Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Tainted Love is an incredible song, but the rest of this album hovers between almost great New Wave and slightly lacking filler.
Not into the whole new wave 80s electronic androgynous scene. It was fine. Would never listen again.
Fine.
So much better than expected.
Sex Dwarf is a bizarre and slightly uncomfortable song that detracts from an otherwise enjoyable album. The cover of Where is Our Love? is just not a vibe as well. That being said, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is an excellent song, as is the classic Tainted Love.
Beyond "Tainted Love", I didn't know much about Soft Cell. The album aligns with the type of sound I thought I'd hear and honestly, it's a really fun record. Very 80s of course, but the synths are hyper, upbeat and chaotic at times when paired with the zany vocals. Fun one.
They sound a lot like… the 80’s.
what the hell, sure
This was close to a 4 for me. Tainted Love is a hot bop and Sex Dwarf was a wild song that only gets crazier the more you read the lyrics. Stay quirky Soft Cell!
not sure why tainted love is 3 times on the album with 1 being longer and 1 being a different version of that longer song, some of the lyrics are weird but that is kinda the point not a bad listen but nothing over the top
i remember listening to tainted love so god damn much and its still pretty damn good. the whole thing is just okay tho. really good ending however
Tainted love and sex dwarf are enough for this to be a 3
fine
If Soft Cell was going for 'totally fine' on this attempt they nailed it. I am guessing that the 1980s will be worst rated decade because this album was about the best I could have hoped for. There was interesting instrumentation and it wasn't obnoxious. However, it felt like too much style and not enough substance.
Soft cell seems like a flaccid hog write this one, eh?
O disco é longo demais, mas tem musicas muito boas. Dá pra ver também a influência dele na consolidação do synth pop
Es taaaaan 1981
Synths + drum machine + sex noises. A bit weird innit? Tainted Love is a banger, and it was interesting hearing the original version of Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. But otherwise this kind of went in one ear and out the other for me
This was alright, but very weird.
Couple real gems. Couple decent head bobbers. And a bunch of filler.
falco w/o falco
"Tainted Love" is my top song on Spotify with over 500 listens. Long story short, a D&D character I played had an item that would play a song that only they could hear on repeat, so I would play it every session for the joke. Now Spotify thinks its my all time favorite. It is a good song though, which is a shame because the rest of the album didn't really do it for me.
An album all about the sexy, seedy underbelly of London and the rejection of the uptight suburbs. A lot of synths. Idk, some of the songs are catchy and some are too new wave for me.
Some really weird songs and some good ones
Kinda dug it. Tries too hard to be shocking in a way that doesn't feel very shocking any more but decent synth-pop dance music of a certain vintage.
Overall a really boring album, although Tainted Love is still one of my top favorite 80s songs....and I also love their cover of Where Did Our Love Go. They earn a 3 for Tainted Love alone.
Wow, Tainted Love, the ur-One Hit Wonder of the 80s, is actually the blandest song on the album. Not surprising, I guess, when you consider that the British electropop scene in the early 80s was dominated by dull albums like Dare and that Echo and the Bunnymen one. I can definitely see young Morrissey drawing some inspiration from the darker corners here as well--all of which is not to say that I liked it all that much, just that I found it kind of fascinating.
cool
It is not every day that you listen to a song about sex dwarfs, but hey this album is called non-stop erotic cabaret after all. This tainted ove version is legendary. So much, that they used its vibes in where did our love go. Bed sitter and memorabilia are cool as well. While irritating at times this lp grew on me while listening to it and i find many of these synth pop song very danceable. Lets give this album some extra credit for being very provocative at the time. Very interesting listen.
Absolute filth
Really good album. It too me back to the 80’s.
This album started out by startling the tortoiseshell cat who was peacefully washing herself on my lap. She is NOT a fan. Okay, it's sleazy gay synthpop. Quality uneven from track to track. Sex Dwarf is inherently ridiculous. My rating: three stars. The tortie's rating: one star *hiss*
Aside from me finding Marc Almond creepy and on the uncomfortable side of weird, it's an ok album.
cool
Overall pretty good, but felt too long. Started really strong with Frustration, I loved the horns, but it didn't really hit for me after that with the exception of the popular singles.
This is some weird shit Tainted love is a banger
Working with what by now would be considered fairly primitive synthesizers and drum machines, Soft Cell at times makes some startlingly original music on this album, including the stupendous "Bedsitter", the titanic "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" and the global smash "Tainted Love". Those tracks are in the sweet spot of this record - however, the remaining tracks are less successful, either because of cluttered, overly-busy arrangements (like on "Entertain Me") or dull, minimal backing tracks that rely too much on vocalist Marc Almond to carry the show (such as "Youth").
An enjoyable new wave album that would've been much better if "Where Did Our Love Go?" was included. The almost nine minute extended cut of both "Tainted Love"/"Where Did Our Love Go?" was my first song downloaded back in 1999. I believe it took all night off Scour exchange on a Gateway computer. Ah, memories. Top Tracks: "Tainted Love," "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye," "Frustration"
--Frustration...this is weird. Like that sax tho --Tainted Love...good --Seedy Films...is that a clarinet? Is someone playing the ol' licorice stick? These guys are weird but I dig it --Youth...singer sounds off. Probably should have rerecorded this. Maybe it's intentional? This also lacks the fun vibe of previous tracks --Sex Dwarf...it sounds exactly like you think --Entertain Me...I don't love this album, but there is something about it. Feels haphazardly thrown together but it sounds like they're having fun and it's infectious --Chips on My Shoulder...great groove. This one is my favorite so far --Bedsitter..."hey, ChatGPT, make me an 80s song" --Secret Life...off-balance but interesting little number. Hard to describe --Say Hello, Wave Goodbye...really like the synths
Apart of the one banger not really my taste
It felt like it's title to be fair
Incredibly seminal for a lot of electronic stuff. Still a solid album, but I don't know if I want to return to this as often as more modern work in the genre.
I described another act as having fairly dull songs performed with such panache that I didn't care. This is kind of the opposite - some great songs, but the performance and timbres are now so outdated it just falls a bit flat. Frustration is wonderfully punk, Tainted Love and Say Hello are classics, but some of the daring sleaziness now just sounds a bit childish. Case in point - Sex Dwarf, with its talk of 'disco dollies'. Should be here due to its importance, but tbh I'd rather listen to Pet Shop Boys.
Some of the songs are extremely repetitive and just not good. Tainted love brings a star and the rest of the album ranges from so-so to bad.
Tainted Love is a perfect gem, Marc Almond’s voice is mesmerising, but… most of the album just doesn’t do much for me.
Solid
Kind of fun, but it also got a little annoying. Could’ve been worse, though. Favorite: Tainted Love
classic voice. nice cover version
3, i at first was like why are they so weird and then i was like wait i like it tho
Pre-listening thoughts: what an interesting pick. Like was Soft Cell not a one hit wonder (and that one hit was a cover??? Not even their song apparently) Post/during listening thoughts: this was quirked up in all the right and some of the wrong places. I did enjoy this on the whole, but sometimes it veered a little too weird for me. I like the lead singer's voice a lot, it's that funky British 80s diction and style that I enjoy. Sort of reminds me of that Magazine album lowkey. You know what? They promised a non stop erotic cabaret and I think they delivered. But I still think it's only a 6.5/10 for me. DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Tainted Love, Entertain Me, Chips on My Shoulder Least fav tracks: Youth, Sex Dwarf
Crazy 80s.
About 20 minutes is enough. And if push comes to shove, I'm fine with just their one hit.
Its decent but i was expecting something that could end up being a 5 but this is really a 3. Decent but 3
Like a synth version of Violent Femmes.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Shame they're thought of as a one hit wonder
Pretty basic 80's to me. Nothing terrible though
Slappage aside, this was fine.
I enjoyed this one. It is 80’s slop(non-derogatory). The cover of Tainted Love was the only song I knew before listening. Favorites were Tainted Love, Sex Dwarf, and Wave Hello, Say Goodbye.
3.5 why did sex dwarf have to be so catchy?
Tainted love but dunno bout the rest
Decent and unique.
There are three absolute belters on this album. I think because it’s my era I thought that I liked the album more than I do. That’s quite a lot of filler around those three classic tunes. Say hello wave goodbye is still a masterpiece.
I only know Tainted Love. This is classic 80s synth pop. It sounds corny to me now but I loved this stuff back in the day. I didn't listen to full albums until the late 80s. This song came out when I was still collecting 45s of popular radio singles. I'll add this to list of things to listen to again more closely to see if I can get anything interesting out of it. Fir now, it's a 3.
музыка из бара голубая устрица
I'm not sure exactly why the 1001-song generator seems to be stuck in an early 80s eddy of synth-pop, but I hope it passes soon, and I'm sorry that this album came in the midst of the 80s glut, as I'd probably have enjoyed it a bit more in isolation. (Maybe. 80s new wave wasn't ever my favorite.) I was glad, though, to hear their megahit cover "Tainted Love" in context, and relieved that the rest of the album wasn't radically different from their breakout single. I'm not sure too many of the other tracks really stood out for me, but I *did* enjoy the *very* 80s video to "Frustration" as it seemed to bring to life the duo's apparent fear and hatred of growing up and being trapped in "respectable" adult life (I particularly liked the electric-corded lawn mower as the pinnacle of suburban disappointment); the videos for "Sex dwarf", "Entertain me" and "Secret life" weren't as effective, but definitely reinforced the whole cabaret/disillusionment theme of the album (and while the tame version of "Sex dwarf" is pretty ho-hum, the banned version is remarkably graphic and twisted--I can see why the BBC only aired it one time before burying it for all time).
I Give You All A Boy Could Give You 1001 Albums Generator 61 (06/26/2025) Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the debut album by British synthpop duo Soft Cell. If you live in the U.K., you may have heard a few songs off of this album, but if you live in the U.S., you have almost certainly heard only one: Tainted Love. I've always thought of Soft Cell as a one-hit wonder, so I was surprised to hear that this was a platinum selling album when it came out. The sound of this album is very much drenched in a very European sort of synthpop with some rock influences as well. By all accounts, this album had quite the uphill battle. The budget for this album was shockingly low, especially considering the instruments that are required for an album built entirely around synths. Additionally, the music video for Sex Dwarf was banned in the U.K. - who woulda thunk? In spite of this, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret was huge when it released. Unfortunately, this album peaks with its most popular song - Tainted Love. This is one of those songs that everyone knows, but a lot of people don't recognize the name of. I was made familiar with this song due to my lovely mother's love for 80's pop music, and it is one of the most iconic songs from that era. The double synth stab throughout the song engrains it in your memory from the first time you hear it and the vocal melodies are extremely catchy. I didn't even know what the actual chorus of this song was until I went to the Genius page because every part is catchy enough to be a chorus. There are very few songs in this genre that are as good as this one. Although this is the peak, there are some other nice songs here too. The opening Frustration opens with screamed, stuttered vocals before a really strange instrumental comes in. I think this song does a great job of portraying a sort of nervous energy through its instrumental. Sex Dwarf will make your eyebrows raise at least 4 times, not even taking into account the initial shock at seeing it on the track list. In spite of this, it's a lot of fun. Chips On My Shoulder has a very funky bassline that I like a lot, and the closer, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, is my favorite song outside of Tainted Love. This song is the one that sounds the least like it was made on such a small budget. There are so many awesome layers in this song that just make it sound huge and the chorus is super catchy. The rest of this album is just not very good. There are a few songs here where you can really feel the low budget of the instrumental and the recording equipment and the music ends up just sounding kitschy. The worst example of this is probably Youth, but it's really quite common throughout. I imagine that some of this perception is driven by the fact that I can't help but look at this music through a modern lens, and it is possible that in the early 80's, all of these synth sounds were unbelievable. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is an appropriately titled, fun debut album by a duo that have a claim to at least one piece of true genius in their catalog. I wish it was more consistent, but the good and bad balance each other out. Favs: Tainted Love Sex Dwarf Say Hello, Wave Goodbye Least Fav: Youth
More enter than I thought.
Way too 80s for me for most of the album but I guess I found out who originally did Tainted Love. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye and Where Did Our Love Go? are my favorite songs on the album. If it wasn't such a long album I would rank it a little higher but there's a ton of filler here
I've listened to this album a few times over the years hoping to find new gems. Every time I'm left going "Oh yeah I get why everyone knows Tainted Love and nothing else" I am a huge fan of "Where did Our Love Go?" and think the double song with "Tainted Love" is the definitive way to listen. "Wave Hello, Say Goodbye" is also a fun one
Two good songs. That's it.
i liked the style, it was very 80s techno ish.
Made me dance early on , some fun lyrics … the emotional parts didn’t hit as much , didn’t like most of the lushness but enjoyed the melody
Grineren synth-pop, tanted love er en banger
I didn't really like this at first, but it grew on me. I never got to the point of really loving it, but it was okay. By the time I had to get up off the couch and verify that I was really hearing him say "Sex Dwarf" I knew I couldn't hate this album.
I liked this more than I thought I would (took two spins, though). It's like getting dragged into a neon-lit alley by a synth and a sneer. Tainted Love obviously rules, but it also casts a long shadow. This was interesting, but probably a one-and-done for me. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Tainted Love - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - Where Did Our Love Go?
3 stars simply for tainted love
Quite weird and very 80’s - just not my thing. Tainted love the exception.
If nothing else, it’s like a photograph that captures a moment and feeling in time. I’m thinking Taxi Driver type mood with the opulence and cocaine of the 80s mixed in. Was it good? Not really. Did it do what music should do, evoke thoughts and feelings of something intangible? Yes
poppy kraftwerk, buiten de single kende ik er niks van... maar viel op zich wel mee...een dipje in het midden, maar ze herpakten zich op tijd voor een paar mooie afsluiters
3/5
What an excellent album title. Most of it was just very 80s pop, and I just don't think it's a pop decade I tend to enjoy. 3*, tainted love doesn't carry this. Highlights: tainted love, where did our love go, chips on my shoulder (NSED)
It’s a little busier and chaotic than I’d like, but other than that I enjoy the darker 80’s vibe and their usage of synths. The songs are of mixed quality: there’s a few masterpieces, and some cacophonies. I don’t really love the vocals: they are too often pitchy, and a little too sharp/pointy in sound for me. His sound is recognisable and unique though, I'll give 'em that. Also, I can’t tell if they are taking it seriously or not. I kinda hope they’re not.
i don't nknwo
Tainted love and Sex Dwarf
I liked it but the lyrics are too like horny bro
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is a wild ride that promises more than it delivers. Sure, Tainted Love is a classic, and Sex Dwarf is absurdly amusing, but most of the album feels forgettable.
Quite weird album. Yes, Tainted Love is good, but a lot of the other stuff is too experimental for my taste
Has some awesome songs, but also a ton of filler.
6.5/10
Obviously has the absolute hit tainted love, but Im not super into the rest, not the biggest fan of the musical outcomes of the 80s
Rating: 3.5/5 | Favorite Track: Tainted Love --- There are a few great standout tracks with a darker, more minimal sound than other synthpop songs from the era. Wish the entire album was as consistently good as Tainted Love or Sex Dwarf, but still a fun listen.
super fun!! this has always been one of mateen's favs so i heard it a lot growing up... i like it too but mostly tainted love haha
Дождливый вечер. Поездка подходит к концу и ты высаживаешься за несколько кварталов до истинного пункта назначения. Ты пытаешься собраться с духом. Потные руки копошаться в кармане бомбера. Дойдя до клуба ты проглатываешь последние слюни, пытаясь увлажнить пустыню в горле. Жестом пытаешься прогнать дрожащий голос матери, осуждающий взгляд общества и заплесневелые нормы морали.Еще пару шагов и пути назад не будет... Еще пару шагов и ты - свободен... Ты пидор короче 7/10
Tainted Love //
Kind of underwhelming even
frustrated- 5 tainted love- 8 seedy films- 5 or 6 youth- 5 sex dwarf- 6 or 7 entertain me- 6 or 7 chips on my shoulder- 5 bedsitter- 5 secret life- 5 say hello, wave goodbye- 5 where did our love go- 7 memoribillia- 6 or 7 facility girls- 5 or 6 fun city- 5 torch- 5 insecure me- 6 what- 5 so- 5 or 6 I like soft cell but this shit did not need to be 18 songs long. then again they did say nonstop so... okay i actually listened to the extended version. that's on me guys
I enjoyed this enough, mostly reading about it and appreciating how the sound was affected by the state of the technology at the time and it's early adoption (at least within budget limitations).
Pretty much what I expected. Kinda dug it.
A total one hit wonder if ive ever seen one, but the other stuff is engaging enough. psychedelic in the wrong ways but not the worst thing ever.
RIP David Ball. I have to admit, though, that beyond the hits, I didn't really care much for this. Oh go on I'll give it a 3
Pretty original in 1981 (other than maybe Thomas Dolby), and an obvious influence on 1980s New Wave.
Two hits but the rest of the songs kind of sound like those hits. Pretty pioneering though
A couple stand out songs, while the album as a whole sounds somewhat repetitive from song to song. A decent pop album, with some must listen songs, but not a necessary listen from start to finish
They had a vision and stuck to it
I love the sentiment of this album ,as a trans woman, I love artists that are unafraid to show their pride and make music about it. I love that about this album but I honestly don't think I would wanna be caught dead listening to most of these songs. They have a time and a place and some people will enjoy this more than I do but I don't enjoy listening to this album. Even the big hit from this album "Tainted Love" is a really cliche, annoying new wave song that brings me no joy. I guess "Frustration" is a pretty fun song which I like the sentiment of 4/10 (extra points for LGBTQ rep) Favourite: Frustration Least Favourite: Tainted Love
Ik dacht dit niet te kennen, maar bij de tweede track wordt m'n ongelijk bewezen. Tainted Love, waarvan ik zojuist leer dat het een cover is, met afstand het hoogtepunt van het album. Lekker trackie. Ik ga de laatste tijd iets beter om met de jaren '80 maar dit is toch wel weer een aardige lakmoesproef. Synthpop gemaakt met computers van ongeveer net na de tweede industriële revolutie. Stoom en kolen waren nog maar net uit zwang geraakt. Het heeft haast iets belachelijks dat ik dit complete album serieus zit te luisteren anno 2025. Tijdloos kun je dit als je werkende trommelvliezen hebt in ieder geval niet noemen. De zanger pakt lekker z'n momentje en het klinkt allemaal tamelijk flamboyant zullen we maar zeggen. Enorm theatraal, maar het past wel bij de foute synth- en drumcomputer geluiden. Dit zit tussen de 2 en 3 sterren. Drie is eigenlijk net te hoog want je kunt het album na Tainted Love misschien net zo goed gewoon afzetten, maar ik laat me maar weer een keer van m'n goede kant zien.
Some real big hits
Bra, men litt irriterande i lengden
solid but not the most creative 80s pop
2,5
“Tainted Love”, “Where Did Our Love Go”, and “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” are all good, but the rest is just kind of meh.
Irgendwie ist das nicht gut gealtert.
Provocative pop Highlighted with perky synth Teases the taboo
Pretty fun Synth pop with a couple genre essentials. A bit dated sonically, but that's not really a bad thing, and the homerotic undercurrent running throughout is pretty refreshing. Unfortunately the B-sides aren't as memorable.
Very, very ‘80s. Tainted Love is a classic for a reason. The synths, sax, and flute play nicely together. Lyrics are sometimes very good, often not. The drum machine on Bedsitter is super funky and unique.
Tainted Love carried this but I had to draw the line at Sex Dwarf.
I actually thought I would enjoy this more than I did. Tainted Love is great, obviously, and there are a couple other decent tracks (Say Hello, ...), but on the whole it's a little less memorable than I thought it might be.
3/5
iwie manchmal nervig, aber auch camp. darun 3
Always thought this band was a one-hit wonder. This album is half way decent, but unfortunately pretty dated. I liked the first song and last song (Say Hello, Wave Goodbye) and of course Tainted Love is notable, but the rest was kind of forgettable overly sexualized nonsense that maybe sounded edgy in the 80s, but now is pretty boring. Wouldn’t really have a reason to come back to this.
Feels very reminiscent of the nightclub scene in the 80's - I wasn't there but this is pretty much how I imagine it. Interesting juxtaposition of the upbeat synths with the emotional vocals. This feels very unserious but kind of dark at the same time, I have pretty mixed feelings about this one.
*looks around on my morning commute* no one knows I'm listening to a song called Sex Dwarf
It’s all very silly, but not in a necessarily in a bad way. Not my thing really, synth pop, but it really is a neon sleaze electric cabaret of a twisted 80s sound. Obviously know the singles, but wasn’t expecting much so pleasantly surprised, though sex dwarf?? is that pc nowadays. 3 Star.
One song reminds me of late nights at the dance clubs. The rest is just okay.
Contains a trio of decent singles but also some filler.
2.5 maybe. Most of it sounds like two college students playing around on synths. Lots from that era already sound polished and great. Obviously the bangers are generational
Rlly good Loved instumemtals
Ein großer Hit, der Rest ... na ja.
I now know where most 90s and noughties parodies of eighties art pop came from. Boldly experimental, largely unlistenable, but three stars for really Having a Go.
I didn’t think I was familiar with Soft Cell, but who doesn’t know Tainted Love? I was pleased to find they are more than a one hit wonder. This album is unmistakably 80s and makes you want to dance.
It's a bit better than I was expecting I believe "Non-Stop Erotic Cabanet" is Patient Zero of the 80s synth pop craze that populates this list. "Sex Dwarf" is an underrated song that sadly couldn't be a single. A few of the tracks are just dated and stale. Fun fact: I didn't know "Tainted Love" was a cover until today. 3 stars for "Non-Stop Erotic Cabanet".
3.5
Ну старье конечно, но местами прикольно
Has that sparse synth driven 80s pop sound, very sleazy thematically. I enjoyed it, maybe not something I'll come back to and listen through again, some songs carry the album and other I found a bit forgettable
The longer it went on the more I liked it
Tainted Love is the best song on the Coneheads soundtrack.
3.5
“Tainted Love”, “Where Did Our Love Go”, and “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” are all good, but the rest is just kind of meh.
A trio of good songs (Tainted Love, Where Did Our Love Go?, and Say Hello, Have Goodbye) surrounded by meh.
You get the impression that these guys would have been a (middling) punk rock outfit if they had picked up guitars instead of synths. Much of this is sparse, and rather dissonant, electronic art rock, but there are a handful of tracks that are almost good: the ubiquitous “Tainted Love” as well as “Bedsitter,” “Secret Life,” and “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.”
This album, man. Ever since I first heard "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" in that Master of None show, I've been hooked to it. I press play on the whole album and turns out I already knew "Tainted Love" from that Rihanna song that sampled it a long time ago. Cool, right. Listening to the entire album and man, it's so 80s. If I had to picture the early 80s before rap took over and everyone had gigantic hair like Pat Benatar, random exercise clothes and leg warmers on, dancing extremely hard to songs like "Frustration" and "Sex Dwarf." It is very easy to have this playing in the background while you're doing other things. And that's very positive. I ran this album back 3 times before I realized I was still listening to the same album. These two set out to make a classic and they did just that. Take this as a 3.5/5.
Standout Track: Sex Dwarf
Not terrible. Some classics. Some hard to listen to, it's not particularly fresh. 3.5 stars. On the fence.
2 or 3 songs that are great the rest are meh
tainted love is great, the rest of this album fails to meet that high
Generally fun, and was doing something at the edge of the technology at the time, for all it sounds like now. A bit patchy in places but does have three songs that have stood up really well - or maybe that's just because they are very evocative for me. Not a high scorer, but not a dud either.
3.5
It’s a bit silly overall. But this captures a specific moment in time pretty accurately. Marc Almond sounds almost like he’s making up the lyrics as he’s singing. This record feels low budget and advanced at the same time.
Way too much 80s this week. Some solid songs, but some absolute misses. 2.5/5. I'll round up.
Tainted Love is a classic - the rest of this ranges from meh to okay.
I never really thought, “I wonder what the rest of the album that Tainted Love is on sounds like?” and I’m kinda glad to have had a reason to find out. It’s a lot more rough around the edges and wacky than I expected that’s for sure. Didn’t like it quite enough to become a big Soft Cell guy who gets mad at people for only knowing the one song. Too bad. Would be pretty funny.
It's fine, it's catchy, a few good songs, but I don't feel the need to listen again. Maybe I'm underrating this because I've heard Tainted Love 1001 times on the radio, hard to tell.
It's kind of ridiculously charming that David Grey would go on to cover a Soft Cell song (Say Hello, Wave Goodbye) so convincingly. The original is actual fire.
Not my favourite but has some pretty good tunes on it..chill mellow vibes
The right length. The music is alright. The singer is not that good. Favorite song: sex dwarf.
Poza tainted love, takie pitu-pitu
Fun, but doesn't quite hold together enough to be a classic.
it would have been literally soooo amazing to hear this music while fucked up on 17 different uppers in the club pre-AIDS crisis…idk if it hits as hard in any other context but i think the absurd synths/preset drum beats etc. are pretty fun and i just love listening to marc almond’s lovely gay voice. we need gay men to start speaking with lisps again. anyway so i like the disparate elements but they just don’t gel super well to me for some reason.
The chorus of “Seedy Films” is sooo funny to me it sounds like an SNL bit making fun of the genre…the tongue twister “sleazy city sleepy people” is just a perfect opportunity for his sibilant S to be on full display (not complaining). But overall yeah very strange vibe to me but I’m sure this was great for its intended purpose and not for laying on my couch formatting documents on my computer for the Financial Times as I am doing right now. *Best tracks: Tainted Love*
Decent album. Nearly a 4.
Too long and too many insane songs
Huge, huge surprise here. I am not generally a synthpop fan whatsoever, and I've historically not thought much of this "Tainted Love" cover, but something kind of comes together for me on this one. Really interesting arrangements and songs, and it's not *too* over the top or synthy. Much more intriguing than a lot of other stuff from this time period. Interested to see if this grows on me with repeated listenings! 3.5/5
The Good: a Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret The Bad: One needs to enjoy a cabaret The Ugly: Trying to figure out what a soft cell has to do with all this… There are probably 5 emblematic ‘80s intros that have been used over and over to define that period in tv and film, and Tainted Love is one of them! Anyone who was experiencing life in that decade appreciates the song, whether you were into that music at the time or not. The rest of the album, in my opinion, is a spit||rinse||repeat kind a thing. 3* just because of Tainted Love and Sex Dwarf
Tainted love is amazing everything else veers from ok to meh
"Tainted Love" and "Where Did our Love Go" covers are fun. Didn’t realize “Tainted Love” was a cover until looking into this album. The rest ehh.
My least favorite new wave album so far
Well, this really really sounds like an early synthpop album. It might be that I've heard too many of these on this list, but this one really didn't do it for me like some of the other early synthpop bands I've gotten on this list. Something about their energy and singing puts me off a bit 3/5
Synth pop album, this list just knows how to surprise eh. Sarcasm aside, the first 3 tracks were genuinely enjoyable, switching up styles with the sax and clarinet, plus a banger which I didn’t know was from them! 3.5
I liked it even though it was a deeply silly album. A bit amateurish feeling from a popular band somehow? Could be that it was part of the adoption of early synthesis tech into pop music? Could be that their whole thing was kind of being unserious. I'm not allergic to that. It was pretty ok. Not awesome for how many times people have mentioned the album to me. I think it stood out proud simply because it has a song about a sex dwarf.
It’s good, I’ve never been the worlds biggest soft cell fan, so it’s just middle of the road for me I’m afraid
I liked a lot of this
Wasn't jiving with this, until I was. The 2nd half of the album (starting at Sex Dwarf) was a lot more my speed. It slowed down a bit near the end, but Sex Dwarf through Bedsitter was really good. 3/5
soft cell's mix of tainted love that blends into where did our love go is one of my favorite songs maybe ever? regrettably it's not on this album in that form. i did a full listen through of this a couple years back and remember hating it, but maybe it's an acquired taste bc it didn't go down as bad as i remembered this time. still a 2.5 probably
Lol wtf was "Sex Dwarf"?? Very 80s, "Tainted Love" is really the only standout, but as far as 80s New Wave goes, this was good.
I don't want to say it was bad because I actually liked it but it probably was bad
Again, another group that I knew the song but not the artist! 'Tainted Love' was a staple on the radio when growing up - fun stuff. The rest of the synth-pop less interesting, but Tainted Love made it 3 stars.
Yeah it’s Tainted Love. Some kinda good songs but nothing matches up to that one
decent album a little long
The first half had the singer kinda overwhelming the rest of the (pretty decent) instrumentation, but it picked up a lot in the second half to land in the middle
No está mal, suena ochentero como debe ser. Además de "Tainted Love" me ha gustado "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" y menos mal que ahora incluye la cara B del "Tainted love" porque es igual de buena ("Where Did Our Love Go?"). En USA la cara B fue "Memorabilia" y sale Torremolinos!!!
I'm assuming that like most people taking part in completing this list, the only Soft Cell song I know is their version of "Tainted Love," which I personally thank is fantastic (although I prefer the 12" single version, but whatever). I'm really not sure what to expect from the rest of this album though. I think I'll either love it or hate it, and I'd be really surprised if it winds up somewhere in the middle for me. What better way to start a Monday morning than with a trip to the non-stop erotic cabaret? After the lead-off track "Frustration," I figured I'd probably hate this album. The vocals were awful, and I didn't care for the deep synthesizer horn sounds layered with the higher synthesizer sounds that sounded like a xylophone. The saxophone playing later on in the song wasn't much better either. But the aforementioned "Tainted Love" cover is great, and Soft Cell did a fantastic job with the synthesizer arrangements on this song. It feels incredibly unique, and I love the dark, grimy tone that the song has been given in this iteration. "Seedy Films," was great too, and I enjoyed that it didn't rely on the same sounds as the first two tracks. The rest of side 1 was really good too, and while the tone and sleaze of the lyrics stayed the same, none of the songs sounded the same. Choices were certainly made on "Sex Dwarf," but the continuation of the theme is great. Side 1 also featured some great segues, which I really love to see, especially on a synth-pop record. With the exception of "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye," I really didn't care much for side 2 of this album. Musically, the tone shifted to be much brighter, which really took away from the dark and erotic tone that had been established on side 1. The tempo felt chaotic, and the sound was dominated by higher pitches. I thought the vocals on side 2 were overall better, but I really didn't care for the backing vocals on "Chips On My Shoulder." Lyrically, the tone didn't change much, but the lyrics didn't pack the same punch with the shift in sound. However, the closing track was great, and I loved the orchestral synthesizer sounds of the chorus. Overall, this album was fine. The strength of side 1 made this worth listening to, but other than "Tainted Love," I don't know that I'd come back to it.
2-3 Tainted Love - 5
Weird at times, but also nice at times. I've always liked their version of Tainted Love. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye was a good one as well.
Én kæmpe banger. Ellers meget 80'er
I love Tainted Love and dumbly didn’t realize that Where Did Our Love Go was a separate song (I thought it was just an extended version of Tainted Love), so also like that one. And then I hated the rest of the album. Probably 3.5 rounded down to 3 based on how much I love those two songs and how much I hate the rest.
honestly I'm maybe giving this a bonus point for how ridiculous the phrase/title "Sex Dwarf" is.
3.5, really.
Early ‘80s Brit synth pop. Yep, it sure is that. Still waiting for a Duran Duran album to pop up though.
‼️SEX DWARF‼️ half of this album is a 5 but the clunkers really clunk
the 80s were more fun.
This was better than I expected. I like a lot of the sounds and the sleazy vibe. Most of the tracks go too long and get a bit boring though.
"Tainted Love" is an absolute smash, so I wanted and expected to enjoy the rest of the album. It was campy and fun sometimes, but many of the hooks were overworked. I like the lead singer's voice and the production is clean. Highlights: Tainted Love, Entertain Me, Chips On My Shoulders
Tainted love is an all timer. The rest? Not as much
I thought this was too long, but I actually did enjoy it for the most part. It seems to be a band I had never heard of and then boom, I’ve heard the second song a bunch of times. Another thing I appreciate is that the last song is actually good as well. A lot of the longer albums that we’ve had like this have a last song that is a rehash or b reel type song. They seem very chaotic and fun. They are also a 1 hit wonder though - best song is 50 times more popular than any other.
It's the 80s
Strange one: I don't really like much of it. But I can appreciate its edge. Very brave subject matter for its time. And 3 or 4 classic tracks on there.
Erotismo muito leve, quase divertido. Mas tem Tainted Love.
Fun 80's electric pop piece.
Good to slightly great. A lot more to SC than Tainted Love. 3.5/5
goofy and silly
Album 479 of 1001 Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret Rating : 3.5 / 5 Wondered what I was getting into and then "Tainted Love" came on and I became a bit more receptive. Other tracks didn't hit quite as hard but this is a fun album. These guys would have been fun to see live. Seems that would be a good time.
Hey, these guys are a bunch of perverts! Also what is Michael Cera doing on the cover? Despite the creepy vocals and the depraved lyrics, I actually really liked the synth here. I think a lot of bands from this era will hammer the synth button because it was the popular sound but they won't really bother to innovate on it - these guys break that rule. As people, Soft Cell really turns me off and creeps me the fuck out, as musicians, they 're alright.
Enjoy this eighties synth pop album, even though the vocals get a bit grating at times.
Tainted Love is one of the quintessential 80s songs that is almost impossible not to sing along to. The rest of the album is ok, if not slightly forgettable.
If this album was just Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go?, I'd be rating it solid 4*s. Maybe even 4.5. But they also wrote their own songs and, subsequently, performed them. So that brings us down to a 3* rating (3.5*probably due to TL and WDOLG). It was all so very 80's. But Sex Dwarf is probably the best song ever written, so yeah. 3.5* Final Score.
Prima
À part Tainted Love et Sex Dwarf, pas grand chose à voir, à part si t’aime passer en revue tout les sons vanillas 16 bits des synthétiseurs des années 80
“Tainted Love” is a great song but the rest of it did not hold up at all.
oof. so many 80s albums. 3? But tainted love is a banger.
ok
3.5
Ok for background
The album overall is just ok. Bedsitter and of course Tainted Love are great. Then there is Sex Dwarf.... Perhaps my new favorite song.
Tainted Love is a great cover. And Sex Dwarf. Sex Dwarf! Otherwise…
Mixed for me. I love 'Tainted Love' but I found the rest of the album so so. A 3.5 for me.
It was fine. Tainted love was , but other than that, nothing was memorable
Doesn't even have the version of "Tainted Love" that segues into "Where Did Our Love Go?", and the rest is pretty down and dirty sleaziness... Minimal beeps and boops make up the soundtrack to a thousand nights in gay clubs across the land.
Any album with "Tainted Love" can't be all bad, and this was actually rather fun, in an '80s-flashback kind of way.
It is long... an hour and fifteen minutes! Crazy way to realize that they have more than Tainted Love in their catalog. Also, I did not know it is actually a cover of a 1964 hit by Gloria Jones. Seedy Films is interesting and naughty... where were these guys hanging out in the 80's? Oh my. Youth is darkly theatrical and not very listenable and Sex Dwarf is slightly disturbing with pedo vibes. Kind of a mixed bag, overall.
Didn’t grab me.
Decent and not f course their two top hits where there too, also liked “What!”
Electro pop, kinda whimsical
This is weird but not nearly as weird as Marc and the Mambas which I like a lot better.
Classic 80s album. Some good tracks on it but not that great overall.
just ok. tainted love is the only real standout song. it gets a lil boring but i still love my 80s music
The tainted love cover is amazing obviously but everything else is mostly just meh. Not bad, not that good.
This album is insane. Like it is completely unhinged. The album yesterday was like "80s garbage pop," because it was just fine. Nothing special, just quintessential 80s. But this...... this is 80s Hot Trash. And its incredible. This is the sleeziest record I've ever listened to. This is like the proto-Megan Thee Stallion. It's like 100% sex music. Like explicit sex music. SEX DWARF IS A SONG ON THIS RECORD. SEX DWARF!!! WTF?!?!?!? It almost feels like The Cure or Depeche Mode, but if DP was in a full leather GIMP suit and had a boner stuck in a chastity belt. Its like incel Depeche Mode. I think its so out there and so spot on for what its going for, that I actually really respect it. I'm certain, I won't listen to this all the way though again, but damn, this is wild. I'm glad I listened to the whole thing. Obviously, Tainted Love is the classic. I did know that one. but Wow. This thing is unhinged.
The album is mainly notable for the (slightly) risque lyrics and song titles and it's extensive use of synths. I tend to appreciate 80s synch pop a bit more than I did growing up, especially when I see old top of the pops episodes, so maybe there is some nostalgia.
I can really relate to this album of early twenties pretentious self-aware middle class debauchery. I like electronica and songs where you can tell what the singer is actually saying. However, this album reads like a diary entry and Marc Almond is not a good singer and you can tell the music was botched together by one person. File under: Has a good cover of a Northern Soul song. We've already had "I Shot the Sheriff" (Clapton) and "Seven Days is Too Long" (Dexy's) this week though. Highlights were Tainted Live (obvs), Say Hello, Wave Goodbye and Bedsitland. Was Youth ironically out of tune or did they not have anything better recorded and needed filler?
I was dubious when this album came up, I'd initially saw it as a vehicle for Tainted Love - which is a banger, but also a cover version - so didn't hold much hope for the album... and turns out I quite enjoyed it, in a non-serious sleazy pop innuendo fuelled peep show type of way.
The album starts well, but meanders it's way through several over-long indulgences. The album as a whole is too long at just shy of an hour and a quarter. Sex Dwarf is, uh.
Never heard of their name before, but one of the songs at least was familiar. I enjoyed this whole album, it was fun and interesting.
Quite ok for the 80ties 🫣
Enjoyable
I know Tainted Love of course and have always like it. Oddly enough I've never listened to this album. I have now and it's better than I expected. This is another of the 1001 that I need to listen to more. 3.5/5
It’s ok
"Tainted Love" è la cover che fa da base a tutti i successivi remix: bella. Poco altro
I absolutely hate Tainted Love. Always have. No reason why. But this is an OK album.
Few bangers, few duds, and everything with a minimal music and sound. It's actually a bit impressive if you think about it - two synth beats and we have a successful album! Unfortunately, it's not good enough to give it a good note with a clear conscience. Tainted Love and then few too many boring songs is good enough for 3/5.
Primer acercamiento a Soft Cell en formato LP. Gran álbum, con una atmósfera tan ochentera como sensual posible. Me llama la atención las bajas notas de este trabajo, atendido que existen álbumes en esta plataforma que no llegan ni de lejos al nivel del analizado aquí. FAVTRAXS: Frustration / Tainted Love / Seedy Films /Youth / Sex Dwarf / Chips On My Shoulder / Say Hello, Wave Goodbye LEASTFAV: Bedsitter 3.5/5
As 80s as it gets. Worth a listen but probably not a second.
I won't spoil it for you but it has a song titled "Sex Dwarf". Previously, I had only known Soft Cell for two different songs but now they will be known for this song.
🧽
Pop con sintetizadores. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.
Very polarizing. Several fantastic songs and several droning messes. I couldn't help but think of Ross and Chandler's college band
Tainted love was, and still is, huge. The rest is up and down, but enjoyable.
Some great stuff on here and some absolutely terrible stuff.
Half of this I enjoyed, the other half was a bit naff. Perhaps I’d have loved it all in the 80s but parts of it now sound a bit cliche and tried n tested. Came to the conclusion that there’s a lot of songs on here that would sound much better covered by someone else. Convinced Entertain Me would sound better delivered by a 00s emo band. When this is good, it’s pretty good. Nothing spectacular but good enough.
Mad that tainted love is a cover, and a Gloria Gaynor cover at that. Got to assume that soft cell have put their own spin on it. That song is great, otherwise the first half was a bit underwhelming. Picked up towards the end, chips on my shoulder onwards was a good listen. This album must be very influential, feels like it set the tone for the 80s. I generally like the darker skew this album has compared to the other synth bands too. That said, not my favourite genre and I probably wouldn't listen again. Had to stop what I was doing to confirm that the guy indeed did say sex dwarf.
I liked Tainted Love more than I remember, and the rest of the album was not as bad as I feared. Still, its synth pop.
This album would’ve been on heavy rotation in the decadent club scene of the early 80s. Influential then yes. Relevant today? Probably not. Hell, I probably heard Tainted Love for the first time after sneaking in to Dallas’ famed Starck Club. Impressive that it was all made on a shoestring budget using a few synths and drum machines. Still, I don’t think the album holds up as much today. Outside of the obvious hit track, there were really just a few others that were my go-to. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is one, and David Grey does a really nice cover of it too. A 2.5 rounded up just for memory sake.
The 80s sure had better stuff to offer, but there is something there. «Sex Dwarf» made me chuckle, and «Say Hello, Wave Goodbye» is absolutely beautiful.
It's funny that this follows a Prince album on which I bemoaned drum machines. I thought this was interesting, but not sure why it's on this list. Perhaps the inventiveness on creating this entire album on a home recorder? It's basically a demo tape that hit hard, so I get the homegrown thing. Too bad it didn't originally include Where Did Our Love Go as that might have made this more interesting. But, I didn't hate this any more than the Cure album so it might be a 2.5 but I'll go with:
First time listen to this album. Tainted Love was ubiquitous in the early 80s, when it was released, and has been part of pop culture ever since. It's incredibly catchy and totally ingrained in my mind. I didn't expect to enjoy the rest of the album as much as I did. Seedy Films was a highlight and Entertain Me was weird but fun. I didn't think much of Youth or Sex Dwarf.
I hadn't ever thought of tainted love as a real song by a real band from a real album. There was some stuff I enjoyed off of this one, but mostly it just seemed like some electronic filler. I did like the reeds on tracks 1&3 and it was interesting to hear tainted love in context. Not sure I'll be listening to this one in full again, but I will be tickled when it comes up on shuffle!
Sex Dwarf is a masterpiece
mye opp og ned. tainted love er alltid en banger tho
Like most radio listeners in the US in the 80s, I'd heard 'Tainted Love' many times before and I do like that song. I don't think I'd heard any of the other songs from this album before. It was fun to give it a listen, and because one of my kids is a young teen who likes some current (2024) pop songs, it's pretty wild to hear some similarities between this record from 1981 and the songs of the past few years that my kid likes. That observation is not meant to denigrate either this album or contemporary pop; music, like all art (and pretty much all things), is in a perpetual cycle of self-reference and evolution.
Boring
Not bad actually. Not my thing at all, but the songs are decently composed, interesting melodies and the synth is interesting on a lot of tracks instead of just solely the same redundant loops like so much pop at the time. 3.0.
Poor man’s Pet Shop Boys but way less musical talent? Most songs started and I thought they were going to be OK, and then just shallow musically and trite lyrics. I won’t ever dial this one up again but it wasn’t offensive either. Would love to see a more clever approach to telling the world they are horny guys.
Entire song dedicated to a Sex Dwarf.
That's not my taste in musik. But ok
Interesante, pero no es mi estilo. Siento que en cierto punto se puede volver algo muy repetitivo.
Tainted Love is great. It’s one of those songs I’ve heard 100 times but would get wrong on a “who sung it” trivia question. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is a lovely tune with a great vocal performance. While I really like the sound of the record (it is unmistakably early 80’s New Wave but has a very high quality sound for nearing 45 years), it doesn’t do a tremendous amount for me. It’s cohesive and doesn’t really have a bad song (Sex Dwarf is a major WTF moment here but the song itself sounds great), but it doesn’t move me or wow me much either. I’d give it 3.5 stars if I could but I’m rounding down on this one.
Both pleasant and annoying.
Weird experimental proto electronic punk that I appreciate rather than enjoy
So I can see why Tainted Love is the hit song from this album. The rest sounds like the soundtrack to a John Waters movie. It's incredibly camp. Sex Dwarf? Entertain Me? Oh yeah, these guys are trying to be as silly as possible. There are some interesting bits in here. Sometimes Marc's singing is great, other times it's just awful. Really feels like a couple college guys their hands on a nice synth and pressed ALL the buttons. Lol! It's silly, high energy, a little bad. I like it, but you've got to be in the mood for it.
3!
yeah liked it
2.5
Two good singles otherwise not a band or an album I would seek out. Just edged a 3*
me copa 7.5/10
3.5/5
Other Say Hello Wave Goodbye (very good song), Where Did Our Love Go, and Tainted Love, the rest of this album songs like a 15 year old theater student locked himself in his bed with a synth and a drum machine he got that Christmas morning.
I know two songs from this album: Tainted love (of course) Say hello wave goodbye I really like both of those songs, so I hope I enjoy this album a similar amount Frustration was good. Wasn’t anything too special but I did enjoy it. Tainted love is extremely good of course. Everybody knows that. It’s so good. Seedy films was meh. I didn’t really like it but I didn’t hate it. Youth was also meh Sex dwarf was better than the previous two songs but still not great. Entertain me was fine Chips on my shoulder was good. Nothing much to say. Bed sitter was also good. Secret life was meh Say hello wave goodbye is really good, but I already knew that. The album isn’t fantastic. There are some more song added in a bonus or something, but I’ve truly lost interest. This a case where an album is on here purely because of a hit.
A few surprises
Fun 80s album, but nothing mind blowing.
Good
This album contains one of the most iconic 80's dance songs, "Tainted Love".
Solid album when in the mood for 80s synth. Tainted Love elevates it.
80s. Unique voices and sound.
I liked a few of them.
Schmutzige Texte und Themen Gute Synthies. Tainted Love --> Klassiker.
Kinda weird TBH
Bra, men litt irriterande i lengden
Besides the ones I already knew this album seems quite forgettable.
Tainted Love is an all timer and gets three stars but nothing else here gets to the level. Even a song called 'Sex Dwarf' can't break through. I am a brick wall. Sometimes I'd hear a line in the other songs and think 'What are we doing here?' and I wouldn't have an answer.
Soft Cell are known essentially for Tainted love, but in my opinion this album is a little gem in the synth pop panorama of the 80s. There are experimental songs both in terms of arrangements and lyrics quite interesting.
Jeg så jeres ratings og tænkte "ah...det kan vist ikke være mere liderligt end George Michael", men jeg ændrede mening da jeg kom til Sex Dwarf. Hvad lavede de i 80'erne?? Jeg var ret klar på at give den 2/5 indtil jeg kom til Say Hello, Wave Goodbye som var RIGTIG fin og trak det hele op for mig
80s
Was not prepared for how lofi, amateurish, kinky, and queer this album was. Some cool sounds, but is definitely early new wave.
That first song "Frustration" is so manic 😅 Actually a fun album
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret was so weird and may be the weirdest album i have looked at thus far. However, that does not make it bad, the album was pretty chill with its music at points and at other points it could be really upbeat which i really like. It is no doubt a weird album but it was still one that I enjoyed. Best Song: Frustration Worst Song: Sex Dwarf
This album was, surprisingly and unfortunately, a little bit of a let down. Like so many others, I expected the album to be as much of a banger as "Tainted Love". In reality, it mostly paled in comparison. Of course "Where Did Our Love Go" is the other A-Side track opposite Tainted Love, and is good, but other than that, "Sex Dwarf" oddly enough was a standout. Don't get me wrong, the album wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting. Oh, and did I mention that this band was definitely horny when they made this album? Anyway, high 2, barely getting rounded up to 3.
I liked tained love and the rest of the album was okay but not really my style.
Where did our love go/tainted love are their most well known songs - but they've got some like 80s dark disco songs on this album that are good.
Love the early 80s pop and love Tainted Love... but these guys feel a bit like a 1 hit wonder. The rest of the album wasn't bad, it just wasn't consistently Tainted Love level good.
Good, though dated, synth pop
"Sex Dwarf" definitely is a song.