Reviews (page 3 of 9)
Not my thing
Decent.
Disco, so let's go. I was there and never heard this album. Apparently, it was big in the UK and Finland. Good on 'em.
Pure new-romanticism! I thought the orchestration was great and I love a Jupiter 8 synth. The look of Love was a high note. Coincidently I’ve met Martin Fry a few times. He’s a nice guy!
Belter of an album, what a way to start and the funky base lines, snappy drums and synth orchestration never let up. 80’s pop perfection. 4.6
I'm always going to be interested in a record that Steven Wilson has been involved in. This was great. Full of earworms and great musicianship too.
Kind of exactly what I expected from an early 80s pop band. Nothing I dislike or think is bad but nothing that impress me either overall. I feel like the genre has evolved on from this in a good way the last 40 years. Some classic songs live on though as the hits they are and The Look Of Love - Pt. 1 is one of those songs for me. I had no idea this was the band that made that song and I was pleasantly surprised to see and hear it on this album.
Not for me.
Catchy but not enough to go back to. Neutral.
oh god. funky as hell. unfortunately this is entirely my thing. I love disco! What can I say!
Eki
Another new wave band that I think I know their songs, but not their name. A bit dramatic for my taste, but it worked.
Jeg vet ikke ass. Egentlig liker jeg New Romantic synthpop. Vokalisten minner litt om Matt Johnson fra The The, og de står hele tiden på randen av å bryte inn i Sophisti-Pop (som jeg elsker), men produksjon er for frempå og punchy. Å kalle det generisk i 1982 er kanskje ikke helt rettferdig, men idag kan de ikke leve på lydbildet alene, som jeg mener er gjort bedre av andre. Da kommer det ned til låtene. Hvilke låter? Jeg kan ikke huske forrige låta så fort den neste begynner å spille.
Jeg er stor fan av Duran Duran og ABC byr jo på visse likheter. Men om Duran Duran er A-laget så føles ABC litt som B-laget. Der Duran Duran oftere vender mot rocken så vender ABC oftere mot pop og disco. Det er interessant å høre hvordan det kan låte i de ulike retningene. ABC disker opp med flere låter jeg gjerne slenger inn i listene mine «Tears Are Not Enough», «Show Me» og «Date Stamp». I utgangspunktet koser jeg meg, men det virker som ABC gikk tom for låter fra og med «All of My Heart», og da begynner bandet å låte som et C-lag.
Det er noe flaut ved den musikken her. Det er så funky, men det svinger såå lite
Typical 80s Brit pop.
A flawless record that I play frequently! It spans so many styles that Wikipedia lists it under 9 genres. #johnsvinyl
Bland, to be honest. Not offensive, the big hits were quite fun to hear, but it's just boring. His voice is pretty decent, but I can't think of a single time I thought 'what's going on here then?'. That is both a good and a bad thing, but I think you need at least 'what's going on here then?' per album realistically.
Show Me - 5/5 Poison Arrow - 3/5 Many Happy Returns - 4/5 Tears Are Not Enough - 5/5 Valentine's Day - 4/5 The Look of Love (Part One) - 5/5 Date Stamp - 4/5 All of My Heart - 3/5 4 Ever 2 Gether - 4/5 The Look of Love (Part Four) - no rating Average score: 4.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not bad.
The Look of Love is a cool song
This 80s Pop needs to stay in the 80s
Some boppers and mostly quite good fun! Poison Arrow, look of love the two pics
Wack. There's literally nothing to love about this...
Generic 80s pop
I am the target audience for this
Very eighties, really very eighties Didn't know anything except for "The Look Of Love, Pt.1". A nice - yes also here really eighties - song. The rest actually is very nice although it is terribly eighties.
7,7/10
Light, bouncy neon pop. I'm a sucker for good pop music and this fits the bill just fine for me. Slick production and an energetic pace throughout the album makes the experience brief, which helps excuse the excessive use of snyth and drum machines, which do wear out their welcome pretty quickly. (3.5/5), and I'm rounding up because it's such a good example of that era's music. You can point to it and say, "This is what early 80's pop sounded like," and still enjoy it on its merits.
Okay, so I haven't read the book, but this album really made me start to question the process by which these albums are chosen. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this, and would even make the case that (being born in 1975) 80s pop hilds a special place in my soul. But even within its specific genre and being held amongst its contemporaries, this album, and indeed, ABC as a whole, is laughable at its worst and forgettable at its best. It offers nothing that I hadn't heard its prdecessors offer, and moves no needles. It's sorta fun, sorta bubbly, and no doubt funded a cocaine habit or twelve, but in the end, I'd never heard it before today and will be happy to pretend the same tomorrow. it's a 2.5/5 that I don't feel generous enough to round up.
"(Let's dance) To the song they're playing on the radio" Variety: 2 Adequacy: 4 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 3 = 2.8 rounded up to a 3 INTRO I expect amongst my group that I have a bit of a higher tolerance for some of the campier 80s pop and new wave material, and that assumption is about to be challenged I guess. ABC is not a band that was ever on my radar growing up, and never remember hearing it on the radio. I came to it fairly recently with via satellite radio and only really through the hits. While catchy enough to sing a long to, I have yet to be driven to seek the full album out. Let's see how wrong I was to wait. THE TRACKS "Show Me" - Nothing like getting slapped in the face by a bit of disco at 7:30 AM. And I've heard this one. Bracing as it is, what immediately stands out is the catchy mix of that disco feel with the shamelessly emotional vocals I've come to expect from the likes of Kajagoogoo or Dead or Alive or other early 80s UK dance pop acts. Instrumentally I'm picking up some Duran Duran, vocally this is more lounge lizardy Bryan Ferry. "Poison Arrow" - This is the one I've heard the most and imagine must have been the biggest hit. Bass and drums are the star here, but this is some overall well-crafted dance pop. Having noticed that David Bowie had a very heavy influence on a whole generation of male UK vocalists, I can say this one is no different. "Many Happy Returns" - Bit more basic here, and a slow down but that bass is tying it all together so far. Not a fan of the falsetto-led breakdown just past the middle section. "Tears Are Not Enough" - This is more my speed. They've turned up the funk about 60% or so here. And dig that guitar scratch. We almost got ourselves a roller skate jam! Remove the vocals and this doesn't sound a million miles away from something that Talking Heads would have been playing like a year later. Very least could have been a Tom Tom Club deep cut. Can you hear it? "Valentine's Day" - Slight step down here, but still full of hooks and keeps the funky groove up. "The Look of Love" (part one) - Another radio hit for these guys, and I think the most obvious entry point for anyone coming to this group fresh. Damn the hooks are on display aren't they? Catchy as all get out, and my favorite vocals of the album so far. Looked it up and not only was Fry a HUGE Bowie fan, apparently the man himself visited the studio and hung around with the band while they recorded this one, even offering some advice. "Date Stamp" - No real change of pace here, but an interesting dynamic with the female vocalist offering a counterpoint to Fry's domination of the proceedings. Can't say it works completely though. This one doesn't hit for me though like all the rest. Also the cash register sound effects.... ugh. "All of My Heart" - Another one I've heard. We're firmly in Avalon-era Roxy Music territory here. Possibly the slickest, most mainstream sounding of anything I've heard yet. Dark horse track of the album for me. Not as flashy or bombastic as the other big ones, but possible better crafted. "4 Ever 2 Gether" - Lacks the fun dance vibes of what's come before, and poorer for it. Possibly the most unmemorable track so far. The drum breakdown by far the best thing about it. Prefer Fry when he doesn't sound so exasperated. "The Look of Love" (part four) - Ok, but why remind us now that there were much better songs earlier on? Useless appendage here, and not worthy of inclusion as an actual track in my opinion. HIGHLIGHTS - "Show Me" - "Poison Arrow" - "Tears Are Not Enough" - "The Look of Love" - "All of My Heart" LOWLIGHTS - "Many Happy Returns" - "Date Stamp" - "4 Ever 2 Gether" - "The Look of Love" (part four) FINAL THOUGHTS This leaned way further into the funk and dance sounds than I expected, and was surprised at how, well not restrained... but maybe appropriately unrestrained the vocals were? I think this type of musical gesture requires something big, and Martin Fry proves up for the job. I would solidly recommend this to fans of Let's Dance-era Bowie or latter day Roxy Music and David Ferry solo stuff. I'd slot this into the "Sophisti-pop" label for sure. An acquired taste, to be sure. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Drop the four lowlights, and add in some Bowie, Roxy Music, and the like and just put it on shuffle.
New listen and going in blind. Never heard of ABC before. Bombastic opening track, that really has big Phantom of the Opera energy. As the album proceeds from there I can tell they are going for over the top self-importance. A certain Broadway presentation. However, as I reached the track, “Tears are Not Enough” it started to get me laughing. It was difficult to take it seriously. Yes, this is how part of the 1980s sounded! That said, I can appreciate indulgent spectacle, even this one, and found myself enjoying stretches of this album. Maybe stretches is too generous. When I forgot myself I enjoyed fragments of this album. Everything has a very disco sound meeting the 80s on top of a synthesizer. As a child of the 80s the synth-pop will always feel familiar though I never developed a deep love for it.
Something I think I've said before in an album review: I really respond to authenticity and artistic intent. So even though on paper this should have been absolute torture for me, I was actually sold by the group's sincerity. This is so goddamn goofy, and they put 100% of their whole pussy into it, and good for them.
Very fun
I feel like I'm cruising through Vice City listening to this. As a whole its not on the level of Rio but the singles are classic 80s pop and the deep cuts are enjoyable.
uhh
La producción es muy de la época pero suena limpio y bien grabado. Las canciones están bien y hay música en ellas. Sin embargo, no es mi estilo y me causa cansancio a la tercera o cuarta canción.
No ocnocía, lindo ritmo. Buen disco
This is a "best in class" album -- not really groundbreaking, but an exemplar of a particular type of music. That type I think is the so-called "new romantic" -- 80s pop that wanted to keep the best elements of yacht rock and disco while embracing synths and the big drama of 80s music. This album succeeds on all those fronts, and most of the songs are solid, but I find this to be a genre with a ceiling. Even though it's well-executed, I don't think it's worth another listen.
I quite liked this one. It had like a proto pop punk sound but with swing and jazz mixed in. It reminded me a little of Panic! or a band that I listen to called Saint Motel. Considering this is much earlier it's got a great sound and it has aged very well for 80s music. This will get some plays from me.
Maybe remove the vocals and make it instrumental only.
Computer, make me the most generic sounding 80's pop album.
That's funky 80s pop mit with some soul. Everybody knows "The Look of Love", but there are cool other tunes as well.
Most 80s music is good... some is not
kind of like discount Bowie. i mean this as a compliment mostly
LAME. DERIVATIVE.
Full on bombastic 80s baroque pop. No I ain’t giving it that middling rating, it’s too much like fun for that 4 Star
If you made a bell curve of the albums on this list, it would skew so heavily to 70s/80s it's not even funny. We need to inject some millenial/genZ influence on this boomer list. This is dated, VERY 80s, and not a standout at all. 1* out of spite for having to listen to so much filler garbage.
Felt like I was in my own personal John Hughes movie.
Iconic. A unique voice.
80s new wave greatness
Very pleasantly surprised by this. Much much better than the new romantic twaddle I expected. Well performed songs with good lyrics. The really annoying thing is I find myself trying to justify giving it less tan a 4. But I can't.
This is in the conversation for being one of my favourite albums from when I was literally a child. When all the other cool kids were big into Duran Duran or Human League, I preferred my slice of 80’s pop in this horn filled groove-a-thon. Big songs, big arrangements, big croons, shiny gold suits, crystal clear heart felt lyrics and story telling. What’s not to love? And they never hit the heights of this album in anything else they ever did. But it’s a big part of the soundtrack to my life, and I love it more because it’s literally like nothing else that I can say that about.
I was so late to the party with this. I only began to listen to this in 2024, as we decided to go and see this performed life with a full orchestra. The three main singles have always been a good thing to hear on the radio, and always had a soft spot for 'All of my Heart'. After the gig I hunted down a copy of this album and it gets regular play. There was something about 80's pop I never liked at the time, but when you see the level of skill these musicians had, and the crappy shit which followed, such as the boy bands in the 1990's, you realise just how talented bands like ABC and Duran Duran actually were.
I'm a sucker for anything in the new wave late 70s/early 80s English context, but not this. Too many pianos and piano-sounding keyboards.
Not my favorite kind of music but not too bad for what it is.
Le nom du groupe me disait quelque chose, effectivement j'ai reconnu quelques tubes que j'avais entendu à la radio à l'époque (en particulier 'Poison Arrow') mais sans vraiment les apprécier. Point remarquable : les lignes de basse sont très travaillées (+1). Mais je n'ai pas vraiment accroché à l'ambiance très (trop) disco de l'accompagnement, n'étant pas fan du genre. Je ne suis donc pas sur d'avoir envie de l'écouter de nouveau. =>2/5
crooning British new wave. "Look of Love" is the hit on the album. it's an OK album, just not my jam.
Wow!! I REALLY enjoyed this album. And that is saying something because this 80s synth Brit stuff is probably my least favourite 80s music. This is the best I ever heard from this genre. It wasn't whiny, it wasn't thin, it wasn't all about heartbreaks. The music was layered, interesting and dense. The voice was above average. The lyrics were VERY unconventional and I liked that. It never got boring. Probably after 3+ listens it would get a 5, but there are just so many great albums out there.
Good or Bad when i think of early 80s music this is what I envision
I enjoy this album. However, this is not one I would add to my collection.
This some classic 80s pop
Some fun songs, but it's so extremely 80s it feels a bit like a caricature.
80-82 Set the tone for Brit Pop or that 80’s sound, fun listen!
Dreary synth-pop with all the 80s trappings and clichés. The odd enjoyable bassline elevated this above complete disgust but won’t be enough for me to be going back for repeat listens.
unpopular opinion, i liked it
By all accounts this isn’t a good album, and let I still enjoyed listening to it much in the same way you can enjoy a movie that is bad enough to be good.
he's kinda going off Will I listen to again: 20%
This joke has probably been made already, but...."We have David Bowie at home." Listenable and inoffensive but sounds a bit like what AI would make now if you asked it to make a David Bowie soundalike, given the forced rhymes and corny subject matter.
nice
lol. I reject the premise that I need to hear this record. 4/10
This was great. It was produced and recorded really well, and I really enjoyed listening to it. Very 80's pop, but with a deeper feel and you could really tell that the performers were at the top of their game with this one. I listened to it twice and it was still very fresh and lovely to listen to. Five stars.
These guys were too glamourous for me to choose their album by myself. It's cool though, sounding like eighties in the best sense, with rich arrangements, clean sound and smart lyrics. Tears are not enough <3
I absolutely love these basslines, but everything else was pretty subpar. It seemed too theatrical for the quality of the music. Not sold on these vocals either.
Mega cliché jaren 80, maar daardoor niet minder fijn om te luisteren. Fijne baslijntjes, synths en orkestratie, ik kende het nog niet!
While the idea for this concept album becomes a little bit overplayed by the end, the energy the songs exhume carries most of the tracks. By the end, you really just want this guy to find love for more than 5 minutes but at the same time you don't because then there would be no songs about it. Best songs are Show Me and The Look Of Love Pt.1. 7/10, entertaining for the first time, probably not that good on repeat hearings.
That opening had me worried for the rest of the album
Enjoyable
Very dance pop, much 80s. The singer had a good voice but the whole thing sounded of its time. Not really my style, though I enjoyed the funkier parts. I didn't think it was bad. Overall: 2.6/5
Great vocals (lyrics not so much); great funk guitar; great (fake?) horns. But overall not great album.
Highlights: Show Me, Poison Arrow, Tears are Not Enough, The Look of Love Pt.1, Lowlights: The Look of Love Pt.4, Theme from "Mantrap" 80s pop slop so pure I could feel the cocaine entering my system. Fun listen.
Maximum 80s, no holding back.
определенно классно но пока четверочка
Declaring my bias upfront, im not from Sheffield but i consider it home. This contains all of the 80's nonsense i usually dislike, cheesy production, lots of synths and as much depth as a puddle. Bit i still enjoyed it. Maybe its the familiarity, maybe its the sheer lack of pretension, maybe its the high quality pop songs. I smiled all the way through and really what else is there?
Well there were some songs that had amazing bass lines and were fun to listen to but a lot of songs that were just boring, it wasn't bad I wad just a little bored
mcdonalds-lobbby-ass album
Forgot all about ABC and the Lexicon of Love, but I remember ‘em now like it was yesterday. Three hits; The Look Of Love, Poison Arrow, and Show Me. These made ABC instantly famous and got lots of airtime. Comes across as a little sappy now… (2.75*s) It’s a solid debut from a bygone time.
Yes...the list provides. This one had me from start to finish. Lexicon of Love is a great 80s record with plenty of style and good tunes. I didn't know ABC prior but recognize the hit songs. Great combo of guitar, synths, and percussion with a Bowie-esque lead. My only gripe is the rehashing of "Look of Love" and "Poison Arrow" to fill the album...would have preferred some fresh cuts. 3.73 stars and I'm adding Mantrap to watchlist.
ABC is a perfect example of a band that I didn't know that I know. A handful of these songs were completely familiar but I would never have been able to come up with ABC as the artist as many of these songs appeared on 80's compilation albums with other hits from the era. ABC completely nailed the assignment to blend 80's synthpop with classic showtunes and some romantic lyrics. When it works its delightful, when it doesn't its pretty cringe-y but still kinda fun. You get some warm and fuzzies as each of the singles play. The album might be a couple songs too long but the whole collection is still worth a listen. Peak 80's cheeseball vibes. What's not to enjoy? 3.23 stars
I was familiar with The Look of Love from my adolescence, but I recognized Poison Arrow, as well. This is pure Brit pop—literate, synth-heavy, flamboyant—but it was better than I expected.
This album was not what I expected nor what I wanted, just kind of mid.
Guh, not for me. The production drove me crazy, the style wasn't for me. Just a big pass for me.
I don't remember much about this album other than it was unremarkable.
Pretty nice.
First LP my wife ever bought apparently. Very enjoyable for early eighties stuff. Will likely revisit.
Mmmhhhh
Ok, non mi ha appassionato
Blimey, this is really dated. Which is easy to say about many albums, but this sounds like it's year of release more than any other album ever released. A bit of nostalgia, but that's enough now... Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ 80s ★★☆☆ (4/10) Total reviewed : 221 Already owned : 50 Purchased : 11 To buy list : 3 Nope : 157
I really enjoyed this album. I didn't know who ABC was but I've heard a few of the songs of this record.
Way too 80s for my liking.
Delirious classic of stupid 80s pop, awesome
Pretty much the perfect embodiment of everything I hate and despise about 80s music. I'll admit the band is competent - it's probably better than most of the drivel produced in the same time period. But it just reminds me too much of everything I disliked while growing up in the 80s - drum machines, clap sounds and bubblegum lyrics about heartbreaks just make me want to puke. The only way this kind of synthy nonsense can work for me is when there is a dark side to it, like with Duran Duran or Depeche Mode. But ABC is so annoyingly tacky that they sound like a mindless caricature. It's music for psychopathic Wall Street yuppies and coked-up MTV barbie girls, and I find it exhausting. Favorite lyric : "Zoobidoo bidoo doo doo, love has no guarantee !". Enough said. 2/10
0% influence on me 100% boredom But what on earth is this album doing in this selection?? Maybe the band's name, ABC, is meant to make them easy to remember... apparently it failed.
A huge moment of emptiness. Synthpop always feels like having basic emotions thrown in my face, with zero nuance. I close my eyes and reopen them to a vision of a doll with a sketchy perm, sucking on a cherry. There are still a few groovy moments here, slightly more mature than what their peers were doing at the time. That’s about it.
I was not fully aware of how great ABC is and only knew one or two songs vaguely. This was a real treat.
So this feels gay and I am gay, so i love it
The essence of this album is its cheesiness. As the 80s is the era of cheesy synthpop. And to understand the 80s you need to endure a million bad synthpop album. But my cheesy stuff loving cringeworthy theatre kid persona took over me and decided to give it a 5. also why is the look of love part 4 not a full song but an outro. 5/5
This is why I love this. I would never have listened to this album but I thought it was a perfect bit of 80s pop. I it’s a high 3.5, nearly a 4 for me which I didn’t expect when it came up.
A high proportion of these albums are one hit wonders. One classic so a 2. The rest is a load of filler. 80s ballad pop yawn.
80s disco record. Many reviewers missed the obvious - this is a new wave inflected disco record. This might have been a better record if it had not been Trevor Horned. The production is thin because the drum and bass are buried in the mix so that Martin Fry whose dramatic advertising pitch man vocals can soar on these hyper catchy pop songs. Honestly, there is no denying the catchiness of these songs, particularly on The Look of Love - Pt 1 which puts the whole package together. While the other hits on this track are undeniably catchy - Poison Arrow, Show Me and Tears are Not Enough, the production is distracting because it has not aged well. It sucks the soul out of what could have been a dynamic lively record. Instead it comes off as largely devoid of emotion. This is borne out when watching live versions of these tracks. So, where would it stand in the list of other synth-pop disco records from the period? Recall that other New Romantic disco wavers including New Order, Human League, Depeche Mode and Duran are all from this period and mine similar territory. In thinking about this period, the songs were popular on radio and in the clubs but people quickly moved on as this form of new disco soon faded. On balance, a solid record of you overlook the production. No bum tracks, some pretty good variety for an album of love songs. 4/5
Perhaps better than expected, and generally a fun album, but not that memorable overall.
Sounded like a JV version of Duran Duran.
= the Beatles I get it, I'm nostalgic about the junk I listened to when I was in high school, too. This is the defining sound of the 80s, nearly identical to Duran Duran and I've never really gotten it.
okayyy listened to this while making dinner very upbeat and dancey. def something my grandma would like i think my tops are tears are not enough and 4ever 2gether
Good and then slightly annoying. Faves in album order: Show Me Poison Arrow Date Stamp
Totally forgot this existed.
1.5 Like wet bread. Can’t think of any justifiable reason for this to be on the list. I guess it’s music? But it’s unexciting, not important or influential, barely remembered, bland. What a waste of an entry!
I really liked this album. Funky, but disco with show tune elements. Great stuff
There is some great stuff on here, the opening moments are epic. It does get a bit tiring towards the end, but that may be because it was really late at night when I listened to it. 3/5
I’m afraid I’ll have to enlist my colleague V. at some point. V. is a huge music lover — possibly even more so than I am — and because he’s just a few years older than me (a full secondary-school generation, say), he actually grew up in the era of post-punk, synthpop, new wave, whatever you want to call it. That’s exactly where my problem lies: where on earth do the boundaries between those genres or movements actually run? There’s at least one more that needs adding: new romantic(s). I do know that the excellent Duran Duran and the dreadful Spandau Ballet are usually filed under that last category, and I’ll eat my broom if ABC, today’s band, doesn’t also end up there. Synthpop seems like a fair label too, although there’s quite a bit of organic music in the mix. That said, there are also lots of very prominent synthesizers and, especially, string orchestras straight out of a box. That box is the Fairlight CMI. I’d never heard of it before, but apparently it was the go-to machine for almost every major pop act in the early eighties — so much so that Phil Collins felt compelled to point out in the liner notes of No Jacket Required (1985) that no Fairlight was used on that album for strings or brass sounds. Source: Wikipedia. The thing was also a major competitor to the Synclavier, which Frank Zappa completely lost himself in during the eighties, with fairly disastrous results. If you’re feeling brave: listen to Francesco Zappa. At that point, you’re honestly better off with James Last (who actually made some pretty decent music… singing aside). Anyway. ABC. This is a very strong album, regardless of which box you want to put it in. To me it clearly falls under the broader label of pop, and from that perspective it’s remarkably good. The music is entirely vocal-centred, the melodies are pleasant, and the album contains songs with massive hit potential. Pop, in other words. The Look of Love (Part One) became a big hit, but Poison Arrow and All of My Heart also did very well. All of My Heart… what a formidable song that is. My subtitle for Tears for Fears was “A monumental pop song on an excellent pop album.” That subtitle would have worked just as well here, with All of My Heart as the monumental pop song. Fine, the outro wasn’t strictly necessary, but the song has one of the most beautiful choruses I’ve come across so far, supported by gorgeous fake synth strings. Absolutely stunning. That’s what really stands out to me on this album. It’s overflowing with synthesizers, drum machines, artificial sounds, and — to make matters worse — one of the band members, Stephen Singleton, plays saxophone. Joy. And yet, all those sounds and arrangement choices that I’m not usually fond of don’t detract in the slightest from the fact that this is simply very good music. Because yes, my standard complaint about pop — that not much actually happens — does not apply here at all. This album, 37 minutes long and ten tracks (really nine, or even eight), is packed with ideas: varied melodies, tempo changes, contrast, everything you could want in music. Real musicians are at work here, and it shows. In short: big kudos. A very pleasant introduction, since I only knew a handful of the hits.
A perfectly acceptable 80’s pop album. Some good songs here, a typically 80’s production and some good playing. Enjoyed it.
I was 12 in 1982, and i knew some of these songs very well! But it wasn't a band I followed and was interesting to hear the rest of the album. An early and wonderful example of the 80' s sound, I enjoyed this blast from the past.
This isn't worth hearing before I died. There are other entries vaguely from this time and genre that would probably be better suited to the list.
Fav: tears are not enough 43.5/5
kind of reminds me of city pop if it was from america. i love this so much
The Lexicon of Love is an enjoyable slice of classic ’80s British new wave pop, weaving disco and funk into lush orchestration with big-band flair.
Bad 80s noise
Just the look, not much else
Has the look of love
Goede nostalgische swing pop
The songs where the girl also sings are bangers. I didn’t care much for the other ones. #ilovewomen
Good songwriting and great bass sound, but a lot of this is just run-of-the-mill pop. 3.0/5.0: Good
there are some cool instrumental parts in this but its pretty boring overall.
Maybe not the most complicated songs but still a great album
This ambitious early 80s pop record sounds like a million pounds, utilizing not only cutting-edge (for the time) synthesizers but also sophisticated orchestral backing. Trevor Horn's co-production pushes the music into maximalist territory and the spectacular singles from this record like "The Look Of Love", Poison Arrow" and "All Of My Love" benefit from this widescreen approach. Unfortunately, many of the album cuts sound like inferior copies of those selfsame singles, rendering stretches of this record redundant.
Album brought back memories as most not listened to in a long time albums will do. Job well done.
Pretty eclectic and fun. A bit too campy and (for lack of a better term) too much at times.
certainly music
The Lexicon of Love was ABC’s nickname for Len Houmous. 4.1 6/11 The Look of Love Pt1
Liked this one in the morning before work
That poison arrow song was not good enough to deserve a reprise. Not bad though.
Another classic from my youth.
Pet Shop Boys are better.
Starts off strong! Has great energy but kinda lost that momentum half way through for me
i love you martin fry this is a 4.9
really surprised by this one!! loved the storytelling and production. All Of My Heart was my fave
Solid 80s pop, production is cool, not anything I'll return to.
Really enjoyed this.
These three stars are for ‘the look of love’ the only awesome track on this album. The rest of the tracks are just 80s dross!
It was ok I guess? 80's pop isn't really my jam, but the extra star is for the bass player who kept me going
Well, it's just 80s pop. There's a lot of it out there, and better stuff too. Uninteresting and meaningless. 3/5
Yeah so this goes on WAY too long, I was good with the first disc, it's just fun and groovy. The Look of Love Pt. 1 is great. Disc 2 gets too long.
Couple big '80s lite pop hits here.
The was the TEMU version of the 80s Synth Pop
Definitely not my favorite 80s album but it has its moments.
I cannot support the musical vision of this band
Most deceiving album art ever. I like some of the noise they make and some tracks are catchy and amusing but the record as a whole made me cross eyed
okay cool bass ig. another album and artist i have no idea of. (i believe that might be the case for a lot of the albums on this list) definitely an 80s album for sure. sometimes you can give me funky bass lines, i might just get pass it all. im getting bored already lol. a lot of my reviews for albums is recognizing the effort and time spent on each song or the entire album itself but i just can’t get on the train of it..? so i feel bad LOL. vocals also i can’t really get past it.
Loved this one.felt like some movie character while listening even tho it's not my typical genre at all
A cut above your average 80s pop album - brimming with tight, complex arrangements and a sense of drama, all wrapped in a lush, glossy production. The bass is especially striking. It's still very much an 80s pop album but you can hear the influence it's had on much that followed. I can't believe it's 44 years old - it's held up incredibly well, maintaining that fresh, punchy feel. It in no way sounds like a debut album either - it bursts with a fully-formed confidence. I enjoyed the whole album but All of my Heart really stood out as a highlight.
I don't think I have ever known anything by ABC apart from 3 hits here. They are pure 80s pop and little else. Decent for that, but hardly world class
Fue raro escuchar el pop de los 80. Pero estuvo bastante bien.
Wannabe funky white guys. Unlistenable. Made me actively annoyed! No Stars! Oh, we have to give at least 1? 1 Star.
This album is like sitting at the bar lending an ear for a deep and meaningful conversation with your friend, while he complains about not finding ‘true’ love. This guy is on a six figure salary, he has a nice home and can smash the fuck out of a tee shot with his driver, but according to him the world is a bleak place because he can’t maintain a relationship. He hasn’t once asked how things are going in your life.
Was a weird album. Felt like it must have influenced some good albums as by itself it doesnt stand-up. Some of the lyrics seemed a bit basic and cheesey, amd it was very clichce at times
Love the 80s! Have to be in a mood for this one but when I am it is awesome. The Lexicon of Love is a glossy, high‑drama pop masterpiece.
Sounds like the 80s. Knew two songs which are good but the rest was pretty good too. Exaggerated vocal style a bit much at times. 8ish
New Wave music in the early '80s was at its peak. Four stars for this album. This makes you want to get up and dance.
Started off strong until the lyrics came in. I'm trying to give this a chance, but...even with reading reviews of high praise isn't giving it a 4 vibe. Edit: Just a mid album. Probably would have been better if the vocalist didn't sound like a drunk British man thinking he could sing.
it's alright i'm not a big fan of 80s music like this but for the right vibe it's good
Pure 80s New Wave goodness, but this is in no way a recommendation... It takes everything bands before them like Ultravox, Human League and Duran Duran had already mastered and just sloshes it about a little, then pours overs the rocks and calls it something new. I mean, this came out around the same time as Duran Duran's Rio and it just doesn't measure up.
Great to hear this again
Extremely fun heavily-disco album with a lotta synth. To my surprise, I very much enjoyed The Lexicon of Love. Wasn't perfect, as a few tracks were mid and the lead vocalist Martin Fry can leave a lot to be desired. Still surprised me how much I enjoyed it. Personal highlight: Many Happy Returns
Not really my cup of tea, but it is a classic
Excellent album. Strong songs. Wouldn’t be on regular rotation but still a great listen.
8/10… new romantic / synthpop / *1982
Dorky shit like this killed disco.
Apparently I'm ok with 80s pop.
An album I actually own! This originally came out when I was 7 years old, and I didn't really get it. It sounded too sophisticated compared to the other pop music I listened to at the time. Now I just realize that it was the British accent and string section. If I only use the track list of actual album version, I really loved this album. The Spotify version had "The Theme From Mantrap" as an 11th track - which is a slowed down, lounged up version of "Poison Arrow". That version was painful to sit through. I think I'll stick to my vinyl copy with just 10 tracks. "All of My Heart" was the stand out song. By far my favorite track, and definitely one I will add to my work playlist.
Nostalgic 80's pop--with more substance than most. Really liked it.
Not bad. Hints of Bowie here and there, though it's ultimately poppier. 4 Ever 2 Gether is a banger (though a terrible title).
For years I somehow thought ABC was Duran Duran. I’ve heard “Poison Arrow” and “The Look of Love” a million times, and they’re clearly the standout hits. The rest of the album feels like variations on “Poison Arrow,” drifting into a glossy disco-jazz odyssey. It’s consistently listenable, but little of it truly stands out. Overall, a solid album with a few undeniable classics.
Infectious and precise! Such a well-paced album and fantastic blend of styles. Loses some steam near the end.
Take bargain-bin Bryan Ferry vocals, sprinkle on a little Bowie glamour, and you’ve got ABC. They peaked early with The Lexicon of Love, after that, it was all downhill. The real tragedy? Even their best wasn’t anything to write home about.
Fun
Lexicon for fine.
I enjoyed it loved the bass sounds a bit funky but also poppy
Exceptionally catchy and charming.
Ok I suppose for that 80s kind of synth pop. think there are better examples out there, but there is some pretty great playing on here all the same.
it seems I fw the 80s
Early 80s waves of gothic glory.
aaah das het mer de elias mol empfohle und ich has glaub recht nice gfunde! huiii de bass. ok. show me isch en recht en aggressive refrain er isch gsanglich so uf sich elai gstellt irgendwie? aso isch super. many happy returns findi seehr cool. es isch sehr level 42 au. richtig catchy und cheesy und groovy. haha tears are not enough uuuhuere de bri'ish funk alte aber gitarre parts uhuuuere david williams/nile rodgers. geeeeil. moll slappt. sehr chic aber mit new wave 80er vocals. findi super. valentine's day super instrumental ich mag trevor horn production. ah und de break tönt meega noch on broadway vom benson. the look of love baanger bass. oooh a da magi mi vo irgendwo erinnere. sehr cool. date stamp au fun, irgendwie wird s album nöd spannender aber s macht alles wos macht seehr präzis und guet. 4ever 2 gether baaanger
ACHTZGER so en ahfang hani gaar nöd erwartet hahaha omggg wie episch d stimm und de bass denn scho ener hmm will de ahfang sooo intensiv gsi isch, isch de refrain fast chli flach? UHHH BASSS iwie hets immer wieder HUERE GEILI SACHE aber s lied ah sich hautmi denn amigs nöd so um UII JZ SIMMER BIDE 80ER hmm jaaa het leider echt wenig mit mier gmacht. aber ich gseh mega ihre reiz, iwie ischs eifach nöd so öppis für mich
Never was much of a fan of this made for MTV style of music. Too slick.
nice album gsi coole vibe. wöri weder lose. recht exciting so de style, macht sochli gueti mood so
I've always been a fan of the whimsical British pop music of the 80s, at odds with being serious and light-hearted. Whilst this type of music hasn't aged well with everybody and is placed firmly in camp cliche, it should never be forgotten for it's ability to get people dancing in discos and living rooms for decades. "Poison Arrow" is a classic that I remember from childhood, with it's funky bass, synthesized keyboards and snappy percussion making for something really fun to dance and sing along to. "Tears are not enough", with it's lyrics and bassline, have a real swaggering feel; I enjoyed it. "The Look of Love (Part One)" will never not be fun, as something I have drunkenly danced to for many-a wedding and party. A common theme among my reviews is the use of the bass, which has been used to incredible effect throughout this album to give so many of these songs their true weight. "Date Stamp" really being a great example of a bassline carrying it's song. Regardless of it's criticisms (and maybe my musical ignorance), I enjoyed this album. It was a bigger part of childhood than first realised, which is a time when we experience the world with so much more acceptance and optimism and joy than we do as adults. All of us, I can easily imagine, have at least one thing in life we love dearly that is considered awful and unpalatable by so many others. We don't care. ******************************************************************************* I hate to admit that the reviews on this one are pulling at me, with the criticism for many being really quite scathing, even as far as to call it "utterly shit" or "unlistenable". It, once again, brings into question my ability to sift the good music from the bad, as I enjoyed listening to this regardless. From further digging, the reason for it's hate is the use of FM Synthesizers and other computer technology to sharpen sound and 'replace instruments and musicianship'. As someone born in the early 90s, the use of tech was already well established, but I can imagine that if I was someone who witnessed the rise of this type of music in real time it would be difficult not to feel a form of distain for it, as I feel this way with the rise of certain genres and systems within video games today for similar reasons: some synthetic, 'striving for perfection' of sound. It removes what we love about creative work in the first place: the emotion in it, only possible when created manually by humans.
One of the best fitting album titles. It was not something totally crazy, but it is a very coherent album. You can feel yourself loving people a little bit more after listening to it.
New wave just ain't for me. I enjoyed a few songs at the front but the shine wore off quickly.
Great 80s music with fantastic bass lines
It's like an alphabet for romance movies that are really tacky.
4/10
Sounds great thanks to Trevor Horn, of course it’s going to be polished as hell. I’m not a fan though of the genre so….
This is obviously incredibly cheesy and dated. And yet… I thoroughly enjoyed it. Date Stamp in particular was a banger.
It was so laughably 80s. A silly album
“Poison Arrow” and “The Look Of Love” are classics. Everything else on this album was way too overproduced.
This pop album drapes its glossy synths, punchy bass lines, and lavish string flourishes around theatrical, hyper-stylized vocals, all of it sweeping past like a grand romantic gesture written in gilt ink—impressive at first glance, Overall feeling more like ornate packaging than genuine emotion
Had never heard of this. Really enjoyed it!
80s music. Not exactly bad, but kinda surprised that I've not heard of this at all considering what it brings to the table is just 80s pop. Also what happened to the second and third Looks of Love? Fave Tracks: The Look of Love, Pt 1 3/5
i think some of you don’t like to have fun
For a bunch of British white guys this is funky as Hell.
Standard 80s pop with some nasally, groovy bass on top of it. Cool album, but I don't think it really did much for me. I'm not sure what it was about it that made this not very memorable. The songs were catchy and had me bobbing along, but maybe they were just too middle of the road? I'm not sure but it didn't really stand out, despite being good when examined.
The hits stand out. I don’t dislike this but the ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach starts to grate after a while. Overwrought
In a decade where in my opinion, there weren’t very many great albums this one did standout for me. It’s well produced and mixed to give an outstanding audio experience. I thought that even today 40 odd years on. I love good melodies with swirling orchestration and this album is full of them. Lyrically the word play used for the numbers 4 and 2 (or should that be the numbers used for the words four and two) on Forever Together is very clever. I wonder how many young lovers have scrawled this on a wall or used it in a love letter. I KNOW I HAVE! What came after Lexicon never matched it so for me ABC are a one album wonder but a very worthy one. 5/5 5/12/25
Bass blindness opet, ali je stvarno dobar album. Kao Spandau Ballet i Duran Duran u jednom ali orkestralno i spektakularno. Lijepo zvuči u paketu. Podsjeća na srednjoškolske dane.
This is #day483 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this might be the most '80s-sounding record I've heard in a while: catchy, groovy, and above all, funky. This is a well-deserved 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day484.
Synth pop ftw
Shooot that posion arrroowww ! Not awful and actually better than expected but still a low 3.
Such an interesting album with interesting sound throughout. I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did, but pretty solid the whole way through. There were a few that I didn't LOVE but most of the sound in here was great.
Der Sound der Achtziger
Well I liked this much better than I expected. Quite poppy but I like the 80s vibe and vocals.
This is my album #365, so I'll take a moment to think back on my experience with this project over the past year. Feel free to skip this review if you're reading this because of this album specifically. It's alright, but I have nothing interesting to say about it. I don't need to write about the greatness of the iconic albums I already knew and loved, like the ones of Hendrix or Pink Floyd, or about the mediocrity of the seemingly countless irrelevant indie rock or britpop bands on this list. Instead, I'd like to focus on a couple unexpectedly great discoveries. I had no idea I'd end up enjoying soul music as much as I am now, but getting the fantastic Otis Blue and Sam Cooke Live at Harlem Square almost back to back certainly shaped a particular fascination with the genre. Five-star discoveries I somehow had no idea existed despite being familiar with the genre include Peter Frampton, Muddy Waters and The Mars Volta. I did however find some gems even in genres I would've expected not to care about, like Willie Nelson in Country or Adele and Alanis Morissette in Pop. Of course I knew about the latter ones through their hits, but I had no idea how consistently good 21 and Jagged Little Pill were. I was also delighted to be introduced to some fantastic non-western music through Miriam Makeba, Fela Kuti and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. As unterrepresented as these styles might be on this list, as exquisite are the specific choices that did make the cut. Two artists worth mentioning in particular are David Bowie and Radiohead, because both are artists I didn't care much about based on my limited prior knowledge, and of which I got to rate five albums each already. While my issues with Radioheads vocals remain, I have to concede that there are some inspiring ideas in their instrumentals, though not enough for me to regularly listen to them again. Bowie however has really grown on me, and while the wide array of rating options I marked his albums with sure is a testament to his often praised versatility, I think I've been too harsh at the start, or more precisely, perhaps I didn't quite "get it" back then. All things considered, this was well worth sitting through hours of forgettable indie-pop and half-cooked electronica, and I can't wait to see what I'll discover in the year to come.
Too 80s for me in a bad way. Found the arrangement too loud and grating.
It's a good album, but let's be honest, it's not one of the best in the world.
Good 80s album - decent listen - of its time, but still enjoyable
Rv
The most dedicated experts of ABC are only able to state three things with certainty: 1. ABC had success with the single ‘Poison Arrow’ 2. ABC had success with the single ‘The Look Of Live’ 3. Martin Fry looks like the economics teacher who was sleeping with the mother of one of his pupils Having listened to this album I now rank alongside the greatest of ABC scholars. My life is not richer for this.
Like half of the songs are just Poison Arrow. I mean I am not complaining, love that song, but it does start to repeat a bit. Look of Love is also great. I’ve never heard the other songs but they kept the same energy and theme as the big hits. 9/10
I've heard better albums from the eighties, but some of the tracks (really just the hits) are not bad.
80s synth pop is one of my most hated genres of music so kudos to this album for not making me hate every single moment of it. Absolutely zero reason Lexicon of Love should be on this list though.
It is definitely an 80s album
An absolute masterpiece. Hang it on the wall. An album for the ages. "Lower your sights, but raise your aim." Yep.
Potentially a solid outing in a genre I think is terrible, potentially just terrible.
At first I was like, oh no! (when I turned it on) And then I was like, this is a story. (when poison arrow came on 🕺🏼)
This is the sound of sweating coke heads dancing like their lives depend on it, looking like they’re engaged in the mating ritual of some exotic bird species. If that’s your thing I don’t judge, but no one can convince me it’s an album I need to hear. 2/5
306/1089 - Liked this a lot but it got a bit too music-theater-y for me at the end. Great hits though for sure.
Felt very 80s but had more respect for it when I saw the album came out in 82.
It was more enjoyable than I expected after hearing the first track. Basslines were way funkier than they had any reason to be, but the rest was pretty standard 80s dance music with an extra flamboyant vocalist. Didn't hate it but not something I'm eager to listen to again.
No los conocía
Taki typowy 80'sowy pop-rock. Ja lubię takie rzeczy, męskie wokale, syntezatory, pop ballady, chwytliwe bity. Nie jest to dla każdego i ociera się o kicz, ale mi wpada w ucho i sprawia, że chce spryskać włosy zbyt dużą ilością lakieru. 7/10.
hard pass
Just not my preferred style of music. There's too much New Wave and Sophisti-Pop on this list.
5/10
I think this a good example of an album that could be taken off this list.
Earlier this year I purchased my own original vinyl copy of the album, after growing up with my brother and father being big admirers of it. I enjoyed elements but actually found the pressing fairly unlistenable on the latter half of side one, they must have compressed it heavily to fit it on to thin vinyl. The second side was more enjoyable and richer in sound. For this I am just streaming and the sound problems don't exist, what we are left with are supermaximalist songs with no room to breathe but full of drama tunes and ideas. Is it very 80s? Yes possibly due to Trevor Horn who partially invented the 80s but ABC themselves could come from any era or none, being utterly outside of fashion or scene. Do I love this album, no. Do I admire it, absolutely.
One of Trevor Horn's classics. It's a great record and has all the early hallmarks of what would later firmly become the ZTT house style. Anne Dudley's string arrangements are the shit.
Very 80’s, it’s was good for the era. Lots of synthesized music. Reminds me a lot of the David Bowie I remember from this era.
Great pop album! Full of life and character. I enjoy this a lot. The piano is play with elegance and the main singer is wildly talented.
This is definitely one of the strangest 4 stars I have given. Most if not all songs are 4, but not 5 stars. This album came so close to being great, but every song seems to miss it just by a hair. Not sure what's missing. Feels like if Duran Duran just never got that spark.
Really enjoyed this - a pleasant surprise
Was not my thing
One of those albums that probably get really fun towards the end of six pack. However I was sober for this whole listen, so I did not really enjoy this.
Like Bowie, but without any of the heart or interest.
Another one I could do without. 2/5
80s showtunes? Is this what Hair sounds like? I hope to never find out. According to the lead vocalist, most other bands at the time were 'writing about electric pylons'. He also said they wanted to 'fuse the attitude of punk with the sophistication of disco'. Martin, blink twice if you are ok. Admittedly I have less patience than normal after having to sit through Kate Bush and Les Rhythmes Digitales but this is no good regardless. I just finished the album and the only song I sort of enjoyed was literally a showtune. "Mantrap"...I'll avoid that.
It's okay I guess.
Before listening to whole album I was familiar with only one song. It is unbelievable great mix of 80s pop and rock and 4 Ever 2 Gether is definitely the best track on the album. It's going to be one of my to go 80s album.
Everything about the cover of this album totally tricked me - I was NOT expecting it to go this hard. One of the best pop albums I've ever heard. The first half especially had me pretty gobsmacked all the way through. The second half maintained the quality of the songwriting, but the songs were slower on average which is less to my tastes. Impeccable production, especially considering all of the elements present here (horns, orchestra, synth). Best in class vocals and bass. I can hear the influences of this band across a dozen modern artists. I am going to be adding some of these songs to my regular rotation, and will probably be seeking out more of these guys out. Now I know my ABC. 5/5. Favorite tracks: Show Me, Valentine's Day
Arrancamos el jueves con un disco y una banda que desconozco por completo. Arranca bailable y se mantiene. La voz del cantante tiene reminiscencias directas a David Bowie y a Robert Smith y la música deja todo en un mood muy bonito. Gracias y hasta mañana viernes.
One of the sounds of eighties.. sharp new synths and classy.. loved it, couldnt listen to it lot. but fun
Again I think in isolation these songs are a bit of fun at a disco. Just don't love as an album listen
That bass is super groovy. A good change of pace from the brutal death metal I was listening to.
Not bad. Fun
Annoying and aged poorly. Didn’t need to listen before I died
Too plain and pop-y for me
the moment pop music slipped into a tuxedo, ordered champagne, and started quoting Byron between choruses
Classic album.
Cringe 80s pop
It's overdramatic and self indulging but not half bad
"The Look Of Love" and an almost forgettable rest. 2,5
Dated, not for me Shoot that poison arrow The look of love
I should have listened to this years ago. I always liked Poison Arrow and the title track. It's really good.
Not my thing at all, but here's how ChatGPT said to appreciate it: Listening to ABC’s The Lexicon of Love (1982) is like stepping into a glossy, theatrical world where heartbreak is sung with exaggerated elegance and pop precision. If you’re coming at it from punk, jazz, soul, or art rock—this might feel almost too polished at first. But give it time, because this album is camp, cleverness, and high drama set to some of the best pop production of the ‘80s. Here’s how to get into it: ⸻ 🎯 What You’re Dealing With • Genre: Orchestral new wave / synth-pop / post-punk sophistication • Producer: Trevor Horn (same guy behind Owner of a Lonely Heart, Grace Jones, Frankie Goes to Hollywood)—expect lush layers and perfectionist polish • Theme: It’s a concept album about heartbreak, infatuation, manipulation, and emotional performance. Think Scott Walker fronting a disco band. ⸻ 🎧 Tips for Appreciating Lexicon of Love ⸻ 1. Embrace the melodrama • Martin Fry isn’t trying to sound “cool” or detached. He’s performing heartbreak, fully committed. • The lyrics are theatrical, full of irony and longing. Let lines like “When your world is full of strange arrangements…” wash over you—they’re poetic in a stylish, almost overblown way. ⸻ 2. Focus on the production • Trevor Horn’s work here is legendary. You’ll hear: • Real strings and lush orchestration • Tight, gated reverb drums • Layered backing vocals, funky bass, shimmering synths • If you like Steely Dan’s polish or Pet Shop Boys’ grandeur, you’ll love this. 🎧 Start with “Poison Arrow” and “The Look of Love (Part One)” to get the feel—hooky, glittery, emotionally explosive. ⸻ 3. Listen like it’s a stage play • This isn’t meant to be subtle or raw. It’s emotion as spectacle. • Each song feels like an act in a romantic tragedy—misunderstandings, betrayals, self-delusions—all sung from a spotlight. ⸻ 4. Don’t overlook the irony • Fry knows he’s being dramatic. There’s tongue-in-cheek wit behind all the hurt feelings. • “Valentine’s Day” or “Date Stamp” are fun, biting takes on modern romance and emotional capitalism.
Quite a good album, it’s got a real grandiose scale to it. I love the Look of Love reprise right before the end. Had to google halfway through to make sure this wasn’t a Robert Smith side project bc of the vocals lol. 3.5
this was awesome as hell
I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would.
Start to finish one of the best new wave albums. Love the music and how he puts his emotions on display through his voice.
Sort of a poor man's Bowie... not terrible, honestly
Poison Arrow Tears Are Not Enough The Look of Love, Pt. 1 All of My Heart
Can't remember if I listened to the whole time, but im not gonna relisten to it just in case I haven't, not worth it
2/5
Eh, I guess some tracks make you move. 2/5
synes egentlig det var ganske fengende på første lytt. skamløs firer
Eh…
A tad too eighties for me, in production and songwriting clichés. However still very solid.
Big, dramatic, theatrical disco pop! RIYL Dexys Midnight Runners. It's hard not to like music that's doing backflips to entertain the listener. This is a very fun listen.
This album is a breath of fresh air on the list. There's a lot of great energy, instrumentation, and performances... kind of everything that you want in a good album. The vocals are awesome, like on "Tears Are Not Enough", the instrumentation is unique, with strings and harpsichords and funk bass, and the compositions themselves are really fun, with many moments that grab you and throw you around the room like you're an amateur ballroom dancer who just got paired with a professional for the first time. Very fun listen.
bland 80's pop. Didnt care for it at the time, still dont. Didnt switch off but sort of stopped actively listening last few tracks. Meh
If I was alive in 1982 this might have been a nice nostalgia trip, but I wasn't. This just sounds like every other 80s pop to my millennial ears. Poison Arrow is quite fun, I guess. I don't dislike it, it's just nothing special and of a time.
I should hate this - but it's reaaaaaly good! :-D
Love this album
Fun, but nothing memorable. I did enjoy the vocals, which I typically don't on these 80's pop records.
At 42 minutes, this album is 39 minutes too long. “The look of love pt 1” is ok. Apple music description a lie. ONE!
Perfect for the time. Still excellent
Was NOT my thing back in the day, but listening again, it's better than I remember.
Me ha gustado mucho
Great.
Dans ce schtyle-là, j'aime ABC.
L'aspect dansant et joyeux avec la grosse orchestration m'a beaucoup fait penser à ABBA. J'étais pas sûr au debut de l'album, mais j'ai eu la piqûre à partir de All of My Heart et après j'ai remis l'album et j'ai eu un hit avec Show me, Tears are not enough et Valentine's day aussi.
Intéressant quoique une peu éreintant à la longue! Très maximaliste en tout temps. De la grosse bass par contre!
If you told me this was what was spit out when you asked chat gpt to make a generic 80s album, I would believe. Incredibly generic sounding music.