Reviews (page 4 of 9)
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.
Took me back to last yr of college which is when this this was released so gets 4 stars for that memory alone. I’m a sucker for New Wave :).
Solid new wave 80's pop. I was already very familiar with ABC's hits, but I've never listened through an entire album. I was surprised how consistent this album is and how it really carries through with none of the songs feeling like filler. Great album, even if it is "just" hooks and theatrical 80's new wave!
Ikke så lenge siden jeg hørte denne platen for første gang. Ble skuffet da. Syntes den var hakket bedre nå, og klatrer opp på én treer.
mid but really uninteresting kind of mid
Cool new find, but something bothers me about the vocals. Maybe it feels slightly musical theater-esque to me…
Very 80s and fun
Never heard of them or the album, so I was surprised by how much fun I had with this album.
If the Cure weren’t moody and depressed, and instead were a vacuous pop band, they might sound like this.
First album during this journey that I’ve hated… it was so boring like what I would put together to make fun of 80s music
No. No thank you. I had a big lunch.
They lured me in for sure. I’d give em a smooch!
goth meets funky disco
Difficult one to rate this. It’s undeniably shit, yet I still enjoyed it. No idea why, maybe it’s just because it’s so unashamedly… so… Wikipedia calls it “kitsch”. If you made this album today as a parody of 80s music, people would say it was over the top. “Fun, but bad” is still bad, but Ive talked myself into a 3.
Really liked this! One of my favourite 80s so far! Look of Love is a tooon. Simpsons: No
Easy to listen to, I enjoyed hearing Poison Arrow again for the first time in ages. It reminded me of watching the darts on the BBC at my grandparents' house.
This is so unapologetically 80s that I loved it and I usually hate that 80s sound.
LOOK! For your information, yes there's one thing, the one thing that still holds true . . .
85.
Prob the cheesiest 80s synth slop. Like not the worst thing ever but rlly nothing special either, some songs hit nice highs ig, look of love is solid. Yea whatever pretty inoffensive 2/5
Doesn’t really get more 80s than this. Trevor Horn production with Matin Fry’s excellent vocals. I really enjoy it - have always liked this album ever since it came out.
White guy ruins funk music.
Pure 80s. 3/5
I only knew the look of love but I hoped that rest of the record is also this good. I did not get disappointed! This is the perfect mix of 80s funk and synth pop.
What a sick album. Its lead by bass and im a huge sucker for that stuff. Every song has a great lick on it. And the synths are so cool. Some really neat tones come out of that little machine. Not too much to say other than its great and I had alot of fun listening to the whole thing. Not perfect but great great great
A worse version of better pop. Probably sampled a lot by newer artists.
Better than I expected
Fine enough album. I don't mind '80s synth pop, which is entirely what this album is. It's nothing revolutionary or ground-breaking, and meshes with what most pop bands were doing around the time. Still, it's a decent enough listen if you don't mind that '80s sound. But there are better '80s bands. And worse ones, too.
Dime a dozen 80s album.
Show Me // Poison Arrow // Many Happy Returns // The Look Of Love - Pt. 1 //
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Love it so much. Takes me back a long way. Still a great album!
There were a few catchy songs on here. The album art and the weird poetry threw me off a bit. I definitely wouldn't have listened to this outside of this list so that's something.
Better than I thought it would be
Groovy and fun throughout!
80's pop is so hard for me to get into. Not as catchy/groovy as good disco hits. Singing almost satirically falsetto at times which brings this down quite a bit. Cheesy lyrics ("Poison Arrow"). The orchestration can be good at times, same with some decent funky bass lines ("Date Stamp").
I enjoyed this album. Didn't expect anything from it and was surprised how good it is. Many Happy Returns Tears Are Not Enough The Look Of Love Date Stamp 4 Ever 2 Gether 5/5
Catchy songs, though certainly sounding a bit dated
Get. Your. Groove. On.
Bombastic 80s new wave/synth pop. Undoubtedly a decade-defining album, at least in terms of its sound. While it's fun, yesterday I had the privilege of listening to Sister Sledge's 'We Are Family' - the gold standard of disco. Going from that, to this, is a noticeable downgrade.
I've been on an 80's kick lately and dug the first half of this album. Driving around town listening was great - felt like I was in movie montagem. Less great for vacuum sealing meats in the basement.
Um…nope. Never heard a song by these guys before this. I love 80’s synth pop but this is not good. Singer is too theatrical.
Tough listen
Sounds like a divorce album. I can see how so many can relate to sell Platinum
I don’t even know how to rate/review/interpret music like this. I generally dislike 80s production. This sucks in my opinion.
A very 80s Synth Wave Pop album that honestly really slaps. Might be because of the reduced use of basic keyboard tunes in favor of the heavy use of slap bass. No song I recognized besides the Look of Love, but even though the rest of the songs aren't of the same quality, the album doesn't overstay its welcome. 3.5/5
I liked this more than when I first heard these songs in the 80. That is some sick bass playing.
Of it's time
Great album!
440/1001
Nope
Apparently, I have to again question the editors' and Brits' fascination with '80's synth pop. I'll give you two albums for this list in that category (three if that's what you call Devo), but there seems to be at least a dozen here. This album was just mind-numbingly boring. Despite my guidelines for reviewing, every album in this category after this one is getting a 1*. Please stop the madness. Zero influence, zero hits, quality was nothing to complain about (nor to compliment), and I fell asleep listening to it.
Overall: 4/10 I'm a little dissapointed in this one. It started off really strong with two great songs in a row, and then it just became a kind of generic, lame 80's british pop album. Way too many on this list. The bass parts were pretty great throughout though. Fav Song: Poison Arrow
Perfect Trevor Horn's production, just what I needed
This is just not my thing. Early 80s disco influenced pop is a genre I could skip altogether.
This is another album I know only through the singles. But the singles have become timeless classics.
So middle of the road it’s embarrassing that it’s even on the list. Anyone influenced by this derivative album is obviously desperate.
They lied - this is NOT an album I must hear.
Veeeeeeeeeeery 80’s. In a good way
I'd heard the singles way back in the 80's and sometimes since and I thought this was just another slick, overly-polished 80's band. I mean, I like the 2 songs well enough, but it's not something Great. I am going to revise my thoughts now. because I never really did listen to this whole album before and now I must say, I quite like it. First, yes it is wildly over-produced. It's so slick it hurts sometimes. But the music is actually good. I honestly hadn't even heard the bass bits before, but this guy is smoking! The synths are a bit much sometimes and the fake drums are not my favorite, BUT overall it's still really good music. I've always liked his voice and he comes up with some great turns of phrase. When I think of Albums You Have to Hear Before You Die, I don't automatically think this would be here. But if you want to capture a moment from the early 80's in one album, this is definitely a good choice. (This and what, Spandau Ballet maybe?) Giving it a 4 because it's solid and does represent a moment in time pretty well. But that overly slick production and fake drums drops it just a bit. I imagine I'll listen to this once or twice again in my life.
ABC has more sophisticated lyrics and arrangements than some other 80s bands. I still really like The Look of Live and Poison Arrow as songs, but not sure the whole album hits. Another questionable inclusion as 1001 albums to listen to before I die… 2.5⭐️
This was so fine. I didn’t hate it but I certainly didn’t love it - I was questioning through a lot of this why this is included in the 1001 Albums list. Nothing felt super special or noteworthy to me.
I'm a sucker for 80's production and British post-punk/new-wave, so no matter how generic the group, there's a chance of me liking it. ABC definitely falls under that umbrella. The lyricsm is pretty inconsequential, but the vocal style and commitment to the bit sells most songs, regardless. The musicianship is wonderful. If you're a fan of this style and era of music, there's a chance you'll enjoy it like I do. If not, you probably won't enjoy this very much. No matter whether you enjoy this album or not, we should be able to agree that it is not essential.
More bland 80s pop
Never heard of the group, but had heard 2 songs from this album previously.
Very groovey, I can give it that. The production is good and fun no question about that! Unfortunately it sometimes felt like the songwriter was too in love with the same three lyrics that kept being repeated through the album to consider if they were any good in the first place. “You think you’re smart, stupid stupid” should have stayed on poison arrow. Overall still decent!
Very 80s
Mom, can we have some Duran Duran?” “No, we have Duran Duran at home.” Duran Duran at home
Not for me. Good stuff to hear in someone elses home , but not mine.
Really 80s, really good!
It was fine.
Started more interesting than I expected, but ended a bit forgettable. All around a fine pop album. 3/5
Angenehmer 80s Pop. Ein paar Banger dabei, aber auch ein paar Songs, die sich etwas ziehen.
Well-made, for sure, but kind of a big yawn sadly.
Норм синт-поп, возможно даже хуже, как будто бы есть покруче в таком стиле, да и к тому-же нет особого желания возвращаться, но это нормальный альбом, мне действительно добавить нечего. 6/10 Highlights: none
Nothing objectively bad, but I find that style of 80s sound tiring. 3.
Standard 80s pop rock. Not bad to listen to, but doesn't grab me.
Enjoyed for most part
ganz süßer 80s synth record. 3.5.
"The Look of Love" +++ "Valentine's Day" ++ "All of My Heart" +
This album has all of the 80's staples with none of the charm. Boring track after boring track and after a while they all start to blend together. I will say though, the lead singer has quite a voice on him, too bad it's not enough to elevate the album to a listenable spot.
Very interesting album, bold sound, almost prince-like rythm/mix.
IDK its alright, quite standard new wave/pop stuff, the singing is good, and the synths are alright, but the songs just feel quite boring generally, not really too adventurous, I feel like you could maybe slightly compare this to the Blue Nile, but I think that is infinitely better, as it didn't feel as much like it was selling out for pop appeal, whereas this does more so, not totally, as I think there are stories and stuff in the lyrics, and also some of the instrumentals are quite funky and good, especially with the more disco elements. But overall I feel its just quite average, and there is much better early 80s pop stuff. Favourite songs: show me, many happy returns, tears are not enough, the look of love pt.1. Overall around 5/10
Early 80s pop, fine for a historical snapshot, but not great 80s pop. Couple distinctive tracks, but disposable, and pretty weak in the context of this list.
but C knew all the words to one of the tracks!
Thank god I heard this.
Very good new wave music that reminds me of every party during college. It's dancey, but also listenable. While there is a lot of synth, there are also guitars and horns, which add a lot to the sound. I really like this one.
Super 80s in its fusion of new wave and dance music but had some fun moments. Probably didn’t need to be on this list but it was far from the worst thing we heard.
Wow - this was a wonderful listen!
Old school, minner meg om filmmusikk
Definitely some good stuff in this album but overall a bit weak.
8.5/10 This was extremely close to 5 stars. Exceptional 80s pop. I know the 2 big hits but didn’t expect it to be so soul and disco forward. Excellent rhythm and synth, great production and orchestration, fun delivery including the campy talk raps. Best: the look of love pt 1
This one brought back some sweet memories from the 80's
Very catchy and fun with that big 80’s production from Trevor Horn. A bit too campy for me at times.
What a unique listening experience. Just at the peak of the New Wave of the 80s shows the showmanship of a group that in my opinion, of synthesized music for future success
Poison arrow was pretty goood - enjoyed the listen - definitely some gooooood funky baselines will visit a few of these songs again soon.
Highlight Song/s: Show Me, Valentine's Day, Date Stamp and All Of My Heart I'd reckon this would be a great soundtrack to some hypothetical movie. As probably other new pop albums would be, such as New Gold Dream by Simple Minds. These new pop albums that I have listened to thanks to 1001, are so strange sounding. I am not too sure what about it is strange to me. Perhaps it is the musical-styled singing with the orchestration and the disco beats all combined into one song/album.
Very synthrealiable, decent 80s album dith some hits.
Er zijn maar enkele bands die bij mij kunnen wegkomen met de typische 80s synths, zoals Duran Duran, Depeche Mode en Simple Minds. Misschien ABC ook? Voor de helft dan. Geen topmuziek, maar wel geestig. Het feit dat ik het heb uitgeluisterd zonder te zuchten, wilt al veel zeggen. 3.3
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. This was an unexpected and kind of fun record. Very much of the 80’s. Some sounded familiar but couldn’t really confirm if I’d ever heard any of the tracks.
Very 80's, and at the time, this was "pop" catchy, fun, not anything that needed overthinking. Is exactly what it says it is.
This sound is stupid. ABC had to be aware of it. A lot of tracks are violently lacking in hooks or memorable, musically sound parts – especially in the vocals, which are generally pretty bad. Poison Arrow, one of the album's released singles, is bland and generic. It's strange: even though every instrument is technically played well (barring the vocals, which are average), they don't combine into something special. The instrument playing is extremely cheesy (e.g. instrumental breakdown around 2:40 of Many Happy Returns), but that's to be expected for 80s pop. The Lexicon Of Love is actually above-average for this era, but the bar is pretty darn low. It took until The Look Of Love, Pt.1 on this album to really impress me. The singing is good and soulful on that one, as well as the vocal and bass on Date Stamp. Compare the sound on this album to something from The Nightfly, released the same year. While Fagen's record essentially carries the baton from Steely Dan, incorporating meticulous instrumental arrangements that don't fall in line with 80s musical trends, ABC doesn't really achieve this. (I guess the competition was pretty steep.) Or compare it to Thriller, which features a much slicker and catchier setlist. Or Rio, which is Duran Duran's analogue of this record but is near-objectively better. An online review said of this album: "[the songs] demonstrate [producer] Horn’s signature style of rich, bombastic, borderline campy pop in full force." I think that's accurate, but really it reflects a producer making the best of some fairly patchy material. 2/5 Key tracks: The Look Of Love Pt.1, All Of My Heart
None of the songs were standouts, but this is stellar 80s music.
1.6
great 80s album and many good tracks included
Day586 - one of the best new wave albums i’ve heard. look of love and poison arrow are classics
Decent album, very 80s.
I really hate this schmaltzy British 80s shit, and there are a lot of these albums on this list. I guess it is two stars for being marginally listenable, but I’m in a bad mood so I am very tempted to give it 1 star.
This was a slog
Loud
Very 80s and kinda forgettable IMO. Not sure I'd say this withstands the test of time (though maybe that's not the point).
I am true neutral. Not bad, see what you were doing there, am I putting it on? No.
❄️
Poison Arrow is good. There... I said something good about a cheesy 80's album.
So so 80s, but still so so good. Suoer catchy, great bass throughout, and a theatrical vocal performance. I thought it was a great album
ABC’s superpower is weaponized genericness, so smooth, shiny and formula perfect it stops being wallpaper and starts feeling like the wall.
fine.
2.5
2.5+
The first song, "Show Me", was the best one, it has a good bassline. The only other 2 songs I thought were remotely good are, "Poison Arrow" and "4 Ever 2 Gether". This is being generous, I really don't care for this generic 80's sound. Admittedly this is 1982, and for it's time it may have been exciting. The instrumentation is interesting, but the composition is bland. Stereotypical 80's chart toppers.
I’m not sure what genre of music this is, but I hate it.
It's a good thing most of these songs are catchy because this was maybe the cheesiest love song album I've heard
80-talsdisco, kände bara igen ”the look of love” som en vanligt förekommande discolåt. Ser framför mig typiskt 80-tal med spretiga frisyrer med mycket klet, neon, midjekorta kavajer med axelvaddar osv. Inte min musiksmak. Ger högst en 1 i betyg.
Great
Grupo desconocido para mi...me han sorprendido
When pop music was New Wave. I have a theory that every rock star wants to be a crooner, deep down. Martin Fry skipped the first part and went straight to crooner right out of the gate, so I respect him for that. Very melodramatic. Not my favorite style and too polished for my taste - but this isn't music that can really have any edge to be successful.
I didn’t know of this album or band, but it’s some pretty solid British 80s pop. A delight!
Very cool. There are times in the past where I would have discounted this out of hand for the "cheesy 80s production style". I'm glad I don't now. I love it. The range of bass sounds are all awesome. Some of that production is kind of cheesy with the pad strings for example. I'm also not crazy about the lyrical style of over the top life and death romance. Brilliant singles though
This sort of sounds like The Cure if they weren’t goth. I think that may be all I have to say about this. It has structure and style it just has no purpose for me. Cheesy 80’s music. There, that’s another example. Choice cut: Tears are not Enough
Nice
A great opening 50 seconds ruined when the vocal begins.
I enjoyed this album of 80s pop
Not my thing.
Pretty great. Bit too shiny 80s for me as a whole but there are some excellent tracks here for sure. Verging on a 4.
'The lLok Of Love, Pt.1' stood out as a song I've heard before, otherwise this was all new to me. I found it to be a quite decent record, but it didn't left any serious impression on me. There were some decent disco-like beats in there, but it didn't blow me over for some reason, not sure why. I guess it just wasn't good enough to compete with some other records from the same era.
Fun, funky, and very unapologetically ’80s. The only song I knew beforehand was The Look of Love, Pt. 1. I think my favourite track was “Poison Arrow” or perhaps the same song, but slower, in "Theme from Claptrap". It was very catchy and I enjoyed the big synth and the vocal style. I’ve been on a bit of an ’80s binge lately, and this fits right in. Strong 3.
Pop Classics.
Time travel is real, when you're listening to an album from 40 years ago!
It sounds very 80s and very European, so I understand not everybody likes it. I knew 3 of the songs before. I liked the album much better than I expected. Great intro, the songs are good, different enough, production/arrangment is peak Trevor Horn. The singer could have benefited from some singing lessons (breath control) and autotune, but it hadn't been invented yet. Favorite song: poison arrow
Too 80’s pop for my liking.
Богатая палитра.
The epitome of generic 80s.
Gots that coked out David Bowie voice. Twas jammin' to this!
Can’t tell who they remind me of but sorta feels like I got rick rolled
Ehh very 80s, not really my kind of music
Cheap new wave Duran Duran knockoffs. Not terrible but no reason to have had to listen to that before I died.
This album is so awesome. Obsessed. Amazing recording, great performances, fantastic songwriting. ABC should be way more famous.
****A beautiful album, easy listening!
Tää oli kiva, voisi kuunnella toistekin!
Pidän tästä. Ekoja muistoja musiikista radiosta aikoinaan Look of Love
Ei huono.⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oikein kiva meininki!
Fucking great synth pop. That bass. Fully deserved to be a commercial success!
“Hmm, not sure I actually know these guys” *knows half the songs* Great, powerful synth-pop.
Classic New Romantic 80s
Un álbum que no me pareció muy memorable. Me gustaron la orquestación y los arreglos. La voz y la temática del álbum son interesantes. Tiene energía y un buen sonido. Pero me resultó poco sobresaliente.
eles queriam ser o duran duran mas n conseguiram mt bem né porém temos que admitir que o baixo desse é um monstro
ou pior que eu curti hein. a sonoridade lembra duran duran, mas eu achei que tem uma personalidade própria, mais ROMANTICA fraga e de fato eh baixaria esse aqui hein, achei bacana
„Look of Love“ - episches Synty Pop/Wave Album. Ein Werk für die Ewigkeit.
Several years ago, for reasons I don't recall, I searched for a list of the best new wave albums. The Lexicon of Love happened to be on that list, so I decided to check it out. I knew a handful of ABC songs at that point, but I didn't really have a strong opinion of their work. Listening to this album really made me a fan of ABC, and I've been looking forward to reviewing this album. I don't think I've listened to all of it since that first listen, so I'm hoping that my fond memories of listening to it will still hold up! My fond memories of this album did not lead me astray. The Lexicon of Love is pop perfection. Every song on it is great, bolstered by funky bass hooks, Martin Fry's seductive crooning, and some beautiful keyboards and synths. The cover for this album looks like something out of golden era Hollywood, and the songs on this album do such a great job of crafting that atmosphere. I can understand why some people might find this album cheesy, but for me, the seriousness that Martin Fry put into this album really hits the artistic mark that he was going for. I could go on and on about this album as a whole, because I think it’s a pop masterpiece, and I think it’s incredibly fun and enjoyable to listen to. But I’ll stop here and talk about a few of my favorite songs: -“Show Me” sets the tone of the album so well, with its string introduction, but when the horns kick in, and then the bass, you know you better buckle up for pop perfection. This is an excellent lead off track, because it establishes the sound of the album so well, but without showing all of the tricks that ABC has up their sleeves. The synthesizer riff towards the end of the song is fantastic, and this song is indicative of how every song on this album has so many treats for the ears. -“Poison Arrow” has such a fantastic pre-chorus. I love the little call-and-response that Martin Fry does with himself. Once again, the bass playing is great, and “Poison Arrow” has some great synths and keyboards. -The bass playing on this album draws a ton of comparisons to Nile Rodgers, but “Tears Are Not Enough” feels like the closest thing you can get to an homage to Chic on this album. The way the horns and bass play off of each other is pure disco, but an amazing synth arrangement kicks in during the last minute of the song that really cranks things up to 11. -“The Look Of Love, Pt. 1” feels like the emotional focal point of the album. The Lexicon of Love has a very cinematic feel to it, but this song feels like the anchor of that theme. Martin Fry’s vocals are at their best, and the backing vocals sprinkled throughout the song make it feel like the biggest ensemble performance of the album. Once again, the bass guitar is fantastic, but so are the programmed strings. “The Look Of Love” really shows how much ABC can do with synthesizers and programming. -If this album truly were a movie, “All Of My Heart” would be that sad moment in a love story, right when someone realizes that they pushed away the love they truly wanted, leading to a dramatic reconciliation. And it’s not just this song’s position on the album that makes this song feel this way, but the mood that ABC establishes with the ebb and flow of the song’s verses and chorus. -“4 Ever 2 Gether” was the biggest surprise to me on this album. I’ve listened to this before, but for some reason, I’d forgotten about this song. Every musical element on this song just hits perfectly to my ears. The programmed strings on the chorus are absolutely perfect, and their bright sound contrasts so well with the deep bass and drums. It delights me that this absolute bop is one of the longest songs on the album. The Lexicon Of Love is a joy to listen to. I went through this three times before writing my review, and I wish I could have gone through it a fourth time. Every song here is a winner, and there are no low points. The Lexicon Of Love deserves to be in every conversation about the best pop albums of all time.
I can't decide how I feel about this multiple times through. It's a strange blend of genres; I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it. 5/10
Thought I was going to hate this, but I had a blast with this album. Powerfully 80s but it really worked. The bass in particular was filthy, some beautiful lines on this. I’d heard a few of these songs before but didn’t know they were by ABC.
Although not the most iconic of power pop 80's records, ABC sets themselves apart by offering challenging song structures and instantaneous hooks on their debut. You might walk away the same as before, but you'll have a good time with this if you don't completely hate 80s music.
Sincere funk and unironic kitsch collide in one of the more open-hearted examples of early 80s pop’s power.
# Playlist Track - Poison Arrow # Notes - Lots of fun for anyone who enjoys that 80's sound. The synths and bass lines are on point. - Album starts great, but ends in a low note. A few tracks, like "All of my heart" are a bit overdone. Nothing too bad. - Still worth the listen.
Love love love ABC. Total 80s kid.
Hat mich nicht so wirklich abgeholt, vielleicht muss man dafür in der richtigen Stimmung sein? Für mich war es sehr generic und die Lieder irgendwie alle gleich. Am besten fand ich noch Poison Arrow
Nicht besonders memorable, aber für den Hintergrund nicht verkehrt.
Very good
slapped my tits and ass CLEAN OFF! a total surprise, fun and funky and super energetic. i can't wait to listen to this more. easy 5 from the first song. to everyone who rated this album a 1 or 2, your mom's a ho
I only discovered The Look of Love Pt. 1 a few months ago but have enjoyed it ever since. i saw the album cover and gasped. i immediately knew this would have some fun, new-to-me bangers on it. this is such a cool, interesting, unique new wave album that really stands apart from the pack. i really enjoyed it in my four (?) listens. nuts to the haters. favorites: show me, poison arrow, tears are not enough, valentine's day, the look of love pt 1 and pt 4
Surprisingly fun record.
“Poison Arrow” and “The Look of Love” are five-star songs. “Tears Are Not Enough” and “All of My Heart” aren’t far behind. The rest of the album? Yeesh!
The sound feels unique. After Poison Arrow, I found it hard to plug into the particulars of the songs (except The Look of Love PT 1), until the change of pace with 'All of My Heart'. 4 Ever 2 gether also stands out and the last two songs are both fun returns (Although I don't think Theme from "Mantrap" was on the original release)
This is more 80s than any 80s album ever. I feel like I’m there. And I want to leave. I’m going 2/5 for sheer dedication to the aesthetic. Albums like this are fearless. Instrumentation is nice. But I would never play it again.
Put off by the over the top theatricality.
Perhaps the most potent strain of the 1980s ever discovered? It’s an awful lot of fun. Camp, extremely extraverted, maximalist music with verbose and arch vocals. Flourishes on top of flourishes. I like how ever-present and persistent the vocals are, putting the singer in frame as much as possible. Taking up all the oxygen. It leads with bombastic, huge melodic force. The 1980s sounds like it could have been a fun time to be alive. I think we need more of this theatrical fun in music.
Love the bass, too much strings for me, solid 3
I was tempted to give this a 4 but I think its just too cheesy. It is stilton, it is wensleydale, it is thick fucking cheddar. Cheese all over. Pretty good though I must say, most of the chorus lyrics had me cringing the first time and singing along the second. It is catchy if nothing else. The songs are decently written, it flows smoothly and the production is just straight up 80s pop. One late album song had some incredible slappa da bass but I didn't check the title bc I was too busy grooving or cooking or whatever I was doing (it definitely wasn't grooving, I am white I have no groove). Favourite songs - Many Happy Returns, Tears Are Not Enough, The Look Of Love Pt.1, Date Stamp, All Of My Heart,
Honestly expected absolutely nothing from this album but had fun with it. Jot the best new wave/80’s pop album by a long shot, but has enough catchy hooks and funky melodies to be engaging most of the way through. Show Me (7/10) Poison Arrow (7/10) Many Happy Returns (8/10) Tears Are Not Enough (7/10) Valentine’s Day (8/10) The Look of Love, Pt. 1 (9/10) Date Stamp (7/10) All of My Heart (6/10) 4 Ever 2 Gether (6/10) The Look of Love, Pt. 4 (N/A) 7.2/10
Great 80s music. Love many of this groups songs. Not sure why it was included here.
#633. This is what you get if you put Talking Heads and David Bowie in a blender. 3/5: acceptable
I liked it more than I expected to, but still pretty standard 80s pop at the end of the day
ABC as easy as 123… Four
Good bass lines, very 80s sound. Gets a bit of the same. 6.5/10
This pissed me off. Valentine’s Day was fine. Disco/Pop/New Wave. June 21, 1982. British/English. 11 tracks. 41:44 run time.
Unfair, but I can't take this seriously because of Drew Tarver's Martin Sheffield Lickly played on Comedy Bang Bang.
So much 80's British synth pop tried to be so funky, but they were so very very white
Awful
I still have this album. Many happy memories seeing these live
A little too disco Duran Duran for my tastes.
80’s pop romance album. Pretty great, honestly.
When I was in first grade my mom used to wake me up by playing Crazy Frog on her phone. Little did she know I would get up much faster if she would play something like this
better than I expected, worse than I hoped
Extremely easy to date this to the early 1980s, which means it's not the most pleasing listening experience. It just about squeaks out two stars, as it's not actually painful to listen to, but I wouldn't go out of my way to ever listen to this again, and I would certainly be encouraged to leave a shop playing this music over the speaker system.
3 star. I like it overall, but not that strongly
Early alt electronica with some nice arrangements.
Büro, Heidenheim, Deutschland Schmeichelt meinen Ohren!
It's a bit thin sounding production-wise. I was hoping for something that sounded as "big" as Duran Duran but the music was much sparer. It's fun enough but not necessarily needing replay.
Heel erg 80s. Totaal niet bijzonder. Had er ook nog nooit van gehoord. Misschien was het toen populair?
Not my taste in music but not bad. This would've been good back in the day I bet.
Repetitive, it all sounds very similar. It almost sounds like parody of what an album from 1982 would sound like, if I was making music for a film set in that era. I really love the cover. I want to read the book with that cover.
Some decent synth pop. Very consistent album, I gave every song in it a 3. Tears Are Not Enough was really nice, as was All Of My Heart. Solid album. Best song: Tears Are Not Enough
ehh
Sometimes you can appreciate something for what it is without actually liking it. I knew the singles from this album in advance from my 80's childhood and was aware going in that it wasn't for me, so bright and polished with all rough edges smoothed away. While that's a negative for me it does make for a near perfect pop album which I'm sure will make it a favourite for a lot of people. You can hear the Bowie and Chic influences throughout, both of whom I enjoy more than this. Overall a decent 40+ minutes with strong tunes but not one I'd choose to listen to again.
This is just Duran Duran on a budget. And I prefer Duran Duran. But this is not bad.
Kinda typical 80s sounds
Quando o álbum se iniciou, eu fiquei imediatamente boquiaberto. Existe algo mágico demais em ouvir um disco totalmente cego, sem saber nada a respeito de suas faixas ou até mesmo do grupo que o compôs. No caso deste disco do grupo ABC, temos um suprassumo do mais fino synthpop britânico do início da década de 1980. Tudo aqui é em ótimo gosto; Os vocais, as melodias, os pequenos ornamentos orquestrais que se destacam mais na faixa inicial mas fazem outras aparições em faixas sucessivas. Mas, pra mim, a parte que mais brilha nesse álbum é o baixo. Que baixo fantástico, ele constrói uma base resistente nas fundações dessas canções. O disco possui seus hits. Poison Arrow é uma das minhas músicas favoritas de synthpop, The Look Of Love e All Of My Heart também são clássicas. Mas o que impressiona nesse álbum é que até os deep cuts possuem qualidades bem próximas dos hits. Um disco infalível, ao meu ver. Quando ele começa a ficar entediante, ele acaba! Do jeito que têm de ser. Pois todos sabemos que ser exposto a synthpop e a sotaques britânicos por uma quantidade demasiada de tempo pode causar efeitos adversos gravíssimos! E ele se encerra do jeito que se iniciou, com uma orquestra orgásmica fazendo um maravilhoso arranjo da faixa “principal” do álbum, The Look Of Love. Lindo! 4/5
Great to clean your kitchen to.
One hit surrounded by a bunch of keyboard demos. One of the best things from the vinyl era is that records like this are a maximum 42 minutes. I couldn’t handle the Spotify version with 33 tracks of this…
Very 80s, some good synth sections. Overall 2/5, the filler tracks almost made me turn it off, but the hits were enjoyable enough for the genre
Good good
Boring
1980s jams galore.
Catchy and loveydovey!
The sound is rather generic and while earnest, the subject matter does not seem to have lasting impact woth me
I have a soft spot for this album, on the logical and sensible grounds that everything from Sheffield is super. The hits from this were ubiquitous at the time, but it’s only listening back now that I can appreciate just how much work went into them - it’s a truly lush affair, with sweeping arrangements from Anne Dudley, cutting edge electronica using a Fairlight CMI from JJ Jeczalik, overseen by producer Trevor Horn. It’s no coincidence that these people would form the nucleus of the Art of Noise just one year after this. The songs all hold up I think, even the spoken passages that make it feel a lost soundtrack to a fifties movie in places. Martin Fry is a classic crooner who knows how to tug at your heart strings, with love and heartbreak being the theme that holds this album together. Classic 80s!
Ah, I'm torn. This is album is quintessential eighties pop music; all the gimmicks from this era are bursting to your ears. A good reason to hate it, as this sound, the production, everything looking pristine, is really something I'm glad we're over. But (yes, there is a but), it's well executed, sometimes almost epic, very cinematrographic, a good share of tracks make you wanting to dance. And it's not too long, so we don't get too bored/fed up with all the 80s nonesense. Overall, I like this much more than what I anticipated when I recognized an album from this period of time.
An absolute masterpiece in bombastic 80s pop. Listening back to the clean production, the early Fairlight and bass lines that you can just hear Trevor Horn's developing sound that became Frankie etc. British pop at its finest, and some great songs that still stand up.
Cheesy and dated but catchy as hell.
Synth pop is not really my thing, except groups like Talk Talk, OMD, and a-ha. I find the album predictable, bland, and over dramatic.
Does any song send it further than “All Of My Heart”? This album is the answer to the question that was Britain in the early ‘80s: of its time in that it helped make it.
One of my absolute favorite '80s confections. The arrangements are perfect the songs all top-notch, especially "All Of My Heart". And all my friends just might ask me They say, "Simon, maybe one day you'll review their follow-up albums" And I say, maybe the recent "Lexicon of Love II" is surprisingly good But "Beauty Stab" was a weird misfire that is sadly odd and annoying.
Poison arrow through my heart
This thing is a glitter cannon of pure 80s. The production is absurdly lush, like a synth-pop soap opera with a full orchestra. It's dramatic, theatrical, and super cheesy. Spins: a lot (I was building a garden) Playlist Additions: - Poison Arrow - The Look Of Love - Pt. 1 - All Of My Heart - The Look Of Love - Pt. 4
More brit pop
It has some moments of goodness, but nothing amazing.
The Good: A band inspired by Sesame Street, as we get to learn our ABC… The Bad: The poison on the arrow was not real poison... The Ugly: The hair… For me, ABC is like Spandau Ballet, which means that the entire band is dressed to impress, the singer holds the microphone like a 13-year old boy would hold a tampon, and the “lads” in the band wish they actually know how to play their instruments well… And yet, for all the loathing I have for, what I consider to be the worse example of New Romantics, the missus and I found ourselves dancing in the kitchen to these bastards… Shoot that poison arrow… So, that leaves us with a conundrum as to what kind of score we would like to dish out to the lads… Well, should this album belong on a list of 1001 albums one should hear before dying? Based on the amount of absolute shit one has been forced to listen to, I’d argue that this was an enjoyable 40 odd minutes spent. 3*, as we will shoot that arrow straight down the middle...
Their chapter in Simon Reynold's Post-Punk book was easily my least favorite. I just don't like what Trevor Horn does. I've discovered how underrated the 80s are through many albums on this list but this is one of the poster childs for the side of 80s music I hate. Rating: 2.0
80's white boy funk at its finest.
Where do I begin. I was so hyped by the opening track, it set a standard that absolutely did not carry throughout the rest of the album. If I could take this album and remove more-or-less all vocals it would be fantastic. ABC are great at writing music and absolutely suck at writing lyrics. Favourite tracks were Show Me (track 1) and Look of Love pt. 4 (track 10)
Big bombastic bass and intricate instrumentals throughout. However, beyond a couple songs (Look of Love, Date Stamp) not much here really caught me.
An enjoyable album. Has a couple of really dumb songs but overall a good background listen.
Was there only one singer available for all of the English pop bands in the 80's?
Part of the New Wave of Synth-Pop. Contains some of ABC's biggest hits such as "Poison Arrow", "The Look of Love", and "All of My Heart". I always thought that ABC were a bit too commercial for my liking, and I still think today, but that said, the album isn't too bad.
Fun pop music. Poison arrow I'm sure I've heard before, but it's the most catchy song on the album. Can't remember any other song, but wasn't bothered by any
Generic, overly theatrical 80's crap. I didn't need to hear this.
Solid 80's album. 3/5.
Not bad, was thrown off by the cover. Fun dance music. A little dated but ahead of its time.
All I'm sayin'... This album is a high camp delight. The ubiquitous hits "The Look of Love" and "Poison Arrow" are the peaks here and the only ones I'd heard before, but the strings and the breathless delivery throughout sell it. The final two tracks - a fussy orchestral "The Look of Love Part 4" and drunken cabaret version of "Poison Arrow" as "Theme from 'Mantrap'" is chef's kiss emoji good.
My first thought, since it was the first sounds in the first song: The bass player deserves a raise. His playing throughout is stellar. This is a solid New Romantic release, with echoes of Duran Duran and Roxy Music. I liked a lot of the bonus tracks, but I'm not sure this belongs on this list.
I only knew the two hits from this one; like a lot of 80s techno pop, I seldom listened to LPs of bands that had giant hits on MTV that I'd grown tired of. I'm now sorry I missed this one when it was new; its got that early Duran Duran slickness but some great hooks. I especially like the opener "Show me" and the lounge version of Poison Arrow at the end (which is apparently from a later reissue and not on the original 80s lp) My one complaint is that the production gimmicks by Trevor Horn on this LP show up on many later Trevor Horn projects. This LP is 3 or 4 years prior to Frankie Goes to Hollywood's debut, which borrows bass lines, bridges, and general Trevor Horniness from it. "Date Stamp" and "Tears are not enough " are like ur-versions of the Two Tribes bass part. But ABC is a much tighter band than FGTH (which is also on the 1001 list, so I guess its good we got this one first).
Dumb dad-joke thought: ABC and Def Leppard should do an 80s tour called ABCDEF. Though clearly this is as 80s as 80s can get...it doesn't seem to suffer as much as many other pop releases of the era in terms of overly 80s production. Yes, synths everywhere, but they sound appropriate here. Not just used for the sake of using them.
There’s some bangers. But I can’t help but hear how derivative this band is. 3/5
What a fantastic album. Pure 80’s pop. It’s in my collection. The look of love fantastic song
It was okay but I felt like I couldn’t tell one song from another. I liked the last song though.
This kind of music is something my mother would like. The music is well done, but I am never going to listen to it again.
Went into this thinking I didn't know anything from this band then was surprised to know 2 of these songs, "Poison Arrow" and "Look of Love". This is just fun solid 80's brit-pop.
Digamos que é um álbum que respira os ares dos primeiros anos dos 80's. Produzido pelo Trevor Horn. Interessante mas datado e sem nenhuma canção de destaque. 3 estrelas tá bom.