Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Yo it has tainted love, literally everything else sounds like background music for a low budget drug movie. But very fun background music
sex dwarf is my new fav song
Most of it wasn't for me but Tainted Love and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye are great (David Gray's version is better imo).
"Tainted Love" is the only real standout
Not my cup of tea. But Tainted Love seemed to catch my ears for its melody.
Hm yeah idk about this one chief. Tainted Love is an interesting song because I’m not even sure if I like it or if it’s just so familiar that it feels like a warm blanket. The album is comically long but there are some decent tracks. Would’ve been better as background music. Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Fun City, and Insecure Me we’re pretty solid. A light, light 3.
Very of it’s time but fun pop nonetheless
Trevligt
Tainted love was awesome
Yet another unoriginal 80s clone which is nothing more than *fine*
Now I know why I’ve never heard any other song on this album than Tainted Love. I mean everyone should listen to Sex Dwarf at least once in their lifetimes.
Contains some synth classics.
Pretty cool
3.5 on the back of Tainted Love and Sex Dwarf
It wasn't bad. I'd listen again. There were two hits on it.
Heavyweight lead single, but the rest of the album is not strong, despite great production.
Quickly forgotten 80s album
La voix me semble un peu insistante. Les synthétiseurs datent, mais leur utilisation me paraît créative. Un bon moment.
они что как cure???
Ahh I'd heard of that song Tainted Love but had never heard it. Then Sex Dwarf came on. What a time. It's 80s as fuck and that helps and harms it. Fortunately it's not too long but it still does sound very dated.
Two thoughts of this album: when I was in high school, my best friend’s older brother would play this album for us incessantly when picking us up from school - a spectacularly sketchy choice of soundtracks for our commute. Also, I cannot see this album cover without seeing Howard and Vince from The Mighty Boosh. Musically, obviously Tainted Love makes me swoon still, but the rest of the album relies a bit too much on Marc Almond’s head voice. Still, it’s New Wave Nirvana - cannot deny its cultural importance.
Very 80s feeling to me, dark & mysterious while also being a bit repetitive. Didn't think there was much variety within each song.
Dark, almost gothic, and very sensual synthpop
Very interesting, but not something I would listen to again.
Fine. Seemed like a bit of one hit wonder
80s galore
Competent
If you're a big fan of Tainted Love and that sound, you're probably gonna be disappointed. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is an album that I'm conflicted about. Tainted Love is an excellent synth-pop song. The heavy synths and poppy chorus make it a nice track to listen to. Everything else, well, it's just lighter, more new-wavey, synth-pop. Some of it is outdated, especially the first and third songs. I just think that they sound really bad. The rest of the album has lighter synths, reminiscent of new-wave. I have never really been the biggest fan of new wave and to an extent, I wouldn't consider this album new-wave. It's more synth-pop but the synths sound new-wavey if that makes sense. I thought the last track was pretty pleasant and the song Sex Dwarf was interesting for its uncomfortable lyrics (I mean it's a song where the lead singer is putting a person on a leash and taking them for a walk), which, no matter if you like the lyrics or not, does add some element to this album. I feel like I'm kind of making excuses at this point. Tainted Love is an actual banger but the rest of the album doesn't hold a candle to it. I'd really consider giving this album a 5/10.
Tainted love is banger de rest hoeft niet allemaal
Frustration leads in with some straight EDM vibes out of the gate. This dissonant synth gives way to a very bright, processed 80s synth-line. Digging the sax work. Tainted Love is a jam. Bleeds into Seedy Films, which is a bit of a strange one. Minimalist electro synth-drum with some clarinet(?) overtop. I don't hate it, but I'm not super into it either. Album fell into the background for a while. I was into the instrumental on Sex Dwarf, but the lyrics were kind of rough. Secret Life is another standout to me. Really digging the pure-80s synth line that makes up the hook. Where Did Our Love Go? is another timeless jam that I find myself humming from time to time. The droning synth reminds me of some modern electro-psyc (e.g., Darkside) with the plunky xylophone, etc. The whole instrumental taken alone seems way ahead of its time. I'm a 3/5 on this one. The album as a whole feels ahead of its time. At points, I wish the instrumental was brought more forward relative to the vocals.
Some great hits - and the songs played in the context of the album made a lot more sense. But listening to it outside of the 80s it did feel like it was being deliberately overtly provocative, which it probably was, but that’s not my thing and creates a defence wall in me. I got the same reaction to WAP so…
Great example of the 80s. Some really fun bops like Tainted Love. But then you have "Sex Dwarf". Overall enjoyed this one.
Sometimes it is totally apparent why the hits are hits. They smashed that one track out of the park
Soft Cell are certainly one of a kind. This had some fun moments. Not really my thing but I didn't find it objectionable.
litt spaca men noe bra 3,5
Tainted Love stands way above the rest of the album, but still really nice. Highlights: Tainted Love
One of the bands that didn't deserve their cosmic punishment of only being known as a one hit wonder, because truth be told, there's at least three good songs on here. I wouldn't call it a "Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret", as there were some flaccid moments here and there, but over all an enjoyable experience.
Pop con sintetizadores. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.
I mean I get why it’s critically acclaimed it’s just not for me. Tainted love is of course a banger
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret was pretty good for weird 80s shit, a coupla bangers and solid throughout gets you a 3.
Very interesting to put Tainted Love into the context of an album and I’m always down for some new wavy synth pop, but nothing else really stood out here. Average, meh, ready to move on.
Les Soft Cell auront au moins essayé de redresser le niveau du générateur lors d'une période extrêmement critique. J'ai de nouveau fait livrer plusieurs kilos de coke à la porte de Robert, en espérant qu'il plonge dans le tas à pieds joints.
Enfin un album potable on ne l'attendait plus, merci à la synthpop d'apporter un peu de lumière sur cet horrible générateur. C'est quand même le 14ème album d'affilé sans 4/5 ce qui commence à faire BEAUCOUP Robert.
Me gustó bastante. Tengo que admitir que es algo simplón, pero es completamente disfrutable. Diría que es inusualmente sólido para lo largo que es, pero al ser tan sencillo, no creo que sea un gran mérito, solo algo que resaltar. El 3 le queda bastante bien. En el momento que escribo esta reseña, está cerca del techo de la categoría, pero, realmente, hasta ahora, solo es por falta de buenos álbumes.
synth pop classics indeed
It's really not my genre because I don't like the sound of the early 1980s synth pop but this is a good, consistent and well written album. The only song I didn't like was the opening one.
This album exists.
Taintes Love reste un classique efficace. Sex Dwarf est étonnant et addictif. Je ne connaissais pas la ballade fi ale Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, plutôt bien. Quelques bons titres autour, du plutôt moyen aussi. Un album assez acre et sombre, souvent intéressant, parfois dispensable.
Niet erg meteen mijn smaak
A few bangers here, mostly didn't quite do it for me though. Might need another listen or two, solid 3 for now though.
This album would never be on this list if it wasn't for Tainted Love. There's so many greater New Wave albums out there than this, but hey, "let's just get all the one hit wonders and make those idiots listen to the rest of their mediocre albums". Anyway, it's not all that bad, but it really just sounds like an underground new wave project (like so many at the time). I really enjoy these, but would never call them a masterpiece or one of the 1001 best albums of all time.
Nice synth pop album.
A very nice synthpop/new wave album from the early 80s, great hits, synth tones and beats are found on this one. I can't say that I would listen to this everyday, but it was a pleasure to listen to.
3.5
I found this to just be another new wave album in a sea of new wave albums. Its single is an iconic piece of ‘80s nostalgia. A song that’ll never wear out. Sadly the remaining songs don’t have that umpf to them. They instead fade into the background.
Fu memories.
Aside from the big hit, it was a good album with some serious 80’s drum machine sound.
Early 80s retro synth heavy. Stereotypical of the style that I remember being referred to as “New Wave” when I was a kid in the 80’s. Heavy reverb, drum machines, theremin, and lack of guitar is also reminiscent of a lot of radio pop during the 80’s. Use of clarinet and unusual percussion instruments caught me off guard when listening to this album.
Started out great! And then Sex Dwarf happened. Album didn't really recover from Sex Dwarf.
3.5/5 It was manic and screamy (3) but there were some songs I know and like (.25). It also put me out onto a street with a lot of good songs that I hearted (.25). It's odd that there can be good songs mixed with rotten ones. It's hard to rate when that happens. Also, 18 songs? Come off it. (Officially it's getting a 3.)
A lot of this feels like re-made versions of Tainted Love with less catch
I remember when Tainted Love came out and when I heard it on the radio it was always the Tainted Love - Where Did Our Love Go version. I wanted to buy the album for that version, but that isn't on the original LP. So, I never got it. I did buy the CD Single years later that had the full version I loved. The album now, seems fine. No complaints. 3/5
I dind't have any disco yet in my album ratings, so this is a welcome variation and I'm enjoying good parts
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Tainted Love (2) 2 - Where Did Our Love Go? (11) 3 - Chips On My Shoulder (7)
Meh
Was ok
These guys deserve more recognition than what they've gotten for Tainted Love (which is absolutely iconic). As someone who doesn't listen to much 80s pop, this album makes me appreciate it more. This is something I would listen to in art class, but not on the regular. Sex Dwarf threw me off, though. Fave track(s): Frustration, Entertain Me
Sex Dwarf saved this from 2 stars
first listen Tainted Love is fire but the rest sounds soooo similar
The 80s guys. Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
Not my favorite but I appreciate it
One hit wonder
More than just a one hit wonder, the rest of the album has some solid 80's new wave songs, and sticks to a fairly consistent vibe. Interesting juxtaposition of depressing themes and upbeat music. I give this 3 adult VHS tapes out of 5. 📼 📼 📼
Whoa! That was certainly unique! Refreshing in the middle of a streak of some albums that have been on the duller side. Wins some favor just because of that. This album has a true personality and concept, although a very, very quirky one. There are some true underrated gems here (I particularly enjoyed the "Entertain Me" to "Secret Life" streak). "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" was hard to get through, as were a few of the tracks. Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go, the covers, are stellar as expected. Album lose points for length, it's maybe longer than it needs to be.
Tainted love. 3 I don't even know why Tainted Love got so popular. 2 If its not horrible to listen to the lyrics are absolutely vile 1 Hmmm this is fucked 2 3
Imma be honest. Other than tainted love I was not feeling the first half of this album. Then came say hello, wave goodbye. That was artistic brilliance. Unfortunately, no other song came close to giving me downstairs tingles like say hello. That song is a virus and I’m in love with the infection.
Tainted love is fire of course but that’s the only thing saving this album from being a two. It’s boring, needlessly sexual, and not something I’ll return to
Not a bad synth pop / dance album that has as its main theme sexuality and the sex trade. Tainted Love is the Big Hit but I quite enjoyed other songs such as Sex Dwarf, Seedy Films, Youth and Bedsitter. The sound is a little "stuck in the '80s" but not is a terrible way. 3 stars
It's ok. Kinda all over the place in quality. There's about 3 good songs, one of which is the essential 80's Playlist entry: Tainted Love. There's some meh stuff that is just there and then there's a couple tracks that area bit annoying. A 3 I guess.
In the seedy underbelly of England is debauchery, degeneracy, destitute characters who want terrible things. Beware, it's all the greatest sins to tempt man and woman alike: immoral sex, junky drugs, more innocuous sex, man there's just so much sex. Soft Cell invites you to dim the lights and feel skin on skin through synthpop sensibilities. It's what synthpop was made for, frankly. It's perfect 80's sleeve, with the intense Tainted Love showing off the album's strongest elements. Other songs are less serious and sort of take away from the potential power of this album (looking at you, Sex Dwarf). The overall product is pretty fun, but nothing quite compares to the first two tracks. At times, the album has good ideas that have amateurish execution.
VERY Eighties. Some great tracks and it's a fun listen, but as a whole it's either aged badly or it's not my bag.
Some parts good some parts bad
Obnoxious, sleazy, funny, dark, quirky and kitsch. And a bonus-point for Sex Dwarf, the absolute highlight of this album.
I have some fun memories with this album. Soft Cell was one of my Dads favourites so this got a lot of airtime for me growing up. This year in the dead of winter Kayla and I got snowed in a Montreal apartment so we spent the afternoon flipping through an 80's record collection and we had a ton of fun dancing to this record. Tainted love is a timeless classic. For some reason I always wanna listen to Smalltown Boy by Bronski beat or Temptation by Heaven 17 immediately after. The electronic beat in Sex Dwarf is soooo amazing and I kinda love how its paired with some of the heaviest handed hilariously cringe lyrics of all time. Overall the album feels like a really unsexy dude trying to be sexy OR its some kind of parody thats going Over my head. Either way theres a few bangers on this record and a few duds Standout Tracks: Tainted Love, Sex Dwarf
This is exactly the style of 80s synth music I go for. It's pop, but at the same time has this dark, almost industrial undercurrent running throughout. It's the kind of sound you feel like you need to take a shower after listening to. It is held back a bit by slower tracks like "Seedy Films", "Youth" and "Secret Life" which have not aged as well as the rest, and it gets a bit repetitive by the end despite its short run time. "Sex Dwarf" definitely isn't for everyone, but I find it hilariously tongue-in-cheek. Overall, the album is an enjoyably seedy listen. Standout tracks: "Frustration", "Tainted Love", "Sex Dwarf", "Entertain Me" and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye"
Weird
Tainted Love is one of the best songs ever! The rest is pretty good.
I love myself some 80s synthpop. Having said that, I don't really like this album. The songs are just not there; the arrangements are fine, but there hardly is any good hook or melody. Tainted Love being one of the most overplayed 80s songs in history doesn't help. Some tracks are listenable, but the resulting song collection is very uneven and mixed. 2.5/5
These guys are horny
Sex Dwarf!!! Not too bad
Tanted love é famosa
Some songs are good but the highlight is the cover which is never a good sign. However, fine lil bops. Fun fact: I actually have a Soft Cell stick of rock that I haven’t eaten yet and have left at work for at least 12 weeks now.
Tainted Love is such a great song but the rest of the album is hmm.
Cheesy but fun. I wasn't really expecting anything else. I get occasional The Cure vibes from it, which was surprising. Love the bassline on Chips On My Shoulder. Obviously, Tainted Love is head and shoulders better than anything else here, but the whole album isn't as bad as I had feared it might be.
Never heard these guys before but I can hear this album just looking at the cover. And yep that is EXACTLY what it both looks and sounds like. It has a surprising amount of energy and enthusiasm for new wave. I just found out who does tainted love. And hahahaha there's a song called sex dwarf. 3/5 for just being so unashamedly annoying.
Definitely a worse singer than I thought he was, but Tainted Love is always a banger.
Vals gezongen toch leuk…
Bit too long
Very unique sound, very 80s!
I didn’t think I would like this album (minus the opportunity to hear Tainted Love for the first time in a long time), but it was actually pretty fun. Some of it (like Sex Dwarf) made me real uncomfortable, but for the most part - good stuff.
Wederom een echte 80s beat met bekende keyboard geluidjes. De band is natuurlijk bekend van nummer 2 op het album "Tainted Love" maar de rest is ook goed te luisteren, vooral "Sex Dwarf" :-). Helaas geen album vol met hits, dus daar blijft het dan ook bij. ***
Very 80s. Very weird. Loved it and hated it at the same time?
3.5/5 I quitte liked the sound, sounds a bit ahead of their time. For me the album could have been shorter. After a while I was done with it. Overall not bad! Favourite songs: - Tainted love - Say hello, wave goodbye - Torch
frustration-not a big fan of the beat or production and nothing really stands out to me. tainted love-i love. it’s a classic. what more can i say? seedy films-okay this definitely must be the experimental genre. lots of interesting sounds. this lyrics aren’t anything special but the production sounds unique and whatever instrument is in the background sounds cool. sax? youth-lots of synths? the production feels a lot more bland to me but the lyrics are more meaningful or maybe it’s just because i’ve been paying attention now. sex dwarfs-wow that’s a really cool beat. okay this one really caught my attention. it’s definitely been one of the most upbeat ones. wait i’m sorry what am i hearing in the background 😀… i’m uncomfy… now i’m not really sure what to think. on one hand it’s one of the more interesting ones but also… what are the background noises… entertain me-i think i’ve heard this chorus before somewhere. super upbeat, it’s nice. chips on my shoulder-upbeat and interesting beat + production but it feels repetitive. bedsitter-this one is interesting but it avoids sounding too repetitive which i really appreciate now. aspects of the production remind me of the strokes so maybe i’m biased in my review of this song. secret life- i like that they included a piano in this song and the transition from the last one was good. woah the chorus is good. i think this is one of the standouts so far. say hello, wave goodbye- either i’m warming up to their style of music or their songs are progressively getting better as the album progresses. i love the chorus. i would definitely listen to this song outside of this challenge. where did our love go?- this gives old rock and roll vibes with a hint of tainted love. memorabilia- the change in beat scared me. i’m not sure if i’m not too much of a fan of it. the bass line is cool though. facility girls- the xylophone gives me nursery rhyme vibes. it’s kind of repetitive and the lyrics are kind of boring. fun city- i just realized how long each of the songs are. no wonder the album is so long. it’s definitely better than the last one but still not captivating, maybe it’s one of those things that gets better the more you listen? i feel like it would be. torch-i like the production. i feel like parts of this could go viral on tiktok. sometimes gives bo burnham vibes. insecure me-SAX SOLO i love!! i also love the beat. this is one of the ones i like more in the album. what?-i really like this one too. it has a tropical sounding beat and has a note change in the melody i love at the end of the chorus. this is also one of my favorites. so-cool beat and would make for a strong ending but i’m two minutes in and no one has sang, maybe they just want to let their production shine? regardless i like it. this album screams 80s from the beats to synths. the sound definitely grew on me and the album for the most part got better as it progressed. i would give it a 3.5 or maybe a 4 if i’m feeling generous. my favorite songs were tainted love, secret life, wave hello/say goodbye, insecure me, and what?
Imagine the pitch here. "Yeah, it's two dudes with a couple synthesizers, a drum machine, and expansive amorous interests. I think they'll fit in great here at 'Some Bizarre Records'!" The synth-pop sound that these guys brought into being with this album, is surprisingly rich and diverse. While I do think the album could stand to be a handful of tracks lighter, there are quite a few highlights. Obviously, 'Tainted Love'. Secondly, lyrical subject matter aside, 'Sex Dwarf' is a far better track than the name suggest. And lastly, I really enjoyed 'Memorabilia', which I swear LCD Soundsystem's sound is directly descended from.
Tecno
Tainted Love is killer but the rest just kinda fades into nothingness. Not bad, though, but just there.
Well I liked this album it had some good dogs that were appealing on first listen. Didn't really listen to the lyrics but every so often a provocative line or two would present itself enough to raise an eyebrow and make me think a second listen where I pay more attention to the lyrics is warranted. Lucky the music and the songs are inviting enough to make me want to do so. 3.5 🌟
Quintessentially 80s music. Tainted Love is a great track and album cuts like Sex Dwarf and Youth are decent too. Nothing bad but would rarely listen to by choice.
3/5
The album that gave us (the cover of) Tainted Love - a sound of 1981 wrapped in tense, edgy synth tunes. All blatently on a budget - enjoy the video for 'Sex Dwarf' - whilst enjoying the lyrics! Fun, but that was my last listen
6/10
Pretty catchy. More songs to Soft Cell than I previously thought. Liked the vibe, catchy lyrics.
Surprisingly fun for a group that I had written off as a total one-hit-wonder. Not something I see myself coming back to very often, but it is a fun little album with some real gems in there.
I’m realizing today that I never really wrapped my head around this album, since I purchased it on vinyl at the tender age of 12. That’s no surprise as I really wasn’t the target audience for it! But I can appreciate now that what Soft Cell was doing here was something really interesting and unique. The album brilliantly evokes this quality of seedy, world-weary decadence, with a pronounced undercurrent of pathos. Musically, the album is better than I remember it. The cold, crisp style contrasts beautifully with Marc Almond’s torchy, theatrical vocals. Almond is a really talented vocalist who can flip it on a dime from melodramatic to anguished in a way that is uncommon and almost more suited to musical theatre than to pop. Lyrically they go full-on camp in places, which is what makes the whole thing work. The gleeful lasciviousness of songs like “Sex Dwarf” and “Seedy Films” makes the sadness and disillusionment in “Youth” or “Say Hello” more heartfelt. "Tainted Love" is hands down one of the best songs of the 80s, if not the best. It blows the original out of the water (Apologies to Gloria Jones, but you know it's true). It's lurid, dripping with self-loathing and disillusionment, and oh so lovely. If you haven't heard it, seek out the extended version with "Where Did Our Love Go," which is sublime. “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” is a bittersweet gem of a song and the other must-hear track on the album. Fave Songs: Tainted Love, Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Sex Dwarf, My Secret Life, Frustration
I mean, how can you go wrong with a record that has a song called “Sex Dwarf”? It’s more goodish than great. 3.5.
Grew on me immensely (amazing what multiple listens does for any album on this list ((except that stupid The White Album fuck the Beatles))). The synths are awesome and there's a great atmosphere to this album, but I do find a lot of the lyrics to be middling, except on Tainted Love, where everything just works. Already Saved: Tainted Love Saved After Listening: Frustration, Tainted Love (already saved), Entertain Me, Chips On My Shoulder, Say Hello Wave Goodbye*
Saved Prior: Tainted Love (also saved the Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go medley, but that's the deluxe version of the album) Off Rip: Secret Life, Say Hello Wave Goodbye Cutting Edge: Frustration Overall Notes: Opens well and closes well, but loses itself in the middle. 3.5 stars rounded down. ADORE Tainted Love though, one of my favorite songs of all time. Band is basically a worse version of Depeche Mode in my eyes.
Not as fun as I thought it was gonna be, the singles are the best, but theres no dening their long reaching influence
3.5
“Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret” by Soft Cell (1981) Send the kids out of the room. This is not because “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret” is the least bit titillating, but rather because it is a wail against the dehumanizing effects of misdirected desire. It consists mostly of first person laments about the seemingly invincible bondage of lust. Not that lust is, according to these guys, offensive to God, or the good, or even nature, but that it is an offense against convention. And that is a social critique that didn’t last long. Cultural puppet masters in recent years have simply altered convention to (selectively) tolerate, and even weaponize lust. Soft Cell’s parody had a very short shelf life. So as an artistic expression, the album is weakened by lack of foresight and limited imagination. One could rightly ask these guys “What did you expect?”. We hear nice synth pop grooves, with mostly very plain melodies, sung by Marc Almond with adequate quality and power, giving the album an overall good sound, especially on a second listen. Soft Cell’s powerful cover of Gloria Jones’ 1964 flop “Tainted Love” is, of course, excellent (Although Marilyn Manson’s 2001 version is even better). It reinvigorates one’s belief in resurrection. There’s a very nice jazz clarinet performance by David Tofani on “Seedy Films”—just right for the mood. Saxophone wouldn’t cut it. This was one of several good production choices on this far better than average album. “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret” depicts the banality of soulless sex. It invites the consideration that the climax of sex is not orgasm. It’s birth. 3/5 (almost a 4)
Some good songs, obviously Tainted Love is a classic. Enjoyable overall, liked the slightly depressing tone
Helt ok, lättlyssnat.
I've always liked the one hit (Tainted Love), let's see how the rest of the album plays. The whole album feels like a seedy 80s club full of neon lights. It's definitely a mood. Overall, not a great album, but not bad.
Tainted Love is obviously a classic and I also enjoyed a couple of other tracks, but the rest of it was fairly forgettable
This is the trashiest, worst album I’ve ever heard. Why did I give it the time of day? Why is it anywhere near this list? It sounds like someone got too ambitious with their GameBoy music maker and entered 10 songs into the Eurovision song contest and they all came in the bottom half of the semi-final. Tainted Love came like 4th place somehow. Thing is, hidden somewhere inside the horrible 80s production is an album using that very cold, ugly production style for a satire. It actually paints a picture of a time and a place and a mood. Chips on my Shoulder is basically a cover of Popcorn. Entertain Me is a bop, it should've been a bigger hit. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye left me feeling a bit empty but no-where near as cold as Tainted Love.
Entertainingly terrible yet tolerable. Hated this album and was ready to give it a 1 and then Sex Dwarf came on and it came alive. In all seriousness, there are a lot of musical building blocks which are still used in music today. The singer, however makes this awful and yet I still come back to see how bad it can really get.
80s pop - Tainted Love is the star
Half great, half very dated.
This was cool back in the day. The sound is distinctive as are the vocals. I just think when you have a distinctive voice like this album can't be more than 45 min. Vinyl was great in this way since groovage creates an absolute maximum (45 - 50 min - ish) that could be crammed on before it compromised the sound. Of course if the LP was a 5 then I wouldn't complain about length but this isn't a 5 so it wore on me. --
I’ll give it a 6. Don’t think I’ll listen again but it was entertaining and had some cool synth sounds
didn't mind it minus some of the lyrics
Música de los ochenta muy reconocida
Tainted love song
I remember how huge Tainted Love was on the dance floor with its bleepy innovative beats. Sex Dwarf is also good but Say Hello Wave Goodbye is an underrated and excellent song that really showcases Marc Almond's voice.
I thought Tainted Love was a song from the 2000's... So I guess they were very avant-garde...
A blast from the past. Worth listening to every few years.
Not the best New Wave I've ever heard, but not bad either.
great album
Not really my kind of thing, but there's some great pop going on, and "Tainted Love" is a karaoke monster! "Sex Dwarf" seems kinda questionable... huh, there's a video for it that was banned in the UK!? Fave track - "Entertain Me" - liked the flow of the lyrics in that one...
Mixed feelings about this one. I really like 'Tainted Love' and maybe a couple other songs. I also like the musical aesthetic, how it treads this ground between dweeby and sophisticated. Struggled with some of the sadistic themes and lyrics. I was excited by the song 'Memorabilia' but then it went on about a minute and a half too long.
Similar reaction to I Do Not Want... By Sinead O'Connor I'd listened to the day prior: I feel like the best song and biggest hit on the album is the cover, because it's easily the best constructed song among the rest. It's a funny album and there are several high points but in a lot of places I found both the instrumental and vocal parts getting grinding my repetitive, the sexy lyrics aren't actually erotic (maybe not the intended point) and that schtick gets old quick.
I know of Tainted Love, which is probably one of my favorite 80s electronic-pop songs. Never heard the rest. It's uhhh a mix. Songs like Seedy Films and Sex Dwarf are thematically dumb. Instrumentally I like all that's going on, some of the vocals/noises are not great. I think I hate Sex Dwarf, haha. Don't want the sex noises and the phrase is kind of offensive. I guess it's based on a real headline the singer read. I am conflicted. Do I like it or hate it? Heard Where Did Our Love Go as a tail-end part of Tainted Love on some mixes.
tainted love and other good songs
Not sure how to feel about this one. There are some excellent/classic tracks on here, but this LP tiptoes dangerously between tongue-in-cheek and all-out cheese. When the balance is right things are enjoyable, but some of the later ballads strain patience.
It was a pretty average new wave album.
It's a pretty fun bloopy album of synthy-bdsm songs. "Sex Dwarf" is perhaps one of the goofiest songs we've listened to so far during this. "Tainted Love" and "Frustration" elevate this album dramatically.
A fun listen
Homo-Erotic for sure... but still a bit better than what I expected.
one hit wonder? I wonder.
First 2 songs kill it but the rest of the album doesn't maintain the same energy. Lots of shock value in the content of the songs though i.e.sex dwarf.
I just couldn’t get into it. Wanted to enjoy it more than I did. I think they had a lot of sexy times whilst making this album
Tainted loveeee
I didn't realize that Tainted Love was a cover. It makes sense, as the rest of the album is stylistically similar but less tight. Or maybe it's not, and there are untold depths. Maybe that possibility only occurs to me because of my affection for new wave. The melodies are catchy, the production is cheesy, and Sex Dwarf is truly raunchy. Puts certain ideas about the decline of pop music to bed, methinks.
Tainted love
2/5
One hit wonder album
You know the meme that says "kids these days will never understand the disappointment of paying $15 for an album only for one or two songs to be good and the rest to be ass?" This is that album. I don't think I've encountered a song doing as much of heavy lifting as "Tainted Love" is doing on this album (and its a cover! Which I think highlights just how poor the rest of the album is that the best song is one they didn't even write!). They're lucky that song is such a bop otherwise this would be a 1. 2/5
a new how this was going to sound when I saw 80s British synth pop and I wasn't wrong. increasingly not for me. Tainted love is a banger though
What the heck I wasnt in the mood for this today
This is soo odd. I don't think I've ever heard anything quite like it
tainted love! didn't know that was a cover, makes sense when you think of the rest of the music... classic 80's ugh. 2.5
meh.
Ok
I like Tainted Love, but nothing else on the album stood out to me. I like the beats and the voice but it does feel a bit repetitive and a bit too long of an album. I don't even feel like making it to the end of it.
I wanted to like this more than I did, shame
Depeche Mode всё равно лучше, хотя и их я не слушаю
Man this gets old fast…talk about variations on a single theme, feels very programmed
Oof. Really terrible. Only a bit less awful than the Pet Shop Boys. Tainted Love isn't really that good, is it.
Nice 90s electronica , only one single worth it though
I get why Tainted Love was a big hit. And that’s all I have to say about this album.
I don't think I'm feeling a record that's this sexy right now. Favourite Track(s): Tainted Love Least Favourite Track(s): Sex Dwarf
I had to turn it off. DNF. Why do I have to listen to this before I die again
Tainted Love is an overplayed turd and still somehow the high point of this album
I’ve only given it as many stars as I did because I’ve always loved Tainted Love. But clearly that song was an anomaly for them because the rest of the album is pretty bad.
should learn how to sing
Soft Cell will forever be the band that gave us Tainted Love — a song so overplayed and perfect it basically is the 80s. But once you wander past that one flawless synth-pop miracle, this album turns into a chaotic carnival of camp, zesty, fruity melodrama, emotional over-sharing, and synths that sound like they’re trying to escape the studio. I'm a child of the 80s and I will always defend 80s music but it would be irresponsible to support this record. Especially when 1981 gave us New Order Movement and The Cure Faith. This is not a good record.
Two good songs, with hints of creativity. But dude can’t hit the notes. I’m sure it was influential on a lot of gay, sex positive music that came later - for that, it rates an extra point. But it’s not great as an album on its own. A 2.
This is not a must-hear album. I've tried in the past because it was recommended but tune for tune it's not worthy. This gets here on "Tainted Love" alone (plus the "Where Did Our Love Go" mix) The opening track, "Frustration", is hard to listen to or enjoy, wow. "Youth" is a drag and pulls you down. "Sex Dwarf" is just weird. It's like a circus madhouse on "Chips On My Shoulder". "Fun City" is anything but. This gets on the list based on the merits of the one hit song which has an impressive 1.2B listens. Nothing more. It's really weak from top to bottom.
I like Tainted Love but there is also a song on this album called Sex Dwarf and it’s bad
This album was released right around when I was getting into music, but I was into ska like the rest of my mates, so it passed it me by. Tainted Love is a classic, an absolute banger, but I couldn't have named another single track on the album. It was ok to listen to, a bit like a nostalgia trip looking at pictures but you don't really remember the pictures or the people in them.
This was a good album.
Sex Dwarf????
This gets 2 stars purely on the basis that their cover of Tainted Love is the de facto version of the song now. I’ve never seen an album so heavily propped up by one song before. What’s being sold here as early synth-pop with minimalistic tracks and discordant vocals has been done a million times better by others in the years that followed. Maybe you just had to be there. Very little here that was redeeming for me.
80s synth pop- tainted love.
(38/100)
The Tainted Love cover is an all timer and justifies the inclusion on its own. Which is lucky for this album because by and large the rest of this is rubbish.
This kind of sucks. I'm surprised I'm writing it. The cover of Tainted Love is all I knew and is good. It's what stops this being a 1. I feel like these guys would be sassy and doing coke in a club and would get wedgied after giving the bouncer attitude.
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 😎🤵💈 Production (2008 Remaster): 😐👍🆗 Music: 💔🪈🙄 Rating: 🍆(🍆)/5
“Oh yeah, Soft Cell! I wonder why I never heard more from them after that one hit?” * 11 minutes later * “No further questions!”
Ok, let’s be honest - this is pretty bad. Tainted Love is now the standard, and Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is a good tune, but the rest of it is pretty much uniform shit. I’m almost tempted to add a star for the total insanity that is Sex Dwarf, but I don’t think it warrants it.
I love their version of Tainted Love, but that was pretty much the extent of it. I kind of liked the last song on the album - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. The rest of the songs were kind of odd. One song was called Sex Dwarf.
This was rough. “Sex Dwarf” was bizarre in a way that mostly just made me wonder what the hell I was listening to, and the album as a whole really hammered home my general feeling that 80s pop is usually the worst. Too much of it has that cheap, plastic, overstyled sound that gets on my nerves fast, and this album had plenty of that. “Tainted Love” probably saved it from a 1 star, because that song is still great no matter how many times I’ve heard it.
I always wanted to listen to this album as a whole but unfortunately It’s repetitive, it’s long, it’s super dated and sounds like a product of the time. It has one good song on it which is a cover. Not one I’ll be revisiting as a whole will only come back for tainted love
Generic 80's with some misguided horniness
So many have already said it, but I'll say it again. "Tainted Love" is a great track, sadly the only good one here. 1, 2 miss a few then moved on. Hoped for better.
holy hell tainted love carries this…..
This is so amusingly bad. Tainted love is kinda a banger, but even on there the singing is just straight up atrocious and it does not get any better. The synths are also badly mixed. It sounds like music made comically bad for a sketch. I'd like to give it a 1, but it has entertained me more than any country record before so I'll settle for a 2/5
Álbum ochentero. Me gustaron algunas canciones, creo que a papá le gustaría el Álbum
When the only two listenable songs on the album are covers, and the rest is synth pop soft core porn, I'm gonna argue that it is NOT an album anyone needs to hear before they die
Its not bad prob not for me I like tainted love and seedy films but the rest just weren't it.
Meh…a lot of repetitive beats
Sometimes at about 11pm old episodes of top of the pops come on BBC 4. When bands like soft cell come on I would usually take the opportunity to go and make a cup of tea. On the first listen to this whole album I enjoyed a surprising amount of it. But on second listen it's only really a few songs that grab me. Bedsitter. Tainted Love of course. Sex Dwarf. But it's all a bit silly. Like pulp without an edge and with limited musical or lyrical depth.
I don't think the glossy production matches the lyrical sleaze, but I think that's because I love the inspirations more than the influences
2.5
Wow. I’m surprised how bad this is. Tainted Love is iconic, and I will always love that song and the nostalgia that it invokes. I also really enjoy 80’s music, but this is just… not good.
Album cover 5
unfortunately this did not make me like 80s synth pop
This is giving me a headache
This is surprisingly hard to listen to. Besides the hit song, everything sounds like a mad blip of 80s where absolutely everything has to have strange synth noises. The core of the tunes is not always terrible but I'm glad we moved past this.
Poor song writing. When you bare in mind they didn’t write Tainted Love - there isn’t really much here
Not for me
I hate to parrot the majority, but the majority is right in this case – outside of "Tainted Love," Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret doesn't have a whole lot to offer. I found some enjoyment in "Sex Dwarf" and "Entertain Me" as well, but not enough to make me feel like the album deserves more than two stars. Highlights: Tainted Love, Sex Dwarf, Entertain Me
Ok, a British pop band from the 80s with one hit song that is a cover. Not exactly an indicator of quality, but you never really know. Unfortunately, I was right in presuming the album wasn't going to be good. Aside from "Tainted Love", the album focuses on airy synth soundscapes over pop hooks. When done right, that can make excellent albums, but it's not done well here. The singer is very annoying, and the lyrics tend to suck more often than not. There are some passable songs here, but it's not anywhere close to essential listening. You could probably tell that simply by the fact that there's a song called "Sex Dwarf" on it. That song is pretty crap, and the rest of the album isn't much better. It's mostly just a forgotten relic of the early 1980s without much influence in modern pop culture, and there's a reason for that.
Peaked early😳
This has shown me how surprising it is that I like Tainted Love, I really disliked his voice and singing style on every other track
Now I like the original crash bandicoot soundtrack as much as the next guy, but I’m not sure about the guy trying to freestyle over the top, he’s very loud. 4 / 10 Best track: obvs Tainted love
3.5/10
Some fun moments. Cool production and subversion lyrically. Kinda meh here and there. I love the last track, say hello and wave goodbye. I heard it decades ago covered by David gray, very acoustic guitar sad guy vibes, and was astonished to find out these bangers wrote it!
another one that started ok and then went downhill fast
Vocals are irritating - not a great voice even for its style
Luring disco dollys to a life of vice!
I hope it is serious because it is very bad as a joke. The first Depeche Mode album from the very same time is much better than this. 2 points, not far from 1.
This band is a one-hit wonder, and that hit is a cover. It's not bad, it's just not great. Clear 2*. So, no, you don't have to listen to it before you die. Instead, you should listen to Cake's Fashion Nugget. Also a one-album wonder (2 smash hits instead of one) with a hit from a cover. Their cover was also better than the original. Yeah, skip this one and listen to Fashion Nugget instead.
Eugh. Call me a dickless freak or some brand of homosexual, but cabarets are too old-timey to ever possibly be erotic. I guess the sordid display of debauchery and excess don't end until this album does, so I'll have to tough this one out. I'm unsure of what an album with this title and album cover could be, but going by the year of release I'm guessing that this will be a new wave album. Here goes. Yup. On the money, but this album was practically giving its genre away. "Tainted Love" is pretty great, but the rest of this album kind of dicks about. The songwriting is nowhere near as tight or memorable, and the instrumentals sound more stripped back and unremarkable as the album progresses. The longer tracks don't really justify their runtime, either. Still, I can appreciate the finer aspects of this album. I generally like the dense, submerged, wavy synths which hang on these tracks, and the vocalist carries himself well. I don't like the lyrics, but I'll get to that later. Overall, this was decent, but with little that hooked me. I've heard the aforementioned Tainted Love before. Most notably through my Dad's car speakers, though I'm pretty sure I've encountered it multiple times on the Internet as well. The songwriting is pretty golden - very dynamic and jumpy with a great bit of kick. The instrumental is less remarkable, but I liked the more ambient aspects of the composition and there's a decent bit of kick, too. I don't remember the song ever being this short, however. It would have been better if the material were more substantial, but I can respect a bit of conciseness. Solid tune. Book time. Romanticises lowlifes and the sleazy parts of town. "The duo took their roles as ambassadors of sleaze a little too seriously: when a filthy video they had made for the high-camp "Sex Dwarf" was sent to the tabloids, apparently by the starring midget, the furor led to police raids on the Some Bizzare offices." I had to read that sentence five times over to even grasp what it was trying to say. I thought they recorded a sex tape with a midget and overlaid it with their song, but it's referring to the original, banned music video for the song, where a lady is strapped naked to a table and there's some weird BDSM shit happening, including the presence of a dysgenic midget guy. "However, sex is not the sole theme on Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret - it is a mix of the credulous and the world-weary...", whatever that may mean. "Tainted Love" topped the singles chart in 17 countries. One of the band members stormed into the office of a music newspaper and whipped a journalist for giving a bad review to one of their later albums, which lead to the dissolution of the band shortly after. Okay, that's pretty funny. Turns out I was heterosexual the whole time - this album is incredibly lame and gay. With how far Western morality has been denigrated and perverted in the decades since the release of this album, I find it hard not to view stuff like this as subversive in normalising dysfunction. Seems like it's the Pommies doing it this time instead of the Jews, however. Wikipedia reveals that "Tainted Love" was a cover this whole time, which I suppose I can believe. The album exceeded pre-orders of 200,000 copies in the US following the success of Tainted Love, was created on a budget, was well-received by critics and made it onto the year-end charts in the UK, US and Canada. This album seems to be coasting by on the success of its one major single, but I suppose I don't mind this album being on here. I cosign this inclusion.
Saved? ❌ Would listen again? 🤔 Would recommend to anyone? ❌ Would buy on Vinyl? 🤔
1- Tema bastante malo, no me gusta para nada, es ruido al pedo 2- GTA San Andreas en su maxima expresion, nada mas que agregar 3- Decente, lo escucharia si tuviera un fiat uno sin patente 4- No es de mi gusto en particular 5- La baja que a mitad del tema se pone a gemir, empieza bien y la caga 6- No. 7- No me gusto al punto que me quedé dormido 8- Tipica seguidilla de temas que son parecidos, no me gusta la verdad 9- Recien llegue a la mitad del disco y es la 5ta vez que me fijo cuanto falta para que termine, va mal 10- Decente despues de varios temas pedorros. 11- La copia del exito, fija 12- No. 13 y 14- Son temas olvidables, no me di cuenta cuando empeza y terminaba el otro,,, 15- No 16-18- Lamentablemente se me hizo chicle para mal, se queria experimentar pero la voz del cantante y los sintetizadores de más la cagan Albúm de lugar preferiblemente palermitano inspirado en los 90's, me cagaron una hora de estudio para escuchar esta bosta.
More like soft bell
Okay, I’m just going to say it as it is. It’s a two song album. Tainted love is much inferior to the Gloria Jones original. Say hello wave goodbye is inferior to the David Gray cover which discards all the playful electronic pomp production we witness here and exposes the track for what it is. A really well written song. There. No more needs saying.
A few decent songs but mostly weird 80s synth pop.
Most of this is 80s British new wave drivel but Tainted Love is obviously a banger. I also liked Entertain Me. I think this album set itself apart from other 80s British new wave by not muddying the vocals as much with reverb. The clarity makes for a much more enjoyable sound to me.
I was hoping this would be good, as I usually enjoy new wave albums with deep cool tracks. Really did not hit the mark for me
2/3. It’s cool for sure, but the music doesn’t do much for me. I liked Frustration, Tainted Love, and Sex Dwarf (just for the lyrics), but outside of those songs a lot of the album just slipped by. But I respect the sleaze and lack of inhibition, so that bumps it up for me.
I wasn't that into this album, most songs just didn't do a lot for me. "Seedy Films" "Sex Dwarf" and "Chips On My Shoulder" aren't too bad but overall not much to say.
Only Tainted Love saves this album.
very 80s
Tainted love is quite literally the only song worth listening to in this album.
2 bops. The rest was unbearable
I didn't really care for Tainted Love in the first place, and the rest of this album was pretty rough going for me.
Some favorite nostalgic songs on her. Vocals make sense on those. But for a lot of the album it felt like he was really straining for the notes. Off putting sounds on many songs.
They don’t really expect me to listen to a song called “Sex Dwarf,” do they? Oh they sure do. And it’s 5 minutes long.
Synth pop hasn't aged well, the only song on here worth its place is a questionable cover
I generally quite 80s, but this is ... not good. It's fairly obvious why "Tainted Love" is the only track I knew, because the rest of this album is just really naff. I'm not a fan of the vocals, the synth stuff is mostly fine, but not all that interesting. "Seedy Films" was actively unpleasant to listen to. I loved the fact it had a saxophone but it was absolutely ruined by the wailing. The rest of the album was just uinteresting. Besides "Sex Dwarf" which was funny in a really cringy awkward way. Can't rate higher than a 2.
Sex Dwarf might be the funniest song I've ever heard what the hell is going on. The rest of this album is very boring. Not enough for me to hate it but enough for me to regret listening to it. This was a slog to get through. Every song finds a gimmick and plays it on repeat as if it's the greatest thing discovered in music. I respect them for trying something so out there but maybe they should have had some guidance telling them to reign it in a bit. They do genuinely have some interesting/good sounds but they can't figure out how to use them well. Mid 2
Let’s be honest we are only listening to this for tainted love, because that’s an absolute banger. Say hello, wave goodbye Torch Where did our love go All did a job for me actually. Some of this album is far fetched, I can see why it’s on here for the time it was out. Deep in the era and the vibes of the time. Has it got a timeless sound, definitely not, but it is a nice change to give this a listen all the same. Just glad I listened in private and didn’t have it on in a bathroom I was installing, client would have thought I was getting down and steamy. Middle of the road.
Think goes without saying that tainted love was the big hit off this album , also quite liked their interpretation of where did our love go , originally by the supremes It was a tongue in cheek album , not memorable as such but I found it fun , in terms of how it set the scene sleazing about in the 80s , the synth driven pop oozes out of every song probably a little too drastic at times Marc Almond has charisma as a lead singer and some tunes are catchy and flamboyant a little out of tune at times but that adds to the charachter of his voice , A good album but two good songs can’t carry it as a whole unfortunately
Only things I know about Soft Cell are Tainted Love and stories about Marc Almond and his love of depravity and nightclubbing heh. My dad probably has this one in his collection at home as Soft Cell are from Leeds and he was involved in that scene. I mean, Tainted Love is a certified banger and classic.. but when you get to the song Youth, the music isn't too bad but his vocals, kinda chalkboard-y at times and cringey. Sex Dwarf is a synth banger, love it for the title and bopping music in its own crazy way, and I mean the lyrics are just fun. Trent Reznor covered this one apparently in the 80s, which means points up for me. Marc Almonds voice is pretty iconic, even though it's out of tune and atonal at times but also alluring, you can't help but enjoy it even though you know you probably shouldn't.. some classic synth work on this one too, I bet this was fun to make in the studio playing with all those toys, in that way, I envy them. These boys also influenced so much pop music that succeeded it, for that you have to give them credit. Is it an album I'll listen to again and again? No. Are there some tracks I'll add to my playlists, yep - some good ones on here! Probably a 2/5 for me but I/d bump it to a 3 just because they're our boys from Leeds, they influenced so many great English and international bands. But I just can't bring myself to give it a 3.. sorry!
Ok
es ist sehr sehr 80er wow. er singt 80er funny ich ha eig no gern, aber frustration isch etz nonig wüüürkli en song. die version vo tainted love isch chrank ebe. aso rieeese hot gsi, halt meeega catchy. aber au sooo tight und afoch guet arrangiert meega eifach. seedy films isch wieder nur en halbe song und INSANE horny. glaub eh alles megga horne.
ich han nöd gwüsst, dass tainted love es cover isch hahahah UND DASS ES SO CHURZ ISCH HANI IWIE AU NÖD CHEGGT? aber so oder so BANGER seedy films isch na cool? chli weird aber fun? sex dwarf isch WEIRD UI entertain me findi echt scheisse hahahaha aber no en geile übergang zu chips on my shoulder poah sorry ich han echt nüt chönne demit ahfange
Het was alweer even geleden, maar we zijn weer in de promiscue jaren 80 beland. Een beetje heel erg fout allemaal, je ziet het al aan de hoes. Maar ergens toch ook wel weer grappig. De zang is zoals gewoonlijk ietwat verveeld, al nemen ze zichzelf bloedserieus denk ik, ondanks hun maffe uiterlijk. Qua muziek is het new wave gemengd met electro, dus veel synths en drums uit een computertje. De zang, Brits uiteraard, is iets te prominent, verveeld en aanstellerig. Het doet me denken aan een soort kruising tussen Patrick Hernandez (Born to be Alive) en Frankie goes to Hollywood. Behoorlijk "vrolijke" muziek dus. Het is absoluut niet mijn stijl, ik kan het uitzitten, maar dit zet ik niet voor mijn eigen lol op. Dat een aantal nummers wel bekend zijn, vergemakkelijkt het luisteren. Ik zou een krappe 3 kunnen geven, maar vind dat eigenlijk teveel.
"Tainted Love" is not enough to overcome "Sex Dwarf".
Tainted Love cant hold this up, "Seedy Films" had many flat vocal runs à la Yoko Ono. 1.5/5
Aside from the hits this is straight garbaggio.
Kinda hated it all apart from Tainted Love. So pretentious.
Tainted love. That's it.
Tainted Love is a fabulous song. The rest of the album is everything you would make fun of about the 80's. Like... I can't tell if this is serious or Andy Kaufman level satire.
At first I didn’t get it, but then I got to ‘Sex Dwarf’ and now I understand why this is here.
2 stars for Tainted Love
I don’t think we’ve properly examined the impact that a decade of Reagan and Thatcher had on the psyche of a people
Frustration - 5/10: I just wasn't really into it. I like the beat/ instruments (whatever you call it) but I'm not super obsessed with the vocals and lyrics. Tainted Love - 7/10: I like the beat on this song. Seedy Films - 4/10: I like the beat. Youth - 7/10: I like the vocals and beat on this song. Sex Dwarf - 2/10: It's just kind of weird. Entertain Me - 5/10: I think the beat is okay. Chips on My Shoulder - 3/10: Just didn't stand out to me. Bedsitter - 3/10: Same as the last one. Secret Life - 6/10: I like the vocals and beat on this song. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - 4/10: Just a little boring. Overall Score: 46/100 Overall Rating: 3/10 - I didn't really enjoy the album, the vocals were a big part of that. They weren't terrible, but sometimes he was just screaming and it was just weird. I don't see myself listening to this album again.
nope. Did not really like this at all. Goofy 80s production. Only a couple of songs were worth listening to and even then nothing was exceptional. Just not good
80s camp disco mush without the charisma, variations in synth use or hooks in the songwriting. And WAY too long. Struggling to think of many people willingly playing through the whole album without it happening to be required by this 1001 world we inhabit. Could have been a 1 if a few of the more bearable songs weren’t there.
Typical 80's synth pop machine. It has aged but suppose it is something of a novelty especially for the time. Has some solid bones but the 80s pop twist isnt my prefered format and this album is not the best example. Tainted love was a strong song that they covered but original was better and even gothy Manson did a better job. Their seedy 80s, synth pop fest was fine for it but not leveled up. They take the energy out of the songs somehow is my feeling. Right music slightly wrong band is my conclusion and dont mind it as there were some stronger songs skattered about. Could have been 2 or 3 so will just go with my gut on this one on the day.
This is definitely a vibe... Just not a vibe I particularly want to indulge in. I can see why it's on the list because it seems like a perfect example of a specific type of music from a specific time and place. Probably someone's jam but it's definitely not mine, despite 'Sex Dwarf' which is crying out for a metal cover.
#817. Look, we all already knew Tainted Love was amazing before going into this, but the rest of this album is the epitome of mediocre. Reminds me of Alien Ant Farm who did the same thing 20 years later- had one huge hit that was just a cover of someone else's song that everyone loved, but was unable to maintain that with their own music. 2/5: meh
Let’s be honest…..for those of the era, they know one song from Saft Cell. The rest of the album sounds way too similar. I saw them in concert this summer and except for Tainted Love, it was one long song.
Tainted Love er klasse. Resten af albummet har svært ved at nå samme niveau.
“Tainted Love” earns its place in pop history without argument, and there are a couple early moments where the album hints at something sharper and more focused. But beyond that, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret steadily loses me. Tracks like “Youth” leave little impression, and “Entertain Me” crosses the line from provocative into simply annoying. I get what the record is trying to do. The sleaze, the camp, the discomfort. It’s intentionally theatrical and confrontational, more performance art than traditional pop album. The problem is that the provocation doesn’t reward the time it asks for. Too often the songs feel stretched past their ideas, leaning on mood and shock rather than musical payoff. I don’t hate it, and I can appreciate its place in early synth-pop history. But enjoyment matters, and this just doesn’t deliver much of it for me. Outside of its iconic single, it’s an album I respect far more for what it represents than for how it sounds. A two-star record: interesting in concept, thin and grating in execution, and not something I feel any urge to revisit.
Didn't do it for me.
Standout Songs: Tainted Love Bedsitter Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
woof... too much squelching and squealing for my taste. Tainted love is a banger but this is another example of a song that deserves to be on the list of best songs but the album has no place on the list of best albums
Habe es schon vor ein paar Wochen nach dem Todesfall gehört - ist für mich leider nur ein One Hit Wonder. Rest des Albums hat mich gar nicht abgeholt.
Puh, abgesehen von "Tainted Love" finde ich den Rest des Albums erstaunlich langweilig bis anstrengend.
Schönes 80s Feeling, Tainted Love ist über jeden Zweifel erhaben aber alles andere ist dann sehr gleichförmig leider
Single hitter . Mostly fast forward to the end
Pretty bad songs, vocals and lyrics... 1.5
Tainted Love is a banger and I can see why this is on the list but that doesn't make it very good. 2/5.
It's not bad also not good either. Would have never gone outta my way to listen to this album, so glad I was forced to listen to it to have an opinion Besides knowing Tainted Love. Seedy Films and Bedsitter aren't bad tracks.
Do you remember back in the day thatbyou used to buy an album based on the lead single and then, finally listening to the album, you realise it is all crap. That's how I felt listening to this. "Tempted love" is great ( but wait, isn't it a cover?) But the rest is quite 80's synthpop that I remember being annoying.
Horny in an off-putting way. 2 stars because of Tainted Love, otherwise this would be a 1.
Cabe destacar que este álbum tiene un sonido bien representativo de la década de los 80s, en un buen sentido. Si te gusta esa sonoridad es un álbum disfrutable. Pero en mi experiencia, por una serie de razones este álbum me resultó insoportable. Por un lado la voz, tiene un timbre y forma de expresión muy común de la época, pero el problema es que es desgastante, todo el tiempo esa forma de expresión laxa termina cansando. Por otro lado, los temas son bailables, muy de club, pero en la escucha se vuelven demasiado repetitivos, además de que son muy largos. El álbum en su totalidad es demasiado largo. Sumado a que los temas son largos, parece que el álbum no se terminara nunca. Si se hubiesen seleccionado los mejores temas del álbum (temas como "Tainted Love" y "Where Did Our Love Go") la experiencia sería mucho mejor.
While it has Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go I continue to find myself ignoring the rest of the album. If this practice of listening to these albums has taught me anything its that I have way more musical knowledge then I thought but need to spend more time listening deeply.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one great song does not make an album good. This version of Tainted Love is absolutely an 80s classic, but the rest of the album is pretty bad. But kudos to Soft Cell for having a song called Sex Dwarf. 2.5⭐️ (1.5⭐️ of which is for Tainted Love)
Only liked maybe two or three songs and really struggled with the rest
"Tainted Love" is 10/10 5 stars forever, but the rest of this album is bland and uninteresting. I suppose I had too high of hopes for an album with a song called "Sex Dwarf," which wasn't entirely terrible, surprisingly. There are some new wave albums on here where they have one absolutely outstanding song that seems to have led to some critics finding the whole album worthy, when that's not the case at all (looking at you, A-ha). If this list was 1001 songs you need to hear before you die, I'd put "Tainted Love" on there, but given how many glaring omissions there are on this list, this album has no business being on here.
Not much good besides Tainted Love.
Tainted Love is great, the rest of the album is incredibly boring. It felt like a couple guys without editing, a synth and a keyboard in a basement with bad acoustics who wrote the lyrics right before recording. I didn’t expect it to be that bad
Tainted Love is the only song of note on this album.
Couldn't finish, it was too chaotic. Didn't even really like their hit "Tainted Love."
Tainted Love is always a fun classic (which I just learned was a cover), but yikes to the rest of this. It's pretty cringe 80s music at its finest.
It's no coincidence that the hit is a cover. The rest is rubbish. I like 80's synth-pop but this seemed amateur.
80's twaddle..
80's pop, it's ok but nothing I'd come back to.
Vähän jää muu levy hitin varjoon. 2/5
Besides the one huge hit, the cover of "Tainted Love", this doesn't really stand out from the sea of early 80s synthpop. Maybe it is a little raunchier and the rest and that does represent the huge gay scene around the movement. But that's it really, textbook one-hit wonder. Make sure to also listen to the extended version of "Tainted Love" where Soft Cell also cover The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go?". Great stuff. Key tracks: Tainted Love
80s fun. Some good but not great tracks.
Soft Cell? For real? Ok, I'll listen. I do still like Tainted Love, but the rest, not so much. Boring electronic music with little that engaged me.
One or two good songs but the rest was boring
5/10