Reviews (page 2 of 7)
I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. Very catchy early 80's dance music. You can definitely hear the Human League in this.
How is it possible that I don't like Talking Heads but I do like this?
It's punk. But funk. What now do I want on my life?
a band formed around ex members of the human league, with this album being released the same year and recorded in the same studio as that band's decade-defining commercial breakthrough Dare. this is a pretty interesting album either way but its doubly so within that context...while Dare was a landmark moment for what would become many of the defining sounds of the 80s, this record feels like its subverting and deconstructing them, along with the whole culture of the decade, before they even really got going. the surface level sheen doesnt hide the uncanny discomfort that is the main emotional timbre of the songs, its a deeply cynical record told through a tacky language of optimism, like a vaporwave version of itself. the music itself didnt blow me away but theres plenty of cool sounds and loops to be found...its no kraftwerk, but theres a lot of production wizardry and openness to left field ideas that are more than enough to sustain the relatively short runtime. a bit of a draining listen, but definitely a cool one, and i always perk up at these releases that throw a wrench in the easiest chronological narratives of how art and culture develop
Do danas sam samo znala Temptation i bila sam malo skeptična posebno jer sam vidjela ocjenu ovdje ali hejteri nemaju pojma, meni je prejak ovaj funky groovy anti-kapitalistički synth pop iako nije naj naj primjer žanra.
This album is packed with industrial-era anthems that still sound fresh decades later. While listening I felt completely hooked — the energy never drops and it keeps pulling you back in. It’s near-perfect in my book. The instrumentals are funky as hell with these perfect, godlike basslines that just lock you in and make your body move. The catchy lyrics sit on top of tight synths and sharp production, and those signature robo-human voices give the whole thing this cold-but-sexy, futuristic edge that Heaven 17 does so well. Tracks like “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang,” “Play To Win,” and “Geysha Boys and Temple Girls” are absolute standouts, but honestly the whole record flows beautifully. It’s danceable, smart, and has this slick 80s new wave polish without ever feeling dated or cheesy. The album grabs your attention from the first second and simply doesn’t let your mind slip away. It’s catchy, clever, and ridiculously fun. One of those records that makes you want to turn it up loud every single time. Easily one of the best things to come out of the early 80s synth-pop scene.
I love scary synths graaaaaaaahghghghghg
If you had told me a week ago that I would be giving a disco album a 4... I don't know what I'd do, but man this one's a banger. Side A or the Pavement Side starts with the first single Fascist Groove Thang which was a song banned by the BBC for its commentary on the political Right particularly Ronald Reagan. A poppy song with a very quick beat and mechanical sounding which goes funky towards the end. A synth jam opens their second single, the title track Penthouse and Pavement. This is kind of groovy. A very busy song with all that's going on. Female backing vocals. A cool guitar/synth ending. "Geisha Boys and Temple Girls" open Side B or the Penthouse Side. It sounds like "Close Encouters with keyboards and laser sounds. Well, we're in that era. I think about forget trying for boys and girls to get along. Their last single and far and away my favorite song on the album is "The Height of the Fighting." A dance groove, mechanical. A deep male voice saying two words and the singer responding. Great, great vocal chorus repeating the title. Very similar to Depeche Mode. Overall really solid, even though I was skeptical of disco.
L: 7 M: 9 F: 8 O: 9
- banger album cover - we Do Not need this fascist groove thang... yeah this is funky and fun enough - cold war era art stays fascinating to me - favorites: penthouse and pavement, let's all make a bomb, song with no name - rating: 3.5/5
after the duo which founded the Human League quit that band and ceded its name to the remaining members, they went and formed the British Electric Foundation and one of its intended side projects, Heaven 17. although the Human League, indisputably, became the bigger band, Heaven 17's debut album Penthouse and Pavement did quite well for itself commercially, especially considering that it is exceptionally strange! as evidence, look no further than the opening few seconds. "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" starts with a whirlwind of noise that eventually settles into a Kraftwerk-esque cold, synthy jam with some frenetic bass guitar work and a detached lead vocal decrying the rise of Reaganism in America, even directly calling Ronald Reagan himself a fascist. (perhaps a controversial statement at the time, but one which, if you ask me, carries at least some truth.) a lot of the lyrics on this album can be read as dealing with life under late-stage capitalism, actually. the title track is about dead-end, unfulfilling work that leaves you feeling exhausted and empty; lead vocalist Glenn Gregory worked as a photographer in London before joining Heaven 17, which I can imagine is a pretty serious hustle to pursue as a full-time effort. "Let's All Make a Bomb" captures the Cold War anxiety of imminent nuclear annihilation with a grim sing-along chorus. for as incisive as Heaven 17 can be in terms of subject matter, you gotta be prepared for some synths that, let's be honest, sound very tacky by today's standards. not to mention the fact that a lot of these songs follow very similar structures, undercutting the surprise of "Fascist Groove Thang" somewhat by failing to fully match up to its weirdness ever again for the rest of the tracklist. what really saves is for me is the strength of the A-side, particularly the insane bass playing from session musician John Wilson. light 7/10.
Fuck facism! The beat is pretty neat
bit too long but good
Favorite Track: Play To Win
angsty and funky i like it a lot. its like punk disco im fw it. loving the song titles too. cool ass album
This was a whole vibe!
Better than Coldplay
Not heard of the group or album, some eighties synth magic right there, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
why are these kinda bangers like 'pavement' way more than 'penthouse'
We Really Don't Need This Fascist Groove Thang!
Another good album!! I loved every track on this Heavenly 17 project, The opening track is very timely ‘We don’t need this Facist Groove Thing’ we don’t need it at all, given the current situation in the world ‘Soul Warfare’ and ‘Song with No Name’ are also great tracks. This album roved how you can create good art in times of turmoil to reflect the mood and fears of the time- 4/5 GEMV (4.03.2026)
I did not listen to this whole album but it is an easy four stars. Bouncy, 80's vibe. Like it alot. Four stars
Really liked this! Groovy as hell and charmingly early 80s flavored new wave that I had no idea existed until this was generated for me! Definitely one i’m going to dig deeper into in the future!
good yet odd
Yeah fuck yeah this was good. Funky, weird, futuristic, gothic and electonic all of it. Future sailors Never listened to any Heaven 17 styff before but deffo will again. 4.0/5.0 Best Song: Song With No Name
This was pretty great. Can see the birth of a thousand bands from hearing this album. Powerfully 80s but not taking itself too seriously, good stuff.
Really liked. Think I prefer these to human league
Local man discovers fire
pretty good, nice and funky
This was a really fun experience listening through this album. Its fun synth pop with some fun variants and singing coming in and out from different directions and in different tones. Great rhythms to vibe along to today. Definitely something I will listen to again.
Great example of the type of synth-pop that I like. Groovy and lends itself well to moving your body, a little bit goofy but not too much, and includes some amount of anti-fascist sentiment.
1/29/26. Cool album, love this group's take on synth pop. Also enjoyed the incorporation of funk with the slap bass lines. Definitely a unique one that relies more on niche instead of widespread appeal.
Honestly, I'm into it and was really impressed by the songs and instrumentation. The bass was bonkers on a few tracks. Will definitely revisit.
Loved this album when it came out. Was genre defining and have seen them live and Glen Gregory had and still has the most amazing voice. Facist Groove Thing is a fantastic single. They also get no credit for relaunching Tina Turners career either.
Wacky & fun.
Didn't know what to expect with this, but I totally dig it. Super funky bass lines (both real and 303 style), funky guitar against electronic drums. I checked out a couple of other albums by them and am not as into those, but this one slams.
Went into this one blind. It was fun. Definitely quintessential 80s, but early enough in the development of music like this to be innovative, especially the later tracks. Bass was particularly solid
Realllly like this album Some songs were a little bit too long but overall rly liked the vibe
finalmente um álbum que superou as minhas expectativas. achei um álbum bom de escutar (não fiquei com vontade que acabasse logo), com temáticas importantes e uma estética (capa) bonita. gostei!
I dug the hell out of this Funky ass bass on Penthouse and Pavement
9/10
I had to give this two listens to be sure I liked it. Conclusion? I do! I mean, its very 80s, but it's also a bit weirder than the average and does plenty of interesting stuff. I was surprised it opens with something so overtly political. And the 5 songs in the middle from Soul Warfare to Song With No Name are all great - especially Geisha Boys and Height of the Fighting. Very enjoyable.
Áhugaverð plata. Vissi ekki að Heaven 17 hefðu stofnað Human League. Auðheyrt í mörgum lögum. Frumsynthatónlist sem ég hafði gaman af. Þeir fóru svo í miklu poppaðri lög eins og Temptation.
Really enjoyed this one 👌
Heaven 17 is essentially a spin-off from The Human League, with most of the same members, minus a couple. This is their first album, and it’s a really good example of early 80s defining synthpop. The album has two distinct themes. The first half is the “Penthouse” side, featuring more polished, pop oriented tracks. The second half is the “Pavement” side, which goes in a darker, more experimental electronic territory. Like a lot of synthpop and 80s new wave, this album is driven by social consciousness and its politically charged. When it comes to late 70s and early 80s synthpop and electronic music, Heaven 17 has always been one of those standout, unique bands. 4/5
Perhaps rounding up a bit, but I'm kind of into this weird blend of electronic dance and funky soul.
:D
Nice one
The first album that I have not only not heard of, but never heard of the artist/s either. Guess we’ll see what I think. As usual, my first listen will be as blind as can be, so this will be my first opinion formed in this project without knowing what other people think whatsoever! Exciting. Let’s go! — Ah, the “orange man bad” of 1981. Well then. I happen to be of the opinion that when you’re listening to a political album from the past, you need to be familiar with the politics of the time it was released in to accurately judge it. You can guess my opinion of most of these reviews cluttering this album page as a result. This album is solid. Certainly, perhaps they wouldn’t have referenced the Democrats so kindly in the opening track if they had been able to see ahead to what Clinton, Obama and Biden were going to bring the US, but you have to realize that in 1981 Reagan was doing unprecedented things that would lead to unprecedented consequences and nobody could’ve foreseen how the parties would transform. Certainly, perhaps challenging the still-prevailing-in-1981 narrative that the US was entirely justified in dropping the nukes during WW2 feels less audacious now that we live in a world where it’s… still the prevailing narrative, but you won’t get in as much trouble for challenging it? I guess? Yes, the production makes it a little obvious they were having maybe too much fun exploring a new genre, but the instrumentals are hardly the primary focus of this album. I could go on for a while about everything I like about this album, and I haven’t added favorite songs to an entry before this, but I think I should do it for an album this underrated. Very glad I found this little time capsule. If LCD Soundsystem is covering your song about Reagan from 1981 in 2018 and changing the lyrics to be about Trump, I think that means you made it. Congrats, guys. Even if the plebs on this site mostly don’t get it. Favorites: Penthouse and Pavement, seemingly about the life of a sympathetic and politically active member of the petit bourgeoisie working against their ostensible priorities for the good of humanity. While this is a cliched character study at this point, I doubt it was then. Geisha Boys and Temple Girls, about the sexualization of children in mass media, or something along those lines. Let’s All Make A Bomb, commentary on the Cold War, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and the theorized internal monologues of the psychopaths doing it all. We’re Going to Live for a Very Long Time, possibly the best aged song on the whole album even if it’s not my favorite. This song could be about a lot of things, including the rise of “AI”/LLMs and the plot of Pluribus and so many things happening or being related right now.
The early 80s electronica scene in Sheffield was an incredibly creative period. Heaven 17 consisted of Martyn Ware and Ian Marsh - two former members of The Human League - and vocalist Glen Gregory. They shared a studio for the recording of this album with their former band mates, which must have been an interesting experience. The theme of this album contrasts funky street life with the burgeoning 80s yuppie lifestyle, nicely illustrated on the cover. Side one has the danceable beats whereas the second side tends more to the experimental electronica side. It still holds up well over 40 years later, at least to my aging ears. The lead single, Fascist Groove Thang, got played on the John Peel show but was then banned by a craven BBC who were afraid of upsetting a right wing American president. Good job that sort of thing would never happen these days, oh, wait … Steel-City-tastic!
undoubtedly the sound of an 80s record
Pretty good new wave album
"It’s Not Going to Get Any Less Relevant, Is It?" Forty-four years after 'We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang' was released, LCD Soundsystem covered it, changing the lyrics “Reagan’s president elect – Fascist god in motion” to “The orange one is president – Fascist god in motion.” Being banned by the BBC is a badge of honour.
Shake yo fascist groove thang 👍
these guys were cool enough that i got halfway through the album a second time and didn’t even notice. i supposed that means that no songs were super memorable either but i like to look on the brighter side. i would’ve listened for much longer. pretty damn cool
I know Heaven 17 primarily by their second album The Luxury Gap, which I owned back then and still think is a brilliant album. I didn't know that Heaven 17 (and B.E.F.) was founded by former Human League members. No wonder some tracks remind me of early HL records. They continued their social and political criticism, and there is currently an astonishingly similar thing going on between the BBC and the US, as when the first single of this album was banned by BBC Radio 1, claiming that the record libeled Ronald Reagan. So, back to the album at hand. I like that synth sound, and it's less New Wave than Post-Punk-Pop-Synth music. A bit edgy and too much relying on the Linn drum machine (which sounds quite weird today, but was the thing back then).
Pretty fun listening, short
Ok that was really pretty great. The song Fascist Groove Thang is amazing and relevant today with all the maga bullshit going on in the usa. The last three songs on the album are a bit less attention grabbing than everything which precedes, but still a great album. 4.2/5 - 4/5
I quite liked this synth heavy 80s album
Just enough off the synth-pop beaten path that this was an interesting album for me. Immediately after I finished it I went back and listened to a few of the songs again. The Height of Frightening crawled into my ear and I had to listen to it a couple more times today. 4/5
kind of like a darker pet shop boys, this was fun
I’m feeling spoiled…two days in a row, two hot albums from 1981 that are knocking my socks off (the other being Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by Soft Cell). The vibe here is impeccable. It’s a cross between Kraftwerk and oddly enough, Wham!. The songs are funky, highly danceable and socially aware, particularly “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang” as a shake your thang meditation on the evil that was/is Reaganism, which extends its ugliest head into Trumpism today. I also really dig the cover art. I learned that they were mocking the burgeoning yuppie scene, which I’m here for. They are clearly ahead of the game on all counts, musically and on calling out political and social bullshit. Another big win for my ears!
A lot of complaining in the global reviews about the inclusion of this one. I greatly enjoyed it! It’s simple and effective synth pop. Similar to Mi-Sex with perhaps a tad more self-seriousness. Facist Groove Thing is the clear show stopper. I’d heard the LCD Soundsystem cover, so hearing the original was a delight. “Hitler did some funky stuff” is a spectacular understatement. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was a teen when I discovered We don't need this fascist groove. Heaven 17 offered me a new horizon in music based and synths.
Das ist good! Sprockets!
Sooo weird, almost industrial, sometimes clunky and too raw, but sometimes just jaw-dropping
I’m reading a lot of hate here for this album. What the fuck do YOU know? This is more Human League than Human League. So much so that the last 2 tracks even sound like Philip Oakey singing them (or probably more likely the other way around since Glenn Gregory was the singer they wanted for Human League in the first place). Not to detract from either the Human League or Heaven 17 - I like both their respective albums on this list as much as the other. Well no, maybe Dare just a teeny bit more. But they are basically the same band.
Fun. I dunno why later electronic acts thought they could ditch the song aspect of music and still be tight. Somehow he sounds like every other singer singing this year. But clever lyrics, and slightly aged, but pleasant production. Fucking fascists...when will song defeat them?
3.5 Quite enjoyable early new-wave, sounds distinctive to a lot of what came after and an evolution of what came before. Lacking in great hooks is the main downside, first track was probably the highlight. A lot of the tracks are not bad, but overall forgettable.
Prva Stvar nije nimalo izgubila na snazi😃
This album has bass -- thick, meaty, fill your macros bass -- and I absolutely love that about it. Add also some sweet synth lines and kooky experimentation and this is a well-rounded and highly enjoyable album. Off to a kooky start with some busy ethnic percussion forming the base of opener (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang. Add to that layers of horns, synths, and pure-80s sounding bass. This a fun time and reminds me a bit of Devo. Soul Warfare is such a wonderfully funky jam. Absolutely love the bass line. Geisha Boys and Temple Girls starts out so wonderfully with the stuttering synths congealing -- wish it ran a bit further with that idea. The opening progression on Let's All Make a Bomb feels really familiar. Almost like something from Daft Punk maybe? Whatever the case, this song is completely sweet (even including the weird as whistle breakdown). The Height of the Fighting is like a poppier Depeche Mode. Love the warbly synths in closer We're Going To Live For A Very Long Time. Solid thump track to close things out. Man that was some top tier synth pop and a hell of a fun ride. Not quite the power of a 5, but a very high 4.
The usual goody 80's synth wave singing voice which all sound the same on every album like that. But this was some funky ripping shit I must say. Some parts of this album really got me going. Let's All Make a Bomb was a funny song I really liked the effects in the background. Also that chanting voice in The Height of the Fighting sounded like the voice that is used in Legends of the Hidden Temple whenever he was announcing to the Green Monkeys or the Silver Snakes
Heaven 17 is essentially a spin-off from The Human League, with most of the same members, minus a couple. This is their first album, and it’s a really good example of early 80s defining synthpop. The album has two distinct themes. The first half is the “Penthouse” side, featuring more polished, pop oriented tracks. The second half is the “Pavement” side, which goes in a darker, more experimental electronic territory. Like a lot of synthpop and 80s new wave, this album is driven by social consciousness and its politically charged. When it comes to late 70s and early 80s synthpop and electronic music, Heaven 17 has always been one of those standout, unique bands.
Ok don't kill me here but on a second listen I thought this was great. On my first listen it was a slog, but I figured they had to have had serious hits for a reason so I listened again and gave it my full attention. While listening closely I got the full effect of what initially sounded like the same somg over and over - this time I could hear the bass variations etc. By paying attention to the lyrics I really enjoyed the bleak condemnation of society and disillusion. Turns out, it pays to pay attention to what the artist is doing.
Very groovy and out of my regular style.
Like Depeche Mode if they all got jobs at a tech company.
4/5
This band is peak new wave with punk lyrics, loved it.
I have a soft spot for electronic music from this era. At times it sounds like somebody cycling through all the presets of a Casio keyboard. Of course Heaven 17 likely didn’t have such a device. They had to invent it.
What an appropriate opening track! I appreciated this fusion of new wave and disco even though my expectations were low. Good bass and synth parts.
There's a scene in A Clockwork Orange where two girls are in a record store discussing what albums to buy. Among artists with names like Goggly Gogol, they mention a band called Heaven 17. It was fictional band but it inspired some former members of legendary synth pop group Human League to steal the name. That tells you a lot about what you're in for with this album. In the 80s it may have felt fresh and new but in 2025, it has some strong retrofuturism vibes. It's definitely unusual but also fairly niche. They suffered poor album sales, very likely because their lead single was banned by the BBC for the references to Ronald Reagan. Without that controversy, I think they would have done a lot better in that period. "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" is still an amazing song that recently found new life from LCD Soundsystem, with subtle updates to reflect similar fears about another fascist in the White House.
80s pop funk. Short album. Fun listen. LCD Soundsystem covered the first song.
Okay - interesting, seemingly unique sounds for era. Good complex instrumentalities. Did not pay attention to the lyrics but supposedly they are good.
Being a 'young punk' in the late '70s I was stupidly dismissive of anything with a synth and programmed beats as 'new wave fluff'. Listening to this decades later with more accepting ears I'm realizing how much I missed by being a young proto-hipster snob. This album is kicking ass. The bass is killing it from beginning to end. Social inequality themes are still all too topical.
New-Wave Synth-Pop at its funkiest. I always preferred the title track "Penthouse and Pavement" to the more popular (and more funkier) "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang".
pretty goofy and fun. never heard any of these songs!!
Quite a surprise. Did not expect anything (was even a little afraid of the record, but it was fun. The songs remind of 00er Indie-Songs, Foals "Antidots" came to mind and the lyrics are frightenly accurate for present times. Keyboards/Synths sound a little trashy sometime, but it was 1981. I like it. Fav: Geisha Boys and Temple Girls
I’ve read about Heaven 17 in a book about protest songs, but I’ve never listened to any of their music before. Based on the little that I know about them, and the fact that I enjoy some of Human League’s music, I think there’s a high likelihood that I’ll like this album. I didn’t fall in love with Penthouse and Pavement, but I thought it was a solid new wave album, and it was enjoyable to listen to. There was some excellent songwriting throughout the album, with plenty of social and political commentary (bashing Ronald Reagan is one of my love languages), and the bass grooves were consistently excellent. The first half of the album felt more rhythmically driven, but the second half had some synthesizer and piano melodies that I really enjoyed. “Fascist Groove Thang” was a very bold choice as an opening track. I loved the percussion, and the lyrics were awesome. The frantic guitar playing really added to the mood. I loved the bass and lead guitars on the title track, and the percussion was really good too. The lyrics really captured the whole ‘yuppie aesthetic’ really well. I really loved the synthesizers on “Geisha Boys and Temple Girls.” The overall sound of this song was really out there, but I the chorus was fantastic. That backing vocal fill was particularly excellent. “Let’s All Make A Bomb” was my favorite song on the album. The bass drum sounds were excellent, and the synthesizer melodies were fantastic. Lyrically, this song wasn’t as good as “Fascist Groove Thang,” but it was still awesome. Overall, this was a really unique album, and I thought Heaven 17 crafted a really unique new wave sound on this album.
First song sounds like Devo. 2nd song sounds like Bee Gees disco meets late 70s funk. “Play to win” feels like a song that would have been played in the TV show “Buck Rogers” to be “futuristic. The bass player is amazing on this record. “Would warfare” sounds like devo again. Let’s all make a bomb sounds like Depace mode. There is so much happening on this album I’m curious about its place in history. Was it a copy? Or did it inspire what we regard as familiar? Ok. So they were founding members of Human League that came together. That makes sense. This album is brilliant.
I would love to know what it is specifically about this album that everyone is freaking out about and rating it so low. I actually really like it 4/5
Information Society covered (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang in 2016, and that's the version I heard first. It's always interesting when you hear the original version after the cover. Unfortunately, this is another album of uneven quality - and I'm saying this as someone who's rather fond of 80's synthpop. Song With No Name was a particularly painful listen.
A lot going on here. A political Human League (like actually, it's two of the same guys). I do generally like the music and lyrics, but it's a little bit maximalist for my preference. Hey la hoooo. Rounding up because they got their name from A Clockwork Orange, and because the final line "for a very long time" repeated indefinitely on the original vinyl album (and I love a gimmick). Highlight: 'Soul Warfare'
Pretty fun solid album.
proto synth pop com um espirito meio punk! com certeza vou ouvir mais
Smart lyrics, had me dancing through the kitchen, fun album.
Side A is incredibly funky and side B is a little bit generic synth-pop. Lyrics are one of this albums strongest points. I like side A very much, it's 5/5, but the other half is mediocre 3/5. So all in all 4/5
Actually it was good
I think I like the story/mythos behind this album even more than I like the album itself. And it is an excellent piece of new wave/elctro/pop/funk.
I don’t have much insight into this album, but I quite liked it.
Yes lige mig, mere new wave slurp slurp. Lyder som post punk, helt synth baseret men de her synths lyder dybt mærkelige
Good
Surprisingly great, I had never heard this band before.
Surprisingly fun and catchy. This was a sleeper hit
V funky and v groovy. I like the synths and the beats and all of it.
if you could pick one album that says "80s Wallstreet Music", it would be this one
Enjoyed
This is a fun little record. Did not expect to see it on this list. It’s really pretty good, though. Smart, upbeat, and funny.
Synthpop isn't really my thing, but seems with the passing of time it’s much better than I remember, and this was OK, no actually better than that. Yes it's very of it's time and sounds it, but so what even in it’s basic for now electronics it’s still real, no auto this and that, no mass homogeneous crap, so sod it 4 Star.
Very funky. I love a band with a good concept and the whole fake brand thing is great. The cover really reinforces that.
Very futuristic and cool.
Muy divertido!
Rad as hell.
I enjoyed this. It didn't have the immediacy of something like the Human League, but it was interesting and fun.
Early electronic
fun dinky synthpop tunes
Better than human league
Day417 - we need new wave again more than ever. synthesizers and lyrics that rage against the corruption and the fascists
Sounds great but didn't have "the song" on it. Low 4.
It sounds like a parody of synth music that was put in a cartoon and I love it. Groovey as fuck.
Didn't know them before. It's quite interesting. Unfortunately, '(We don't need this) Fascist Groove Thang' is topical again.
this one i have listened to before taking on this project. it's a synthpop bundle of joy. very fun listen.
Great
- Better than expected; remember to put this one in it's proper context. -
One of the best type of entries on this list - a surprise banger.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/V348yLxRHFDvpZAA9 But seriously, this album slaps - I only know the singles, but even they were longer and funkier than I remembered, so I probably only know the radio cuts? It sags on a few tracks, but overall, this was great, and brought back a lot of memories of seeing them live.
Classic of the New Romantic period. Still stands up pretty well. I can still see your mum dancing to this when we first met 😊
This was a very good listen. Not sure if I’ll revisit but a ton of interesting compositions at the beginning of the electronic music boom.
## In-Depth Review of *Penthouse and Pavement* by Heaven 17 Heaven 17's debut album, *Penthouse and Pavement*, released in 1981, is a seminal work that combines innovative electronic music with sharp political commentary. This review will delve into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and its influence on the music landscape, while also discussing its pros and cons. ### **Lyrics** The lyrics of *Penthouse and Pavement* are marked by a blend of social critique and personal reflection. The album opens with "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang," which critiques capitalist structures and societal oppression. The song's catchy melody contrasts sharply with its serious message about the dangers of fascism and corporate control. Lines like “Evil men with racist views” highlight the urgency of political awareness during the early 1980s. Another notable track, "Soul Warfare," presents capitalism as a game where the stakes involve one's very soul. The lyrics convey a sense of spiritual desolation amidst the pursuit of wealth: “My strategy is clear, my soul is there for the taking.” This theme resonates throughout the album, showcasing Heaven 17's commitment to addressing socio-political issues through their music. The closing track, "We’re Going to Live for a Very Long Time," juxtaposes a seemingly upbeat melody with darker undertones about fanaticism and moral absolutism. The repeated refrain creates an unsettling atmosphere that lingers long after the music stops, emphasizing the album's exploration of complex themes. ### **Music** Musically, *Penthouse and Pavement* is characterized by its innovative use of synthesizers and funk rhythms. The album showcases a unique blend of electronic pop and R&B influences, creating a sound that was both futuristic and danceable. - **"Penthouse and Pavement"** features a funky bassline that draws from American R&B traditions, setting the stage for the album's exploration of class disparities. - **"Groove Thang"** stands out as a subversive dance track that challenges listeners to consider the implications of its upbeat sound against its critical lyrics. The production employs a variety of synthesizers, drum machines, and layered vocals, creating a rich sonic tapestry. The use of female backing vocals adds depth to tracks like "Play to Win," enhancing the overall groove while maintaining a politically charged atmosphere. ### **Production** The production quality of *Penthouse and Pavement* is noteworthy for its time. Recorded primarily in Sheffield during an era when many studios were struggling to keep up with technological advancements in music production, Heaven 17 managed to create an album that felt polished yet raw. Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, former members of The Human League, brought their expertise in synthesizer technology to the forefront. Their collaboration with producer Mike Howlett resulted in a sound that was both innovative and accessible. The album's mixing allows for clarity in both instrumentation and vocals, ensuring that the lyrical content is not overshadowed by the music. ### **Themes** The overarching themes of *Penthouse and Pavement* revolve around class struggle, capitalism, and social justice. The title itself reflects this duality: "penthouse" symbolizes wealth and aspiration, while "pavement" represents the harsh realities faced by the working class. - **Capitalism vs. Socialism:** Many tracks critique capitalist ideologies while advocating for socialist principles. The lyrics often reflect a desire for social change amidst economic hardship. - **Personal vs. Political:** While much of the album focuses on societal issues, it also delves into personal struggles within these contexts. This duality allows listeners to connect on multiple levels—both emotionally and intellectually. ### **Influence** Released at a time when synth-pop was gaining traction globally, *Penthouse and Pavement* helped shape the genre's evolution. Its combination of catchy melodies with politically charged lyrics set it apart from contemporaries who often focused solely on superficial themes. Heaven 17's approach influenced later artists who sought to combine dance music with meaningful content. The album's impact can be seen in subsequent works by bands like Depeche Mode and New Order, who also explored darker themes within pop frameworks. ### **Pros and Cons** #### **Pros** - **Innovative Sound:** The fusion of electronic pop with funk elements creates a unique listening experience that was ahead of its time. - **Political Commentary:** The incisive lyrics address relevant social issues, making it not just entertainment but also a vehicle for critique. - **Cohesive Production:** High-quality production values enhance both the musicality and lyrical clarity throughout the album. #### **Cons** - **Commercial Reception:** Despite its artistic merits, *Penthouse and Pavement* did not achieve significant commercial success upon release compared to other synth-pop albums of the era. - **Accessibility:** Some listeners may find the political themes too heavy or distracting from enjoying it purely as pop music. - **Niche Appeal:** The combination of avant-garde sounds with political lyrics may not resonate with all audiences, limiting its broader appeal. ### Conclusion In summary, *Penthouse and Pavement* by Heaven 17 stands as a landmark debut that skillfully intertwines innovative music with profound political messages. Its exploration of class struggle through catchy melodies ensures its place in music history as both an artistic achievement and a cultural commentary. While it may not have achieved immediate commercial success, its influence on subsequent generations of musicians remains undeniable. This album is essential listening for anyone interested in the evolution of pop music during the early 1980s or those seeking deeper meaning within their musical experiences.
I can thank the GTA series of video games to introducing me to Heaven 17. Penthouse and Pavement was in GTA Vice City Stories and I immediately enjoyed it. I went out and bought this album on CD not long after it and fell in love with it. It's by far their best album and completely envelopes the entire New Wave Synth-Pop song with some very funky bass playing thrown on top of it. Bonus points: The lead singer looks like an adult Draco Malfoy in the video for the title track. lol Must listen to songs: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang Penthouse and Pavement Soul Warfare (check out the awesome bass solo in this one!) Let's All Make a Bomb Essential New Wave album. Rating 4/5. Not a 5 because a few of the songs are boring and I skip them even after trying to make it through them a few times. (I'm looking at you Song With No Name.)
Starts off as fairly straight pop, but quickly moves to experimental pop. Worth it just for the intro to Geisha Boys and Temple Girls.
Two days before the election in the US and that first track is feeling a bit close to home. This is a really good synth pop album
Fascist groove thing is great. Title track wriggles into your ear insidiously over 6 minutes with fantastic slap bass. Some weird stuff. Good album.
I liked Groove Thang. The rest of the album really scratched an 80s itch for me.
Not sure what it was about this, maybe it hit me in the right place at the right time, but I really dug it. Very date in a way that's ALMOST funny. But that's not a knock on it, because it's still good even though it's so dated. I'd listen to this one again.
Finally, music for yuppie socialists.
Almost like synth funk. Weird but I liked it.
This band has a sociopolitical bent that is reminiscent of Midnight Oil in places. But that would’ve been easy to lose in all the synthpop if they hadn’t opened with such a strong track about fascism that one could easily hear being played at (or about) current political rallies.
I love "Fascist Groove Thang" so much, but this album was kinda patchy too.
With increasingly timely and prescient fashion, Heaven 17's Penthouse and Pavement continues to glitter and glisten with its ugly overtones masquerading under bombastic electronic dressing befitting of its time. The decision to leave the ascendent Human League and start a new partnership, as depicted on the album cover, would pay off in dividends that would appear over time for Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, being flanked by a game Glenn Gregory. Come for the well tailored suits and slicked back hair, stay for the grooves and Kraftwerk indebted instrumentation. Favorites: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, Penthouse and Pavement, Play to Win, Soul Warfare, Let's All Make a Bomb, Song With No Name, We're Going to Live for a Very Long Time, Are Everything (12"), I'm Your Money, Decline of the West, Honeymoon in New York.
Spotify is missing several tracks from this album; was able to find it on YouTube. Funky bass. Had me moving and grooving. 4/5 Highlights: Penthouse & Pavement
The first half was kind of decent, but the second half was just banger after banger
Loved this - and surprisingly (possibly depressing if you think about it) relevant lyrics for now. We don’t need this fascist groove thing indeed.
I imagine them all in a basement just giving and the vibes were immaculate
I think criticism of this record is just wilful ignorance. Here is a group whose appropriation of the synth-pop genre served as a kind of revolutionary entryism to the charts, and a valuable critique of Thatcherite yuppy culture before it had even fully flourished. Whatever you think of this album, Heaven 17 were conceptually light years ahead of so many of their contemporaries. Undeniably the production has aged somewhat, but the bass chops provided by John Wilson on side 1 are nothing short of sublime, and the notion of incorporating a satirical put-down of a fascist movement that was a real threat in this country into a pop song is exactly the sort of statement that elevates this group and this album above the pack. Singer Glenn Gregory embodies every bit the snide 80s wheeler dealer persona, hammering home the absurdity of Thatcher’s social Darwinism in a way that deserves a far greater analysis than what I’m going to offer here (although the fact that this record DOES deserve that analysis in the first place is testament to its objective importance). People seem to be dismissing it on the most superficial terms. That being said, there is one area where the record arguably falters somewhat. And it’s an important one: the songs. Some of them just ain’t that great. Others, most certainly are. But for that reason I’ve been oscillating between a 3 and 4 star rating. Ultimately, I think this album is a rewarding listen, and deserving of its spot on this list. Heaven 17 took the most pioneering elements of its Human League progenitor, without compromising their social consciousness. We Don’t Need that Fascist Groove Thang more than ever now…
Well, another grower. I suspect that some of my preferences and surprising discoveries here reflect when I grew up and first got in to music. I confess that Heaven 17’s ‘Crushed by the Wheels of industry was the first single I ever bought. Not sure why. Never had anything else by them. Listened multiple times today. Torn between a 4 or a 5…
That was a big slap of 80s fun in the face! 3.8
My life is full of technically competent nerds with synthesizers and with no pop sensibilities. This album is what happens when you let them try to make a pop album. Charming and quirky. I kind of can't believe "Let's All Make A Bomb" hasn't been discovered as a low-cost needle drop for an Atomic Blonde type film.
i LOVE this exact flavor of 80s bullshit
Catchy.
Certainly a foray into fusion. It’s as if Flea brought the bass slappin to The Talking Heads, while they had just listened to a fair amount of German techno pop. The production is exquisite and the recording is crisp. Very interesting.
I got a strumming pattern or two out of listening to this. Interesting but I don't think I'll be regularly returning to the waters here
I really appreciated how funky and weird this one was, but not all of the music worked for me. Certain parts were really repetitive and annoying. But I enjoyed it overall.
Noise.
Really good bass and all in all a solid album!
4/5 - long live south yorkshire synth-pop
I liked this one enough to play it twice. I'll be revisiting this one for sure. BTW - been a bit of a slacker due to family vacation in Oregon last week. I'm fully back in business now.
"Fascist Groove Thing" is a guaranteed party starter
Play to
Soul Warfare, Song with No Name is too slow
good synthpop
The first part of the album was very good. The other half not so much unfortunately. One extra star just for the bass!
Short. Sweet. New to me.
Amazing
Memories
Fascist Groove Thing is still a great song. Should be on the radio now. Haven’t heard Penthouse and Pavement in a million years. This all so perfectly 80s. Even the cover art is a spoof of the Yuppie takeover; a premonition of American Psycho, complete with executive ponytails. Oh snap, I totally forgot about Play to Win. Jesus, this is such a blast from the past. This is a fun little record. Did not expect to see it on this list. It’s really pretty good, though. Smart, upbeat, and funny. Final song is hilarious. Not everything is intended to be serious.
Enjoyed this one. The Dead Milkmen covered the Fascist Groove Thang and the original is just as good.
an enjoyable and lively synthpop album. there's a good amount of funk and i would say maybe disco influence scattered here and there. it starts off relatively on the pop side and then goes a little deep with the synthesizer and drum machine experimentation later on. this was definitely around that era of early 80s business capitalism... rebel stuff mixed in with current sociopolitical issues around that time. it's rad.
Nice mixing of electronic music. Really has the 80's sound. Not sure if this just a copy of that sound or the originator of it? First time listening.
This album got my foot tappin'! I'm a sucker for that upbeat type of electronic percussion especially paired with that groovy/funk vibe they got going with the guitar. Also sick bass lines. I have no nostalgic feelings for this style of music, but somehow it all worked for me. It seemed like the band is self-aware of the silly/playful nature of the music. The songs are definitely too long though.
1981 Genre: New wave, synth-pop, electropop Standouts: Penthouse and Pavement, Play to Win, (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, Let's All Make a Bomb. 4/5
A fantastic electronic pop album. I do feel that they front-loaded this somewhat, or maybe it just gets a bit samey after a few tracks, but this deserves lots of stars for Groove Thang alone. Timeless AND so of its time simultaneously.
Loved this album when it first came out. I think it’s really dated now but still love it!
such a bop!
Rather surprisingly I loved this so I'm going to give 4*
Really good 80s New Wave...as a bassist I thought the bass lines were awesome...totally slaps
feels like heaven - heaven 17 of course - lets all make a bomb
Still holds up
Off beat synth-pop is definitely my style, I definitely dig this. A couple songs jacked for play lists. Probably will be coming back to this, it's got some bangers for sure.
Great first album. I always liked them.
Love the base work throughout this album. This is manic 80s madness that I never would have found on my own.
Fun! Miss that old synth pop sound!
Liked classic 80s sound
Fun take on 80’s new wave. Great driving bass lines. Album is definitely a little cheesy but is also apart’s of it’s charm.
odd but good
Noice, bar 3.5
Some great vibes and instrumentals but overall it doesn't feel groundbreaking. Very catchy and enjoyable. Penthouse and Pavement and The Height Of The Fighting were the standouts
A fantastic album that summed up a lot that was wrong with Britain under Thatcher. Musically it more than stands the test of time. Lyrically, sadly, it also stands the test of time... :(
80s albums come out very low in my rankings. I owned this one and love lots about it. The ethic the songs and I think it holds together well as a album. Go Sheffield. 3.75.
So, I’m thinking that maybe the Linn Drum machine is the culprit that instantly dates so many 80s artists. In addition to Heaven 17, there’s Prince, Madonna & Duran Duran who had that already-retro-by-1990 sound. I was thrilled to hear the song “Penthouse and Pavement” again. Josie James’ voice is heavenly and puts that song in a different league than the others. It reminds me of that period in the 80s when “new wave” bands like Human League, The Jam and Gang of Four, started to bring in background vocalists to broaden their sound. Since half the songs here weren’t on Spotify and I wasn’t in the mood for another YouTube adventure, I’ll base this on the tracks we have – which appear to be the most popular. I’m sure if I heard the rest of the LP I’d lower my mark. Kudos for having "Fascist Groove Thing" banned on the BBC.
I knew this would be good going into it. Not only are they a Sheffield band (hell fucking yeah), but it’s also the first one I’ve been able to listen to on vinyl as my dad has the record, and it did not disappoint. Some of the best 80s electronic tracks, with Fascist Groove Thang and the titular track being my favourites. The combined use of synths and drum machines with a hectic bass line and fantastically satirical lyricism makes this just excellent. Pavement side was perfect, but the Penthouse side tracks tailed off a bit, so I can’t bring myself to give it a full 5. 4.5/5
Started very funky! Later less so, but I like it
I definitely remember this album, I didn't own a copy but borrowed one from a friend, it didn't make a huge huge impression at the time. I'm enjoying this record quite a bit, it's got some elements that came along in other ways from other bands that made more impact, like Human League.
Excellent synth album with political themes. First song is A+.
How have I never heard of this album! Super interesting. Proto New Wave & Electronica almost. Loved it. Except for the last song.
Nice surprise - original and hectic, funky and with a little punk attitude thrown in - liked this one and want to hear it more often.
“We don’t need that fascist groove thing” is my new theme song
Fun and cool
The 80’s cheese embellished dour synth pop won me over, and we still don’t need that fascist groove thing.
Yep, this album slaps. I always liked Fascist Groove Thing, but the whole album is this slinky, icy, electofunk, with an experimental bent. Great fun.
I was skeptical since this isn't a usual genre for me, but it was a good upbeat listen
Shows why they were such a big party of 80s pop. Great
This is like opening a door and stepping back into the 80's. BUSINESS. COCAINE. COUNTERCULTURE. It was a trip
No idea why this is getting such bad reviews
hahah what fun. Young teen me would have been right into this it's a bit too 80's for current me but hey nostalgia right? Fave track: Song With No Name.
Wow, I enjoyed that a LOT more than I was expecting to - I only really know Heaven 17 from "Temptation" and I was not looking forwards to a whole album of that, but this was actually a really fun listen. I guess my rehabilitation to synth pop is proceeding apace! Amusing to read that the BBC banned "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang"! The BBC uncomfortable criticising fascism? pikachu_shocked_face_gif! Fave tracks - as well as the aforementioned, "Let's All Make a Bomb" was great, and also liked the bonus track "The Decline of the West"
Did not expect those incredible basslines in the first half, plus those sick intricate drum machine beats, it slaps. Second half is not as great, but a really interesting sound I wish more artists revisited today
Frick I thought I wasn't going to like this, but this first song is a jam Yeah this was fun. Probably wouldn't play it for active listening, but I bet these would be fun songs to sample.
Way better than I expected. Some pretty satirical lyrics and a harder edge than a lot of their peers that I’ve gotten on this list. In general, a very cool album.
This is so good.
Great sounds from my youth, particularly Fascist Groove Thang
Of all the albums why is this the one that's rated so low? I thought it was fantastic. Particularly Fascist Groove Thang, Penthouse and Pavement, Soul Warfare, Let's all Make a bomb, The Height of The Fighting and Song with no Name
As synthpop goes, this is some of the more unique of it. I will say this though, if this album came out today with a song like the first one, some knickers would definitely get in a twist. But I had a good time
Far more funky than Human League (sounds like real 1980s slap bass, not a bass-synth, but I might be wrong). "Right on" anti-establishment political lyrics are vaguely interesting, but a bit embarrassing. Vocal is deep and a good cross between Japan's David Sylvian and Human League. A good "sister" album to Dare.
I swear I'm not just rating these more controversial albums high scores to be different, I just really like some of these albums, and I suppose that differs from others. It just has this groove to it at points that I get really into, and I like the singer (singers?) voice. It does start to fall apart a bit with some of the last couple songs, but otherwise an album I enjoyed my time with quite a bit.
I can definitely understand why some people don’t like this album, but I found myself oddly appreciating it for what it is. Very much a product of its time, though with it has admirable messaging that remains relevant to the present day. Fav tracks: (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, Penthouse and Pavement, The Height of the Fighting
This album took me a little while to review, which was good because it grew on me a bit as I tried to sit down and listen to the whole thing. As an album, it's a bit more frenetic than a lot of early synth pop (e.g. stuff like Human League and Gary Numan). This both gives the album a very distinct style and makes it a bit more fun to dance to. I also like that political/social ideas were a little more at the fore than with other early synth groups. This band feels a lot more like a punk band that sold their guitars for magic synthsizers than a lot of their contemporaries 4/5
Good album for the most part, catchy songs but starting to get more annoying than enjoyable towards the end
Great - takes me right back!
I had this on cassette, I think it died in the Strathfield Car Radios cassette player I had hanging onto the dashboard of the LC Torana. Every now and then it would kick back into life and play another strangled bit of Soul Welfare. This holds up really well, considering Ian and Martyn's background with Human League, it is funky as fuck, Penthouse and Pavement is an absolute stand out. I wonder if this album just suffered due to the overwhelming focus on Dare? One of the best, of many, lines in the Young Ones episode Interesting is when Rick comes bounding in and says "anyone for Human League", I'm still laughing. I think Glenn Gregory must have had a huge influence on the direction they took to great effect. Play to Win, Soul Warfare, The Height of fighting, crikey its a dance album. Worthy entry by Dimery and his minions.
Fascist Groove Thang is one of the very great dance trax of the 1980’s. And the title track of this album, which follows it, isn’t far behind it in quality. The rest of the album is good dancey stuff. I think the lyrics reach a bit of a nadir with The Height Of The Fighting & the repeated refrain “He-la-hu”. Really? But I have to give this album a high rating just for the opening 2 trax - they’re so good.
Hell yeah.
I really enjoyed this. I usually hate extended play albums but after enjoying the album, I listened to another 40 odd minutes of 12" remixes. This is also the first album my wife complained I could've waited before I played it*, so we played it again. Not sure it's a 5 star classic, but definitely worth a few more listens. *She wasnt too concerned about my bloody valentine.
4.0 - Each side is like a distinct mini record. Side A is a high energy mash between Talking Heads and "She Blinded Me With Science." I especially like the funky bass throughout. Side B has a more minimal electronic sound, reminiscent of Eastern European darkwave. The bright cheerful vocals give an ironic edge to the grim Cold War-inspired lyrics ("Let's All Make a Bomb").
This album was fun and weird and I had a good time with it!
I’ve definitely given worse albums 4s and better album 5s. It’s on the fence for me, but I think it falls on the low side
This would be a 3.5 but for the purpose of this challenge I'll give it a 4. Note sure if it's an essential but I'm glad I listened to it. Quirky synthpop with lots of irony and... well, synths.
Great New Wave album that makes me think of early Men Without Hats stuff. Don't know how it got on this list, but was glad to hear it.
Ramdomize system is good sinxe a couple album. One of my favorite genre. weird just enough, nice use of the synth, album cover is cool.
It's not an album I would necessarily put in the 1001 challenge, but... Wow, I loved the unusual synthesizer sounds and kind of sarcastic vocals. "Let's All Make A Bomb" is a killer track. I think I loved that album.
High points: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, Soul Warfare. Reminds me of: Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the lighter side of New Order
legal legal oitentista e pa
8/10 - funky nice to listen to
A fun little synth pop album, pleasant listen, not too long. Saved tracks: Soul Warfare, The Height Of The Fighting, Song With No Name
I really liked this!! I love 80s synth pop and this is about as 80s synth pop as you can get. Bummer the BBC banned their single, thus inhibiting the success of this album. This is probably a 4.5 for me.
Almost perfect
Interesting synth pop album. Most of the songs are just okay, but my favourite track by far was the highly Kraftwerkian I'm Your Money, and I loved the weird arpeggiated synths on Geisha Boys and Temple Girls.
Compliments to these guys for making a synth pop album that I thoroughly enjoyed. Favourite track: Song With No Name.
J'ai aimé cet album: ceci est un appel à l'aide.
Interesting synth techno pop album, enjoyed the beats and the lyrics, would listen again
This is a reason why I am taking part in this listening exercise: to hear albums like this that I had little to no knowledge of. I enjoyed it, need to listen more.
I love this record *almost* all the way through, but it is a very strange album indeed. The mix is weird as fuck, the arrangements are weird as fuck, and it is delightfully subversive dance music. Though its classified more ass synth-pop or new wave now, this record kicks off with a really strong funk bent that I just dig. its Side B slows down a bit, but mainly because side A features John Wright’s funky-ass bass playing that really makes it all work for me.
I dug this. Love all the frantic funky guitar and bass mixed with synth and drum machine. Some nice sax samples in there too. 3.5/4
I’m honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I think for new wave, I either need it to be as soulful as this or still have some of that post-punk energy. Otherwise, I don’t really care for synthpop. B
"Penthouse and Pavement" is the debut album from English new wave and synth-pop band Heaven 17 consisting of Glenn Gregory (vocals), Martyn Ware (piano, synths, percussion, vocals) and Ian Craig Marsh (synths, sax, percussion). Ware and Marsh formed this band after breaking away from The Human League. They actually first formed the production team British Electric Foundation which was credited with the production of this album. Critics called this electro-pop with good melodies. I'd agree there..very much sounding of the early 1980's. Although the singles didn't fare as well, the album stayed in the British Top 100 for 77 weeks. Side A or the Pavement Side starts with the first single "(We Don't Need This)Fascist Groove Thang" which was a song banned by the BBC for its commentary on the political Right particularly Ronald Reagan. A poppy song with a very quick beat and mechanical sounding which goes funky towards the end. A synth jam opens their second single, the title track "Penthouse and Pavement." This is kind of groovy. A very busy song with all that's going on. Female backing vocals. A cool guitar/synth ending. OK, this sounds a lot like The Human League. He's going the motions during the day and is free at night. "Play to Win," the third single keeps up the up the quick, poppy pace. Just go for it in life. "Geisha Boys and Temple Girls" open Side B or the Penthouse Side. It sounds like "Close Encouters" with keyboards and laser sounds. Well, we're in that era. I think about forget trying for boys and girls to get along. Their last single and far and away my favorite song on the album is "The Height of the Fighting (He-La-Hu)." A dance groove, mechanical. A deep male voice saying two words and the singer responding. Great, great vocal chorus repeating the title. Very similar to Depeche Mode. An anti-war song. A happy-sounding song "We're Going to Live for a Very Long Time" ends the album. Another song with a very catching chorus. A positive song about people living people together with opposite views. This album definitely throws you back to the early 80's with a few extremely good songs. I can't say this quite as good as The Human League's "Dare" released around the same time. This album is a great example of early 80's synth pop genre.
Left wing lyrics over industrial electronic dance music is a proper mood and Heaven 17 deliver an ambitious and unusual album. Ahead of its time in many ways and an admirable record.
funky
Never heard of this before. I see new wave and think ew no I will not enjoy, then I see synth pop and my interest is back... the first song seems like it could be stressful but then I am actually really enjoying it. It's juicy 80s synth goodness and I like the message. I see radio 1 banned this debut single/opening track for fears it libelled Reagan haha I love that. Also really like the title track, really funky. Ok I officially love this album it's super fun. Groove Thang is great, also Soul Warfare and Geisha Boys and Temple Girls were highlights too. Glad I've been introduced to Heaven 17 now.
The kind of 80s brit pop that I tolerate more than enjoy, this one had me bopping along pretty good.
I like the sound of this album a lot. Not every song did something I liked, but it was still interesting to hear. The themes in this album were definitely interesting. My favourite song was Play to Win.
Some bangers, Def an interesting type of music!
Not much to say, aside from the fact that I like wobbly, nervy synth pop from this period very much. I only knew 'Temptation' prior to giving this a listen, fool that I am. There's a strain of peculiarly English glumness that runs through this otherwise twinkly offering that I find most appealing. Aside from the music, that's an all-timer of an album cover. Answering phones! Making deals! Getting paid! Truly, the most Thatcherite of new wave sleeve art imaginable, and I love it.
Highlight: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
4.5
8/10. Cool album, it usually annoys me when Spotify only has the extended version of the album, but in this case I was left wanting more at the end of the album's run time so it was okay.
I love hearing Reagan hate though not all of the songs were jams. 7/10
I loved the first track “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang.” This album is overall pretty cool, though I can see how some might get bored after hearing repetitive tunes in some songs.
Kinda funky vibe, but in a way that was pretty good I think
Rating: 7/10
Provocation: this has aged much better than Dare. Just saying.
"(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" is very catchy with the super speedy back beat and has a super cool bass jam in the middle -First couple tracks were pretty strong, back half wasn't as good. Whole thing gave me Talking Heads and David Bowie vibes
Wow. How. Interesting. 80s synth pop with very weird yet deeply topical lyrics. And some deftly executed experimental moments that make this record worthwhile musicaly speaking, too. Someone in this group pointed out with a snarl how the first track could have been used for Trump's campaign (I had not realized this song was the one covered by LCD Soundsystem, too). What more can i say? And what a great, sardonic artwork, to boot. I thought only Devo could pull off weird stuff like this. I was wrong. Thanks Dimery and co. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: more than 900, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter
Better than I remembered from when I owned this a long time past. Odd to think this was radio-friendly pop music 40 years ago!
Slaps
Snaps
Excellent bass. Very 80s
02/26/2022 Fun synthpop from a band I’ve never heard of. Only half the album is available on Spotify, which was a bummer. But of those that I was able to listen to, they were tons of fun!
banger - so much excellent groovy bass happening. quite odd as a concept, but enjoyed the listen
An odd/fun album in the best possible way.
Very fun, super dancey.
Неплохо, но местами прям не нравится
Extended version has some good songs would probably rate it possibly higher if they were on the original 9 track album. 2 former human league members and very of its time but would listen to it again so a good 4. The music and the lyrics are both fun with something to say.
Better than I expected. Funky bass lines/british 80s electronic music
Het eerste nummer voorspelde voor mij niet veel goeds, maar erna werd de muziek iets toegankelijker, en vond ik het nog best goeie nummers
80s is very 80s
An innovative album which improves with every listening.
It was a ripping day for GME, so listening to this 80s-casino-cocaine on trays by babes in roller skates-style music was hitting just RIGHT. Got a little weird towards the end but I wasn't paying attention. I would revisit though!
BARNSTORMIN. WE DONT NEED THAT FACIST GROOVE THANG! solid electropop sound. lots of intense slap bass. Song With No Name is definitely weird. it gets weirder and weirder the longer it goes.
I had first heard of Heaven 17 through LCD Soundsystem's cover of "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang", but I had only heard their original and nothing else. I might be just be an easy mark for the exact combo of early 80s new wave/synthpop, but this was a fun surprise of an album for me. Probably just as easily cheesy and dated of its time if you're not a fan of the exact reference points. "Fascist Groove Thang" was what had attracted my initial attention, but the title track is also a banger
Nice synth pop release
High 3, really strong opener but other songs fell into a less interesting realm, but still solid enough album
The album cover alone is just insanely awesome 1980s. Heaven 17’s let me go was one of my first 45s. So massive sentimental value here. The lead singer’s voice is good, but ultimately I came down on the side of this just being too much kooky new wave.
Kinda forgettable synth-pop. I didnt hate this, but I also won't remember it.
This one was interesting. It started with this disco funk but as it continued the music became more experimental with electronica vibes. The songs were an interesting mix. Some of the songs had a sort of rebellious vibe while others came across as superficial club/dance songs.
Heel mooie hoes, wel eens tof om te horen, maar niet mijn ding
A very unique album, that starts off very strong and I loved the first few tracks. Tails off a little for me after that but very solid nonetheless. Favourites: (We don't need) This fascist groove Penthouse and pavement Let's all make a bomb
6.5/10
Well produced pop with corny lyrics that leave me bobbing my head yet uninspired. If found in the $2 record bin I would buy because I bet this would sound great on my system. 2.5 rounded up.
Most people see the Wikipedia summary talking about “(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang” not achieving chart success and assume the album itself didn't do much. Surprisingly, this thang charted in the UK Top 100 for 77 weeks, so it clearly found an audience. What the album suffers from most is that the sound is so aggressively '80s that it doesn't always survive the era. Some albums transcend their decade; this one is firmly planted in it. That said, the best part of the album is the fun, funky grooves and killer bass playing. That's the real highlight here. You can hear the blueprint for a lot of music that came later, and I kept hearing traces of it in Chromeo, which is a guilty pleasure of mine. I love the funk, and when this album leans into that side of its sound, it's at its best.
I'd never listened to this album before, but knew Facist Groove Thing (which remains an absolute banger). Interesting album, particularly the 2nd half. Would listen again
Enjoyed this a lot - again, new to me. Liked the instrumentals towards the end of the album.
A great album, Sheffield must have been some place to be at the turn of the 70s and early 80s!!!!! Three stars. Tom.
Favorite Track: Let’s All Make a Bomb Least Favorite Track: Song with No Name
Synth-pop and post-punk funk built from punchy drum machines, elastic bass lines, glossy synthesizers, and cool, controlled vocals feels like touring a gleaming corporate headquarters after hours while someone quietly explains why the entire system is rotten—stylish, intelligent, and more engaging than most of its contemporaries. The album balances danceable grooves with sharp social observation without sacrificing either. The constant beat combined with the pressing vocals still strains my attention.
Se me hicieron un poco largas pero me encantó el ritmo, nunca escuché algo así.
Something new, definitely will come back to see how it resonates with me later
It was ok
Sonido típico del inicio del new wave. Melodía pegajosa. Lástima que solo se pueden escuchar 3 canciones en Spotify
According to Wikipedia, the album has the funk-influenced Pavement side and the all-electronic Penthouse side. I definitely prefer the Pavement side. The songs are maybe a little repetitive for me, but the beats are fun and I love a good saxophone addition. I even liked the synthetic horns despite not generally being a synth fan. It helps that the album seems quite left wing. It loses me a bit as it goes on to the all-electronic side, but not as much as I thought it would. Liked it a lot more than I was expecting, considering this is a genre I usually don't get along with. Not sure I'd come back to it, but I've enjoyed listening. (I’ve had Cubs in Five in my head since seeing we were given this album, might have contributed to my enjoyment of it.) Fav song: Play To Win Least fav: Song With No Name
Not very into this one. Some of the beats are ok but just out me off. And some parts of the songs are painful. Specific rating - 2.7 Fav song - groove thang Least fav - let’s all make a bomb
From reading the Wikipedia article and the song titles I think I like their politics more than their music. Synths are too squeaky without a bottom end like New Order's stuff of the same era.