Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti performed at my nan's 70th birthday party. They hopped on stage and began sucking eachother's dicks like their lives depended on it. My nan couldn't mask her disgust and stormed out. The rest of us enjoyed the rest of the show and later ate sausage rolls and had chats about our latest diets and the podcasts we were currently enjoying. Nan was found dead, hanging from a tree in the woods outside. The funeral was a sad occasion and we all consoled ourselves by hiring Scritti Politti to perform, where they proceeded to suck eachother off once again, this time on top.of her stupid coffin.

Three words will make my blood run cold now: 80s British pop. Getting that out of the way, I don’t really understand why I needed to hear this before I slip the mortal coil. I’m happy for Mr. Gartside’s success in the 80s, but this is just like Wham! without George Michael. It was fine at the time, but feels redundant in this small list of albums to hear before I hear no more.

Pretty good mid-80's fare. It's not bad to listen to, but every track is just the same template. They had the one hit, but didn't do anything to standout from all the other similar bands of the time.

This is a mistake, right? There are a total of four reviews for this thing (3 one star reviews and one generous 2). Was there suddenly a massive revisionist history on this album that suggested it suddenly and immediately get added to the list? I'll give it this much: Perfect Way is a pleasant little pop song. For 1985. And one that '80's stations can't even bother to dust off now and then. Everything else sounds like it soundtracks an awful '80's movie like Zapped or Short Circuit.

10/10 I want Patrick Bateman to mansplain this album to me

4.1 - Around the 2010's I was listening to lots of bands like Oneohtrix Point Never, Com Truise, Haim... that incorporated 1980's synth sounds. To me, this Scritti Politti record, which I'd never heard before, surpasses most of that 80's revivalism, providing the very source material for its imitators. All of the tricks and tropes are on here, and SP weave this smattering of elements artfully. It's an impressive album-length timepiece of swirly and colorful bubble gum.

I will admit upfront, I am quite fond of Scritti Politti by way of osmosis - my neighbour had their pictures on the wall. cut from Smash Hits, and they were fairly regular contributors to my beloved Now! compilations and similar. To those who think this sounds dated and cheesy, I can assure you it sounded that way *at the time*! I think Green et al. deliberately took the '80s sound to its extreme, creating a fey vocal and production style that made contemporary Prefab Sprout sound like Motorhead in comparison. They had quite a varied history - starting out quirkier and more abrasive than fellow post-punkers like Gang of Four and Wire (yes, really), then turning to pop (original version of Madness' "Sweetest Girl", followed by two uber-shiny hit albums including this one) and later working with Shabba Ranks and Mos Def (yes, really!). I doubt Provision is on this list, but from it you should check out "Oh, Patti", the apotheosis of this sound also featuring Miles Davis (again, yes really!). Love it or hate it, you have to admit that at least "Perfect Way" and "Wood Beez" are great pop tunes (the latter produced by the arranger of the original Aretha number referenced; once again: yes, really!). Maybe Dirty Projectors are the closest modern equivalent, similarly skilled in pop music and production style from a warmly-academic perspective. Generous 4, loved hearing it again

Ok. Depeche Mode this is not. OMD this is not. Tears for Fears this is not. There are probably countless examples of bands of this era that are more notable for their use of sequencers and electronics. Here's why I think this album is notable, or even stretching to important, to merit this being on the list. 2 reasons really, and it's a double edged sword for both. 1. Extensive use of sampling, and to a lesser degree MIDI, both of which were in its advent years in 83-85. Sampling at this time was still 8-bit and not very complex or deep, so it would have been amazing to repeat a sample on demand, but much better sampling technology was still to come. 2. This is all before fully digital recording was mainstream, so despite not sounding "sterile", it also was the harbinger of an "overprocessed" sound that was so prevalent in the late 80's (nu shooz, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Stacey Q, etc.) Two examples of albums that transcend this are probably Depeche's Music For the Masses and Pet Shop Boys' Please, which would be released in the next 2 years. Musically, Lyrically, it's good, solid stuff. It's quirky, and a little funky in a brit, bubblegum pop kind of way. It's just buried in technology. I did buy the album at the time, but just didn't appeal to me in the long run and got rid of it. Most of the tunes are good with catchy hooks (Wood Beez remains my favorite along with the single mix of Perfect Way, but Absolute gets some new appreciation this time around), but some are not (Hypnotize and Small Talk, I'm looking at you).

This guy listened to his contemporaries, learned all the wrong lessons, and then tried to copy them

Immediate though on opening baseline, “God, bands fucking loved the “reggae” demo on their Casio keyboards in the 80’s.” Track one: I hate this so far. Absolute: WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING, IS THIS A JOKE?? Might have to stop listening to this one. Fuck I hate this. Perfect way: okay, I can see why this is their popular song from this album, but I don’t really love it personally. I can just recognize the hallmarks of a “good” song in it 🤷🏻‍♂️ The very next song: WHAT IS THIS BABY VOICE??? God I hated this so much. I hope I never hear it again.

The Word Girl- 4.7/5 Small Talk- 4.8/5 Absolute- 3.8/5 A Little Knowledge- 5/5 Don't Work That Hard- 5/5 Perfect Way- 5/5 Lover to Fall- 4.8/5 Wood Beez- 4.6/5 Hypnotize- 4.9/5 Total- 4.7/5

This may be brilliant, yet despite listening to it more times than I cared to count today, I need more time to understand if it is! Three songs already pierce: The Word Girl, Absolute and Wood Beez. Am reminded of Kraftwerk in that the striking presentation appears to be entirely at the service of an intimate worldview, like Scritti Politti could not say what they are saying any other way. That this is clearly the product of modish studios pumped to their most modish is, incredibly, irrelevant: it’s like the studio form was waiting for the perfect content, and that content turned out to be Scritti Politti.

80s in all the clichéd ways possible. Tropes galore. Not bad but definitely a personal pass.

So Top of the Pops. Can vividly imagine Steve Wright or Simon Mayo introducing them.

3 - Michael Jackson is that you? Thought it had some great beats. Very repetitive though, so glad i managed to get through it in one sitting.

Aw hell nah miss me with that 80s bullshit.

Sounds like a camp Michael Jackson, without the noncing...probably...maybe not.

I'm pretty sure Green Gartside pilfered this album on a multiversal music heist where he stole it wholesale from a dimension where Prince has no charisma.

If Wham! are a bit too hardcore for you, this will be right up your street

there are certain points in your life where your behavior goes to far that you actually see yourself from the outside, as others see you. as a fan of 80s music listening to Scritti Politti, this is one of those moments. is this what it sounds like when i'm getting deep into Prince and Cyndi Lauper?

I infuriates me that something so unlistenable in this day warrants consideration as a 'must listen' album. I have to wonder if the authors got to 900 albums and just added 101 UK pop albums they remember from their isolated childhood where they didn't get to go outside and play because they were locked in the basement with nothing but pop radio playing. 1/5.

cool

Masterpiece!

Favourite songs: Absolute, The Word Girl, Hypnotize, Perfect Way, Small Talk, Wood Beez, Don't Work That Hard, Lover to Fall Least favourite songs: A Little Knowledge 5/5

When I read the name I thought I would enjoy it a lot less than I did. After reading who they'd worked with I thought I'd enjoy it a lot more than I did. Overall pretty good lol

Groovy pop

The most 80s album imaginable. Parody isn’t quite the right word, maybe hyperpop? I like the way Green takes on male and female roles, singing duets with himself. He’s a bit of a smarty pants, all the references to Derrida and Lacan, and I like that as well.

Ces gars-là enchaînent les michaeljacksonneries sans aucun complexe et qui peut leur en vouloir ? Eltrapeze ?

4/5 the weeknd com michael jackson e notas de depeche mode

Almost painfully 80's. I liked it.

Oddly enough I actually enjoyed this one. Very typical 80s sound by the book. Interesting mix of sounds on this one.

Sounds like Michael Jackson. Not so bad, always nice to hear such a music at home.

What a strange brew. Equal parts synth-pop and rock leaning. This is one of those albums that I had no idea what it was going to be. What I walked away with was an utter surprise. I really enjoyed this weird ass music.

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. 80s synth-pop at its finest

I only know Scritti Politti from Rhodri Marsden on twitter, and he wasn't in the band when this album was written and recorded. If he was, I'm sure the lyrics would have included many witty observations of Christmas sleeping arrangements and tips on fatherhood. I only knew Green Gartside from 'Between the Clock and the Bed', and I like his voice here as much as I do on that record. It is GG's voice and the high quality production that is most striking about this art pop album. It really elevates the fairly average song writing, creating a instantly recognisable, unique and luxurious sound. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Perfect Way Date listened: 01/07/23

Koffor har eg aldri hørt på detta, da va jo jævlig cheesy og bra. Nesten på høyde med Modern Talking

Catchy tunes. Nice new find. I went on to listen to their entire catalog.

This is about as 80's bubblegum pop as I can imagine, which makes it simultaneously disgusting and irresistable.

new-to-me and I like it (4)

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: The world girl, Absolute, Small talk, Don’t work that hard

Cool

A vibrant and industrial-heavy bubblegum synth-pop band, with a very clean 80s sound that has synths overpowering everything else. It's a very busy atmospheric album with a lovely bright mood, hearing contemporary influences like Human League, MJ, and UB40. Seriously, the sound is so busy, there are at least half a dozen different synths at play all working together. Good stuff, enjoyed it all with several stand-outs.

Upon the first seconds of Cupid & Psyche '85, one can imagine the sense of dread that's bound to await them. A canned goods sounding reggae beat punctuating its first impression upon the senses is not a good way to start things. Eventually though, that changes and Scritti Politti mark their ascent from Marxist inspired punks to admirable poachers of the Paisley Park aesthetic. Cupid & Psyche '85 is the sounds of a band arriving at the right place at the right time in regards to how they want to approach things and they make you want more by the time it ends. At least that's how I felt when Hypnotize ended near the frozen section at Whole Foods. Favorites: Small Talk, Absolute, A Little Knowledge, Don't Work to Hard, Perfect Way, Wood Beez, Hypnotize.

Mental

This is a group whose name I have always had a laugh at but whose tunes I've never knowingly heard. I didn't even know they were British. These vibes were immaculate - halfway through I found myself thinking of "I Feel For You" by Chaka Kahn and then wiki tells me this dude worked with her eventually. DIY post punk guy gets sick of indie pretentiousness and admits that he loves pop music, reggae, and American dance music. The drums are snappy, the synths are going off, the singing is 80s boy falsetto - it's sweet and glittery like a bowl full of gumdrops. I feel like I can hear a lot of Scritti Politti influence in some modern alternative bands (Tame Impala, mostly)

Has a catchy synth-y 80's vibe. Voice reminds me of a young Michael Jackson. Spunky.

Was surprised by this one - had strong Off the Wall/Thriller vibes to the beats. Could see myself putting this on again.

They have a pretty cool, quintessential 80’s sound. The songs started to sound the same after a while.

"Cupid & Pysche 85" is the second album by British pop band Scritti Politti. Lead singer and musician Green Gartside took the music in a commercial pop direction with more state-of-the-art production. Because of this, he was only member from their first album to remain. Other newer members included David Gamson (keyboards) and Fred Maher (drums and electric drums). Gartside added both of these guys as the album began recording in New York. The lyrical themes address issues of language and politics. Commercially, the album did very well in the UK hitting #5 with three singles reaching the UK top 20. It also received generally positive reviews. "The World Girl" opens the album with a reggae beat. Wow, Gartside does have a high-pitched voice. The melody is keyboard-driven and very much pop. Easy, soft and light in a good way. "Absolute" gets a dance beat going..very 80's. A prevalent bass sound. Cascading keyboard. The keyboards keep driving the melody in their big one "Perfect Way." It struck me during that Gartside is trying to capture a 80's pop R&B sound in a Prince sort of way. And, he doing a pretty good job. A pop dance beat, catchy chorus, horn sounds and we get a keyboard jam. " He has the perfect way to make the girls go crazy." "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" starts a little harder with a deep bass and heavy electronic drums. R&B guitar slashes. The album closer "Hypnotize" keeps the horns going. Weird beats and bass noises. This has a groove. Great backing vocals by B.J. Nelson I guarantee in 1985 at 17, I would not have given this album the time of day. It is very pop and maybe besides one song not an edge to anything. Fast-forward 38 years later and I actually appreciated the pop they were trying to make and they did it at a high level being very well produced. The music absolutely captures the 80's pop sound. This a very good album to go back to and hear some well-made pop-dance songs.

Very interesting. 4+/5

Really wasn’t expecting to really like this album. So ridiculously 80s it’s near on perfect. Well produced and sounds sonically good. Synth pop at its best. Another way to look at this is if Savage Garden were in the 80s.

Tipo reggae-pop. Muy ochentero. En momentos me recuerda vagamente a Michael Jackson y/o Rick Astley

Pretty nice album, enjoyed it

Scritti Politti a name I haven't heard (or thought about) for a long time. I can't recall any emotions associated with this band and listening to this album confirmed that. It's alright, not bad but also not great or original. Most of the tracks are pleasant to listen to and a sizable part of the purpose of music is that it is pleasant to listen to. I have added this to my favorites so it deserves 4 stars. I must be getting soft in my old age, no that's not it still absolutely loath Johnny Rotten so this album has probably always been alright. That's all I am going to say about music today now get off my lawn.

Really enjoyed the two listens. Nothing ground breaking, but I enjoyed the straight ahead pop and funky bass lines. 4/5!

I liked this album. It’s a bit samey, but the songs are catchy and bright. I’ve had Wood Beez stuck in my head all damn day and night!

Pleasant surprise....easy listening

Cet album mettait en scène un Michael Jackson encore plus pâle qu'à son habitude, presque transparent. Et pour cause, après quelques chansons, le visage de Michael finira par se déchirer, laissant entrevoir la mine dépourvue de Scritti Politti. Une belle tentative d'escroquerie, mais le déguisement de Scritti n'aura pas tenu les 40mn d'album.

The album's title is a reference to the classical Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, and the themes of love and desire are explored throughout the album's ten tracks. The production on this album is fresh, with lush, intricate arrangements that showcase the band's technical skill. The album's standout tracks include "Perfect Way," which was a massive hit and remains one of the band's most beloved songs. This upbeat, funky track is characterized by its catchy chorus, infectious melody, and clever lyrics. "The Word Girl" is another standout track, featuring one of the better vocal performances by lead singer Green Gartside and a driving rhythm section that propels the song forward. Other standout tracks on the album include "Absolute," which features a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere and a good vocal performance by Gartside, and "Hypnotize," which has a hypnotic, trance-like quality. One negative about the album is how Scritti Politti sometimes fail to showcase the knack for creating innovative and unique sounds. They do the more basic stuff well though, and it’s not a bad listen.

Listened Before? N Pretty standard 80's pop stuff here. Enjoyable enough but really not much special IMO. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Perfect Way

Check out Miles Davis’s cover of Perfect Way.

Awww, I was into them early 80's (I bought Songs to Remember and Wood Beez). This takes me back but I realise a lot of people will hate it as 80's pop. Good solid tunes but nothing special I guess.

Sounds like band called Scritti Politti. 3 stars.

Felt like I was stuck in an 80s family comedy soundtrack. Can't decide whether that was good or not

Not my cup of tea

Incredibly polished mid 80s studio produced commercial pop. Could only have been made in studios of the mid 1980s. Slick, upbeat, vocals a little under mixed. Not as lovely as Prefab Sprout or x-factor as Culture Club. I couldn’t make out the lyrics, so will listen again - as I gather they’re clever. Sound is so 80’s!!

Yeah. It was alright. I had a Scritti Politti take in my collection as a teenager and every now and then I'd fish it out and be pleasantly surprised that it wasn't a shit as I'd thought. This time, thinking it was going to be a pleasant surprise, it was not all that. 3.5 stars.

Atlanta night 1: I didn’t write this review right after I listened to it so it’s already pretty hazy after a full day of exploring but I remember that it had really lame simplistic production that worked sometimes and not at all in other tracks while the vocals were solid throughout. Pretty average britpop.

Most of this album did not do much for me but not terrible

I remember when this album came out, there was a kid at school (whose name escapes me now) who was particularly evangelical about synth pop in general and Scritti Politti in particular when this album came out. I don't think he was aware of their past as a Marxist agit-prop, post-punk collective. And in all fairness, there isn't much about this very expensive production that would suggest such a past. The singles certainly caught my attention at the time, influenced by his proselytizing, This album is probably the pinnacle of 80s synth pop. Sophisticated, polished, intricate, smooth, light. Robert Christgau wrote that "the high-relief production and birdlike tunes and spry little keyb arrangements and hippety-hoppety beat and archly ethereal falsetto add up to a music of amazing lightness and wit that's saved from any hint of triviality by wordplay whose delight in its own turns is hard to resist." I'm not sure that I am taken with the lyrics; they're clever, but I feel like Green Gartside is a bit in love with his own cleverness. Generally, I find his approach a bit narcissistic, which makes the album hard to love. Although, Miles Davis was a fan, and covered Perfect Way on his Tutu album. I love the singles, notably Wood Beez and Perfect Way, but a whole album is like eating a 10kg bag of fairy floss. Light and fun for the first few handfuls, but sweet to the point of nauseating over the space of a whole album. I own a couple of Scritti Politti albums (including this one), which I never spin all the way through. I should ditch the LPs, and invest in copies of the singles instead. That would work better.

I was a fan. Really liked Green’s voice. And this album contains 3 of my favourite SP trax. Wood Beez(Pray Like Aretha Franklin) & The Word Girl still sound so fresh & Absolute is not far behind . I have the Word Girl 12” single featuring Ranking Ann, which is outstanding. It’s great that the album was co- produced by Atlantic Records legend, Arif Mardin, who worked on Aretha’s I Never Loved A Man etc. album. The production is great. I don’t think the band ever made it to Australia, but, ironically, Fred Maher, the drummer on this album & guitarist Robert Quine, who also appears on it, both toured Australia six months before this album was released, in January 1985 as part of Lou Reed’s touring band. I saw Reed at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre on that tour & definitely remember Quine’s bald pate on stage. Great guitarist.

The type of band you’re supposed to like, but I wonder how many actually listened to this album more than once or twice, though enjoyed having the cd cassette or album prominently on display - all the while listening to Fleetwood Mac, Duran Duran, Born to be alive, the eagles, pink Floyd, yes, ELP, etc and other horrid dreck, or mega selling crowd pleasers. not bad at all, but there’s a reason it’s more of a cult classic. Perfect way was good actually.

Not bad but, as far as 80s synth pop goes, this is far from the best I’ve heard Favourite tracks: The Word Girl, Hypnotize

This sounds like you asked chatGPT to generate an androgynous 80s pop album. Almost comes across like a parody at certain points.

A very 80s sound. I knew the song Perfect Way, but that was it. It is heavy on the drums and I like the beats. Singing was eh….. Still I did enjoy the listen… Standout: Perfect Way 3/5

Decent album but ultimate uneventful

Typical 80s album, a bit of a Prince and MJ rip off.

The couple of hits on this record are interesting tunes... this was pretty early club music i.e. something you wouldn't really hear on the radio with any real frequency, but you'd hear when you went out. Definitely also a bit of a mishmash with a few different elements -- funky, electronic, a bit of a reggae feel here and there. I would say it's aged somewhat poorly, as it isn't nearly as complex as music became.

This is a great pop album. The '85 in the title is perfect. It sounds exactly how a record made in 1985 should. The production is sharp and sweet. The songwriting isn't always there, but it feels like an album, and not some random songs put together.

Solid 80s synth pop. The album builds nicely toward Perfect Way but can’t maintain that peak. Enjoyable but odd.

Surely a hidden gem for me. This late summer day in the city was a perfect fit for this kind of pop. Love the production and there are some real good tunes on here as well. Maybe a little uneven. Yeah, it's pretty uneven unfortunately.

Gostei, me surpreendeu.

Good background music

Okeyish

I have an ice-cream headache.

This must be where Bill Wurtz found inspiration.

Very 80s, but enjoyable

Fun synths, started strong, tailed off in the middle, got a bit ridiculous at the end.

50/50 nostalgía og innumannaðútumhitt

Forgot I was listening to it

An interesting period piece but the sound is very, very dated. A fair bit of it also kind of all sounds the same.

Treball fora del seu temps. Enrevesat, creatiu, amb un so que sí se situa a la década que l'origina però amb unes composicions que no poden estar més allunyades del synth pop comercial o del hair metal en auge que triomfaven l'any 1985. No és l'èxit monumental de la música en el qual alguns l'han volgut convertir, però sí un disc que mereix ser recordat i disfrutat cada cert temps. Cada escolta donarà una nova capa d'enteniment al seu contingut

I liked it but nothing really stood out too much.

good but didn't listen to properly

Solid

This was the cheesiest, of-it’s-time 80’s album I’ve ever heard. I kind of liked it.

Started strong, didn't get much better. It was alright

ooh, little calypso beat. This sound is so nostalgic. Lol, this sounds like "These Lumps" I like some 80s syths but wow those are not in balance.

80's pop, a little on the soft/mellow side

Meh. Seems very typical of a mediocre 80’s band.