Welcome To The Pleasuredome

WTPD is a prog song. The longer it goes it the more it drags.

This came straight after Soft Cell, and there's a huge difference. Epic pop production vs bedroom drum machines. This is a huge powerful sounding record, and when it's right (Relax, Two Tribes, TPOL) you can see why they were so huge. Had to mark down to 4 stars for two reasons. 1 - I kept hearing the same licks and motifs. The same vocal flow, the same 12th fret harmonics. It led to the feeling of a mistake rather than an album. 2 - a string of four covers back to back. They were all fine, but it gave the impression of "We ran out of songs to record"

What a awesome surprise. I have never listened to Frankie before and didn't realize he was the artist behind some of these songs.

A surprisingly good album. A mix of pop, psychedelia and classics.

Great 80s album.

et af de koldeste og mest fabriksagtige new wave albums vi har haft, det lyder mere som Kraftwerk end andet i denne genre. Rigtig fedt. De store bangers er store bangers. Ville nok have været en 5'er hvis der ikke var så mange covers på, selvom de var overraskende gode

Solid

Pretty good pop album. A lot of different and varied songs.

After the first track I was prepared to suffer through this one. Then it got really good. What a vibe for a while there. Then the back half kinda let me down again. It was a ride, to say the least.

This is a good album, but the opening track is less than ideal, and the end really looses momentum. Some absolute bangers though.

Pretty good

Weird. But jokes on you, I'm into that shit.

Someone referring to this album as “cheesy” sounds like a two-time Reagan voter

Highlights: Ferry, War, Relax, Two Tribes, San Jose. In a nutshell: take it all in. Maximalist and cheeky synthpop. With Trevor Horn, Anne Dudley and J J Jeczalik helping record, this was destined to be a hit. Overall: 7/10

Very much of its era - synths drum machines, pounding beat, MASSIVE over-production, but yet, it still works. The big hits are obviously the high points, but the rest of the tracks work well. Even the inclusions of the cover versions are fine - they give an easy reference to what Frankie is trying to do differently.

Wasn’t too interested after the first track, but started enjoying it more and more. Several great covers.

Weirder than anticipated

3.5 Stars. Decent, I think I would enjoy it more if I was into this genre

The band lacks one consistent sound, and I love that. Bouncing from tribal percussion and vocalising to what can only be described as hesitant 80s-style prog rock (the title track), to pure 80s fantasy, to an homage to Edwin Starr's "War", to bluesy jam-rock, to a Bruce Springsteen cover... And with a few exceptions, all the songs are really enjoyable, despite being longer than a non-concept album should generally be. I'm a little surprised that the musically desolate album opener, The World Is My Oyster, is getting significantly more Spotify traction than later gems like Wish and Krisco Kisses. But such is the beauty of streaming services. The track "(Tag)" is stupid. (This is all I wrote about the track as I was listening to it, and now, a day later, I can't remember what the fuss was about. But it was stupid, I swear!) The song Including The Ballad Of 32 reminds me of Pink Floyd's Welcome to the Machine, if it were an oversimplified instrumental with a slightly more interesting electric guitar part and weird sexual moans in the background. Special shoutout to The Power Of Love, which has all the elements of a great 80s track... except for good singing. Seriously, what's going on here? Like a significantly whinier Bon Jovi who was ordered to sing during his time-out. To be fair, though, he sounds worse here than in most other tracks on the album. Relax (Come Fighting) is a wonderfully 80s-esque track, complete with light female backing vocals during chorus and heavy synths. Honestly, it's great. The song title is sung exactly how you'd imagine it. 4/5 Key tracks: Relax (Come Fighting), Two Tribes, Wish (The Lads Were Here)

Over all solid album. A little repetitive at times

Well, I didn’t become gay by listening to this like I had thought all these years. This is a well produced 80’s album. It strays away from the cheesy sound that the 80’s was known for. It’s as if you were actually in a Pleasuredome when you were listening to this. I’d say this album is the lighter side of Violator by Depeche Mode. Where The Mode dabble in darkness , Frankie shines a light but still keeps the lights sort of dimmed. I was surprised about how good this album was. I won’t listen to it again but they earned my respect. Choice cut: War

"Relax" was my first exposure to this group. I imagine that's true of most Americans, and I literally thought that was their only song, as no other singles made it big here in the States. As I got older and developed a taste for New Wave and 80's music in particular, I found this album to be incredibly good. The intro takes a bit to get going but 8 minutes into the almost 14 minute intro and you're fully invested. The follow it up with "Relax" and boom, you're fully in the Pleasuredome. But, this version is different than the one released on MTV and the radio here in the States. Hmmm... Suprising they did so many covers on this album, but they're all pretty well done and definitely have their own flair put on them. San Jose is a particularly well done. Just overall a great debut album and should definitely be heard from start to finish before you die. Make sure you check out the original "Relax" 7 inch single as that's the one you heard in America. Must hear songs: Relax (Come Fighting) War (...and Hide) Two Tribes Wish (The Lads Were Here) 3.53/5 stars = 4 on this scale.

Relax was a big hit at parties back then. I'd heard the whole album once before. I wasn't particularly impressed. Now I've listened to it again. You can recognize the typical New Wave sound of the 80s. It's a bit dusty. But it's still a blast at parties. It was a lot of fun. 4/5

Alright! I get it! I’m welcome to the Pleasure Dome! Now can we please get on with it?

The world is your oyster, but there's no R in the month

I liked this album, got some absolute bangers in here like relax and two tribes. And I also love the power of love. The covers were good as well, especially born to run.  However it's probably a little too long especially the title song.  This would could have been 5 stars however I think it just misses out for me 

I did not expect to hear a cover of Born to Run from Frankie Goes to Hollywood. I also did not expect the cover to be pretty good. I like this album and wanted to add this to the list of albums I listen to frequently. There are opening and closing instrumental tracks and "War" is a good song, but it has a spoken word part that tends to grate on me a bit. Overall though, I knew "Relax" and didn't know anything else on here. I always thought Frankie Say Relax was a one-hit wonder. Turns out they put at least one entire album of good music. It was interesting to follow "War" with Born to Run, considering Bruce Springsteen would cover "War" on his 1975-1985 live collection a year after this album was released. Even the 13 minute song was very listenable. Good album and even more varied than I would have thought.

Originally, I had some preconceptions about this style of music—and to be honest, about the post-disco scene in general—but now that I’m actually listening to it, I can appreciate the effort and musical skill involved, especially knowing that the band uses real instruments alongside synthesizers. The title track, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, which runs over 13 minutes, is surprisingly engaging and makes for far better background music than Prince’s 1999. It genuinely creates an atmosphere, not unlike the experimental work Talking Heads were doing in the late ’70s and early ’80s. On the other hand, “Relax” leans into a more hardcore, somewhat monotonous disco vibe. Still, the bass work across the album is excellent—particularly on “Two Tribes.” Tracks like “San Jose” and “The Ballad of 32” serve as well-placed, more subdued moments that provide the record with dynamic balance, and I mean that in a positive way. All things considered, this is a solid party album—and that seems to have been the band’s intention. From that standpoint, it earns a 4 out of 5, though I must admit I’m still a bit surprised to be giving it that score.

Suprisingly coherent album with good originals and interesting covers. Certainly has an 80s sound but could be worse!

Good album with some great songs on it. Power of Love has to be a universal top 10 on people's lists, there's just no way around it. Self titled song and Relax are also great, but the rest of the album sounds too much like generic 80s record, which we should avoid at all cost. But overall great, but slightly forgotten band.

Fun but had to pause and had a headache during the last half sad

No me imagino lo que este disco significó en su momento. Más allá de Relax, el hitazo por excelencia de Frankie Goes to Hollywood, las canciones parecen gritar "este soy yo, esto me gusta y a ti no tiene por qué importarte un carajo". Liberador, divertido, pegajoso. Una hora divertida y bastante, bastante reveladora de lo que había detrás del glitter de los ochenta.

Cool

A fun, sonic journey full of surprises such as: A 14 minute track that's a banger throughout, finding out who sings the song "Relax" and that it's been banned by BBC in the 80s, a surprisingly good cover of Born to Run, and more.

Nice one.

Love this and have it on vinyl. Great album 4 Stars

what can i say, i love 80s pop 3.5

Love it.

The World Is My Oyster - 3/5 Welcome To The Pleasuredome - 4/5 (way too long for my liking but at least it's kinda good) Relax - 5/5 War - 4/5 Two Tribes - 5/5 Tag - no rating Fury - 3/5 (short but sweet) Born To Run - 4/5 San Jose - 4/5 Wish The Lads Were Here - 3/5 The Ballad of 32 - 3/5 Krisco Kisses - 4/5 Black Night White Light - 3/5 The Only Star In Heaven - 3/5 The Power Of Love - 5/5 Bang - no rating (too short) Average score: 3.8/5 (rounding up) this shit is fucking gay. i love it

Very 80s, but enjoyable. Went on a little too long.

I really enjoy this album, I love 80s english pop, the songs black night white light and the power of love are my favorite tracks, I have nothing negative to say about it 🤷‍♂️.

Relaxed

Its a little too dramatic for me, but mostly fun!

An absolute powerhouse of an album seems to lose its steam at the end.

I saw this and honestly didn't think I knew who they were. And then I heard Relax and remembered. How about all these covers that are actually pretty good?? And then Ballad of 32 was...porn?

Absolutely incredible. Some extremely great stuff here! I already knew a couple songs, even though I didn't know it at the time (San Jose, Born to Run, Relax) but I don't think it's one I'd listen to all of again. Best in small doses for me

Surprised by this album. Very well produced a lot of covers that really were good and well produced. Kind of loved it. Had never heard the whole album before

It's fun, it's got a message 'war = bad', can't complain on a sunny day.

Trevor Horn at his very best. Ok, you could say that a lot of the tracks shouldn't have made it on the album and become "unheard" but the album titled track Welcome to the Pleasure Dome has got the lot...a fine piece of music! I wasn't a big singles buyer as a kid but when the BBC banned Relax I just had to have it...it was an edgy sound and a proper banger in the day, 2 Tribes was a very explosive haunting track - to me, & at the time a very new unheard style of synth I really liked, listening again it reminded me of the real fear flying about in the 80's of the risks a full on threat of a Nuclear war. Some serious bass guitar sounds contributing towards a type of Pop Music that you just couldn't copy- that was the talent and skill of Trevor Horn. The Power of Love always reminds me of an 80's Christmas but frankly the covers of Ferry cross the Mersey and Born to Run can get in the bin which knock the score down a bit as an album in it's entirety. * FYI I did have one of the famous Frankie white t shirts back in the day...the one I had said "Frankie says Arm the Unemployed"

A tale of two halves First half, 6 stars Second half 2 stars Average:

I only knew the one big guy. This was a bit different than I thought it would be. Liked it. 3.5

When creativity meets melody and music ! Sounds so classic but also so innovative !

First half = greatness, everything I remember and more. Second half, not so much.

A great snapshot of the early 80s, does feel like they ran out of ideas by the end.

Is there a parallel universe where Bill Drummond realised wee Holly playing bass next to him in Big In Japan was such a talent and masterminded his rise rather than Echo & the Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes? The four singles carry this but I also love their cover of Born To Turn. There is a touch more joy in their desperation than Bruce. A couple of things I am learning from this process. 1. People are a bit loose with their genre terms. Synth pop, really? This sounds like Soft Cell and The Human League to you? 2. I dutifully read all the Wikipedia entries and have developed a healthy enmity for Robert Christgau and his joyless, nebby and in this case nonsensically homophobic views on music. Who is deciding every Wikipedia album entry needs this twerp's input?

Loved it and recognized a few songs from my youth.

the world is my oyster-6 welcome to the pleasuredome- 8 relax- 7 war- 6 or 7 two tribes- 6 tag- 6 fury- 6 born to run- 7 san jose- 7 or 8 wish the lads were here- 7 or 8 the ballad of 32- 7 krisco kisses- 7 or 8 black night white lights- 5 the only star in heaven- 7 or 8 the power of love- 5 bang- 6

'Snatch of fury' is a fantastic name for a song Best songs are War, welcome to pleasuredome, power of love Good album overall some really great tracks and some I felt tacky. Not my usual flex but really enjoyed

A strong showing.

This album is fun! New wave sound done right.

I expected a one hit wonder and got a very solid album. Little over an hour a bit long but far better than I expected.

Going in, with a name like welcome to the pleasuredome, i just really wanted this album to not be one of those creepy ones but I was pleasantly surprised when it was just all the fun meme songs of the 80s - pure fun.

I enjoyed this. There’s a couple decent covers, but Relax steals the show. Great synth pop with several different styles.

You know what, I unabashedly love this album. It's camp, it's silly, it's cheesy, it's cringe (as the youths say). But it's pure fun. There isn't a song here that isn't enjoyable. Some songs were epic, like they were made for classic Hollywood dramas, which certainly lends credence to the band name. And like scores for classic movies, there are motifs and themes! A 13-minute epic title song is a daring choice and glues the whole album together. Frankie Goes to Hollywood wants to be taken seriously; otherwise, how do you explain their cover of a classic protest song, "War"? They added their own personality to it too, updating it to the year 1984. I know this album and band and "Relax" is considered a joke today, but like "Friday" by Rebecca Black, you cannot make a song a sensation if it isn't genuinely good. I listened to this album multiple days as I wrote my review, and I grew to love every song of this synth pop album. It brought many a smile to my face! 4.5

Ah, I see you not-so-randomizer randomizer. You see give me Frank Sinatra yesterday and a band named after the young Old Blues Eyes today. That's cute. "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" is the debut album by English synth-pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood and a double album at that. The eventual producer Trevor Horn saw the band performed on the tv show "The Tube" and knew he had to have them. Besides producing, Horn brought in other musicians and used his new Fairlight CMI work station to enhance the sound. The album was released after the successful singles "Relax" and "Two Tribes" which helped the album hit #1 in the UK and #33 in the US. The core bandmembers included Holly Johnson (lead vocals), Paul Rutherford (backing vocals), Brian Nash (guitar), Mark O'Toole (bass) and Peter Gill (drums). There were mostly favorable critic reviews. The album really gets going on the second song, the 13-minute "Welcome to the Pleasuredome." A long period of animal sounds gives way to synth keys, a pumping beat, a high-pitched guitar and chanting. Johnson's echoing vocals come in and also a deep bass. The song was inspired by the Samuel Taylor Coolidge's poem "Kabla Khan" and is about the dangers of mindless indulgence. A synth drone, Johnson yelling "Ma ha hiyarn" and a bouncy bass intros us into "Relax." It's about sex and gay sex, if you didn't know. It was banned by British and immediately shot up to #1. Explicit lyrics, laser sounds, liquid sounds, glossy synths and guitar. Ah, so 80's. The other big song "Two Tribes" is nearly as lyrically direct: it being an anti-war song. I liked the video with Reagan and Gorbachev in the boxing ring. A quick beat to this song: very disco. Very highly produced but a good song. The band covers three songs on the third album side. They slow down Gerry and the Pacemaker's "Ferry." They put a synth in but keep it rockin' in Springsteen's "Born to Run." They add chamber pop and a bossa nova beat to Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick's "San José." The third and final single is the ballad "The Power of Love." Known as a Christmas song, it's slow and romantic. Piano. Strings. A nice song. This sounds very 80's with their three classic singles. Trevor Horn's production is great and the sound quality is very high. I appreciated that they took the cover songs in their own direction. I was going to comment that beyond the hit singles and cover songs, the remainder is filler. But actually, I started to really like them the second time through. The instrumental "The Ballad of 32" sounds like a modern-day Cure song. So, overall it's a solid album

Really fun. Nothing super crazy stood out though

Okay, I laughed pretty hard when I pulled this album. Kinda like “this is on the list??” But after listening to it once, and listening to it a second time, I’m here to tell you that this is a really fun listen. This album is packed with so much creativity, and it’s got such a huge, over the top sound. Excellent musician ship throughout the album, awesome production, and some excellent covers as well. One of the most surprising picks yet.

Smashing intro, solid album

Very dramatic, loved it!

Well, that lives up to the name

L'intro non è male, ma un po' lunghetta. Però poi parte Relax! Figa anche la loro versione di 'Born to Run'. Molto bello.

this is where relax comes from??? & it's actually a gay as fuck song??? so many pieces clicking into place for me here, instant 4 stars, get it frankie!!!

You must kill the Malaysian prime minister!!!! Way more sonically and conceptually than I expected from Frankie Goes to Hollywood and that's always exciting. It's like listening to someone making a musical about making music in the 80's, especially notable since Trevor Horn dominated the album

Title track is a masterpiece Singles are classics Covers are weird sing choices and take it down a grade But still brilliant

had no idea what to expect, came into this only knowing relax loved it, most 80s thing i've ever heard some great basslines so that's me sold best song: san jose worst song: n/a

one of my favs from back in the day. (although I enjoy the EP better). A tremendous loud Flash in the pan, but left an indelible mark on our culture in the mid-late 80's

I thought a full hour of this might be a bit too much, but it actually kept my attention throughout easily. Helped by sprinkling excellent songs across the tracklist, like having the gorgeous 'Power of Love' right at the end to leave it on a great note. High tier synthpop.

A controversial band at the time due to their sexuality and some would say sexually explicit lyrics. A controversial album due to its use of session musicians to replace the band's own performance. But it is a well produced album and I like it.

Funky

Διαφορετικα μεταξυ τους κομματια, ωραιες παραγωγες και vocals, ωραιοι στιχοι. Alnum γεματο banger. Ημουν αναμεσα σε 4 κ 5 Rating: A

The covers were cool….and I enjoyed their music too. This is not what I was expecting from a one hit wonder. I got a lot more than I expected.

I literally love the 80s Two tribes is SO GOOD

The album structure is good, very coherent, I like when songs in an album are connected in a certain way, whether musically or conceptually. Lyrics are well thought of but not my favorite (a euphemism for I find it cliche and corny). Instrumentation is fabulous, some of the vocals? Or should I call it harmonies or effects, however, are sometimes cringe...? Overall it's probably 3.5-4，close to 4.

I've heard the first few songs here multiple times, but what comes after shocked me. I mean it sounds the way you expect, but I did not expect a synth poppy Springsteen or Bacharach. The album as a whole is also fascinating. I love almost every song, but as a coherent listening experience it is a bit tiresome. Once again I believe that this could have been better structured and shorter. Side 1 and 4 is amazing, while the two in the middle have ups and downs. All in all I am officially a fan, but I'll be selective in my revisits with this album.

Surprisingly pleasurable debut. It's too long and touches on more genres and ideas than Frankie Goes To Hollywood can handle ... At the same time, that is exactly what makes this feel more like a play than an actual album to me. There's a clear narrative in the order of the songs and I just have a really hard time not enjoying this.

Some amazing stuff on here, but it's basically just the "Trevor Horn pushes forward the idea of the producer being the artist" album. They got carried away with the singles and felt obliged to make more tracks so that the commercial release of the album would feel like a better value prospect, but I think history has proven this idea wrong. A more impactful shorter runtime with less covers would have cemented the album in peoples minds, rather than just a few great singles.

Not my bag, but hugely influential and obviously well crafted

Epicly 80s

I remember reading a long time ago about Frankie Goes To Hollywood and the controversy around releasing an album that so openly speaks about gay relationships. Perhaps albums like this wouldn’t be so shocking these days, but it would have been fascinating to have been around when this was released. The music is fun funky disco for the most part, with occasional rockier elements thrown in. It is a really fun listen, with memorable bass lines throughout. An easy recommend here.

Wierd, very explict but funny and for sure something peculiar i want to rate 3.5

Really interesting songs, relax and War I have obviously heard but I enjoyed how the band really tried to make it a concept album. Not all of the songs hit but overall really cool album

I generally like this album but it is long and you can kind of lose interest towards the end of the hour.

What a powerhouse of an album. Like most I was aware of the singles and was expecting a lot of filler. However there are numerous other quality songs in here. The whole album feels like a bit of a runaway train, all over the place but never relenting and giving you a moment to compose yourself. So much better than I was expecting.

Packed with hits, but also a generous sprinkling of average cover versions. A slightly disjointed album but good nonetheless, and relax….

I have always liked this lot from afar, without of course ever listening to this album. The singles and the band itself were clearly groundbreaking on several levels as per their banning etc. I tend to disagree with tgl when it comes to the extended versions, especially the title track, which I thought sounded great here and ahead of their time (although not that well qualified to comment on that really). That set me up for very high expectations for the reminder of the album which were then busted by the frankly odd covers and some much weaker material mid album. They could have just made a shorter album. But overall I do think they were an original band that put one great songs on this album which have stood the test of time. I would listen again, just no the whole thing.

God, wat een ontzettend lekkere opener is dit eigenlijk. Welcome to the pleasuredome is een fantastisch nummer en dan ook nog eens de lange versie van 13 minuten? Geweldig. De bass line op War, echt puur genieten hoor! Sowieso is het instrumentaal echt een fucking dik album, met nummers die lekker lang duren maar geen seconde vervelen. Geen seconde vervelen? Nouja, tot we bij de tragere nummers aankomen... De 2e helft van het album is meer gericht op ballads in plaats van de synthpop nummers van de 1e helft. En heel eerlijk? Dit doet het dan weer totaal niet voor mij. Frankie Goes to Hollywood is voor mij op zn best als het fout en catchy is, niet als het traag en emo is. Gelukkig knalt het einde er weer ouderwets vandoor. Dusja, eigenlijk alleen even jammer van het middenstuk, maar daarna weer echt top. Zelfs de ballad Power of Love trek ik best goed. Uiteindelijk gewoon echt een goed album, niet perfect door de harde inkak in het midden, maar echt een beter album dan verwacht! FAVO: Welcome to the pleasuredome, Relax, War, Two tribes, Black night White Light, The only star in heaven, The power of love

Enjoyable album, love me some old weird music

Surprisingly brilliant. I literally didn't know what to expect having only heard the hits. But this album is banging. Lots of really great music in here! It's not perfection for me but it's a solid 4/5. At points I thought I'd fallen into a Floyd album it goes that prog, then to funk, disco and pop. The album flows and has definitely got something special about it!

This was a total surprise to me! I knew Frankie Goes to Hollywood were gay icons, but really thought of them as one-and-done with Relax. But this whole album was a ton of fun! I will say that I think a band has to work hard to produce a cover worthy of an original and the covers on this album ain’t quite it. But I still had a great time listening.

Relax - One hit wonder War - Version of The Temptations The rest of the album is pretty good too...

Classic 80's music with electronic elements.

I bought this on vinyl from a charity shop for 20p but never really listened to it properly. It's actually really good.

What a trip down memory lane that was. I remember before this was released me and my siblings would try and tape all the 12 inch remixes of both Relax and Welcome to The Pleasuredome off the radio. I remember being slightly disappointed when the album came out as I was too into the cover versions of the weird little Ronald Reagan skits. 11 year old me was pretty oblivious to the sexual innuendo going on throughout the album. Still slightly oblivious...

I think this is the most stereotypical 80's album in existence. If you asked AI to write an 80's album, it would just be this album

Het begint geweldig, maar de tweede helft is toch echt veel zwakker.

The absolute best thing about this for me is the consistency and flow of it. One of those albums that drops little notes and flavours that follow-through to the rest of the album and make it work well as an individual piece of work, with a consistent mood. On paper this isn't for me, but actually I'm down with it. There's some great tracks in here, solid instrumentation, some good covers, and he has a great voice to boot. And it has actual atmosphere that carries through like I said, with layers of sound. Quite the surprise as I was expecting this to be not for me at all. 3.5 rounded up.

Classic. Remember that one time... 😂

Si esta es la música a mi también me gustaría ir a Hollywood.

A bit patchy, but the supreme example of Trevor Horn’s production style

LISTIE SAY yeah, it's a real good 80's album. I just wish I had a bit more time to figure exactly **why** it works so well for me. Is it just that I like synthy 80's music so much? That could be something, sure. Do I appreciate how odd this album is a lot of places? Good probability, yeah. Is it just because I recognize a lot of samples that were used in this kick-ass mashup with Iron Maiden's "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner"? I can't say no. Whatever the reason, its hits me (HITS ME) with those laser beams. Absolutely worth checking out beyond its one big hit.

While long, it's still some damn good 80s pop. 4 stars.

I’m at a 4. This is a pretty damn good album, but by the end, it kind of falters into a directionless playlist that makes the album experience suffer just enough to drop this out of the range of a 5. To put it more succinctly, I think by Track 10, a lot of the songs lose the tighter and more focused structure that was present earlier in the album, and devolve into great soundscapes but with really loose lyrics, and while I could look past it normally, it just happens too much and too often over the final 7 tracks to ignore. The Only Star In Heaven might be an egregious example of this; what a great hook to start off with on that first verse before kind of just rambling around a bit. With that said, I still liked a lot of the tracks, even those final 7; I just wish the album was a little bit tighter and a little more focused. I don’t think there’s a single bad track here, but some of them feel like they could’ve been non-album singles in order to keep the album experience flowing better. If anything, the biggest knock I can make against this album is moreso how explicitly sexual it is at times. I’m not trying to add a song to my playlist that straight up talks about how mystifying an orgasm can be without any pretense, or just straight up has sex sounds in it like The Ballad of 32, you know? Regardless, this album is no less than a 4 to me. It could even jump up to a 5 if the album’s structure magically clicks better for me someday, but what’s here makes for an exciting and sort of innovative soundscape for 1984 – I can’t say that I’ve heard too many 80s bands rely this heavily on synth work with an explicitly pop lean, but this album makes it work in spades. It’s a great listen, and it’s very fun; I’m still hung up on it as a full album experience, but it would be ridiculous to not give this album a try. It deserves to be on the list, and it’s a strong 4.

Hadn't listened to this in ages. Such a mixed bag. The first two songs are a showcase of outstandingly GOOD 80s production. I mean, there is such drive - the opening/title track clocks in at over 10 minutes, doesn't really have THAT many different lines of lyrics, and you're still entertained the whole way through. War and Two Tribes are good. Then comes a cooldown. Grand. Then it gets... A bit tricky. I kind of get the Springsteen cover, but then... Bacharach? Then something that showcases bad 80s production and boring songwriting. And then an instrumental that probably inspired Enigma. And then...a sort of bebop/rockabilly song about fisting. Anal fisting. Not what I expected and something I need to remember to slip onto an innocent-sounding playlist alongside Bobby Brown Goes Down. Then two more decent tracks with very driving bass lines, and of course: The Power Of Love, a love song to love which makes it so universal and timeless. In the end... When I first listened to it I didn't quite realise how gay the whole album is (well, I was 16 or so, not gay myself, lived in a very rural area... so a lot of the references and not so hidden innuendoes went totally over my head), and the fact that even on repeated listens, you can delve in the gayness - or just ignore it and enjoy what is mostly a very decent, driving, danceable album. Plus an outstanding, no holds barred pompous, romantic ballad, done very right. All of which was and is probably part of the continuing appeal of the songs and the band. And my God, Trevor Horn can produce. And damn, on finishing the album, I want to put the title track back on. Just skip San Jose and Wish The Lads Were Here, and you're looking at a great album, honestly.

Fun 80s album

It's not often that a 1+ hour album can pack such a bang for the buck but Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Welcome To The Pleasuredome is such a synth based roller coaster of non-stop thrill. 4/5

Color me surprised- this is actually quite good. Most of the new wave albums on here tend to disappoint, and I was scared when I saw this was a double LP, but the hits largely pull off the length, and some of the deeper cuts are pretty cool too. Even the lengthy stuff is varied enough to work. B

Excellent start

I knew the singles of this album of course: "Relax," "Welcome To The Pleasuredome," (of which I enjoy the 7" single a bit more than this 13,5-minute album version) "Two Tribes" (of which I enjoy the 9-minute 12" a lot more than this shorter version on the album) and "The Power Of Love." What I didn't know is that these singles were part of the whole album which leans completely on the sounds of these four songs, with a few covers in the mix. Producer Trevor Horn enjoys creating bombastic sounds and incorporating them into a cohesive whole, but this approach only partly succeeds on this album. The rest of the material is just not strong enough. He would achieve greater success with Propaganda and Art Of Noise. This album is an amazing time-piece of the 80s, but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece.

Consists mostly of rambling nonsense. Didn't expect the music video to "Relax" to have such a late-20th-century gay vibe; that almost made that bland, overplayed song interesting, at least for one listen. I like how eclectic it is within the constraints of its overall vibe, but that vibe remains kinda meh. Giving it a 4 is generous, but that eclectic approach earns it a liiitle bit above average.

A landmark gay album, not only for being a hedonistic synthpop double album, but for having a leading single about sodomy. Side A kicks off with a behemoth 13-minute progressive pop title track that indulges the listener in the mystique of the Pleasuredome. It's a lot of fun as a it builds suspense and works through its danceable rhythms. More than anything, it's a display of how much fun Frankie Goes to Hollywood can be, setting the stage for the rest of their fun-filled party album. Side B takes us into the big single where Holly Johnson tells us to relax (don't do it). This could easily be considered the centerpiece of the album, but in the context of this tracklist it feels slightly out of place. Relax is followed by War and Two Tribes, both deeply political and atmospheric songs that give an apocalyptic vibe to this party album. This makes the Pleasuredome feel like a reprieve from the hell that is the outside world. You can dance the night away, but when two tribes go to war.... Side C begins with a run of three covers, with the most notable being Springsteen's Born to Run. It matches the energy of the original with some pretty incredible work on the bass, but it's hard to top the Boss. The rest of side C isn't too notable, though it does close out with a sorrowful Ballad of 32 the reinforces the apocalyptic feeling from outside the Pleasuredome. Makes you wish the lads were here. By 1984, the AIDs epidemic had reached the UK and had taken it's first life, Terry Higgins. Higgins was a nightclub DJ and I can only imagine he would have spun some of Frankie Goes to Hollywood if he had lived long enough to hear their first single. I can also assume that the AIDs crisis was on the minds of Frankie Goes to Hollywood when writing much of Pleasuredome. It's an authentic expression of grief and fear through the most devastating time in queer history, and daring to live and enjoy life anyway. The Pleasuredome was there to remind us why we needed to persevere in the face of adversity. Frankly, it's a pretty spotty album in terms of quality, but it's more important for that it represents. I have a lot of respect for Frankie Goes to Hollywood and the Pleasuredome, so I'm glad people get to experience it, at its best and its worst. Relax.

I was shocked how much I enjoyed this. I was aware of the hits (who isn’t?) but it was cheesy and enjoyable

Really good album

The singles were simply huge at the time and haven't gone away. I completely concur with another reviewer's excellent summing up of why it felt so great in 1984 to have queer lads from Liverpool sticking it to Thatcher, but doing it 80s-style, ie with excess. These songs were so good to dance to! Anyway the album was a tad longer than expected and Born to Run was a mis-step for me. But apart from that I loved the basslines and the shininess and all of the "hwaaah!"

This is gloriously 80's synth pop cheese. Kinda like Soft Cell, Huey Lewis & the News, or The Human League. This album has everything from rock to synthpop to jazz. Favourite songs: Relax, War, Born to Run, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, The Only Star in Heaven, Wish the Lads Were Here Least favourite songs: The World is My Oyster (Including Well/Snatch of Fury), Tag (Fuck skits) 4/5

Well, I enjoyed this a LOT more than I expected! Excellent synth pop with power! It truly is much, much better than I was prepared for! Understandably, this won’t be for everyone but I thought this was pretty good!

This was really quite good. A nice little 80s-flavored musical mixed bag. I can see myself listening to this one again, but it's missing that extra "je ne sais quoi" for me to give it a 5.

Solid, interesting, a lot of variety

A stone cold classic :) really shook the music world up

One of the defining albums of the 80’s - when I think back to visiting London the number of Frankie says shirts, the videos, the controversy but thankfully the music is also superb. Pleasuredome, Relax, Two Tribes and power of love are still as good now as they ever were. There’s still too many covers padding out the run time (despite the quality of them) and that keeps it from a 5 but the big tacks absolutely justify a 4.

Surprisingly good

expectation: a bunch of big hits reality: a bunch of big hits and tons of absolutely bonkers stuff in between. amazing.

Some classic songs but would need more listens as not overly familiar. Still very much liked it

In the year of Orwell's dystopian imagination, the sound of a nation belonged to a band largely propped up by advertising and publicity, bringing together scandalous imagery and not so subtle innuendo and turning them into iconic statements. Frankie Goes to Hollywood may have turned out to be one of the more obvious one trick ponies in all of 80s pop but Welcome to the Pleasuredome is chock full of unexpectedly outward and out there diddies that would have one questioning what the motive is. From the 13 minute long tome that is the title track to the big hits to the beguiling yet bizzare stabs at Edwin Starr and Bruce Springsteen, this album is quite the potpourri; once dug in, the experience would be worth the time. Favorites: Welcome to the Pleasuredome, Relax, War, Two Tribes, Born to Run, San Jose, Krisco Kisses, Black Night White Light, The Only Star in Heaven, The Power of Love.

Welcome to the Pleasuredome the song rocks, great use of 12 minutes

Never listened to this before but I probably should have considering I'm from Liverpool. I forgot how many of their songs I already knew, so along with the covers I was familiar with most of the tracks. All in all, really good 80s pop album. Fav tracks: Two Tribes, Relax, The Power of Love

This is great. The singles are bangers, but there are too many wack covers in there.

Technically a Trevor Horn album. Overblown, overhyped. Ultimately it fails on the strength of the ambitions alone. But woh, aim high. Four stars for those four singles alone. Still yet to be bettered as a run of debut releases. The animals are still winding me up.

This is the album that made me realize I'm ready for a threesome. That a threesome would be therapeutic. It reminds me that no one deserves a threesome more than me. The Pleasuredome is filled with Springsteen and Dionne Warwick cover songs that work better than they deserve to work. Repeat listens give me the impression that an orgy is in my future. I'm not even sure what I'd do when I walked into an orgy. Jazz hands, probably.

"Welcome To The Pleasuredome" is the debut album from Frankie Goes To Hollywood. A combination of catchy themes and overly explicit homosexual innuendo made this synth-pop album successful and controversial in the 80's when it was released. Frankie say relax!

In a sea of mediocrity, Frankie Goes To Hollywood tried to do something special.

Quite good actually. Relax is an all time banger. It should be on every 80s playlist. I actually didn't mind the Born To Run cover even though no one will top the Boss's version. More guitars than your typical dance album. Trevor Horn's production is top notch. This one surprised me a bit in a good way.

Pleasuredome is a great pop track. War? Born to run? These are great spins on these tracks. What a great band. This was a really fun album. Great songs. Good for a party

So very 80s.

Trevor Horn sucks.

Favourite tracks: welcome to the pleasuredome; two tribes; relax; power of love

This is the closest to a 5 that an album can be without me rating it a 5

Not only does Frankie say Relax, he also goes HARD. Loved this way more than I expected to. It’s a bit long, but still strong!

Actually pretty interesting. I've always had a soft spot for silly 80s synthesizers and sampled sounds. This is right up that alley.

Honestly, this was extremely refreshing. Obviously with Relax, the Zoolander classic but welcome to the pleasuredome was also insane. Ejaculation track was funny. Overall, I feel like this album was a well rounded album and just a refreshing shift from what we’ve been listening to.

awesome, incredibly 80s (thx trevor horn), so gauche and risque. what fun!! scott and scott are always talking about these guys. i was fully expecting the power of love by huey lewis and the news to start playing rather than the song that did. love the eclectic cover choices- edwin starr, bruce springsteen, and burt bachrach! i think born to run is basically uncoverable but all three were very fun. love that song that is just a bunch of moaning with synths and drums. now i want one of those shirts that says "frankie says relax." 7.5/10, fav tracks: welcome to the pleasuredome, war, krisco kisses

Niezła

Very good album with some cracking songs

The name sounds real familiar...I just read the wiki thing on it. Relax is probably the one I've heard most if it's the one I'm thinking. Yeah it's definitely the same band. They finally started singing. Reminds me slightly of Oingo Boingo. That second track was 13min! I like how it has kind of a dark goth feel to it. Relax is on now. I'm really enjoying this Album Generator thing. I've been exposed to sooooo many bands and so much music I never would have otherwise played. The Ballad of 32 is cool. Just instrumental but vey Floyd like. I like that the singer was openly gay in a time when it wasn't completely supported yet. There's a overall sexual tone to the whole album. I guess 4 stars on this one.

Is this considered a rock opera or concept album? I was pretty surprised by how good it was, and how much I enjoyed it.

listening to the title track feels like a side quest. pls let me out of the pleasuredome now.

Wow, this is a diverse album! The first tracks don't give away anything for this album Some of the biggest hits of the 80's and listening to the album in full makes me appreciate it even more! Very fun listen and will for sure remember this album. Standout tracks: Welcome To The Pleasuredome, Relax, Two Tribes, Born To Run, The Ballad Of 32, Black Night White Light, The Only Star In Heaven, The Power Of Love, 8 out of 10

nicely varied, very fun listen

Pop, Disco, 1984 -> 4

Welcome To The Pleasuredome had no right to be as good as it was. The singing was good but it was mainly the bass, synths, and drums that steal the show for me. I also liked how the songs hopped around between different moods quite a bit from groovy and fun, to mellow and somber. I even liked the longest track in the album because it knew how to remain interesting. This album was quite a good listen. Best Song: Wish The Lads Were Here Worst Song: Fury

The Power of Love!

Geile Reise zwischen Pink Floyd und dem Kika-Typen mit der blonden Igelfrisur und Maaßen-Brille

Pääsin aika hyvin mukaan tähän 🤌🏼 alku oli hyvä , muutama coverikin sieltä löyty sekä yks klassikko Relax 3.5/5 Jep aika kiva albumi, covereita oli jep esim Fury :p 3.7/5

very pleasant surprise! i think my big criticism would be directed at the length; personally i feel that there are very very few hour long albums that earn it, and there's a handful of songs here that could be dropped and they wouldn't be missed, but otherwise color me impressed

Relax

Gøy at de har med andre kjente sanger, men er ikke like bra cover som orginalene

The 80s were weird, and so are parts of this album. Their singles were huge and still go hard. The opening tracks really hook you. (And set the scene for a concept album?). Wanders a bit in the middle, but comes home strong. Some unexpected echoes of Pink Floyd (Wish the Lads Were Here, The Ballad of 32), but oddly they don't seem out of place.

Album Nr. 16 Kultband der 80er. Das Album ist aber nicht ganz so top.

Not that I recall in the eighties. A mix of originals with a few covers thrown in.

Loved this in the 80s. Still great energy.

groovy album, interesting synthy sounds that i really like! Develops very well great balance of powerfull and funky high energy 4/5

Weird but enjoyable

80s synth pop masterpiece, got them Frankie hits

Wow. Unexpectedly loved that. So 80s, but so many bangers on it. Take out the middle section (Tag through to San Jose) and that is a phenomenal album that I've never come across or even thought would be nothing but shallow new wave. I'd obviously heard of Relax, Two Tribes, Power of Love before but by themselves they seem like novelty 80s songs. Put them together and pad them out with the rest of the selection here and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. 4*, only dragged down because of the middle section being weak

Really freaky that I saw the album art in All of Us Strangers. Enjoyed it a lot there’s definitely a lot of songs that are classic but overall i don’t know if I loved the whole album. No my vibe particularly but v cool

4.5

People don't seem to be aware these days just how much of "the talk of the town" this album was. Controversy aside, I was always fascinated by the music: from the sublime Trevor Horn production through the variety of music on display here. Fury on one side, a classic of Liverpool, and Born to Run on the other, an American car culture classic. And in between, hits such Relax and Two Tribes. Also worth noting is the album's sound quality, a rare reference in popular music where one could tune equipment to.

I forgot how great this album is!

Pleasantly surprised

honestly this is a fun ass album and the title track is amazing and the rest of it is just like. engaging... never know what's gonna happen on here... i like it

Just an excessive amount of 80's weirdness here, and I can't help but love it, especially Relax. The Born to Run cover was pretty unremarkable and unnecessary, though.

Great album, some classic songs and a really fun listen, great to learn about the origin of these and hear them in context

This is one strange album. I didn't hate it, though. Actually I kinda liked it. I maybe liked it a bunch. Lots of covers, which was surprising. Relax is great. Sorta sounds like a soundtrack to an 80s movie, and this album is VERY 80s.

This dude is horny AF, just contsant innuendos and then a bit half way where he talks about orgasms. Slightly full on for a Wedsnesay morning, but despite that I really enjoyed the hits that I knew and even some of the longers songs (13 mins+) kept my interest

I don't think I've ever delved in enough to FGTH but recently we watched an old 80s TOTP and watched their performance and holy shit it was intense! But in a very good way. The flashy lights how OTT. I can imagine at the time it felt futuristic and wild. And the iconic look was so good on stage. Had this in mind when I listened to this album and really loved it! Just punchy fun tune with a big sound

This was great. I've only ever heard the hits but this was epic and cool. I can here the influence of this on so many different things. Specifically one song which sounds very similar to one on the Pokemon album '2B a Master'.

Fire

A lot of fun

Pretty cool album, unabashedly 80s. Knew more than I thought I would ( relax and war). Enjoyed this album a bunch.

wait, there was more than just Relax? Huh! Club vibes.

I wasn't expecting back-to-back covers, enjoyed!

When I think about the 80s, if I was to put a soundtrack to it it’s probably sound something like this album. At times bombastic, other times cheesy and sentimental, it really encapsulates that 80s synth new wave dance pop beat. And I liked this album a whole lot more than I expected to. “Relax” is such a tune, so to hear it in the context of its album was a treat. A weird little album, with two random covers thrown in and some instrumentals and terrifying laughter on the title track. It was different, but it worked for me.

War, what is it good for, absolutely nothing Pleasant surprise, pensive

OK, I’ll admit it. In groaned when I found out this was my album. I knew it by reputation, the singles are all still huge in the UK, and it’s filled with a load of covers and mediocre album tracks, and when the first song came on it just confirmed my fears that the album was gonna be an overblown, badly produced, slab of overwrought 80’s synth. But then the title track came on. And I found myself engrossed. And I stayed that way for the rest of the album. The production problems really only exist in the intro, and yes It’s overwrought and overblown, but in a way that really works. There are less covers than I realised, and they’re all quite good, with Born To Run being a standout for the album as a whole. So yeah, I’m pleasantly surprised

Pure 80s heaven, how this album produced so many memorable songs is basically criminal.

I thought Frankie Goes To Hollywood was just three monster singles. They're all on this album, and are some of the highlights, but the rest stands up too and reads as a piece. The title track in particular is great. I thought the handful of popular covers was going to be a cop-out, but they're all given the Frankie treatment and the record makes no pretence of aiming to be anything other than a hit. A surprisingly excellent double album. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Relax Date listened: 24/10/23

Camp and amazing

I own the vinyl and also have an original import ZTT 12" of "Relax" which I bought before the video hit MTV. The album is rather uneven, in terms of musical styles and content. Damn near certain it was a rush job to capitalize on the strength of the big hits. That said, the sequence of "Relax", "War" and "Two Tribes" has to be one of the most slamming three song sequences on ANY record, period, and "The Power of Love" is a beautiful ballad. The DDD mastering really stood out for the timeframe as well, an unbelievably clear sounding record, extremely well produced. I loved the video for "Two Tribes", classic.

It was a good album. I need to add it to my collection someday.

Only dinging a star because the covers are weak. Otherwise, a party front to back.

Solid entry here. Sides A&B could've been a strong debut on their own. Side C gets into weird covers of songs not to be covered. But closes strong with 2 great album tracks. This record is fun, inventive, weird and remarkable.

I'm gonna get flamed... I thought this was GREAT! it was campy, funny, ridiculous, very over-the-top. The first two tracks sound like a massive joke. The closest thing I've heard to camp in music. This is not an ironic listen! I just had plenty of fun. I'm kind of embarrassed to say this. Was I born at the wrong time? Where are the clubs playing "Frankie Goes To Hollywood?" 4/5

We'll crafted music made with a sincerity that is rare in pop. Odd, but in a good way

8/10 really fun! there’s some great stuff here

Never thought it would be the case - but this record is mightily good. From ‘Relax’ to the Springsteen cover - which came as a mega welcome surprise - to the rest of most of this album - it is highly entertaining and well written. Maybe a couple to overlong songs and maybe the whole record could have done with a tiny bit of trimming but it’s a great one.

Shockingly great. The first few songs my thought process was really funny as well: Hey this sounds like the band that does that song 'relax'. Relax comes on. Oh, it is them. War starts playing and I think that song that goes war huh, what is it good for... Would fit so well in this vibe. Then the chant starts halfway through.... Oh damn. So I knew more of this band then I knew. Great discovery overall.

Aside from Prince Charles’ talking about orgasms, this was very enjoyable.

For an album with lots of covers and not my usual style, this worked for me

I enjoyed most of this.

Kinda love the idea of a band that only does epic buildups

Well ... this album is really more of a statement and the definition of a sound: that-Trevor-Horn-80's-sound was strong with this one. On here, not every track is a song, and not every song is great, but it was extremely influential in ushering in the sound theat would define so much of an entire decade. There are the obvious must-know hits like Relax, Two Tribes, The Power of Love or the title track. But also some of the lesser known tracks - like the covers of Born to Run and Do You Know the Way to San José or the instrumental The Ballad of 32 - are good music in their own right. Yes, there are some eybrowraising, headscratching interludes that will not go into any playlist that warrants repeated listening. But still, while a litte uneven, this record is definitively worth a listen. That, coupled with its significane in other areas, makes it a worthy addition to the list. 4/5

Varied, good songs, a good album and interesting too

The album grabbed me right of the bat. It opens with ambient elements, spoken word passages, and goes right into the spacious atmospheric title track. The beats are fantastic and driving and there is a great mix of analog and digital elements that are well balanced. The guitar work especially is great. Most of the covers are executed well, but the inclusion of San Jose is unusual. Overall, the album is quite good, but it definitely drags towards the middle and end. If a few songs were cut, these album would have easily been five starts. It is such a unique combination of synth pop, mainstream rock, and avant-garde that it is unfortunate that it is as bloated as it is.

3.9 Sides one and two are just 5/5 *chefs kiss*. Not convinced by some of the covers on this (esp born to run), there was way better songs they could have done but oh well Favourites: Two Twibes, Welcome to the Pleasuredome

Even though this isn't my style, I appreciated the lushness and intricacy of the music. Sounds very well-produced. Favorite song was probably the long one. Some cool songs, and a few songs that were a bit too cheesy and annoying.

I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I was familiar with Relax and War but it was the title track at 13mins that won me over. What an amazing pop track. Just the right amount of weird on this one to make for an excellent pop album. 4 stars

At first I thought it would be some wierd indie stuff. But then it turned into STRAIGHT DISCO! Loved

What a weekend banger !!!! We remember the controversy when Frankie broke into the charts. We first saw them on The Tube, which itself was controversial, and that was subsequently banned ! Brilliant !!!! I like Holly Johnson’s voice and enjoyed the covers but everything else on the album wasn’t up to the same standard as the famous tracks at the start. Still 4*

Good album. Not my jam, but really well done.

Oh dear - takes me right back - feeling old!

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Relax, War, The power of love

The singles are great and the covers are fun. Bit long? I was never bored.

I was fascinated by FGTH as a 9yo; they seemed very naughty and had a ubiquitous media presence - "cool" t-shirts, a weird video game and two raucous videos (Relax and Two Tribes) that hinted of worlds I knew nothing about. The singles were perfect, Holly Johnson's vocals just right for Trevor Horn's never better high-NRG production. This album didn't quite match up to that excitement, although the title track in particular is still great 40 years later. I don't mind the covers as much as others did at the time; indeed, War, Ferry Cross the Mersey and Born To Run (especially) are my go-to versions as they work better in these slightly sped-up and cheeky takes. The rest is not very good, and the single version of Two Tribes remains much better than the one on here. Regardless, a nostalgic 4 for one of the most entertaining bands of the '80s

Perhaps the most epicly insessential album in history. Relax and Two Tribes had already been released in multiple 12" mixes by the time this came out, and the album mixes are not the best ones. The Power of Love and Welcome to the Pleasuredome were both also monster singles, though the latter is here in its full 13 minute glory. So, beyond this it is thin indeed - a slew of inessential cover versions, the odd filler instrumental, and three okay album tracks tucked away on side 4. So, 5 stars for the singles, 3 for the rest, 2 for the covers - round up to 4.

The opening has me interested. Welcome To The Pleasure Dome is a cool song. Relax is a good single, dripping with 80s cheese and hedonism. The covers are wild. Cool album for sure.

80s Synth pop. I loved it.

This was an absolute blast. I had no idea of the covers they did on this.

The epic first song, the three hits singles, the fun Springsteen Cover, much to enjoy. And the camp and overtly gay image to be admired. Of course production by Trevor Horn is brilliant as ever. Buggles, FGTH, Art of Noise, Propaganda's Secret Wish, big hero.

They remind me of Talking Heads except not as new wave. Catchy tunes, "Relax" is just the cherry on top.

This was such a massive cultural record for it's time. New sounds, but moreso the suggestive themes that caused (mainly male) Brits to be quite uncomfortable. And for that alone, it gets too marks. Hahah Besides that, these are some really good tunes, earworms, chill vibes. Love it.

Pretty good! And nice to get something different after a string of rock and roll

2023/03/28 - very good!

4/5. Love this album

It took me 4 times to get this And the fact that I kept coming back for it already meant something It's good

4.25

Blessed right at the beginning with a 13 minuter

I'm finding that the more 80s music I'm listening to, the more I'm beginning to enjoy it. With that being said, this turned out to be a pretty great album. It's certainly very 80s, quite cheesy but not overly so. Not every song was really a hit for me, and it had its fair share of weirdness. The title track was much longer than it ought to be but I still think that was okay. Relax is still a bop, and Two Tribes was a surprisingly good one I'd not heard before. Overall this is okay for an 80s pop album! Favourite: Relax

Another one from the never listened batch! This was surprisingly enjoyable though

A diverse one, love that

The animals are winding me up The jungle call The jungle call Who-ha who-ha who-ha who-ha In Xanadu did Kublai Khan A pleasure dome erect Moving on keep moving on, yeah Moving at one million miles an hour Using my power I sell it by the hour I have it so I market it You really can't afford it, yeah Really can't afford it 4/5

This was actually pretty good. It was corny, being an entire concept album about love and incorporating religion, but it wasn't bad. I was scared since most of the double albums on this list go on for far too long, but this album actually was pretty varied and indulged in many different 80s sounds. This all being said, I probably won't listen to the album as a whole again (especially because some songs are dreadfully repetitive), but there were several songs that I'll hear every once in a while on my liked songs on Spotify. It was really weird to hear a fully 80s pop song be 13 minutes long, but I enjoyed it. This album brings a lot to the table, and does it pretty well. The thing that really irks me is "The Power of Love" which is a 5 minute song with no? verses and feels like only a repeating chorus which felt like it dragged on forever. Highlights: 2, 3, 5, 13.

Ik word heel vrolijk van het eerste deel van het album. De sound die ik via de radio van hen ken. Beetje een guilty pleasure. Typisch jaren '80 met een schone rol voor de synthesizer. Maar dan met wel een hele bak geluid. Daarna volgt een grapje en verdwijnt de muzikale handtekening van Frankie. 3.5 ster

Stand out tracks are great

Quality

It's good. It's proggier than you'd expect from 80s dance pop, at times to the point of being a bit pretentious. But when it bangs it bangs. It's probably 20 minutes too long though. Sam Jose could easily have been dropped!

Pretty decent but it all kind of blurs together. There’s a very consistent sound throughout the album (including the covers) so if you don’t like “Relax,” you probably won’t like the album. Dance music is my favourite genre so I enjoyed it for that, but I probably wouldn’t come back to any song other than “Relax” (which of course I already knew).

Pleasant surprise. Loved the flavor of some of the covers....

A true classic, and one of the defining albums of the mid/late 80’s sound and night club dance scene

Classic 80’s

A classic 👌

Didn't totally care for the spoken interludes, but this album is a vibe. Love the track transitions & overall flow

85/100: "Welcome To The Pleasuredome" stays on during sex. Joking aside, this was a shocker of an album. It felt like every song that fit in the category of "I've heard this before and loved it but never knew who sang it" was on this album. On top of that, there were many songs that I had never heard before but thoroughly enjoyed. I expected this album to be really shitty '80s synth pop. I'm ecstatic that I was as wrong as I was. I will listen to this album many more times in the future and think I'll probably buy it on vinyl too.

Ik vind het wel een lekker album. De bekende nummers staan er ook op! ****

Trevor Horn's production is at its peak, Frankie turn out a high divisive and political LP that's too confidently queer for the media... but so catchy they could never contain it. I only wonder how Frankie's first LP would've sounded without Horn's influence? They're a really bloody good band, it just sucks that the production shines over the musicianship.

I enjoyed the varied use of instruments and styles e.g electronic, orchestral sections. A well balanced album Would listen again

Great 80s disco vibe. Just needed more synth vibes

First half of the album was stellar, second half fell off a bit.

An album ahead of its time. It’s about “to thine own self be true”, positivity and a better future. Although it has an 80’s vibe, it is not dated. This is an album that I have never heard (other than what was on MTV or the radio), I’m glad I had the opportunity. These are the albums I am looking to find by participating.

wow, what fun, got a bit weird around born to run but such a nostalgic sound

Some great songs of their time.

mis a part le fait que toutes les chansons sont les mêmes j’ai bien aimé

Those cover songs we’re a bit cringey, but Relax was one of the first songs that I was aware of in the zeitgeist Of the MTV heydays. Love that.

Ended up quite liking this after not being sold on the first track. High energy with some proper good tracks all the way through.

Absers bangers. Can't think of a better band to come out of Liverpool

More like Loose Swingqueens

I had heard Relax many times before but didn't know anything about this band. Now I know. There are more great songs on this album.

Quite the song writer. I'm impressed. I really expected them to be a one hit wonder where everything else sucked. But these guys are good.

I was fourteen when this came out and was too cool listening to Pink Floyd in my Led Zeppelin t shirt to give it the time of day. Of course I knew some of the songs but listening to the album was a joy. Clubby, dancey and a pivotal statement in Gay culture. I love it!

A shockingly engaging album with various movements and genres well blended into a single album. I was impressed by the several famous singles and covers, and while some may describe the structure as messy sounding, it kept me interested from beginning to end.

A great album that seems to encompassing of everything 80. Synth pop, new wave, some prog rock esque sounds, a 15 minute song on the first half, couple of covers and sandwiched by two of the biggest 80s songs with Relax and Power of Love

Whilst I have kind of heard of Frankie Goes to Hollywood I didn't realise that the absolute classic "Relax" was by these guys! Welcome to the Pleasuredome is an amalgamation of what I think the 80s would've sounded like. Full of deep synths and electro dance pop goodness. Best: Relax; War Worst: Tag

Sweaty. Basically lots of different versions of Two Tribes (no bad thing!) and some utterly redundant cover versions which ruin the tone of the album and stretch it out too much.

You don’t just accidentally dictate the cultural zeitgeist for a year or so. And as is only totally sensible, everything about this record – a record that dominated the UK charts in its day, and was at least big enough in the US to be rewarded with a nod a decade later in Friends – feels highly considered. The part cabaret, part suite composition of the running order; the foreshadowing moments of motivic anticipation; the callbacks; the covers that offer such a thorough queering of their source material that they pull into focus how fabulous the entire enterprise of popular music has always been, will always be. None of it an accident, all of it meticulous in planning and execution. What Holly and the boys did to lift (at least some of) the world out of “Other Victorian” territory should be the focus of serious and rigorous academic study. Suffice it to say here, though: bangers in every sense of the word.

💥

Interesting

some things i love: the bass - great tone, and man, can that guy rip. the liverpool/merseyside stuff - totally a personal thing, but liverpool is definitely special in my world, so hearing that accent was awesome. the rest of the album was a great snapshot of pop music in 1984, for sure. also, the contemporaneous cover of Born To Run! never heard it before, but it totally rocks.

Muy chistoso, se ve que hubo buena producción, un sonido muy de su época. Pues me gustó en general, tiene variedad, aunque si tuve que dar un skip por ahi, mis favs fueron sobre todo las primeras canciones hasta Relax, don't do it,. Tararararartara, relax...

No sabía que "Relax" era de acá y me parece muy buen hit. Un disco con altibajos, aunque quizá rescate más lo bueno, porque no suena mal y de pronto se antoja como una chispa experimental, de repente parece entre Tears for Fears y Duran Duran. Creo que tiene es todo ese dramatismo, que yo he aducido como representativo de Queen. Otras canciones que me gustaron fueron "Two Tribes", "San Jose" y la cursi "The Power of Love". 7.5/10

Aesthetic

6

Uhhhh has relax on it Do be pretty groovy idk I liked

bastante chulo la verdad aunque es larguísimo además tiene la canción esa de Relax que es muy famosa está guapa

Welcome to the pleasuredome is echt een bop. RELAX ook . Eerste helft was echt goed. Album in totaal was wel iets te lang waardoor tweede helft minder boeide..

3,8 Waar is die pleasuredome en hoe geraak ik daar?! (ik wil gaan met men lads, where they@?) Album is een vibe, nummer van 13 minuten stoorde mij niet omdat het leuke sounds had. na het einde had ik wel het gevoel dat er paar nummers een beetje filler waren. Niet persé een album dat ik ooit nog volledig ga luisteren, maar ik ga wel zeker nog vaak een paar nummers luisteren! Relax en The power of love fatte bops!

Spooky vibe Jungle sounds lets goo Baby we were born too run - wat een schijf also is het deze waar Michel Wuyts aan dacht bij de finish van Van Aert bij de Amstel Gold Race?

Pleasantly surprised by the musicality in the album. Another deep dive from what i thought was a one-hit wonder reveals another solid artist.

Brilliant, singles like relax and the power of love are enough to make this thing timeless

Kinda sick actually. Very sexual, but some bangers in there nevertheless

Crazy album. A 13-minute epic right at the beginning, a couple of covers I wasn't expecting ("War" and "Born To Run"). End of the album was a bit weak, but otherwise a fun album.

Love this album

It's definitely a more advanced pop album when compared to the rest of the 80's

A pretty good album with disco-style calm songs.

Loved this album....great memories Relax & Enjoy!!

4/5 That album was mostly good!

Groooooovy. RELAX

Some pretty darn good tunes.

didn't realise the title track was sooooo long...

this was actually very great, very very 80s, very cheesy, very talented and very varied

Definitely one of the better pop-funk-disco albums of the 80s.

Wish I could give it a 3.5. At times unique, at times an 80s kid’s wet dream.

Really good album! I really like "Relax" from my entrance into new wave. The entire album's vibe really resonated today. I enjoyed the covers as well. Solid 4 stars!