, and I really want another one from them at some point in this list. One of the most fun and entertaining albums I've listened to tbh. My expectations are greatly met. They couldn't have done more to impress my picky ears. Some songs are growers and I'll get to know them at some point, before that happens it doesn't sound like a 5 star album, but it isn't any less either, technically it might be 4.5, which is basically 5 so I'm going with that and I'll have no regrets about it.

One of my all time favourites. No idea how a band puts this together for their first release. Brilliant.

One of the best albums ever published. Epic.

Loved it then, love it now.

This was tremendous. I’d never listened to it before. Loved how Welcome to the Pleasuredome was followed by Relax. 16 whole minutes of dance perfection. And ballads and covers and Liverpool. Brilliant.

Mega!!!!!

Soundtrack to a generation Still remember all of the words to all of the singles And the album tracks still hold up too Cover of Born to Run is fantastic Such a shame we only got two albums from them before internal conflict broke them But then, something this perfect was always destined to be fragile Ah, relax

Veislan! Gjörningurinn! Stríðið, lífið og ástin! Vampírur við dyrnar! Þessi plata hefur það allt. Elska hana frá upphafi til enda. The world is my oyster muahahahaha!

Raucous gay synth fun. I saw a couple of documentaries recently referencing FGTH, and Soft Cell (of all bands) said that Frankie was too outrageous for the sake of being outrageous. That's a pretty bold statement from a band who's also known for their strong themes of sexual encounters and bondage. The second documentary noted that the lead singer, Holly Johnson, was outright gay in the 80s. This was bold & dangerous for the time, but Holly gave zero fucks. There are multiple video versions of Relax, but one shows guys in bondage gear getting doused with ejaculate - it's wild. Aside from the obvious homosexual theme in Relax, Two Tribes is a fantastic anti-war anthem and is accompanied by an equally stimulating music video. Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the perfect name for this album because it felt like physically entering a space where erotica & angst roam free. Side note, Holly Johnson was also in the band Big In Japan. This is wild & I'm "coming" back again. 5 stars.

Love it - from start to finish

Loved this. Very fun. Never thought I'd enjoy the song 'War'.

What an album. I already knew the classics on this album (though i didn't realise they were all from the same album) But the covers were amazing on this, and the whole album was pieced together extremely well. An absolute delight to listen to. A lot of fun with some hard hitting emotion thrown in at the end. One of my favourites so far on the list.

Love The Ballad of 32 Are many of these covers? some basslines remind me of Duran Duran Love The Power of Love

The man lived a lifetime of mess, but boy could he make music.

Damn this was the pleasuredome. 9/10

If you told me this was Genesis I would believe you without a doubt. A bit funkier than Genesis which I think does help differentiate it. Couple absolutely huge songs like “Relax” and “War” sprinkled with a bunch of perfectly serviceable songs. “San Jose” was completely random compared to the rest of the album and I loved it. Pretty great album. 9/10

Prince Charles just told me about orgasms. Perfect score, no notes. 5/5. Someone tell my parents that raising me on 80s music has broken my brain.

Great album, so many fanstastic tracks and some good covers Nothing bad at all on this album

Weird but fun 80s album. Relax. Dont do it.

This album slams hard! 5

Wish I could give this 6 stars. Honestly perfect album. Covers did so well they sound like originals. Wowsers.

There are some gems in here beyond the hits!

This album surprised me from beginning to end. Originals that I know, 11 min lead in to Relax, covers that are well executed. I haven't read on this album but it sounds like a concept album and ironically reminded me of the Weeknd's Dawn FM. Really enjoyed everything here. Highly recommended and a very nice surprise.

💖 two tribes 🗣️ 9️⃣

This was a really good album, but I di6care as much for the latter half. That being said, the bombastic first half is more than enough to make up for that. Favorite song is a run-off between "Two Tribes" and the title track.

Phantastic Brit 80's album. Unfortunately a kind of 'One Hit Wonder'

Relax kennt man ja. Aber warum nicht auch das restliche Album. Großartig!

cool

Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 1984 album, "Welcome to the Pleasuredome," is a flamboyant journey into the excesses of the '80s. The iconic hit "Relax" serves as a bold overture, encapsulating the band's bold and provocative approach to music - no wonder the BBC banned it from being played on their radio stations. The album, known for its high camp aesthetic, ventures into realms of hedonism and decadence, mirroring the spirit of the era. However, the inclusion of "San Jose" struck me as out of place, which disrupted the overall thematic coherence. The album takes a daring turn with "The Ballad of 32," a track that pushes boundaries and is decidedly NSFW. Listening with headphones becomes a discreet necessity, as the song delves into explicit audio territory. Meanwhile, "The Power of Love" provides a contrasting note of timelessness amidst the extravagance. This heartfelt ballad showcases the band's versatility, revealing a more tender side that resonates beyond the flashy exterior of the album. Overall, "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" showcases Frankie Goes To Hollywood's audacious and multifaceted musical identity, offering a mix of exuberance, daring experimentation, and a touch of timeless romance.

I went to pleasuredome and ejoyied my stay from beginning to end.

This took me right to my dorm room my first year in college. I had this on cassette and listened to it a lot. What a strange and eclectic album! And how happy I was to listen to the whole thing again after all these decades. Intros and outros, an end-of-side-one discussion of orgasms, the absolute classic suggestive-but-incomprehensible dance song "Relax," the epic "Welcome to the Pleasuredome," ...and even in 1986 I thought side two was such a completely bizarre, but charming mix of things. What are "Krisco Kisses"? This tape was the first time I heard and understood the lyrics to "Born to Run" and today I marvel at an album that then segues into "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" (which was on any mix tape I would have made you that year). I still love the synthesizer sounds and vocals in this all through its crazy journey. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it definitely influenced me for better or worse.

I was not familiar with the album, just the hits, but I was quite taken with it.

A wonderful trip to the 80s. Especially fond of the covers of Born to Run and San Jose. Very fun.

I’m sure I was around this album a lot in high school - I saw it in lots of friends’ music collection - but I couldn’t tell you anything about it other than the big hits. This was definitely an enjoyable listen. Frankie Goes To Hollywood is a fun band - and they know how to cover a tune. I loved being able to tell what the lyrics were to Born To Run! Fun!

Hhh

Awesome sound, lyrics

Absolutely top notch. Defining sound of the mid-80s.

When I saw that this album was on the list, I laughed. I hate "Relax." It's the most generic eighties pop song ever, and its sole purpose is to be used in film and television to establish that it's the eighties; just pure drivel. Well, now it's time for me to eat my words. I absolutely loved this. Lyrically, this album was political and fierce, taking shot after shot at Thatcher's England, extolling the fears of nuclear war, and criticizing the oil industry. Musically, it was rich and diverse in sound. From pulsing keyboards, to string arrangements, I was delighted by every song. I absolutely loved their guitar heavy version of "Born To Run" (which I was assigned yesterday), and I have a newfound appreciation for "Relax." The dark and brooding "Two Tribes" was fantastic as well; the guitar, string arrangements, and crashing percussion were a perfect mix. This is an album that I'll definitely recommend and revisit often. I wish I had known how awesome this album was before today.

BL: Only aware of "Relax" off of this album due to it's inclusion in "Zoolander", so my only awareness of this album is in a mostly ironic context. That will make this a unique listen within the generator and I am excited to see how it ends up going AL: Ok WOW! I didn't come into this with any expectations (which is maybe why I thought this was so phenomenal), but this just absolutely ripped the whole way through. I was not expecting the 10+ minute epic which was "Welcome to The Pleasuredome", I absolutely adored that track. Relax is a good track all things considered, generally the instrumentation does come off as a bit dated at some points - however I do think in the context of dance rock / pop like this and New Order the overproduced basslines work incredibly well. It was controversial, it was erotic, it was LGBT, it was everything I didn't expect and everything I could have wanted, and then it had a Bruce Springsteen cover which completely blew it to another level. Multiple tracks from this are going to make their way into my general rotation FT: "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", "Relax", "War", "Born to Run", "San Jose", "Black Night White Light", "The Power of Love" 5/5

Start to finish this is classic. 5/5

Two duelling raindrops dancing a romantic rhumba as they race towards the bubbling orgy of their peers waiting to welcome them at the bottom of the weathered window pane.

OK, so this is out-and-out one of the greatest albums ever made. As I notice that I'd somehow missed this on the day of review, I find myself getting out of bed at 23:30, going downstairs and retrieving my B&W headphones. Because I want my earballs to be both assaulted and stroked by Holly Johnson, and cranking up the stereo on a Wednesday night is a bit rude to the neighbourhood. Frankie is early 80s through-and-through, but a shaper, not shaped. Johnson (and almost more importantly, Trevor Born) created a sound that was and still is utterly unique to Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Every time I listen to this album I get something more from it. The tonal, rhythmic and tempo changes throughout, hells bells, even within the tracks keep you absolutely glued to it. Trevor Horn is an indisputable genius. The production of this album is superb. Horn layers in sounds across the whole range, with bass as deep as the great lakes, trebles as high as the stars and mids that can't help but satisfy. The changes up for the covers actually improve on the originals. But the hits are where it's at. If you skip half this album - I often do - it isn't because the covers aren't good. They're great. But the hits hit the target so well that you're left wondering how music can be this good. Amazing stuff.

Love it

relax goes so hard i love this album

Their cover of Ferry Across the Mersey is the hidden gem.

So 80s, I love it.

great!!!

Just the perfect pop album. Doesn’t sound in the slightest bit dated it was so ahead of its time! Classic!!

I'm biased

Fun and eclectic, lots of classic rock singalongs with interludes of weird narration or groovy instrumentals.

What a fabulous work of synth-pop! I only knew Relax! going into this so i was a bit skeptical if it would be a „great single and then the rest“ thing but i was definitely proven wrong. That insanely long title track? Mama, this is art! Relax? Still a stone cold bop. Two Tribes? Joined the tribes into one. The Power of Love? Where’s my handkerchief? I really love this. The only thing i’m unsure about are the covers. While i really like War, of the Ring could do without Born To Run. Not sure what it is supposed to do here.

Terrific album. Never listened to the entire album before; in addition to the familiar FGTH songs, particularly like the Born to Run & San Jose (The Way) covers.

Seminal singles, ambitious throughout, lush, exotic production. Coleridge would approve!

A lot of strong stuff and then a bunch of unnecessary covers

Incredible start then flounders somewhat but still good

Welcome to the Pleasuredome is a pretty interesting snapshot of what was happening in the UK in 1984, and when Frankie Goes to Hollywood locks into their big, funky, synthy dance-pop sound, this thing really works. Tracks like “Relax” and “Two Tribes” still sound huge and weird and exciting. Even their version of “War” fits better than I expected, mostly because it has enough punch and drama to sit comfortably next to their own material. That’s definitely where the album is strongest. The middle stretch gets a little shaky, especially with some of the cover songs. They don’t really feel like "Frankie’s" style, and I found myself missing that bold new wave energy from the beginning. The second half also has moments where the original material gets a little awkward and overstuffed, like the album is trying very hard to be provocative and theatrical at the same time. But honestly, that might also be part of its whole identity. It’s big, messy, strange, and not exactly interested in being normal. They’re at their best when they fully lean into their own funky, synthy sound instead of borrowing someone else’s jacket. That said, “The Power of Love” is the big exception to the style issue. Slowing things down there actually works, because it’s a genuinely great ballad. So yeah, this is technically more of a 3.5 for me, but I’ll round it up to a 4 ;)

06/13 Holy shit? This is a banger of an album!

Pure 80's cheese in the best way possible. Super over the top and varied across almost the whole run time. Such great energy too which is needed because if they weren't 1000% committed then this wouldn't work nearly as well. A couple misses in here but that's expected with how much they experiment. 4/5

It was good

A blast from the past - very enjoyable. The covers were very good - according to Caroline they didn't try and replicate the originals and put their own mark on them.

It’s not just a great album, it is an experience.

Got us through a glum day of work - it was upbeat and also has the only two Frankie Goes to Hollywood songs I already knew.

much more compelling than i expected. relax is a banger.

I've always assumed this band was a joke. Upon hearing this album, they are! I actually kind of enjoyed it, I assume this is what the weirdos in the 80s were tripping balls to, it's the only way this makes any sense.

I mean this was a really enjoyable new wave record. Pretty colorful, not at all one dimensional like so many from the genre. That said, i did not expect to hear a Springsteen cover. Low 4

Great singles that I remember fondly. The Power of Love in particular is beautiful.

Classic dance album out of Liverpool. Feels like a collage of sound.

Solid stuff. Did not expect to enjoy this as I did.

4/5 fav: Born to run

It was kinda hype and sick cover Will I listen to again: 50%

I recognized Two Tribes from the GTA Vice City soundtrack. I'd never heard this band before. It was a good experience. I also liked their cover of "Born To Run". 4 stars

As someone who is only familiar with FGTH from their hits, this album was a nice surprise. The covers were better than I was expecting and the originals are damn good. A pretty impressive debut. Favorites: Welcome to the Pleasuredome, Born to Run, Wish Would I listen to it again: Yes

I can't find this thing in full anywhere. I will continue to search but the title track is so good and everything else I've pieced together is just as enjoyable. I'll give it a placeholder 4 until I can find the full album but I have a feeling it could go up to 5.

Legendary in parts

Relax is a banger

Kinda enjoyed it. Forgot it was a double album

I enjoyed this, some classics on there and stuff I hadn't heard before.

I have this album and have jammed to it for many years, I was primed to go 5 for the fun of it but I forgot how much side C is a let down for me. The War cover is so good, I really didnt need Born To Run or San Jose.

I like this but it feels like half an album. There are 4 or 5 really good numbers on here, a little bit of filler and a number of pretty vanilla, pointless covers. I like the remixes of the singles and some of it, particularly Welcome To The Pleasure Dome, had me smiling.

This was a surprise. Good originals with good covers.

So fun, so dark, so unapologetically queer and left. Crazy that this was made in the 80s and so popular. I’ll be honest, the second half of this album is not as strong as the first, but the first half is SO good, I’m sticking with four stars.

This is one of those that I really really like, although I don’t think it would join the regular rotation. But I dig it.

Besides Relax and Two Tribes I don't think I could have named another Frankie Goes to Hollywood song. This album is pretty fantastic and I really enjoyed listening to it. I even liked the Born to Run cover, couldn't they find a sax player though? Excellent album.

you kno its some real gay ass pop when its gets super loud and noisy out of no where actually really great. was a little intimidated by the length, but this was actually really cool. I already love 80s pop, and this feeling a prog pop opera. its so cool and immersive loved it way more than i expected to.

This was all over the place. When it hits, it really hits. And when it misses, it's a slog. I didn't love the covers. I appreciate the impact of FGTH and they deserve to be on this list. Relax is an all time banger.

Relax

Well, this is an album. It’s actually quite a fun experience. The title track, other than being way way too long, was honestly good. It was just fun. I hate using that word too much in my review, but it was just fun. Relax was one I knew prior to the listen, and was such a great track to return to. I liked how War had a mix of spoken word and instrumental. I’m usually not a huge spoken word fan but in this case it worked. I love Born to Run, such an awesome, danceable track that just speaks to its time period. The bass was absolutely popping in Wish! Ballad of 32 was aight. Krisco kisses was all over the place. Black Night White Light had a great groove to it. Ending the album with bang… was great! The last line was such a good closer. 4/5 ⭐️ 76/1089

If it’s time, but good fun - a couple of unexpected covers and the obvious hits.

Hard to overstate how much this album and "Relax" influenced how music would sound over the rest of the decade in the 1980s. The first 3 tracks are where the interesting bits on this album happen. It loses momentum with the covers and the back end original material. As a fan, I recognize that the album doesn't really belong on here, just the single "Relax", which of course would violate the rule of only albums and no singles. But its influence really does make it an essential album. "Relax" was one of the first things I had heard that made clear how cool a Fairlight CMI and a Linndrum could be. I would later become much more impressed with what Peter Gabriel, Yello, and Tears for Fears would show that you could do with a Fairlight CMI, Linndrum, synthesizers and sequencers in general. "Relax" is a clear 5, but because we have to rate the whole album, it is a 3 on the music and cultural strength of "Relax". Where others see Trevor Horn interference, I hear genius that reverberated through all of rock, electronic, hip hop, and pop music all the way up to the present. Trever Horn was the shit. The only Trever Horn work that was even more impressive was his work on Seal's debut album SEAL and its follow up SEAL II. It is this kind of stuff that helped inspire some of my favorite music from the 80s. The 80s were filled with groundbreaking in every genre and had finally learned how to fit and finish to the more boring bits from the late 60s and all of the 70s.

A few banging covers 👌

Complex, cheeky, passionate. I love everything about this. Bigger than I thought it would be.

This album was bonkers. A 13 minute track about the Pleasuredome? Should I read more into it? Dare I read more into it? Relax is an absolute banger. I can't believe that got airplay. What an accomplishment in itself. I was a child when it was big so I had no clue, now.... The covers come out of nowhere. The "Born to Run" cover was well done. The "San Jose" cover in the midst of songs that abound about pleasure is tonally off but somehow fitting. I don't think this will be in my rotation but yes, I am glad I heard it before I died.

I love the music of the 80s. so fucking loud and boisterous, even if it was Iron Maiden. sorry naren :P :) FOUR ! FUN SOUNDS !

Good one

Enjoyable rock album with a couple important societal messages

Verrassend goed voor een 80’s one hit wonder. Niet elke cover even geslaagd helaas

so many bangers with some random covers bringing it down a star for me. why don’t people make 13 min synth rock album openers anymore?

Clear classics on here. Not every song blew me away, but the vibe was good throughout.

I really enjoyed this, but also I feel compelled to attack the prime minister of Malaysia, so I’m taking away a star for the violent urges.

This album screams 80s! If a sounds defined a decade this is it, great songs, some variety but at the same time maybe one or two tracks too long for me. 13 minutes of Welcome to the Pleasuredome could've been cut down, but I'm nit-picking. A solid four star offering!

Really enjoyed this

Yea i know this album its oretty goid

Very interesting album, nature noises etc. I liked it more than expected

Oikein kelpo platta! Kasari huokuu vahvasti kyllä hyvällä tavalla. Tänään hövelillä tuulella nelonen

En ollut levyltä kuullut kuin Relaxin ja Power of Loven, mutta esim. heti Welcome To The Pleasuredomehan on tiukka biisi. Nelosen kokonaisuus helposti.

I like the music but they took some very well known lyrics and incorporated them in their music. This is something I don’t like that much.

Dit album is belachelijk op een goede manier. Een beetje als een foute jaren 80 film waar je op het juiste moment veel meer lol aan beleefd dan een "hoogstaande" film. 8/10

Been looking forward to this one since watching a Todd in the Shadows video on "Relax" a while back. This is fun, sexy album that makes you wanna go to a gay club in the 80s. How can you not love that? Favorite track: Relax 3.5/5

Thoroughly enjoyable, singles are obviously outstanding but enjoyed the rest of the album too

Det va en ganske merkelig og relativt gøyal kombinasjon av greier æ ikke helt hadde venta skulle kombineres!

Classic pop. Some surprising music moments and hits.

Very cool album.

This generator comes through again. By no means an obscure album to many this was totally off my radar and was not an album I was looking forward to. I am glad to have listened as this was much more than "post disco" which was what I thought based on "Relax when you want to come." I love the bass playing, the covers, and the overall vibe.

Absolutely love the song The Power Of Love. Relax (Come Fighting) was my next favourite song on the album.

Very enjoyable and many songs I recognised. Just solid throughout.

You can't 'overproduce' an album in my opinion. If it sounds like an orgasm for the earoles then that's what I like. This is really a Trevor Horn rather than a Frankie masterpiece. The first record (of this double set) is fabulous, although it finishes badly with the embarassing 'Price Charles' skit. A real shame. The second has some excellent covers and and ends strongly with The Power Of Love. I bought this album when it came out and played it a lot and it's been a welcome return to the pleasure dome.

Relax is the only song I have hear before from this band and most of the album has the same feel as that song, in a good way. Its 80s synth-pop at its best. While not a genre I listen to a lot I always enjoy it when it comes on the radio or a song plays at random.

Favorite Track: Relax (Come Fighting)

Starts off great, loses it's way a bit in the middle.

Full of bangers, this one

I quiet enjoyed this one!

I give this 4 Fedchenkos out of a possible 5.

Almost a classic... really close.

The World Is My Oyster (evil laugh) An 80's extravagant aural journey with grooves and covers.

I love spending time in the pleasure dome. My dad used to like this album and thats why i got to exposed to it early on. Triggering childhood memories usually helps to ensure i higher rating here. Listening to it as adult, i can apprechiate the grand vision of the lp even more and am excited to see, that this even caused some political discourse. But even without all this prior knowledge there is so much to love. Fresh pop sounds that just pull you in. Nice production. Pretty big variety of song styles that they all pull of effortlessly. And then there are just the hits. I like relax and two tribes, but i love the born to run cover, krisco kisses and the power of love especially. What a great change of pace at the end.

I’m not going to return to this album over and over but man what a strange

Album très sympa au-delà même du titre Relax qui est top

16/20 Un album très agréable à écouter dans son ensemble. De belles musiques, variées, et toute sympa à écouter. Quelques hit qui restent dans la tête Un sentiment de reviens y très agréable Une très belle découverte.

This is Synthpop/New Romantic taken to its absolute furthest point. Conceptual and epic in scope, something to a fault. Everything sounds huge, every idea is expanded to its breaking point. There's a sort of sci-fi dystopian ambience going on, which I'm not sure was the point, but it's what comes across to me. No wonder 'Frankie' and co. were never able to properly follow this, but maybe that just makes it all the more special. Key tracks: Relax (Come Fighting) Two Tribes (For the Victims of Ravishment) The Power of Love

Banger. My parents had this on vinyl which suggests that, in spite of their mild homophobia, Frankie’s message cut through. It was my favourite LP as a kid based solely on the gatefold design.

I don’t think I’ll listen again but that was a really unique and interesting album. Good combination of well known, self-written stuff and enjoyable covers. Deserved of 4 stars for sure.

I had just started my teenage years when this album was released. I well remember the how the elder generations and the establishment believed this was the beginning of the end of days. To the youth it was rebellious and new. In the intervening 40+ years the 3 standout tracks are still played on the radio (well, on the nostalgic channels that I listen to) but the rest is broadly instantly forgettable. I think that Relax and Two Tribes were groundbreaking at the time, for many reasons, and like a lot of groundbreaking tracks they stand the test of time.

8/10… new wave / dance rock / *1984

Live those dreams Scheme those schemes Got to hit me (hit me!) Hit me (hit me!) Hit me with those laser beams Ow ow ow!

Completely over the top and overblown, Frankie took the UK charts by storm with a clutch of stonking subversive singles, each released in multiple versions. This album collects the singles along with an on choice of filler. Bombastic, sure. Patchy, definitely. But it's an album that despite its flaws does deserve its place on this list.

I came for Frankie, but I stayed for The Power of Love.

Alors j'en n'attendais rien et j'ai été surpris en bien. En vrai, on sent qu'il y a une grosse ambition, mais ça tire un peu en longueur sur la fin. Mais c'est quand même un très bon album et je suis content de l'avoir découvert. C'était bien d'époque, au niveau des sonorités, ce qui fait toujours plaisir. Ah, et donc c'est comme ça que j'apprends que The Power Of Love, d'Ulver est une reprise. Fort intéressant !

Never listened to the whole thing before and was surprised to discover a lot of covers. To be honest, I found most of them a bit superfluous. The rest of it I enjoyed.

Definitely of its time but still a groovy album. Heavily dependent on the production team for its sound but I’m not gonna judge. One of the best albums of the 80’s

Funky, groovy, and fun.

Really enjoyed the first half of this up through the born to run cover then it got a little long

Early on I forgot who I was listening to and thought that this was Duran Duran. This isn't particularly my kind of thing but it was surprisingly good and I enjoyed it. I'd listen to this again.

Amazing album that dares the put it's most experimental side in the front. Loved it, almost till the end. It loses some of it's quality and flow in the last couple song which makes 'Welcome To The Pleasuredome' just lose it's perfect rating by the smallest margin.

Daring and artful, not many 80s sounds aged this well. Danceable and groovy too! 4.1

Some classics.

What a strange and good time

Surprisingly 🔥

If I were to read negative reviews, I would expect them to say this is a bloated, overproduced record, full of songs that are repetitive and/or go on too long with some unnecessary covers. And they'd be right. But I loved it. The first time I listened through to this, I thought the title track was just overblown and never ending. However, after having listened to the album, I could come back to this track and realize that it was an amalgam of everything that was about to follow, which turned it from stupid to intelligent for me, making it a worthwhile listen. Relax is a great song. Fun, driving, energetic. Excellent. After that, nothing ever comes quite as close to this, but that doesn't mean there aren't some other cool tracks on here. Two Tribes, Black Night White Light, and The Power of Love led the way for me. Diverse from each other, but all excellent songs in their own right. Wish the Lads Were Here was something I could have found straight out of the Oingo Boingo catalog. At times furious with slapping bass and fun horns. Excellent. Their takes on War and Born To Run were fun, as was San Jose. Not as good as the originals, but those are high bars and they performed admirably against any of the standards. Summed up, this was a great listen for someone who loves 80s music but wasn’t familiar with anything beyond Relax. Lots of good stuff on here.

You listen to something like this and you think England must have been the gayest place on Earth, until you look at what was actually going on in England at the time. I actually really enjoyed the covers section of the album! Not perfect, but I can kinda see why people were so hyped for this album when it came out. Still can't understand why *straight* people were excited for it though...

Welcome To The Pleasuredome is one of those albums that takes excess and turns it into a full artistic statement. It is huge, glossy, theatrical, and completely unafraid to push every idea as far as it will go. The title track alone is a sprawling, indulgent journey that feels like wandering through some neon dreamworld where everything is slightly surreal but always fascinating. The production is massive, soaked in that Trevor Horn sheen, and it gives the whole record a sense of scale most pop albums only gesture toward. There is a real thrill in how shamelessly the band blends pop, disco, rock, and pure camp. Tracks like “Relax” and “Two Tribes” still hit hard because they combine outrageously catchy hooks with a sense of danger and satire running just beneath the surface. Even the more experimental or extended pieces keep the momentum going with sheer confidence. Nothing here feels small or tentative, and even when it veers into overstuffed territory, that is part of its charm. If there is a flaw, it is simply that the album can feel bloated in places, a little lost inside its own ambition. Some tracks drift, some ideas go on longer than they need to, and the constant grandiosity can be overwhelming. But even with that, the overall effect is something special. Welcome To The Pleasuredome is a wild, ambitious, completely committed piece of 80s pop art, and when it hits its stride it is both irresistible and unforgettable.

I really like this album! Very complex and creative and lots of music that I didn’t know I know.

Veryyyyyy different

Takes me back

Really good album, they had a great sound and could write a hit, runs a little long but worth a listen

Actually enjoyed this one far more than I was expecting. It's a pretty fun album with a few surprising covers.

A nice album here Also, gay sex

This one sounds a lot like Genesis at times. Has a good amount of cheese to it and an overall great energy.

The title track is an incredibly funky jam. As soon as Relax came on it made a lot of sense that this is the band that song is by. Also turned me into a sleeper agent. Album started off incredibly fun and funky for the first half. Definitely slowed down and started to get a little old after an hour. But was still enough for a 4. Definitely surprised me based on it being labeled as pop and how the album cover looked.

I thought it was a one hit wonder, then I realised I knew quite a few songs on the album. Some real bangers

God this was so much fun. Pleasuredome was meh but the covers of War and Born to Run were so high energy, also the unexpected Zoolander callback. Good stuff.

A surprising amount of bangers

Didn’t know how iconic Frankie is!

This is a wild, fun listen—and absolutely bonkers as a debut. It’s outrageously self-indulgent in a way only the mid-80s could get away with, but that excess is half the charm.

relax.

I enjoyed this way more than I expected. It was varied and well produced. I am a big fan

Typical 80s album not bad so far... A 13 minute song by an 80's pop band?... Oh hell yeah Relax is on this album!... Is this a cover of War? *flashbang to the dome*... Is this a cover of Born to Run? *second flashbang to the dome*

One of those albums that you have to know the political context to really enjoy it. The latter half feels a little meandering but the first half carries it.

Många covera. Dock en bra version av born to run. Försöker ändå fokusera på de andra låtarna. jag gillar det lite mer än jag trodde, det är en del inslag i låtarna som jag ogillar. "Who ha" och lite andra ljud. Men man dras med. Det får jag erkänna. Skön röst!

Best Track - "The Power Of Love"

Started really strong less favorable in the backend.

Important on a social and political level. Bloated by unnecessary covers and a poor middle to final quarter. Buoyed by some amazing singles, Two Tribes is still an incredible standout track.

This album plays out like a provocative and theatrical concept album. I can definitely see how it pushed boundaries. Not just in terms of production, but culturally as well. It was way ahead of its time. The scope of this album feels so much bigger than most synthpop or new wave records from that era. If you like “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, then you should absolutely give this entire album a listen. They even did a cover of “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen, and honestly, I think they did a pretty good job. Surprisingly fits into the album’s larger atmosphere and helps maintain its cohesiveness.

what a glorious experience of an album. it could have been 5 stars except that the later half was all covers in the FGTH style.

bop. very cool covers in there. enjoyed it a whole lot, just the right amount of experimental to not dominate the album. 4/5

This is certainly one of those albums.

‘Relax’ is a classic hit but o was surprised how good the rest of this album was. I ended up listening through 3 times and it kept getting better.

When I was in grade 6 I had to do a book report on Journey to the Centre of the Earth. I attempted to read it the night before. I liked it but as you can imagine, I came up short. Same with this album. I left it until the end of the day. I was surprised to find out it’s a double album. I also realized I wasn’t going to get the full listening experience on one play through. Too bad, because even though I recognize it as possibly an excellent achievement, I’m not likely to return. Same as I did with Jules Verne.

Fun fact: Relax is one of my grandpa’s favorite songs. He even has it as his phone ringtone 😅 He doesn’t really know what the song is about, which makes it kind of hilarious. That aside, I really enjoyed listening to the album. It covers some great themes, with intriguing synth work and Frankie’s unmistakable style

fun listen

Classic 80’s album.

Nice! What's there to do here?

Better than I expected it to be since I largely just knew one song going in.

It was okay, no bangers other than the singles

This is an album that would be easy to write off, given how much airplay "Relax" got back in the 80s. But I think that would be a mistake. There's more to see here, from the covers of "Born to Run" and "San Jose" to "The Power of Love" and "The Only Star in Heaven". Listening to this album brought back memories, and also introduced me to songs that I missed the first time around.

Very 80's (compliment).

This mofo dropped a Xanadu reference right at the top of the album!

Relax was not just a song……it was a pop culture moment. I lived trough the 80s and the magnitude of that song (and the shirt) were huge and seemed to last a while. That being said, if I listened to this album back then I did not remember how varied the tracks were. Bruce? Bacharach? I like when musicians have a sense of humor also and that shows on this album.

Shouldn't really have come as a surprise how good this sounds, I suppose. I'd heard the hits of course, though none of the other stuff. A grand production!

Has a lot more substance than I was thinking. Just knew those as those 'relax' guys, but they actually try to talk about serious issues like the Cold War. Also, pretty solid cover of 'Born to Run.'

Wasn't expecting all the covers!

I remember when Frankie GTH first appeared. Those singles were just amazing! They leapt off the radio like they were the future. they were bright and shiny and ornate and over-the-top and sexy and amazing. It really is a paean to Trevor Horn and the ZTT team of crack studio-rats (special shout-out to Anne Dudley, whose name on album credits is always a sign of great work, especially her orchestrations). I was also a big fan of The Art of Noise, which was the same production team working a little more out on the fringes on semi-instrumental work. God knows who else played on it; the Blockheads certainly recorded some demo versions, and only Trevor Horn really knows who and what made the final edit. But that DOES NOT MATTER! Did anyone know who played everything on a Phil Spector production or early Monkees records? Pop music has always relied on session musos and production impresarios. Frankie GTH was... amazing. It had the advantage of the ZTT production style matched with an amazingly charismatic frontman (see also Grace Jones' Slave to the Rhythm, which similarly paired an iconic frontperson with that amazing production). Holly Johnson's unapologetic homosexuality gave the Frankie singles a frisson of danger that is still surprising for a time when even the most camp acts still tended to remain officially closeted (Boy George, Marc Almond, etc) As an album, however, this is bloated and full of filler. The covers are nearly all terrible. I assume this was a double album because someone thought that "nothing exceeds like excess". But those singles -- Relax, Two Tribes, Power of Love, Pleasuredome -- are towering monuments of pop. They foreshadow what pop is today -- the remixes, the multiple releases, the multimedia hype, the complex digital production, it's all there. The singles are five star classics, but really need to heard in their natural environment -- on a 12" single, preferable booming through an enormous PA on the dancefloor. I own this album, but I _never_ play it, because it is all about the singles. 5 stars for the singles, 2 stars for the rest of the album. let's call that 4 overall.

Дурацкий, но и прикольный.

Relax ein klasse Song auf den Mann von Sekunde 1 wartet nur um zu sehen das Power of Love auch mit drauf ist. Ich muss aber sagen das mir die Cover nicht so zugesagt haben, also ich versteh schon warum das Album auf dieser Liste ist, es gehört meiner Meinung nach aber nicht zu den Besten.

I really enjoyed his album, it surprised me quite a lot. Very good.

I've never listened to this album (19). Really good and ages well. Killer basslines all the way through.

I like that the songs are quite different to each other. Very interesting album to list to

This is a classic. ★★★★

I really enjoyed a lot of this, and even for the tracks I didn't care for, the production/mixing/width and breadth of sound was incredible. Huge fan of the 80s sound and aesthetic. My favorites were: "Welcome to the Pleasuredome," the cover of "Born to Run," "Relax" (of course), and "War." Will probably not return to a lot of particular songs off this album, but definitely will do a deeper discog dive on this artist when I can.

This was a vibe to listen to - the name is definitely a name to live up to. Definitely pushed the boundaries of acceptable and l'm so here for it.

To touch a great variety of genres and sonorities inside of the same record is somewhat risky, since the lack of cohesion might not be of everyone's taste. Some artists, however, have been able to pull it off. Apparently, before KG&LW or even Ween could run, Frankie Goes To Hollywood walked with Welcome To The Pleasuredom. It's interesting to see how funky, rocky and corny a band can get without it feeling much of a stretch within a sole hour. Definitely recommended.

History will question why side 3 of this includes a bunch of completely unnecessary covers. The album is plenty long without them so it didn't need the padding. The first 5 tracks should be half a 5 star album. Two Tribes remains one of my favourite bass lines despite not being a bass. And it features Chris Barry! But after that the bass disappears until the very end. Black Light White Light and the Power of Love restore things but really this could have been a 5 without the covers.

It's all pretty good. They have a cool sound and some great songs. I'm not sure they had a double albums worth of great songs and as is often the case with double albums that is a bit of a shame and it does drag a little. Although since many modern albums are about an hour long anyway it wasn't the worst example I'd heard. The singles jumped out a lot, but then the 3 big ones are particularly catchy.

This is brilliant and had aged really well, which is rare for this era. There are a collection of top tier pop songs here that stand the test if time. But what really comes across is space and time given to tracks that really allow them to grow and breathe. Its a mark of supreme confidence in the artist that really pays off.

This album is something. A load of covers, somehow I think they all kinda work. A 13 minute epic in the title track: a really fun track at points, at others a moody ambient soundscape. Relax - certainly the best song about not jizzing I can think of. Random voiceovers like in Tag and Fury. And then The Power of Love at the end, a really powerful ballad that its hard not to sing along to. It somewhat defies explanation, but I think it all works really quite well together. Fave Tracks: Welcome to the Pleasuredome, Fury, Wish the Lads Were Here, Krisco Kisses, The Power of Love 4.3/5

Initially loving the in your face '80s glam at its finest. But the album seems a bit like stuff was added as filler around their big four songs. Some filler is good, some not. An EP of their big four would have made for a top record.

Listened Before? N This is an interesting one. I was not expecting the cover songs but overall they did a pretty good job with them. Another enjoyable 80s album. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Relax

Somehow, through the miasma of my teens, I recall FGTH fondly, and it holds up! They seem to have caught the magic on this album, that inscrutable sauce that makes the plain more than its sums.

My immediate complaint here is why on earth would you make it a double album? That's quite a bold move for a band's debut, also considering that fans would have had to shell out a lot more to get a double vinyl back in the day. What's even more frustrating is that you could easily cut out the intro, the unnecessarily long version of "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", and all of the cover tracks. If they'd done this, they would have had a tight 35(ish) minute, 10 song debut, powered by 3 very strong singles. Or a bit more with the edited version of "Pleasuredome". And that would have been a pretty solid album, with some classic 80s songs, and a good celebration of LGBTQ+ themes. But the extra bits just feel a bit underinflated just to make it a double album, which definitely hurts it. So I'm a bit torn between 3 and 4 stars here, but I feel like the shortened album that could have been is actually pretty decent and deserves some points. If nothing else, "Relax" is a hell of an earworm and the whole album (including the covers) is pretty fun.

It was definitely 80's but also a nice deep for the 80s. Relax will forever remind me of Zoolander.

This was really fun and indulgent feeling. I couldn't have told you before today who sang Relax, now I know! An 80s classic. I also really loved their takes on the covers in this. It was an eclectic mix of songs to cover, and they did a great job. Overall, this was very 80s and pretty epically over the top, but in a way I very much enjoyed.

An entire world in the album. I expected Relax to be the only song. But this was an 80s fever dream complete with originals, covers, and crazy 13 minute tracks. It’s on my list to come back to again because it was waaaay more complex than one listen.

Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: 👨👨👨👨👨 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🏰🌈🔥 Rating: 🎉🎉🎉(🎉)/5