Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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
Going to go out on a limb and say this is a one-hit wonder that isn't going to make a future cut of the 1001 list.
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
I didn't like the album (whiny electro pop with juvenile percussion and unremarkable elsewhere) but I do have a story about it. When I was a kid I would go to music camp at this old CCC camp. When we weren't practicing or memorizing music, there was old school, wifi-free entertainment. There was one night where we would play a game called Word Bag of Death. The goal of the game was for each team to think of and sing as many songs with a particular word in it as possible, to avoid elimination. Sometimes the words were easy, like "love." Think of lots of songs that use the word love, and there was a good chance you could avoid elimination. But there were challenging words too, words so weird they didn't have a big pool of options. And every year, there was one word that could be counted on as guaranteed death. "Tainted." That's the extent of my interest in this album. Tainted Love, the eliminator song, the first and only highlight of Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. I won't be adding any other Soft Cell tunes to my collection any time soon, but I do appreciate the songs that incorporate words like tainted, mausoleum, transcendental, and Prometheus in their lyrics. They all exist! Isn't that fun?
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
People must have done a lot of cocaine in the 80s
Erotic indeed. Kind of boring. Didn't finish it.
A quintessentially 80s synth-pop album that hasn’t aged all that gracefully. 𝘛𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 remains an undeniable classic — sleek, minimal, and instantly memorable — but the rest of 𝘕𝘰𝘯-𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘌𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘵 struggles to match its charm, often feeling more like a period curiosity than a timeless record.
This was really bad. One famous song and it’s a cover.
Alright, I get it. You're above the suburban life and everything about it is terribly boring and mundane. Did you need an entire album to convey that? And one with (what I never thought I would say) far too much synth? I don't know when the term 'try hard' originated, but I could see it coming soon after someone listening to this album for the first time...Tainted Love is great, the rest are just, not.
Everything I hate about 80’s music.
eeeee I couldn't finish this. the sound is fun for a song or two, but gets old very fast!!
Sadly doesn't live up to memories from my youth. Three good tracks, one of which was a (albeit impressively arranged) cover anyway. The rest is just a soup of 80's musical tropes. Shame.
Ruddy hell. If that album cover isn't an 80s cop show waiting to happen then I need my stomach pumped. The centrepiece 'Tainted Love' really is totemic - a little known soul number given the full on urban electronic treatment. Every stab if the synth is perfectly positioned to build an atmosphere of eltectro-pop menace. It's sweet relief after the opening 'Frustration' which sounds like a bar version of PiL. I assume 'Sex Dwarf' is a bit of parody, but you can't be sure with this completely hammed-up album. It belies something unavoidably seedy about these filthy, leathered lotharios. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye' is a surprisingly tender and evocative piece of writing, and feels light years away from 'Sex Dwarf' or the entirely throwaway 'Entertain Me'. So they have a hit rate of two, of the ten tracks. That's twenty percent. Twenty percent of five stars is one star. Is that fair? Well 'Secret Life' is actually quite fun. And The two hits are such great cuts that it gets a two.
It's pretty mid aside from the obvious "Take on me".
There's a vibe on this one.
This group had its moment, I guess, and "Tainted Love" remains high on the list of one-hit wonders. Another album that seems mostly harmless, but its inclusion in the face of absolutely NO Warren Zevon albums making the 1001 list is a travesty.
I imagine this was quite the album for 1981. I own it, and I still just like the one song.
Tainted Love is the really good song on here - the rest is not up to par. It’s not bad though, just not nearly as good as Tainted Love
Tainted love is a classic, but the rest is just ok. A bit annoying at times though, vocals are an acquired taste for sure. The atmosphere of the album is soooo 80s neon coded though
i WISH this album was as exciting at the title implied. honestly dull and repetitive. tainted love slaps of course but it can't carry the entire 1 hour 14 minute (!???!) album on its own.
boy, i sure wish this erotic cabaret ever stopped. soft cell really has a particular sound and it's cool for a couple tracks, but 18? in 74 minutes? that's exactly the length of one oliver & company, and i'd rather watch that. billy joel's in that one. does your band have billy joel, soft cell? i didn't think so. this cabaret is gonna be a no from me, dawg. special shoutout to where did our love go, which is tainted love with the serial numbers filed off. same drum part, same synth patches, etc. it would be a brazen rip-off if someone else had done it, but soft cell beat them to the punch??? great job i guess??????? favorites: frustration, tainted love, say hello wave goodbye, where did our love go, so
Actually better than I would have guessed. Tainted Love naturally a goat, but the album itself is decent. High 2s.
Típico som dançante de sintetizadores, sem nada de impressionante ou relevante. Mais um disco que não faz o menor sentido estar entre os "1001 para ouvir antes de morrer". Poucos momentos interessantes são as partes de sopro: David Tofani – saxofone (Frustration); clarinete (Seedy Film).
Tainted love is great and I enjoyed the beat in sex dwarf (I didn't know the song). Love the 80s but I've only saved these two tracks.
Some of these songs are pretty out there but overall a good time if you're feeling like listening to dirty 80s music.
Perfect for clubbing with Patrick Bateman, not much more
Look, Tainted Love is an all time 80’s banger. But other than that? This shit is so corny, bro. Like…really? Everybody giving this 5’s? Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.
Tainted Love is in the zeitgeist, so there is not really much to say about that. The rest of the album is much the same, just not as good. It's okay I guess, but not really great to me.
Marc Almond har en riktigt bra röst, men musiken är lite väl tidstypisk och (numer) dated. Tainted Love - covern är förstås en klassiker.
True one hit wonder. Rest of album outside one song is not good.
There’s a reason why they are a 1 hit wonder
It was fine I guess. Some weird songs (“Sex Dwarf”), a great song (“Tainted Love”), and a bunch of mid, really annoying songs (the rest of the album). Just kinda repeated the same lines over and over. I don’t really understand why this is supposed to be an important album.
I can totally understand how they are a one hit wonder.
The one single carries it. I would rather just listen to Depeche Mode
Altfor langt album for denne typen musikk. Morsomme tekster, men det er for langt.
Props for Tainted Love but ultimately the rest is pretty blah and kinda weird
Only one song worth listening to. Tainted love.
This is pretty bad. I never liked taint love and the rest of the songs are just dumb.
Some fun and upbeat songs with lyrics in places that must have been pretty cutting edge at the time, for the sexual content. I'm not opposed to some campy synth pop but a lot of these tracks didn't really stick with me though. I found it maybe too layered in places.. for example Entertain Me where at times it feels like there are 3 or 4 synth lines at the same time and quite frenetic vocals, so there isn't really any melody to cling onto Sex Dwarf is just a silly novelty song as well, don't like that
Hard carried by tainted love
The only half decent song on here is the Tainted Love
Sex Dwarf
Самтаймс ай Фил ай гатту Майкл Шин вайбы
They’ve tainted my love… idk I tried
80s music has never been a vibe for me. This album is no different.
Weak album with 2 classics
it wasn't non-stop, wasn't particularly erotic, and was only kind of cabaret.
Other than Tainted Love and Where Did Our Love Go, I had no familiarity with Soft Cell and did not know what to expect. Now I understand why. This album was all over the place and not in a good way. Also some of the vocals were interesting. Many of them fell flat literally. Can’t give this a one because of the two songs that are noteworthy. But it’s a close call.
They’re a one hit wonder, they’re British, and they’re otherwise forgettable. These are the attributes needed to be added to this fucking list. Bonus points if they’re pretentiously underground. This album is necessarily bad, but besides that mega hit, it’s not worth listening to. I do think “Sex Dwarf” is unironically the most interesting song on the album. I can’t imagine wanting to listen again. 2/5
I dig the dark synthy mood. Vocals are kinda all over the place. Got pretty boring towards the middle of the album.
Some bangers and I loved the closer, but ultimately a bit of a weird album
Not a huge fan.
They really did live off of one song didn't they, and it wasn't sex dwarf
Well the main thing tainted here is my Spotify history, now that I've listened to this album from start to finish. I imagine I'll start getting emails telling me about concerts and similar bands who I'll also not enjoy. I was going to leave this a one star rating, but Sex Dwarf bumped it up to two stars. I think my main complaint is that none of the songs really go anywhere. There's some synth and a few hooks spread quite thinly, but no real substance. Even Sex Dwarf ultimately fails to get going, although there are signs of it having a driving beat for half the song, it just never peaks.
The music of theater kids making their own terrible musical theater album
It was not for me. Tainted love is good, and it's not even theirs completely, but a version... I got quite traumatised with sex dwarf.
Synth-pop can be pretty nice when well-executed, with catchy hooks and loops. But these guys are most definitely not the Pet-Shop Boys. Minimalistic and unappealing.
let's see just how 80s we can be on this shit. I've never, ever, been a big super 80s guy, and this reeks of it. It stinks.
I appreciate music with a sense of humor about itself, but I feel like this album verges on self-parody in a lot of moments. I'm also not a huge fan of Tainted Love, which is the clear standout track on this.
Tainted Love is way too early. Sex Dwarf is amazing. The rest is entirely forgettable.
One good song does not sustain an album of crap.
There's really not a lot here beyond Tainted Love, which is an all-time great cover. I did like that there was a song called Sex Dwarf, though - not that I remember what it sounded like.
Me había olvidado que son los de tainted love. Por momentos el synthpop me parece todo igual y me cuesta distinguir lo temas. No es un género que me guste y no lo volvería a escuchar.
Tainted Love is an amazing song, I didn't really care for the rest of the album.
I enjoy 80s new wave but this just isn't for me.
Tainted Love is the quintessential 80s song, while the music is enjoyable I found singing eh.
Ah yes, the "Tainted Love" guys, and even that is a cover (which I wasn't aware of for years). That's really the only noteworthy thing here, unless you also count "Sex Dwarf" as noteworthy (if only from a lyrical standpoint). I'm sure this had a place in certain, seedy establishments, but I've heard better synth pop.
Another one that feels like it made the list because of a single song. It's cool to hear the roots of synth-based pop music but this is kind of lame.
This feels like coming out the other side of the 80’s sounds that were started by yesterday’s album, “The Pleasure Principle” by Gary Numan. Which is funny because that album only preceded this one by a few years, but Soft Cell seem to be living in a world of already established techniques and cliches. “Sex Dwarf” doesn’t hold back, it’s a bit dizzying towards the end. “Memorabilia” sounds like it definitely inspired the hell out of LCD Soundsystem. On that note, “Fun City” also has that late 2000’s synth bassline that goes up and down and up and down and up and down. I can’t say this is the type of new wave that gets me going. And if I wanted to listen to some sweaty sex songs from this time, I think I’d just be better off with all the stuff Prince put out around then. 2/5
Total ass
Tainted Love is masterful. But, not surprisingly, it appears it was a stroke of luck as much as genius, considering the rest of the album is pretty unlistenable. The quirky Casio sounds and robotic tic make Tainted Love work (and whoever thought to mash it up with Where Did Our Love Go for the single was on to something), but it is awful everywhere else on this record. The outro to Seedy Films was unbearable.
it was... fine. odd.
bro can't sing in tune
The only worthwhile songs are covers. Go figure.
There are so many things I'd rather do than listen to synth-pop. Tainted Love is at least decent but I learned today that they didn't actually write it. There were some moments here that were better than I had expected but from a very low level of expectation, it won't get them above two stars. And they'll thank me for it.
This record will clear a room within about 7-10 minutes
A little song, a little dance, a little synth down your 80s cargo pants.
I only liked Tainted Love. The rest of the songs I didn’t care for much.
I did not enjoy this album :( It contextualized why this band was a one hit wonder, IMO! There were a fair amount of songs that I really enjoyed parts of, but the rest fell of somewhere.... and I think that encapsulates how I feel about this album. Aside from Tainted Love, the only other song I enjoyed was Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.
Tainted Love is a certainly a classic, although we've all heard it a billion times. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is also pretty great. The majority of the rest of the album though...yikes. Guess you had to be there.
Probably should have been producers. Not sure why one hit wonders get on this list. Isn't it about albums?
The cover of "Tainted Love" is rightfully a smash hit, but outside of that this was a slog to get through. 80's synth-pop with overtly sleazy nightlife lyrics.
This was good until it was not
They committed to it. Thats gotta be worth something. Mostly annoying monotonous crap.
Drie keer niks
I now understand why I’d never heard any of their music except Tainted Love.
Uggh
2
very very 80s. album has tainted love so think that vibe. cool album just not a style i would ever really listen to of my own free will tbh
Good sounds for a party, but weak voices.
Tainted love is obviously a classic, but not enough to enjoy the rest of the synth heavy 80s songs. So much creepy weird sex lyrics… and that’s coming from me!
After listening to this album I have determined that there is a clear deliniation point marking the time in my life before I heard Sex Dwarf, and after. Liked Songs Added: Tainted Love Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
Los temas son complicados y un poco largos pero esta la esencia de la banda y del estilo. Su mejor tema es su hit
Too 80s for my liking
Yes, Tainted Love is a great song, and Soft Cell's version is great. I consider it a classic of 80's electronic pop music. However, I could only find a couple other songs that felt relevant in 2025 when there is so much better music out there from the 80's, electronic, pop, et cetera. I'd give this a 2.5, but I don't think I can give it higher than that.
Tainted Love is an absolute must listen to. I think it's a cover, but they it so damn well. It doesn't seem that the rest of the album hits like Tainted Love. The synth is subtle and not like a lot of early 80's music where overpowers you. Unfortunately the singing needs it. Dude sounds whiny more than anything.
Umm not really my vibe
An album so middling, I lost all motivation to keep up my somewhat decent momentum from earlier in the year. For the good of the first couple of decade defining Tracks, it very quickly descends into untamed chaos. 'Sex Dwarf' will not be played again unless for some weird joke. Best Tracks: - Tainted Love - Seedy Films Worst Tracks: - Sex Dwarf - Chips On My Shoulder Rating: 4/10
I spent the whole album trying to work out whether this guy can sing or not, I still don't know the answer. Very long and quite one-note for me
"Tainted Love" is decent and then the rest of the album sounds like a worse version of "Tainted Love."
Turns out, Tainted Love was their only hit for a reason
An additional star for Tainted Love. Couldn’t make it past the 30th time they said Sex Dwarf though….
Why do these new wave albums have to be so insufferably long? 2/5
Now don't get me wrong Tainted Love is a great song, but not great enough to save the album as a whole. Just not great, Soft Cell were short lived and a bit of a one hit wonder. The second best song isn't even part of the main album.
Bit annoying.
2 stars. Tainted love is what brings it up from a 1 to a 2. Rip to gay brit ppl but sometimes I hate the voice and lyrics f
could i write poetry to this? n
Another famous one-hit wonder. If you ever in your life have heard Soft Cell's cover of "Tainted Love", then you have already heard the best song on the album. The rest is the same, but not as good. If Pet Shop Boys are your jam, you will have a better chance of enjoying this.
When my brother in law was like 10 the term "Midget Porn" was found in his internet search history.
Thanks for the recommendation. Wasted hours of my life.
A definite turn-off for me
Ok
other than “tainted love” nothing really stood out. meh.
Like Tainted Love but that's about all.
Soft Cell, more like music from hell. Their covers are decent, but don’t let them make their own music.
Sometimes you just have to admit certain music isn't meant for you. This was meant for UK club-goers in the 80's and not for me sitting at my desk working in 2025.
Well, there's Tainted Love. Indestructible no matter how many people cover it, how many times it gets played on the radio, at your uncle's 3rd wedding reception, 80s night at the local nightclub, etc. Also, Sex Dwarf is an interesting song title - but the song sort of fails to deliver on it. There is a lot of 80s electronica, angst and cold neon lights turned into music. Gives me a nuclear world war teenage angst, cold neon light feeling that I don't appreciate much at all.
Ja jo men 2 much synth
I think the late 80s had some awesome music by artists that are more thought of as 90s artists - Prince, Nine Inch Nails - even Bleach by Nirvana was released in 1989. Then you have music that is quintessentially 80s music. And I think 80s music is the worst decade for music. And this sounds more 80s than anything that has ever 80s.
Honestly, apart from Tainted Love, the first half of the album is strange and sounds like music made by either the mighty-boosh or Jez from Peep Show, I don’t get it really. At times it’s a concoction of different sounds with overly British spoken word on top. Second half of the album somewhat redeems itself with normal sounding music, “Where did our love go” is tolerable for instance. 3.9/10.
jaha painetaan did not listeniä niin lähtee arvostelu pois... hehheh. semmosta teknologiaa.. noh kirjotetaas tästä jotain sitte kun halutaan halutaan niin paljon.. tämäa lbumi on tunnettu koska yksi biisi joka on coveri.. tämä ei vuonna 1981 ole millään saatanan spektrumilla mitenkään influentiaalinen tai edes erikoinen. pari ok bisiä siellä tällä suurimmaksi osaksii kraftwerk wannabe paitsi ei lähellekään ei saatana lähellekään missään tapauksessa annetaan se kaksi vaikka vituttaakin vitusti tainted love
Horny
Ok
Yeah Tainted Love is cool but I’m trying to figure out why #5 “Sex Dwarf” wasn’t a bigger ;) hit?? What a WILD album
One hit wonder Tainted Love is ok but most of the rest of this album is a forgettable 80's mess.
there is some distinguishable tracks in here which is nice but i didnt really like any of them i feel like im close to liking this album at times but usually not for long but i didnt really hate listening to it and i listened to all of it
Knew i wasnt gonna like it from the title. Gave it a chance and oof
I have learned through this project, that I strongly dislike this style of music. The vocals are soooo bad and the instrumentals are boring. "Tainted Love" is soooo good but other than that this is average at best. Liked Songs: "Frustration" , "Tainted Love" , "Sex Dwarf" , "Chips On My Shoulder" , "Secret Life" , "What?"
Enjoyed the singles, rest was ok. Standout songs: Tainted Love Bedsitter
Yeah I just didn’t care for it. The last song was actually pretty good though, which was surprising since I expected Tainted Love to be the only notable song.
Like most, I already knew "Tainted Love", but haven't spent any proper time with this Soft Cell. I had kinda written them off as "one-hit wonder", and I was kind of right (in the commercial sense). At times they are playful and purposefully campy ("Seedy Films"), at others there are shades of Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, and the Cure ("Youth"), and sometimes they blend the two into something danceable yet so delightfully stupid as "Sex Dwarf". There is depth here, but not a whole lot. Soft Cell does tend toward the goofy side of things, adding unnecessary effects and vocals, seemingly, wherever they can ("Entertain Me" is a prime example of a good song made worse by excessive noise). There are instances in which these tendencies can elevate the song; "Chips on My Shoulder" features whistles, shouts in the background, group cheers, giving the frantic party vibe I think they were aiming for. In short, it's a weird little work by some unlikely pop-stars. I wanted to like it, but the quality just isn't there.
I mean, the title is apt. But good lord maybe make a song about your day or something idk. Some of the songs are awesome but some are god awful. (2) Scale for future: 1 - turn this off now 2 - will groan if it comes on 3 - no problems, I wouldn’t play it but I don’t mind hearing it 4 - pretty good, I may even play it 5 - bangers