Reviews (page 5 of 8)
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.
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
sex dwarf >>>>
Is this the worst album we’ve got that has a good song on it? Elephant in the room, Tainted Love is a classic that is very obviously the best thing about this album. Just an iconic synth part that you can’t help but tap your feet to. Other than that it’s pretty unique at least I was not impressed at all with the rest of the content; it really feels like they were just building around the one good thing they did and it feels like they’re spinning in circles. Memorabilia is an abhorrent song, easily one of the worst songs I’ve heard in the last month. Vocals, instrumentals, theming, and style are just not my thing for really anything on this one; it feels so shallow I can’t justify rating this one a 1 since it’s got Tainted Love, but this album’s a great study of “how much can an album be carried by one single good song”. Kinda getting sick of 80s music actually, 1001’s been throwing 80s albums left and right at us
Aside from "Tainted Love", a lot of this just wasn't for me really, and at times it made me feel genuinely uncomfortable with its lyricism and jarring instrumentation/singing. It's not one star levels of awful in my eyes as I can at least recognise how it was intentionally crafted that way in a clever manner, but I'd never willingly listen again.
Very strange album. I shouldn't be surprised that the lyrics are as sexual as they are based on the album title, but it still felt like a bit much. Coupled with melodic structure that is both familiar and bizarre makes for a unique listen. A lot doesn't land, but there are a few standout songs where everything comes together in a quality way. Top tracks: Tainted Love, Bedsitter
Honestly, it's pretty not so good. It's odd too because there are parts of it that I should've really liked, but for some reason they made so many of these songs unbearable to listen to. It's like everything bad about the 80s put into one song on some of these.
This is just too much 80s. Tainted Love is a classic, of course. But a lot of the other songs just sound too much like some dudes playing around with synthesizers in their bedrooms.
god those snares… a surprisingly back-loaded album, i enjoyed side 2 much more than side 1 for sure. sex dwarf was… definitely memorable
Me gusta el pop ochentero y cuando llegó el segundo track, la famosísima Tainted love, creí que iba a amar el álbum de Soft Cell. No. Increíblemente repetitivo, canciones que me parecieron muy de flojera y solo un par rescatables dentro de un disco que dura unos muy innecesarios 75 minutos. No me gustó.
Not doing a track by track because there are 18 of them. I didn't care for most. Tainted Love is by far the best song on the album and makes it easy to see why they were a one hit wonder. I can appreciate this album a "protect queer/obscene art" sort of way, but it just didn't do it for me at all. The sexual themes of the album didn't feel in any way interesting or thought out. Felt like someone made a list of fetish related terms and strung them together. Wouldn't revisit this one. Top tracks: Tainted Love, Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Where Did Our Love Go? Worst tracks: The rest of them
Middle of the road new wave. Two good songs and the best one is a cover… a good cover, but nonetheless… everyone reading this should listen to Gloria Jones’ original version of Tainted Love.
I must be in a bad mood lately, because my ratings have been low, low, low
This is the record featuring the iconic song "Tainted Love." I believe it was played everywhere back in the 80s. The album is packed with synth-pop—quintessential dance music of that era. It’s amazing that, even 40 years later, these songs are still being sampled. I actually hadn't heard the album in its entirety before; today was the first time I listened to the whole thing. It really feels like a concept album. Much like in a traditional cabaret, they sing about the old social order, mainstream pop music, sexuality—and the extremes it reached—as well as human misery. I don't particularly enjoy the music itself, but I have to take my hat off to the achievement and the wild sounds—completely new for the time—that these young men created using a Synclavier and a drum machine. Still, listening to it once is enough; time for something else now. As I said, most 80s music wasn't for me back then, and that hasn't changed.
I really did not like this one. It gets an extra star because it has Tainted Love on it, but I really only enjoy the chorus of that song.
2.4 3x + videos. despite recognizing this is a solid album, it's not really my thing.
Given how much I still enjoy listening to Tainted Love, I'm impressed at how mediocre the rest of this is. Compare it to its contemporaries (e.g. Sparks #1 Song in Heaven, Human League Dare) and you realize that these guys were simply not very talented. Both stars are for the hit.
Dragged on and on. Started kooky and fun, but got old quick. Definitely a one hit wonder if I ever saw one. Rating: 3/10 Favorite Song: Tainted Love
This was Similar to Japan in many ways; it was about the same genre and similarly too long. I appreciated this a bit more for its cynicism and entertaining lyrics. The song "Frustration" was a great musical representation of that emotion, and I thought its lyrics were cathartic and pretty hilarious. "Chips on my shoulder" also stood out to me. The instrumentation on this album is pretty sparse to make room for the lead vocals and at times a plethora of other voices and sounds that together create a somewhat unique feel. Those things make me confident to give it a strong 2, but I still don't think it's enough for a light 3. The majority of the appeal comes from the lead singer and whatever silliness he's talking about, but even that gets boring during an hour long album.
I remember hearing "Tainted Love" when I was in college, and thinking it was catchy and weird - but definitely catchy. It's a remake of a mid-60s Motown-ish song, but might be the rare remake that transcends the original. By the way, I just noticed that Soft Cell also did a remake of the remake: a dub version called, of course, "Tainted Dub" (clever title - and kind of fun). Anyway, a full album of Soft Cell is a bit much (and I feel like I need a shower after listening to it, to clean off the grime and smut, lol). Better off with just the 12" single (US version), which also contains "Tainted Dub," as well as the club version of "Tainted Love" that segues into a cover of the Supremes huge mid-60s Motown hit, "Where Did Our Love Go" (in this case, the original is better, but the cover does pair nicely with "Tainted Love"). I'd probably give that 12" 4 stars, but I think I have to give this album 2 stars, because, other than "Tainted Love," the rest of it is mostly pretty bad.
Some of the synth sounds really impressed me, but the arrangements less so. The reverb effects they use really heighten the sound, I think I appreciate the realness, the emotiveness in the singer's voice. Most of all, I appreciate its originality: certainly more interesting than hyper-processed mainstream pop, and also (I'm assuming) a pioneer of electronic dance music. That being said, I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed the listening. Musically, its not well-crafted, and lyrically it leans heavily on lust. I'm happy it was made; I think expanding the range of expression is always a good thing. But, I can't honestly say I love it or that I would choose to listen to it again
He has a strong voice, but i don't like the style or the lyrics.
not my typa thing
Thoughts before listening: Oooh look, more 80s new wave one-hit wonders. What was their hit? "Blue Monday" maybe? Review: Oops....its "Tainted Love". Thats one of the better hits of that era, but I'm not sure about the rest of this album. I'm just not a fan of synth pop, and this album is very sleazy and sex obsessed. Its just hard for me to connect with this album. 2-stars
If it wasn’t for Tainted Love, this album would be a 1. Feels like a high school musical written and produced by a Sophomore who’s ideas outweigh their talent.
Tainted Love is an all time classic. The rest was non-stop erotic drivel. 4/10
A one hit wonder band whose lone hit was a cover. Not a top 1001 album.
Best Track - "Tainted Love"
Snl skit, synth pop Tainted love
2/5
was a 3 but lowk not that good
Heard some before; 2.5; Some words I would use to describe this: whack, corny, half-baked. It also sounds like the saxophone player from the Lonely Island song "Sax Man" is on some of these tracks. While not the worst thing I've ever heard, and there are some good tracks, most of the album sounds lifeless and rudimentary. I also appreciated the eerie mood on some of the tracks. Favorite Track: Tainted Love
One hit wonder album
Too long and not that great
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
i wasn't very on board until some of the NSED versions of the songs which are more of a vibe.
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.