Reviews (page 7 of 9)
Very standard 1980 new wave Duran Duran-ish. My fave was The Look of Love Pt 1
I don't usually listen to this type of music, but oh man, it is filled with bangers. Whole album can easily be broadcast 24/7 on any station, and probably no one would mind. Just an amazing pop record, with great vocal, nice instrumentation and really fitting orchestral music in the background. This album probably won't change my view of pop music, or 80s music, but I have just found a needle in a haystack of crap.
En tiennyt mitä odottaa kannen perusteella, mutta juuri tätähän sen kuului olla. Nautin tästä jostain syystä joka minuutilta enemmän. 4 ever 2 gether on todella hyvä. Mitä draamaa!
Omalla tavallaan ansiokasta mutta niiiiiiin kasaria ja notkeudeltaan liian tarkan töksähtelevää. Poison Arrow ja The Look of Love eivät myöskään ole riittävän vaikuttavia kantaakseen keskinkertaisempia biisejä. 2,5.
Dudes voice got real annoying
Hard to get better than this at what it is
This sucks. It sounds like Walmart David Bowie waffling his way through some of the most tepid, uninspired disco instrumentals of all time. This entire album washed over me like a glass of room temperature milk. I can’t believe people dedicated their hearts and souls to this music (actually, probably not. If they had, it would be far better).
💁
Look of Love reminded me so much of Donny Gary I didn’t know what to do with myself.
It's just too melodramatic and cheesy for my tastes. It's very evocative of the era but not necessarily in a good way. To me, this album has not aged well.
Meh - pretty typical new wave pop stuff.
I had never heard of this band or album prior to listening. Let me tell you though, that I was hooked. That wailing saxophone, energetic bass and synth, was all led with campy/theatrical lyrics and vibes that put me right into this era. I literally spent the rest of the day listening to 80's tracks and understand how much music was influenced by ABC's sound. I also love how it jumps from The Look of Love Pt. 1 to Pt. 4. That is something I would do if I wrote an album. Catch me wearing a crop top and some short shorts like Tom Selleck in Magnum PI while I absorb some pure 80s vibes. Stand out track: The Look of Love Pt. 4
Solid album with fun riffs. Bass was dope throughout the whole album. I didn't quite connect with it, but i think that it just my particular taste. Some of the songs gave me old school video game music vibes and that was cool.
Funky and fun
It’s a 5, don’t believe Luke ❤️
Catchy, very VERY 80s. Was like listening to 45 minutes of very energetic Tom Jones with an 80s band. Liked it, but it needed more changes of pace to hold attention. Was a bit much for me I’d give it a decent 3
Very catchy music, enjoyed a lot of the bass lines. May listen again in the future to focus on the lyrics. Would say a four for now.
Great album, 80s at its best.
Definitely reminded me of the 80s. Poison Arrow was a big hit. Nice stroll down memory lane but not going to seek out this album.
A band I never thought I had heard before, just assuming they were Duran Duran. Around about in line with some of LeBon and groups average stuff.
When people talk about over polished too clean sounding 80s pop I bet this is what they mean. I thought The Look of Love still sounds good but any cool instrument parts were kind of swallowed up by the overall sound. Really underwhelmed
In the U.S., ABC was basically a one-hit MTV wonder (ok two hits-The Look of Love and Poison Arrow were both hits) in 1982. They were a constant in the clubs at the time. That's not to say that that is all there is to this album. Overall, it's a fine example of early 80s techno influenced new romantics movement music. They were classy, fun, and great to dance to. If you own only one ABC album, this is the obvious choice. After this, they mostly faded away in the U.S.
Here we go again, opening up my eyes to eighties pop and I'm really surprised by how much I enjoy this fresh, clean, sound. Martin's pop rock delivery is engaging and entertaining and the album feels cohesive, not just passing time between the singles you know but creating something vivid and vibrant throughout. Dang it, this is a four for now but I could see myself adding that fifth star anytime soon...
first listen ho hum
2.75
Delightful
Would love to hear Matt Bellamy cover Tears Are Not Enough. Or maybe Muse should take this entire album on tour.
Très pop, très glam, très Bowie, très j'aime beaucoup
80s fun
Can spot that Trevor Horn production a mile off; some tracks sound like Frankie Goes to Hollywood songs but with a different singer. There are a couple of decent songs here, but most of them are pretty bland. I quite like "All of my Heart"
it's not the best 80s music, but i think it's pretty good. i actually don't know whether it's a three or a four for me but there are some really lovely sounding songs on here and i think the existence of 4 ever 2 gether bumps it up to a four.
Meh. More like the Lexicon of tired 80s gimmick pop.
a refreshing listen. was not too long and didnt felt short. a 3.5 tbh
This is a bit of a surprise for me. Was expecting something dreary for some reason, but instead it’s a bit of a new wave / new romantic / Spandaeu Ballet esque record. Some cracking bass riffs and a lot more funk than its peers in that respect. It’s cheesey as fuck at times, but then it is an 80s pop record… Doubt I’ll ever return unless I’m making a wedding playlist, but it’s a decent listen nonetheless!
Really getting both ends of 80s music the last couple of days ey. 80s pop takes itself far too seriously and I find it hilarious a lot of the time so hard to judge it properly but there's a lot of guilty pleasures in there. Love a bit of Wham. ABC: the bass lines are mint, I prefer the hard hitting stuff with over the top drums and they had a lot of this. The look of love is hard not to like. But it's all so overproduced and stiff that I can't listen to it too often. In this single listen I didn't mind it but I wouldn't come back very quickly, if ever. 2.5.
I found this one very hard to review. So much of it I enjoyed, but I did read other reviews, and understand the criticism. Poison Arrow and The Look of Love are the best songs, but I liked Valentine's Day, and Show Me. Much of the difficulty for me lies in placing it against other albums I enjoyed to the same extent. Here, I liked the vibe and atmosphere created, and the variation within the album was great, whilst still retaining cohesion and being surprising. Solid 4 from me - I've given worse albums the same or better scores.
It's a very 80s album, containing all the things I don't like about that style of music. That dated pop sound just hasn't aged well in my opinion.
Painfully 80s. Did not enjoy it at all. Poison arrow is the pick of a bad bunch but it's all pretty bad Mercifully, parts 2 and 3 of the look of love don't seem to exist, or at least aren't on this album.
Second time listening to this. More to it than just the one song. Worth a second listen.
In 1982 I was barely a teenager, in jeans, a t-shirt and the default pair of Doctor Martens boots, listening to The Specials, The Selector, The Doors.... but definitely hadn't really considered New Romantic music, although by this stage I was already dipping my toe into Japan's Quiet Life album, so my ears had got a taste for new wave music by that time. ABC released this album, and it kinda broke my barrier to New Romantic music, these guys were able to produce some differbt music that sort of got my interest at the time, even though it was heavily synthed and had the cheesiest lyrics to pluck on the hearts of the teenage girls fan base, these guys were up running in the new romantic pack with Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. The fun thing about the cheesy lyrics was that, for pubescent teenage boys, we would take great amusement to reword the lyrics into something more enjoyable, like, you stole my heart became, your stinky fart, and many other childish and teenage hilairballs alterations. All in all, it's not too shabby an album, for the early 80s, but it is incredibly samey between tracks. The music and the look were both aimed as pure marketing to a teenage girly fan base, a recipie that the music industry manufactured recipie music continues to apply today.
Good album. Enjoyed more than I expected to!
Typical 80s baloney. Liked it.
an album that sounds familiar, but nothing stands out
4.1 This album is sooooo 1982 but the orchestral arrangements really elevate this album above all the new wave contemporaries for me. It's got a few less exciting tracks but it's a great listen overall. It's kind of a more Bowiesque version of Duran Duran. Fave songs: Poison Arrow, Valentine's Day, Look of love pt1, All of my Heart
Meh, very boring
Cool!
as much as i hate to admit it i am incredibly fond of british new wave/new romantic and this album is quintessential in that context Favorite Tracks: Show Me, Poison Arrow, The Look of Love 4.5/5
El álbum debut de la banda ABC es una entretenida recopilación de canciones pop. Las letras, si bien bastante dramáticas, son lo suficientemente divertidas como para mantener atento a quien escucha el trabajo, sin embargo, viéndolo en perspectiva desde el 2023, “The Lexicon of Love” no envejeció muy bien. La pista más destacable de todo el disco es “The Look of Love Pt. 1”, y el resto puede hacerse monótono y repetitivo. De todas formas, es un un álbum entretenido y ligero de escuchar, pero de ninguna forma lo llamaría un “indispensable” de las despensa de cualquier melómano.
I needed the happy ish disco echo today.
2.5
I've heard this album a number of times before. We have a copy in our house on cheap 80s vinyl and it's one of the other half's favourite 80s albums. She's a fan. So I get to hear it every now and again. And I remember it from the 80s - the hits anyway. And there seem to be enough of them. But it's not something I'd ever choose to play, so this was interesting to do for a change. And, you know, it's not a bad 80s album. Catchy, a bit overblown at times and has a couple of bangers and a couple of dodgier pieces (4 Ever 2 Gether really grates). The slightly extended version had Theme from Mantrap which is horrible, both in execution and as an idea, and that might have caused the loss of a star by itself. But I'll ignore that. Maybe it's because I'm relatively familiar with this already, but it's OK you know. But I'm an 80s kid so that's easy for me to say. Hell, 4 stars. But don't tell the wife...
Could not be more 80's, not something I normally listen to
Surprisingly fun. A bit too old school for my tastes but not bad to listen to
I remember hearing The Look of Love everywhere during my senior year of high school and first year of college. I liked it but never got further into this band. I think they're pretty good, reminiscent of the Cars and other bands of that ilk. Not bad, but probably won't listen again. 3 stars.
It's rough. It's outdone by MANY other 80s albums. It shouldn't be on this list, frankly. AND YET THE DOPAMINE FLOWS ??
Very 80s in both good and bad ways. The subject matter is sappy but not in a way that gets too grating. The instrumentation is super snappy and tight though. Lots of amazing studio flourishes that really pop and some KILLER bass.
Não curti muito não
Much better than I expected and way more songs that I knew than I expected. Super solid album for the 80s.
Don't know how else to describe other than quintessentially 80's.
No me gustó nada.
Cheesy 80s,but the good kind. It would maybe be a 4 if the whole album wasn't essentially just a buildup to one song.
80s pop blah blah
Highlights: "Date Stamp," "Valentine's Day," "Show Me," "Tears Are Not Enough" Although running behind Prince, Duran Duran, and Genesis, this album comes in early for its particular blend of disco, funk, and electropop. It beats Bowie there anyway, although it's obviously indebted to his range of vocal deliveries. It's consistent in the feel and energy while having enough variety to keep things fresh, but the production can also be frenetic, dumping jarring one-off gimmick fills in the middle of the mix and doubling down on weak falsettos with blatant boosts and reverb ramps. The lyrics have glimmers of intelligence that are mostly bent in service of vindictive breakup slop. It's way too salty overall, but there are moments of campy conflation between romance and commercialism that hold up alright, a snarky perspective where everything is objectified. Not bad for its time, but almost everything about it has aged poorly.
Some catchy hooks and riffs, still has the classic 80s cheese
Surprisingly great, thought this was gonna be a musical or something or something composery.
Classic 80s radio pop vibes. Nothing stood out to me specifically, but it’s a good album to just let play. This music makes me nostalgic and happy! Listen again: probably Purchase for my collection: nah Best Song:
Alles wat je maar van een jaren-tachtigalbum mag verwachten: elektrische drums, een overdosis keyboard, geëxalteerde zang en een oorwurmhit. We hebben er weer kennis van genomen.
Even een klassiek begin, maar dan knalt ie er vol in. Bam! De jaren 80 ongeremd voor je kanis! Wel goed uitgevoerd. Met soms een uitschieter als 4 Ever 2 Gether. 3.5 ster.
Daar zijn ze dan eindelijk, de jaren 80! Doorspekt met synthesizers en bassloopjes en toeters. Lekker fout, maar ook een paar dampende stampende kneiters van hits. Eigenlijk doet dit alles fout wat de jaren 80 zo verschrikkelijk maakte. En ik kan er inmiddels toch van genieten. Want het is wel lekker uptempo vaak. Prima om de dag mee te beginnen. Sterretje extra om alvast te compenseren voor de rest.
Pretty average 80s pop, fun stuff and some of the songs were pretty good tunes
that was way more fun than i expected. the 80s really was the peak of bass playing.
Mason Greenwood listens to this in the bath
Baladas de pop ochentero. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.
Conocida: The Look Of Love (Pt. 1).
I know every moment of this album from start to finish and wore my vinyl copy out before buying it on CD. One of the greatest debut albums ever. How much is ABC and how much is Horn is open to debate, but the results are spectacular. The exact moment that post-punk gave way to 80s pop. Rewards listening on the best stereo/headphones you can find.
It was better than I might have expected, but it's still not something I'm interested in listening to again.
Jollain oudolla tavalla tykkäsin tästä! Mut eihän tää mikään Duran Duran ole. Pari tiukkaa hittiä. Voisin soittaa klubilla. 3/5
Hmh aika kaksijakoinen. Pari oikein hyvää bangeriä, mutta myös hieman rasauttavampaa kasaria. Äh kyl tää kahteen jää.
Jeesus Kristus mikä nimi biisille tää 4 Ever 2 Gether. Look of Love on jollain kummalla tavalla toimiva renkutus, mutta muuten levyllä on kyllä aika dänkkiä tavaraa. 2/5
pretty good, litt edm instrumental + funk
This came out in a tumultuous year and it still has the power to shake. The songs are all thematic and full of drama. Love the horns. The songs do feel very ‘of their time’ but transportative rather than old hat. Lost youth Lost love Lost hope Who knew that 40 years later I would still feel that ache?
Layered arrangements that sound lush and cool at the same time with very little blank space.
Well... the title of this album tipped me off to the likelihood that I wouldn't dig it. I give it a 4-star rating for attention to craft and establishing a vibe and... making this list, I guess. But in terms of my personal enjoyment, it's nestled in 2-start territory. Way too cheese-synthy for me, not a fan of the lyrical inclinations, compositionally it's not awful but it's not something I'd choose to listen to. So... let's meet in the middle and go our separate ways.
Yeah, I rather enjoyed this, which was a bit of a surprise given its '80s production values. But the musicians are killing it (especially the bassist), the arrangements are interesting and varied, the melodies catchy, the songs are dramatic, and the lyrics are witty. Good stuff. It got a bit much towards the end, though the last full song "4 Ever 2 Gether" brought it all home. This is more of a 3.5 for me, but it gets an extra .5 stars because of Martin Fry's over-the-top shouting of "Hip hip hooray!" in "The Look of Love." Glad I got to listen to this.
I really love this time and music aesthetic. Didn’t know the band by name but certainly recognized the well known bangers
Generic 80s Movie music. Does not stand out against their contemporaries like Duran Duran or others. Not memorable.
so fun
Never heard this album and usually not an 80s fan but good god this was solid
Amazing
Banger after Banger.
5/10.
This might be the most '80s album ever. And not in a good way. It's like it went out of its way to be every corny cliche possible.
I thought this album was fun- good singing, good band, etc. No complaints, just nothing AMAZING or out of this world. But fun!
Not sure how to rate this one objectively. I know at the time I hated this music for ... essentially exactly what it is. Bouncy 80s synth-pop slickly-produced and mixed almost entirely without emotion. But now I listen to it and it kinda makes me smile a little. But is that purely nostalgia for wanting to go back to grade 7 or whatever? And if so is that even commenting on the music at all? My tastes have definitely changed over 40 (daammmmmnnnniiitttt) years and it's often difficult to separate memories from objectivity. Which is fine I guess... but in the end as the album went on I fairly quickly became a bit tired of it all. There's a sameness to the songs and none of them specifically hit me in any meaningful way. The entire album is just a bit too much early-80s prancy dance music that I can absolutely enjoy for a song or 2 - for nostalgia's sake - but it really doesn't hold up at all for the long haul. 4/10 2 stars.
Rock bien de los 80's. Tiene algunos buenos temas con unas vueltas de tuerca, pero nada del otro mundo. La voz del chabon particularmente no me gusta mucho, pero no es mala.
Surprisingly good catchy synth based '80s pop. Much better than I expected overall.
It is OK. It is definitely an 80s album. Not sure if I really recognized any of the songs but some sounded familiar. I wouldn't seek this album out again, but i didn't skip any songs. The album is better than a 2 but not really a 3.
i love the 80s
Típico do pop oitentista, do tipo que não gosto.
no me esperaba que fueratan ochentoso
Not what I would have chosen to listen to on my birthday, but actually a fair amount better than I expected. Some very satisfying melodies and decent lyrical flow. ⭐⭐⭐
+The Look of Love +Valentine's Day +Tears Are Not Enough +Many Happy Returns +Poison Arrow +Show Me Cool album, sometimes sounds a bit samey.
Started listening to it a few months ago, didn't finish. Harmonyfm vibes. Listened to the Deluxe Version. Funny how there's so many versions of Poison Arrow on it. + Poison Arrow + Look of Love, Part One + Overture + Alphabet Soup
Hadn’t heard the album; just a song or two. Really fun and upbeat
I’d say it’s just fine. Not too much caught my ear but still mildly fun throughout. 5/10
Vastly underwhelming album. Felt like I was in a dated play performed by the boomer club of Britain. This list has enough modern albums that it could be updated enough to have this one removed. It’s not necessarily bad as some one star albums that I just don’t like. This is more just not important enough as other albums. 4.2/10
“I know what’s good, and I know what trash is” Hey me too! 2/5
I think that ABC might be a band that my mum has mentioned before. She might have said that she used to listen to them. Then again, I may very well have confabulated that. Let’s listen and find out if they are any good! Songs I already knew: Poison Arrow, The Look Of Love Pt 1 Favourites: Poison Arrow, The Look Of Love Pt 1 I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I was expecting to. The guitar and slap bass if somewhat funky throughout which is never a bad thing. My main criticism here is that aside from the two songs mentioned above, nothing else really captivated me. There were two excellent songs, and plenty of forgettable songs which makes it difficult to rate this album too highly. I did enjoy it overall, but there’s a fairly big difference in quality of songs here in my silly little opinion.
I like his voice and I like the bass lines, but I feel like something here just isn't drawing me in. I understand why their hit is their hit, though the rest of the album is still good. My favourite song was The Look of Love (Pt. 1)
A practically perfect pop confection, over-the-top and irresistible. Never has being a loser in love felt so good.
I really enjoyed this!
Favorite song: Poison Arrow
3.5 / 5 stars
Strong and unique. Standouts: Poison Arrow, The Look of Love, Others: Show Me, Many Happy Returns, Valentine's Day, All of My Heart Rating: 3.5
definitely some fun 80s pop
Listened Before? N Holy crow! Another great 80's pop/new wave album. This dude has another great voice too. I have heard the singles but the deep cuts are quality here as well. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: The Look of Love
Brilliant album. Best New Romance album I have heard
Fun listen with grooves. Talking Heads vibes
New Wave all day
I really like this album. It was right what I wanted to hear. I was safe and looking for one song and I couldn't remember who they were and the song was on there! I really like their sound and I like that particular aspect of 80's music
I think we all know how I feel about 80s, 😂 This definitely reminded me of songs that would be on 80s movies. Not that that helps my rating... Just making a statement, lol. 3/10
I was not a fan of this one. This is pretty much the complete other side of the 80s spectrum as far as what I like. The sound wasn't too bad, but I really didn't enjoy the singer. my favorite song was the short instrumental, really wish they had included more of that. 2.5/10
Poppy and enjoyable
Not my cup of Tea at all
Not too bad…but bad enough.
Very 80s. Corny 80s
Sounds almost like a lost David Bowie album. Overall fine, I guess it was an important album historically because it had some hits in the UK?
Flashback. A few of these were pretty big in the day, but they can stay there for the most part.
Meh
So over the top 80s!
This is not very good
This is another 80's album that's just a good album. No idea why I need to hear it before I die.
I loved ABC when Poison Arrow came out, wasn't even a teenager. I still enjoy the polished melodrama of this album.
Fun album, reminds me of Mom
Not a fan of the vocals
Some classic 80s stuff. Not really for me. The album doesn't hold together especially well and relies on it's two famous tracks to get by. It gets dull fast. Glad they exist I suppose but not for my own sake.
Best Song: The Look of Love, Pt.1. Pure theatre, with a rather catchy melody. Worst Song: All Of My Heart. Much, much too sappy. Overall: Firmly in the "Buffalo Bill" style of 80s music. At times the theatricality was able to overcome the camp, but at other times the camp wins. An album that toes the line between catchy and annoying.
Sounds like a disco / new wave Bowie.
Svært at holde fokus. Sikkert meget banebrydende for sin tid, men idag meget kedeligt.
Wow hello there 80s!! I don't get why he wouldn't accept that it's a concept album?? Concept albums are great, were they not very cool in the 80s?? They released a film of the music videos and it has a running story... Aside from that I do enjoy the synthy sounds and the 80s film soundtrack feel to this album. However, listening a little further, I feel like this is a joke haha. Like is this actually serious it's so insanely cheesy. This is a cheesy 80s musical in an album! I love and hate it and confused how to rate it! I can only enjoy this really for about 3 tracks and then it's enough, also the majority of the songs aren't catchy enough for me they get a bit rambly - apart from The Look of Love - which is GENIUS, so so fun.
Wow I feel like they had one song and with that concept managed to drag out an entire album... Which was fun for a while but by the end wore a little thin. Feel like it was all trying to be a bit serious about a song called The Look of Love
80s nonsense.
Oh yeah super special 80's
Poison Arrow is so bad that it's actually good.. It's pretty cheesy 80s but not in a good way.
Listened while transferring a batch of beer from fermenter to keg. It did not distract me from anything I needed to pay attention to, so that’s a plus. I expected to want to turn this off, but it wasn’t that offensive, and if I’m being honest, I may have enjoyed a track or 2. Not that I looked up from what I was doing to check the song names. It’s not anything I’ll go back to intentionally.
Bland. At it's best, it reminds me of better bands.
An 80s album that should've stayed there. No reason to listen to this, everything on here has been done better by other bands.
9/10 super fun album!
Was looking forward to this one since I love the 80’s, but ended up just being kind of bored with it. It’s an ok album, nothing incredible about it really pops out to me. It feels like Tears For Fears’ Songs From the Big Couch took some of the decent instrumentation from this album and vastly improved on it. No intentions to go back to this one.
Decent sounding early 80's new wave stuff. Liked some of the bass lines. Didn't love or hate any songs in particular. Favorite track probably Poison Arrow.
First song and I'm already into it. Let's see if the rest delivers. Okay, it is as good, the album is so much fun 😍
So absurd it's borderline distracting. Avoids a 1 star rating due to its melodies and the context it provides for Martin Sheffield-Lickley's parodies.
Day 9 I've never heard of this band. Show Me - 8/10 - I've gotta admit that I'm a sucker for this type of music. The catchy chorus, the early techno beats, the synth. Not to mention this guy actually has quite a good voice. This has potential to be my highest rated album so far if it sticks to this type of music. Poison Arrow - 8/10 - the part where he goes heeeaaart in the background is great. A lot of the similarities to the last song where the focus is the chorus and the rest of the song is meant to be flashy to get you to the chorus. Personally, I don't mind that at all. This is a song that is made of the 80s and I would be able to tell it's from this era without knowing. Many Happy Returns - 7/10 - not as fun as the last two but still great Tears Are Not Enough - 7/10 - this beat is so damn funky (in a good way). Weirdly this one has the opposite problem where the rest of the song is great but the chorus is kind of lackluster. Valentine's Day - 7/10 The Look of Love (part 1) - 9/10 - this song is so fun!!! the background in general, the little add ins, the conversations he has with himself, the slight Banjo (?) strums. The chorus and rest of the song are good here. Fantastic one. Date Stamp - 6/10 - starts weird. Some parts of the background are weird like the single notes they add in but the girl singer is really good on this. All of My Heart - 7/10 - reminds me of end critics songs honestly. It's good but jt doesn't do as much for me as some of the more fun songs. Also a bit long. 4 Ever 2 Gether - 6/10 - the intro to the song sounds weirdly like the one metroid song. This is a weird song. It's like a sci-fi inspired rock ballad. I don't hate it but it's not his forte imo. The Look of Love (Part 4) - 10/10 - I don't know if there's a part 2 and part 3 I'm missing and it's not on the playlist album I found (the playlist has 14 songs. I've seen some playlists have 10, some have like 30. This was just the first one that came up.) Either way, this is just great. It's just a small section of the look of love part 1 but it's all instrumental. I know there's a heavy praise and connotation in giving anything a 10 so I want to preface that to me a 10 is a song where there's nothing I would change about it. Obviously as I'm doing these once per day a 10 may be less accurate here but I will stand by my opinion on this being a 10. Edit: I looked up the tracklist on Google. Apparently this album has 10 songs and the last 4 at the end of the album are bonus tracks. As such, I'll listen them to my spare them but won't include them on here or in the final review. Overall: This album showed me just how great the 80s can be. The last album I reviewed was an honestly really boring album from 1980 (to be fair, it being boring could be a genre thing more than a time thing) but this shows the flare and fun of the 80s. 75/100 or 75% This album is really making me rethink how I rate albums cause this is a certified recommendation but it's hard to say that with a 75% rating. I'll see how a few more go and then consider it.
Really fun record. This kind of style is hard to pull off without being schmaltzy or corny, but they did a really good job of nailing it. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Brings back memories of tunes I liked and music videos that made me laugh. However, I wouldn’t consider this anything more than a fine representation of early eighties pop music; nothing to die for.
Couple of fun ones!
My schizophrenia is getting worse by the day
pop/disco dos anos 80, mas sem o toque especial
Even if Poison Arrow - the song that propels this album to the list showed up on a list of singles you must hear before you die, or even the top songs of 1982, I'd skip it. This album has absolutely zero reasons for being a 'must listen' and is just another example of the author's insane logic for forcing 80s and 90s Euro-Synth onto a place it doesn't belong.
Gillar ju inte sån här 80-tals synthpop egentligen men det här är rätt bra faktiskt. Känns som all dålig 80-tals synthpop man hört försöker härma det här.
Good, Playful Power-Pop
Eh...80's pop. Kind of sterile. Nothing I would ever chose to listen to. 1.5/5
Look of Love was first dance at my wedding for a reason Possibly best album of the 80’s and brilliant from the first note till the last
Way better than it has any right to be.
100% Europop. Not really my bag. Singer was kind of annoying.
Standard 80's pop music. Good for vibin'
This album is so 80s, incredibly catchy, with a couple songs that absolutely slap. Such a fun listen.
Really good 80’s pop album.
This is brilliant - 37 minute album packed with quality.
Pure 80's pop. Really dig the bass lines, but otherwise unremarkable.
Funky
Favourite song: Valentine's Day
I’ve never been much for this style music, but it was nostalgic. It’s one I don’t mind, but I wouldn’t seek it out.
Wasn't sure I'd enjoy this when it came up. The album cover and description sounded very boring. However, it turned out to be pretty good in my opinion. Fast enough to keep my attention, and quite disco-y at times. I do think some of the songs blended in to each other and became a bit forgettable after a while, but it was still alright. Favourite: Poison Arrow
A bombastic showcase of the orchestrated sophisticated pop of the early 80s from the band that starts with the first three letters of the alphabet. Beginning with proclamations and ending with a collage of album tracks as though it were the end credits, The Lexicon of Love ebbs and flows as though it were a movie. Pretty good album all around. Favorites: Show Me, Poison Arrow, Many Happy Returns, Tears Are Not Enough, The Look of Love (Pt. 1), All of My Heart, 4 Ever 2 Gether.
not v good
I did NOT enjoy this. 1.5/5
A completely fine piece of ‘80s music. The single is the obvious standout on this release. A very good, underrated band from this decade. Worth a first look if you enjoy that decade.
Show Me - 4 stars Poison Arrow - 5 stars Many Happy Returns - 4 stars Tears Are Not Enough - 5 stars Valentine's Day - 3.5 stars The Look Of Love - Pt. 1 - 5 stars Date Stamp - 4 stars All Of My Heart - 4.5 stars 4 Ever 2 Gether - 4 stars The Look Of Love - Pt. 4 - 4.5 stars Theme From "Mantrap" - 3 stars
Mer 80-tal och ännu en klassiker, jag klagar inte.
A grand pop album. Heavy horn fills soaring strings and tight rhythm guitars. A true reflection of it's time sounding like the epitome of the 80s
Urgh. On paper I should hate this, as it covers all the worst bits of 80s pop. Yet somehow I just can’t… resist… those… funky… hooks…
Wow NOT what I was expecting. First, ABC? Never heard of 'em. Then the album cover... okay is this some sort of mid-century classics? Then the opening funk bass! What! Whew, there are some not great tracks, but there are some endearing English vibes. Are they English? I haven't looked them up, but this is just such classic English synth/funk/dance/pop. The vocalist--he's every 80s/90s English vocalist! 2.5 stars! Rounding down because no I will not listen to this album as a whole again.
This should be right up my street, but I didn't much like it. Might take more listens, but I think there's something about the singer that I'm not going for. Definitely good, but not great.
Big fan of the 80's music sound in general so this album was pretty fun. There were a few songs that weren't nearly as strong as the highlights Poison Arrow and The Look of Love, so I can't quite give it a 5. Solid album overall though.
New artist! Not for me! 1/5
I knew ABC from “Poison Arrow” being on some 1980’s dance compilation CD I had growing up. …and it will continue to be the only song I know from ABC.
Classic
Wow, that was a lot more fun that I was expecting. Fave track is Show Me, really sets the scene as the opener. And the track Theme from "Mantrap" is the perfect closer.
You know what, I didn’t hate this, and the younger version of me definitely would have. Maybe not even all that much younger, too - I think this project is doing a lot to rehabilitate me to 80s music. Fave track - "The Look of Love (Part One)" - quite enjoyed "Date Stamp" too...
Poison Arrow is the star here.
some great tracks, opening track being my fav, some nice bass but so soo many 80s tropes that i am not a fan of, but not bad by any stretch, just not for me
Nice
corny. 2 stars
Top Album
Fijn hoor.
All of my heart >>>>>>
Meh
Ah Martin Fry and his Steel City Electro-poppers, this is a good debut with some cracking tunes on it. I love both the "Look of Love" and "Poison Arrow" and a good all round debut. Interesting choice for this list and to be honest not on my list.
Можно послушать
I don't recognize this band or album cover, the songs "Poison Arrow" and "The Look of Love" ring a bell though. Should be interesting. This is musically fairly decent throughout, but it's not doing much for me. It's quite repetitive and the lyrics aren't great. "All of My Love" was my least favourite. Overall its a very dated album, but I can see why it would have been popular at the time amongst the likes of Spandau Ballet and late stage Roxy Music fans. Favorite tracks: Poison Arrow, Look of Love, 4 ever 2 gether
Unique sound, catchy, hooky songs. Poison Arrow is an all time classic.
The songs are well done at their core, but the glossy production really detracts from their structure. It’s like Duran Duran meets the worst of Roxy Music.
While I understand the importance of the album and it should be considered a pop classic, this is not my preferred style of music so I cannot recommend it.
jooo alko hyvin alko nii mietin että vitosen chäänssi on tässä tulla sitten seurvaapa pari piisiä... noh voidaan nelosta antaa rohkeasti... levy pyöri ja pyöri.... no ei kolmonen huono ole........ onneksi loppuu alta aikayksikön muuten tippuisi vielä enemmän herran jumala THEY DROPPED THE BALL PALLON PUDOTUS...... ALAMÄKI KUIN KÄNNYKÄN AKKU.... show me baras
Nostalgia alert
Trevor Horn brilliant procedure and nice campy music. Still prefer Propaganda and Frankie GTH, more classic albums than this one. 3 stars
Weirdly pretty good
Ochentero a más no poder con piezas instrumentales entre canciones, muy agradable para escuchar de fondo. No es música que te cambie la vida ni creo que lo intenta ser. Sólido 3.
Wow c’est tres explosif. Pas mauvais mais un peu tropmpour moi. 3.60
Прослушано! Как то совсем заурядно. Обычная попса.
I listened to this in very enthusiastic company - this was one of Natalie’s first discoveries of new wave music in the early 80s, thanks to her local library. I was happy to hear it, surprisingly complex and interesting arrangements and definitely part of the sound of my 80s too. I’d enjoy hearing it again but I wouldn’t pull it out myself. 3.5 stars.
I was familiar with a fair bit of this album, but I’d never appreciated how good it is. It’s first-rate. The cd I have includes lots of extras. As well as the classics, Look Of Love & Poison Arrow, I was really impressed by 4ever 2gether, Alphabet Soup, Tears Are Not Enough & Valentines Day. In fact, there’s nothing here that I didn’t feel like singing along with. Great record.
ugh. Not to my taste. Too 80s schmick. Almost funky. Almost soulful. Almost sophisticated. Trying too hard to be polished. Just not there for me.
Weirdly the more I listened to this the more I thought the singer sounded like the singer from echo and the bunny men. Overall though if I closed my eyes I thought I was in an 80s shopping mall.
Rather generic and empty-sounding 80's nonsense
Catchy and vacuous, but I think that was the intention from the melodrama of the lyrics and the pulp fiction artwork. I'm tempted to give it 3 stars.
This feels like a Jeopardy answer... "Which album is considered to be the epitome of UK 80s pop music?" Still, I found myself bopping along.
Sorry I didn’t like those sounds back than in the 80ies nor do I like them now. To much shiny surface, zero soul.
I didn't know this band at all and my expectations weren't all too high. After two-three tracks these guys had me hooked though. Under the right circumstances I'm a sucker for well-positioned melodrama and oh boy, do these guy deliver full-on tongue-in-cheek first-class-kitsch melodrama. I'll revisit this one.
Pleasantly surprised by this.
Riotously 80s production in the best possible way.
Didn’t recognise the group but definitely recognised some songs. Poison Arrow slaps!
Groovy
Never even heard of this band before, but this was pretty solid
So not my thing.
Muutama väläytys, mutta mielenkiinto hyytyi jo tokan biisin aikana.
42 minuuttii pitkä lällyttelybiisi
This is a weird one. It feels like 80's pop, but it's unrefined. It's like the most generic 80's pop music you've ever heard. I wonder if this was the inspiration for a lot of artists. It's not very good, but I could see how it might have inspired others.
80s drums with nice bass lines, but still 80s pop that did not age well... not something im going back to
Definitely 80s, dig the bass lines, singer was meh.
This album manages to capture the essence of popular music in the 80s. It is not my cup of tea but if you find yourself nostalgic for synth-pop electro music without much originality, then this is for you.
I actually enjoyed more than I thought. Some tracks had a great vibe, very "Pool Suite". Not boring bubblegum pop.
Always enjoyed the arrangements and Martin Fry's vocals. The singles are proper 80s classics but haven't listened to the album in a (very) long time and was pleasantly surprised. Loved it!
Peak 80s, and not in a good way
Unashamed cheesy goodness. Would pair well with a glass of port. 3.5+/5
"Yippie ai yippie aiay!" One of my more favorite nonsensical lyrics in a song. "The Lexicon of Love" is the debut album from the English pop band ABC. New Wave, synth-pop and spohisti-pop are also descriptors. The band's ambition was to fuse punk and disco. I hear the disco. But, I'd say this it is more a pop album. The album was produced by Trevor Horn and the orchestration arrangements by Anne Dudley who would go on to form Art of Noise. I hear that in the way the songs are constructed; one of the strengths of this album is the detailed placement of multiple instruments (keyboards, synths, strings, horns) throughout each of the songs. Very well-crafted. The band consisted of Martin Fry (lead/backing vocals), Mark White (keyboards, guitar), Stephen Singleton (alto/tenor sax) and David Palmer (drums/percussion). Fry denied this was a concept album as for the most part each song is about heartache in a relationship. Yeah, if this is autobiographical, Marty had had a pretty rough go in the love department. A grandiose, lush orchestration with strings and horns begins "Show Me" which slides into a bass-heavy dance/pop beat. You can already hear the top-notch production. He wants his girl to show him they're serious. The second single and song "Poison Arrow" continues the great pop production and sound. Keyboards. Horns. Strings. Great chorus. A Girl broke his heart. "Tears are not Enough" was the lead single and there's jangly guitars, horns and more of a disco/dance beat. Interesting keyboard bridge. Tears are not enough for Marty not to break up with her; he doesn't love her anymore. Marty continues his misery on the fifth album single "Valetine's Day." This song kind of grooves. More music, less singing. Great use of keyboards in the chorus. He's looking back at the wasted time with his girl. Their biggest single "The Look of Love (part one)" opens the second side. Another grand intro that builds. That classic-pop groove. Marty's getting suckered in by her looks. He can't find love. "All of My Heart" might be my favorite song on the album. It's lighter sounding. Great strings in the middle and end. He goes falsetto and this is his most impassioned singing. Hey, it's hopeful sounding as he wants his girl back. This is a very well-crafted and produced albums. Really no bad songs. On the 80's station I listen to (First Wave), I hear "Poison Arrow" and "The Look of Love" all the time so at least these songs have stood the test of time and remain quite popular to the 80's crowd.
Not as bad as the reviews make out, but not amazing
it sure was released in 1982
An absolute banger, well deserved on the list
Classy synthpop, not a lot of standouts but I had a good time nonetheless.
Sounds like Duran Duran, but better? They might not have hits like DD, but at least they're not mostly made of fillers.
Ok, but nothing special...Uneven..
It's saturday, I don't even remember having listening to this.
This absolutely rules. That is all.
Ok. I don’t know why this was on the list…
Super generic super forgettable
Maybe I just don’t like most British male-fronted bands? I’ve already forgotten this whole album
80's TRASH
Solid synthpop! Some of these songs are definitely going in the rotation. The last two songs seemed a bit unnecessary, but the rest of the album worked pretty well for me.
2.44 rounded down :\
Really cool album, I really was not expecting this from the beginning. Super groovy album, it really has this 80s vibe, with cool bass line and synth leads. It was really nice listening experience overall. I think The look of love has been sampled quite a lot in house sounds.
Liking the melodies and the songs... Really an "old pop" vibe and it sounds great for what it is... Similar to David Bowie album but the overall thing is pretty redondant... 3.5/5
Eh
3.5
Interesting exemple of Brit synth-pop, but nothing outstanding, in my mind.
Yeah it's the 80's but this album is good. Trails off a bit at the end for me but otherwise a very solid album
dig their dedication but it just ain’t my sound
Je ne connaissais pas, j'ai hoché de la tête tout le long. Le meilleur de la musique des années 80. Je réécouterai certainement.
Don’t like it at the timeand it’s certainly not aged well. Middle or the road bilge that’s all sounds the same. Avoid.
Sounds like a worse David Bowie. Still not bad though.
Very good
Awful
Evil evil terrible horrible throwing up
Love that bass! Production on this album is crazy; so dense and massive. I don't know ABC, but I really like this record.
At first I didn't really care for this, but it ended up being fairly catchy. I liked it alright, but I wasn't in love with it. 3.5/5
Every time I think that I like new wave/synthpop stuff, I put on another of these albums and realize that I only do for a song or two at a time. A lot of it comes off as monotonous to me. Maybe it’s just me. C-
A bad case of new wave voice plus era clichés don't sink Lexicon. The first half is elevated by gonzo pairings: Something unspeakably eighties, arresting bass tone on the same track. The track record isn't perfect, unfortunately. The lyrics are sweet-nothing, but helped me realize something about good British new wave: There's an attention to language, the sounds of words interacting to create musical if not semantic meaning. A favorite genre trait, I think, unarticulated until now.
I know the hits and loved them then as now but the rest is bland and formulaic. If you can get your head around the stylised posturing and synth effects it was a great moment in pop music but that was as far as it went.
Sooo good!
I like the lyrics
Was wel oké. ik was verbaasd dat ik wat nummers kende, want de artiest zei me niets
Poison Arrow brings back memories of Vice City. I'm an 80s music fan so we'll see what else ABC has to offer. Pretty catchy overall, I added Look of Love to my Spotify. A little "theatrical" for my tastes but the instrumentation is almost veering into pop territory, where I thought the band was going to be more of a new wave style.
Good bass, but generally just over dramatic nonsense.
Forgot this one and I loved it !!
Actually listened to this a lot in the 80’s but it hasn’t aged well. A few decent tracks but not something I would listen to in full again.
Class album, bangers galore!
Unmistakable 80's sound with so many songs you forgot you knew. Not every song is as good as "The Look of Love" or "Poison Arrow", but the album is definitely iconic.
Quite unexpected
Probably my favorite 80s pop album yet. Felt like it could be a soundtrack to a musical, it was so theatrical. Great mix, lots of fun.
Beautiful album. The 80s at its best.
Ágætis 80s syntha-popp. Ég hugsa að ef AI fengi skipun um að búa til slíkt, þá kæmi eitthvað mjög svipað ABC út.
Kinda good perhaps
I only knew Poison Arrow, but the rest of this album is great in the same way. Thoroughly enjoyed.
I enjoyed it, butnot my fav
This is most apocalyptic new wave offering I've yet heard. I enjoyed the dramatic touches and Cabaret influence.
Wouldn’t had listened to this on my own. Pretty cool. Like if GTA was in the 80s, not quite a movie soundtrack but that vibe. Some really fun ones that out weigh the lame 80s parts elsewhere. Good horns throughout
As far as I can remember, Patrick Bateman never ranted about this album in the novel *American Psycho*. I'm quite surprised by that, it's right up his alley. To be perfectly honest, I'm glad producer Trevor Horn could try his hand on all those 80s synth shenanigans on this one. He would put that training to good use on that other truly extravagant Frankie Goes To Hollywood opus later on (you can actually spot those sorts of production shenanigans on the short intro of "Date Stamp", for instance...). The orchestral touches are also quite effective, giving a little depth to the whole cheesefest ABC is so keen on building with this strange record... The thing is, as sophisticated as those arrangements are, they are still a little too overblown just for the sake if it to have aged as well as in other Trevor Horn's productions. And the songs are themselves not convincing enough. Where are the truly beautiful melodies? Where are the catchy hooks? Where are the moments that can tell you those songs could actually work on an acoustic guitar as well? Well... They're... nowhere in sight. So what's the point, really? I guess that in that electronic pop realm, ABC just can't compete with Eurythmics and their white-soul-meets-new-wave flavors, or with Depeche Mode and their dark elegance conveyed through subtle harmonies, or with Heaven 17 and their snarling, biting irony, or circa-*Dare* The Human League and their...well, *humanity*. Even electronic novelty pop needs something a little more profound and personal than the formatted elevator muzak *The Lexicon Of Love* has to offer. To return to *American Psycho*, here's a lesson that Patrick Bateman has never understood. But because humanity was his nightmare--and possibly Bret Easton Ellis' one as well--it doesn't mean that such nightmare has to become ours, too. There was still hope for mankind, even during the 80s. It's just that such hope won't be found in ABC's stifled and stifling... musical lexicon. So next, please. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 800 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 106 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 49 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 45 (including this one)
Fine
You know when you look at old fashion and think 'that is so 80s!' and then realise it is actually from the 90s? Well that doesn't happen here. You know it is 80s to the core. Poison Arrow holds a special place in my memories. I remember the film clip and a lot about my life at the time. The bass sound is really special in this recording. Viva ABC
I had never heard of ABC and then Poison Arrow kicked in and I was like, oh, THEM. Martin Fry, what a voice, I'm sure I've heard him on a thousand other things. I really liked this and I can see now where Duran Duran hatched from.
Wham's camp daddy. Not an every day driver for me
Look, I didn't NOT enjoy the listen.. very easy public transport music. But it's an album. The songs on their own? Nahhh. I got budget Bowie vibes, synth ++, yeah.
I was hammered while listening and playing video games. It didn't stand out as good or bad.
Loads of catchy tunes, all the "sound effects" seem very cheesy but not over the top at a point where you can still take the production moderately seriously.
Valentine's Day is goin in my playlist, other tracks were alright but didn't stick out
Going into it I didn't think I would enjoy it but they already had me on the first two tracks. The songs 'Poison Arrow' and 'The Look Of Love' stood out to me.
not a fan
Nice h
Oh dit is genieten