Reviews (page 7 of 8)
One iconic song from my youth couldn’t save this mess of an album.
Typical British new-wave album feat. a heavily-played, recognizable radio single. Not my cuppa tea.
It’s wasn’t a horrible album, but I still hate 80’s music. Don’t you want me is okay I guess. 4/10
nae det är inget vidare för mig. man skulle varit lite mer synthig så hade det nog funkat.
2 - One cool song and the rest is a fucking bore fest...sorry
I'm not even convinced I listened to the right version of this, but what I did listen to was pretty badly dated and annoying. 2.3/5
I guess this was fine. Just a lot of synths. A LOT. And a bit too much for my liking. And after a few songs, that drum sound gets annoying as well. "I Am The Law" is definitely my least favourite track on here. One thing I liked about this album is that it has a bit of a darker sound than the synth-pop albums I am used to and it still remains dancy. So that was interesting to hear. The first and the last track are my favourites; all the stuff between them is not really my taste.
Requiring an exam and license to operate a synthesizer may not be the worst thing ever. The one hit on the album is a song I’ve always thought was a bit irritating and the rest was worse
Two seconds in: oh no. We're in for a rough one. By the end: are we done yet? Oh thank god. Given that this is one of my least favorite genres, there was no way I was going to be into this. That said, I feel like I would probably really like this album if I liked 80's synth pop stuff. I think this is pretty good by the genre standards? 2.3 Side note from the next day: I'm watching the show "The Americans" right now, and the episode I watched last night featured a poster for The Human League on the wall of a girl's bedroom. Fun coincidence to see that twice in the same day.
Pretty bog standard 80s pop record, nothing too special about it and a bit generic imo
While I can't deny the great songwriting of the obvious track, this album really does make you work for it. Tracks 2-8 range from boring to downright unlistenable. If Don't You Want Me wasn't on this record, this wouldn't have been remembered by the end of the 80s. Best Tracks: - Don't You Want Me - Love Action (I Believe In Love) - The Things That Dreams Are Made Of Worst Tracks: - I Am The Law - Open Your Heart Rating: 3/10
This album is really really only here due to one song. And it's a great song but come on. These songs seemed unfinished and underproduced. Weird 80s and not in an endearing way. 4.25/10 (2.125/5)
At least the "hit" was at the end of the album, so you had to go through the whole thing before you get to it. Kinda made a good build up to it, I was more involved with the other songs, even with the 80s synth sound. But still, I just thought it was... not memorable. And that's never good. NEXT.
Don’t you want me is an all time classic while the rest is just eh
not remarkable
that sure is one of the synth pop albums of all time
Luv the 80s me give me more synth Saying that, I was so bored apart from the last two songs
2.5/5 - I love all the elements separately, but put together it wasn’t my cup of tea. Standout track - do I even have to say it
Not a fan! The lead single “Don’t You Want Me” is fun for what it is, but this genre isn’t sustainable for an entire album, at least as presented here. “Everybody needs love and adventure / Everybody needs cash to spend / Everybody needs love and affection / Everybody needs 2 or 3 friends.” When I was listening, I was constantly put off by the shallow lyricism, but that might just be personal taste.
Unglaublich öde
Hm, I expected to like it much more than I did. Usually I enjoy synthpop but somehow here, except for the hit single which I love, I got really bored and tired of the sound. I'll try again some other time.
I don’t have that thing that makes me love 80s music like this. I can only appreciate it for about four minutes, so I’m fine with the hits. And their hit is a hit! Wasn’t really worth the rest of the album to get to that point though.
Groupe connu, par le hit 'Don't you want me' qui passait beaucoup à la radio et que j'appréciais beaucoup à l'époque. C'est donc la première fois que j'écoute un album entier du groupe. Et bien je suis un peu déçu. 'Don't you want me' continue à me plaire, mais les autres morceaux sont moins intéressants. J'ai quand même apprécié 'Do or Die' pour son chorus de synthé un peu recherché. C'est peu ... Finalement je comprends pourquoi je ne me suis pas intéressé plus à ce groupe ... A la même époque Ultravox (malheureusement pas dans la liste ... incompréhensible !) avais sorti 2 hits ('Vienna' puis 'The Thin Wall') vraiment créatifs et bien plus originaux. 40 ans après j'ai une bonne partie de leurs albums, et j'apprécie toujours de les écouter en entier ! Alors que Human League a complètement disparu de mon univers musical. =>2/5
Could have saved us a lot of time by putting don’t you want me as track 1!
So dated! That classic synth-pop sound! Took me back to my heyday, trip down memory lane and all that. But they were fairly generic for the era. I could’ve been listening to one of a number of bands. 2 for the nostalgia .
Shocked at how lame most of this is — repetitive, boring songs, uninteresting musicianship. And why are the only known songs the last 2 on the album? Still, “Don’t You Want Me” is so good it saves this from being a 1.
I knew this would be a struggle and it was. “Seconds” was surprising in a good way, though.
Too 80's
I enjoyed this album it was the exact poppy vibe I was looking for at the minute I listened to. "Keyboards and Cocaine" could basically describe the whole album and id heard "don't you want me" a million times but all around decent.
I get why this is here, but the synth pop thing doesn't do anything for me really. Don't you want me is a decent track though! 2
Maso
holy moly
Grating
This list has proven it's value for me once again. Only song that I knew from this album was Don't You Want Me and I can sing it along. I wasn't even able to name the band that has made it. Now I'm much wiser, thanks to this list. Otherwise, this synth pop is not so much my thing, so two stars for that one song.
It's an okay album, nothing really too great, it sounds like a not as enthusiastic Depeche Mode. The songs were a bit meh.
80's synth-pop cheese and representative of an era of music that did little to nothing for me.
Pure '80s 16-bit synth pop. Not terribly inspired but it a cheese what it sets off to do
The only real standout for me is Dont You Want Me- the rest of the album was just kind of generic-sounding synth pop. The songs all seemed to melt together. Overall- just fine
Ok. Not my favourite eighties album.
80s trash
Pleasant enough but electronics are oh so sterile and lacking in any feeling. Background music with little to commend it except that the vocals are very clear and the arrangements sometimes, but not very often, are interesting.
Don’t You Want Me is the only good song on here. The rest is extremely generic 80s pop. I could see how you’d need to listen to this if you’d never heard this kind of music before, but for the rest of us it’s nothing special
Vale a pena escutar todas as faixas até chegar no hit "Don't You Want Me", paradigma do tecno pop dos 80.
I know two things. One is I could have written all of these songs on my own DX-7 back in 1985. The other is I would sound like shit trying to sing these songs. Just like this singer.
According to the book Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, renowned music critic Lester Bangs died of an accidental drug overdose while listening to Dare. "Don't You Want Me" is pretty good.
Dare! Is almost comically 80s. It features Don’t You Want Me and a couple other good synth pop songs I Am The Law, Seconds stand out but it’s sounds so dated 5.6/10
Kind of refreshing hearing an 80s pop album that was completely unrecognizable. I will admit though, I grew tired of it about halfway through. This album just doesn't really hold up to the test of time in my book.
Going strong for the "Worst of the 80s" prize, aren't ya? Close but not there yet, honey. "Worst COVER of the 80s" though... A cover as fascinating as it is horrible, and yet the more I look at it the more it intrigues me. What's the deal with that woman's face? Is she trapped in that rectangle by the ugly fonts above her? And the look in her eyes doesn't even remotely suggest "daring"—I would say "frightened" or "slightly confused" or maybe even "awaiting your answer to her extremely difficult riddle, which could either let you pass freely or kill you". Nevertheless, the 80s were a terrible time for music.
2.2 1x too 80s
Dare! is quite bad really, terrible 80s synth pop with only one notable, massively overplayed song. Open Your Heart is the only other song I didn't mind really, new wave was crap, tempted to give this a 1 but I didn't hate it, it's just rubbish. Might squeak a 2 because Don't You Want Me Baby is still a little bit cult in spite of everything.
Don't like Birt Synth-Pop
Definitely one of those: there's that one really catchy song on it and the rest is just kind of fine new wave albums to me.
These guys are one-hit-wonders. Do yourself a favor and skip to the last track, then never turn it on again.
I had this album, love the nostalgia and enjoyed it as background. Hard to think of it as essential though.
I'm shocked that a hit 80s song that represents almost the entire modern legacy of a band comes from an otherwise completely forgettable and/or annoying album! probably the only time that's happened
I had never heard of this band, and was listening to it and was nonplussed. Then the last track hit and I realized that they have a song that everyone has heard hundreds of times. Which I'm not sure if that's why it's on this list or if the album itself is considered worthy on it's own merit, but regardless the whole thing was kind of run of the mill and underwhelming for me as far as English synth-pop bands from the 80s are concerned.
报听
Really? Well … I actually kinda liked it. Not an album I had to hear before I died but I expected to want it to end and it was alright. And “Don’t you want me” is an excellent song.
Sista låten har man ju hört och den funkar men fram tills dess är det en öken av meningslös synth.
This album sounds like ripped stonewashed Jordaches, neon leg warmers, and Member’s Only jackets. That’s not a compliment. There’s really only one good song on here (Don’t You Want Me, obviously), and if I’m being honest with myself I probably only like that out of nostalgia.
Considering how huge Don’t You Want Me is, the rest of this album felt a bit repetitive and monotonous throughout. Like one big synth noise that then culminated in the aforementioned track. Meh, it screamed peak 80s
An album filled with a bunch of forgettable songs and one hit at the end doesn’t qualify for this list. Try again. 2/5
Lot of build up for Don't you want met. Boring 80s album that is not my jamb. 2.5 stars
i dont like it
This was okay. It's open of those albums I feel I ought to rate higher because of its influence - and I do like a bit of eighties synth pop! - but most of the album felt fairly forgettable. (Except, of course, that closing track...)
Boring. Monotone. Repetitive Not for me thanks. But I have to say Don't You Want Me is a banger. Only good song on the album 2 ⭐️
One-dimensionally synthy, despite the the singers all having strong voices. "Don't You Want Me" is uniquely hooky and relatable, a near-perfect artifact of its day and era, but lord knows one's heard that song more than enough time for life and there's no good reason to hear any more of this record. Thank god at least that the editors didn't try to convince us this was like Kraftwerk or Neu.
This wasn't great 80s music. The one hit on here isn't worth it, either. 2/5
Nothing major to note. The best track was last—have to agree with another reviewer that it was a pretty neat trick.
Really buried the lede here with the big hit being the last song. Anyways the album sounds super dated and cheesy with these synths and really simple melodies. Not my thing
Their one hit is on this album (in case you were wondering).
Don’t you want me saved this crap album from being. 1
Went back and forth on 2 or 3 for this one. On one hand, it's historically relevant. On the other, it's just boring. Other than one or two tracks, this album was a bit of a slog. We'll call it 2.5/5
I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this again, though its' importance can't be understated. Especially with Don't You Want Me's featured spot on MTV as it was just beginning to feature videos, Dare! had a wide ranging impact on music and culture in the 80's. 2.5/5
2.25
Yeah, not really. One great single and a bunch of other songs that feel like send-ups of songs from this time period. Just not great. Except that one song thats excellent.
I have a soft spot for 80s synth bands, but beyond the 1 single everyone knows, this largely made me grateful we no longer live in an era of spending a ton of money on an album where you only like 1 song.
Well that was a trip down memory lane - and nowhere near as bad as I remember it!
More of the same canned synth-pop rom the early '80s brings the same melodies and danceable beats as every other canned synth-pop artist. The tracks are, as usual, upbeat that capture the 80's electronic vibe. Terribly repetitive, lacking depth to keep engaged throughout. Overall, I tolerated it, even if it doesn't hit many marks.
Jeg har alle dage syntes at Human League er Bilka Talking Heads. Catchy nok album, bliver trukket under middel fordi den er så uessentiel selvom der er et par bangers (2)
Kæft det er flabet at smide bedste og eneste gode sang i slutningen.. Øv. Synes at man kunne høre ret direkte inspiration til James Murphy på den her plade?
it's ok, not really into synth pop. their songs sound kind of quirky and repetitive.
The Things That Dreams Are Made Off - 2/5 Open Your Heart - 2.5/5 The Sound of The Crowd - 2.5/5 Darkness - 3/5 Do or Die - 3/5 I Am The Law - 0/5 Seconds - 3.5/5 Love Action - 3/5 Don't You (Want Me Baby) - 4/5 Overall - 2/5
One hit wonder.
Don't You Want Me is the only great song on here; the rest is fairly run of the mill 80s synth pop
I dare you to listen to the first 9 tracks and remember any of them. I do not love you baby.
i'm struggling to think of a reason why i consider this much worse than something like age of consent which released 2 years later and im realizing there is no single reason. new order was just a band with better ear for melody, better lyrics, better singing (impressive to have worse vocals than fucking bernard sumner), better use of a repetitive synth motif (im looking at you bizarre love triangle), better understanding of song dynamics. human league was a bold band and the mixing of the synths is interesting. whereas the cars used them to fill space, human league songs have no space that isnt synth aside from oakleys vocals. they are loud to a fault and the songs often have no layers to them whatsoever. someone on RYM wrote this feels like an album you have to been there for when it released and i totally agree. whereas that criticism will be thrown at a band like the beatles, the difference really is just that the beatles genuinely hold up melodically as well as from songwriting and production standpoints (at minimum for pop rock). Dare's most admirable quality is probably just how aggressive sounding and mixed the synths are, you can absolutely hear how someone like john maus heard this album and then did what he did. honestly Dare reminds me a lot of 808's & Heartbreaks, another album that has aged horrendously in the face of modern music production but was incredibly, obviously influential. i truly Dare anyone to name one thing this album does better than other classics in its own genre. synth-led albums that came out within 3 years after this are so signficantly more enjoyable (OMD, New Order, Depeche Mode, even Duran Duran had better singles) and synthpop classics are still being made today such as Little Dark Age Seconds was far and away my favorite song here, it has a very dramatic and nostalgic melody from both the synth and Oakley's voice and it contains the only notable lyrics on the album about the assassination of JFK. these are a lot of negative words for an album that's not downright horrible, especially one that is a staple of the genre. it's just that in the face of what immediate succeeded this album, im struggling to rate this positively. it's not human leagues fault necessarily, most bands are not transcendent enough to both innovate entire genres and create the greatest albums ever, and Dare totally deserves to be on a list such as 1001.
A couple good tracks
Very ‘80s. Some work for me and others don’t. This doesn’t
Meh not my thing
Boring.
Clever putting that one song at the end.
Megahitillä on paikkansa, mutta muutoin vähän löysä levy. Mielestäni yhtyeellä on parempiakin levyjä. 2/5
Megahitin ympärillä aika keskinkertaista synapoppia. 2/5
Don’t You Want Me is catchy, but it’s also cheesy and borderline annoying - and it’s the best song on the album.
"It's wild how this album is on the list. Outside of ""Don't You Want Me"", the rest of this album doesn't stand out at all. More proof the British bias of this list only continues to negate this list's claim of needing to hear these albums before you die. "
Boring, trite 80's synth-pop but finished off by a worldie song in "Don't You Want Me" that is as catchy an earworm one can find.
2/5. LCD Soundsystem’s shout out gets this 2 stars. This isn’t that great minus the last song.
Not my fav but it had its moments …
This is a one hit thing. I was interested due to the name check by LCD soundsystem. But meh.
Ok so each song on this album tiptoes the line between pretty good and downright irritating. For me I think that comes from the vocals mostly, but sometimes the synths can get on my nerves too - which for a synth pop album is a bit worrying. It has some fun moments though and I can't say I didn't enjoy a bit of it. Fav songs: - The Things That Dreams Are Made Of - Seconds - Don't You Want Me
Typical 80s synth pop ... none of it has aged well.
It's been a long time but I'm pretty sure my younger sister had this album when we were kids. Don't remember being a fan then and that did not change with my listens. You still here Don't You Want Me on today's radio, but not much of a fan. It's kind of a creepy song to be honest. Just let it go, man. Yea, this album didn't do much for me. A little annoying at times, but nothing outright terrible. 2
If you like synth pop and can ignore the tenuous vocals, then this is the album for you. Thin, tinny, grating, and repetitive. Minus a bonus star for the bad boyfriend vibes on the only track people remember from this album. Human League has done better work.
Barely beating the "one hit wonder" allegations, this is the closest any artist on here has come to the title. I think they were a consistently big deal in Europe, but over in the states it's Human and Don't You Want Me. I generally don't like synthpop, so by extension I don't care for this album. It's not awful per se, and I've definitely heard worse, but I can't say I'll come back to anything that isn't Don't You Want Me.
Another day, another totally meh pop album. This just was not even remotely good or special enough to be on this list but for some moronic reason it is. Everything is plastic and fake sounding. They also try to stick in some songs like "Do or Die" and "Seconds" I'm assuming in an attempt to sound serious but I simply cannot do that after listening to the first couple tracks and the ridiculous cover image. Yes, "Don't You Want Me" is a classic, but that cannot save the album. The only reason this isn't a 1 star is because his voice doesn't make me want to kill myself so they've got that going for them I guess.
early 80's heavy on the synthesizer music, lot of the songs sound the same
Average 80s music. Not sure why this is on here.
This is the epitome of early ‘80s synth new wave music. It was fun at the time but just hasn’t aged well. It feels a bit old and soulless now. Belongs in a time capsule, not on the list
Oof. I got so tired with this album when it came out. I can't eek out another listen. You might like it if you're not familiar with it. Enjoy!
Fun, energetic, and still not something I want to listen to for 40 minutes
Sounds like it was written and recorded in an alley
short but sweet . i guess
Don’t you want me is a banger, and i liked the things the dreams were made of, but not much else.
OK - there ist the hit-single "Don´t You Want Me". But overall it´s not my thing.
Dont you want be banger, aprés le reste ça sort du style je suis moins fan
Not too bad. Not great.
Some of the most boring uses of electronic keyboards ever on these songs. Key factor as to why a lot of early '80s songs are a miss for me.
Was thinking "boy, they sound familiar" but chalked it up to sounding basically like every other 80s synth band. Then "Don't You Want Me " came on and bingo. Still, it's a style of music that has not aged well. Tears for Fears and Depeche mode are likely the only exceptions.
don’t you want me baby
While there were legends built on great music in the '80s, there are as many things to poke fun at. For me, this band is an amalgam of everything I didn't like from the era. The keyboard sounds are deliberately Casio Atari, the drum sounds are simply awful, dude's voice ... ugh, and the songs themselves sound to me like a 7th grader's diary. I was baffled that people liked this when it was being released, and it certainly hasn't aged well.
Full of underproduced, whiny songs but anchored by the massive hit Don't You Want Me. I had more fun learning about the groups history on wikipedia then I did actually listening to their music. This album was certainly influential but if I'm rating it based on my actual tastes and enjoyment I had with the album, I give it a 2/5
Not a fan.
I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, true. But even then I knew I'd find a much better listen that doesn't sound like poo. I kept thinking about Kraftwerk, which it seems this album attempts to be like. But then, it ruins it with emotion and vocals. Dude, the whole point of Kraftwerk is progression. By doing this, you've effectively put a stake in the ground and declared, "We're not moving on. We'll be right here." While your chorus is saying "Don't you want me?" The rest of the world is saying a resounding 'No."
A 25-year-old pop star sees your 17-year-old daughter dancing at a club and immediately asks her and her friend to join him on tour as a dancer and back up singer, even though they have no singing or professional dancing experience. Do you let her go? If you said yes, you might have a lot in common with the parents of Joanne Catherall and Susanne Sulley. And their school, which let them go because the European tour would be a good educational experience. Joanne wound up in a romantic relationship with that 25-year-old pop star, Philip Oakey of Human League. The renewed Human League, now 50% underage girls, put out “Dare!” Unfortunately, no amount of teenage backup singing makes up for Oakey’s voice, which is everything I dislike about early 80s British synth-pop. Along with the surprisingly boring tracks, “Dare!” goes nowhere until the very end. “Don’t You Want Me” actually holds up really well, as long as you enjoy the poppy hook and don’t think about it too hard. Don’t think about how it became a duet after the success of “A Star is Born.” Don’t think about Oakey’s much younger duet partner, or that he got the idea for the lyrics from a teen girl magazine. And definitely don’t think about those lyrics about how he plucked her from obscurity and is now manipulating her to stay.
Positive: The album has a consistent upward trajectory. Negative: the first half is an 80s music parody. Just cheesy sounding. It has not aged well.
His voice annoyed me. Had the one classic song and the rest were mid.
Most 80s album you’ll ever listen to.
An extra star for the excellent final track, otherwise I feel this is an album that has not aged particularly well.
2.5 for me. Don't you want me is a great tune but the rest is exactly the kind of 80s sound I don't like
There's maybe 1 song on the album that warrants the album being on the list. The remaining 9 songs are cheesy 80s synth slop.
Non Plussed
I always liked the look of the New Romantics - the heavy mascara, eye-shadow, blusher and lipstick. However, I rarely liked they music. Time to turn the dial back 40 years and listen again. The Things... - Thought I was listening to Kraftwerk?! 🤔😅 Open Your Heart - repetitive, monotone electronicse The Sound of The Crowd - bit better Darkness - listenable background track Do or Die - decent dance track. Best of album so far I am the Law - experimental crap Seconds - bit like Do or Die Love Action - decent track. Don't You Want Me - liked the video A 2 star for the lipstick💄💋😎
Didn't love it .will.revisit
One good song
Tepid synth pop. Another album that's guilty of having one decent song but the rest doesn't hold up.
Well - here's a bleep from the past. The Human League did things their own way, throwing away the guitars for some cutting edge 80s synths. New toys however can't hide bad songwriting, and this seems like the scrawlings of a schoolkid in detention. The sounds are thin and bare.
Ok 80s pop with 1 great song
I don’t know what to say about this one. Enjoyable. Of its time - or it helped define its time.
I got all excited when the super-80s pop synth sounds started (which I love so much) and then the singing started - oof. This album is outrageously bad. Don’t You Want Me is a banger though, they somehow struck gold at the very end of this… whatever this is…which rescues this from being a 1. Listens: 1.5 Fave Track: Don’t You Want Me Rating: 2
Synthie-Pop. Ganz nett. Bischen kalt vielleicht. Würde ich mir nicht noch einmal anhören.
Decent
Decent songs, but too 80s for me.
The best song is saved for last. The rest is meh. I don't care that much for Philip Oakey's singing.
Too much synth for me.
It was okay. There were a couple of decent songs outside the single, but the single became such a giant hit for a reason. Nothing else on the album even approaches it in terms of quality. I doubt I will ever listen to this album again.
anglophobia
Don't You Want Me is the only one that really stands out
Don’t you want me is a legit good song, but the rest of it sounds very sophomoric (at least I didn’t find it grating). Ultimately, I don’t think this one is worthy of being on the 1001
These snyth pop albums sound quite boring to me, saves itself with the belter that is "Don't you want me" but other than that this album is quite disappointing. 1.5
Very ‘80s sounding. Doesn’t do much for me
Somethings need to stay in the 80's.
Doesnt really hold up over time.
Not my style
All I can say it's very 80s with heavy electronic and synth. Sometimes it's almost too much. I love 80s music but this just has nothing to it, it's like they released this in the 80s and really went with that theme, but the songs themselevs weren't great. A lot of shouting without really being able to sing. The only good song on this album is, Don't You Want Me.
I have hit or miss enjoyment of most new wave. I don't think I've ever listened to this whole album before now. There's good stuff here beyond just "Don't You Want Me" (my favorite song in 2nd grade, no lie). Open Your Heart is great, Do or Die is fine (though you can pretty much sing the words to Don't You Want Me to this song and it fits - at least with the chorus. They're very similar songs), Get Carter reminds me of John Williams's Close Encounters theme a little. On the other hand, there are some atrocities: I am the Law is horrendous. It's musically all over the place and it seems to advocate for over policing and implies that people can't take care of themselves. Maybe it's meant to be ironic? I dunno - did not care for that one. Seconds is equally terrible. Presumably it's meant to showcase how bad killing others is (not disagreeing), but it's obnoxiously repetitive. Still, overall there are really only two good tracks here, so that's how it's getting rated.
honestly sounded like a cheap imitation of early depeche mode at times.
Had no idea they sung that last song. That's a jam. The rest was like dime store depeche mode.
It’s ok. That last track has always been a banger, though.
80 luku new wave elektro hömpötystä, ihan kivaa kait.. hittasi minuutin pitusella ambientilla ja vittu MAINOSTA SIIHEN....... TÄHTEÄ POIS SIITÄ!!!! olisi kannattanut miettiä tämmösiä asioita, aina ollaan musiikki sitä ja musiikki tätä... ja tässä musiikkkihan on PASKAA!!!!!! ei voi muuta sanoa. mutta sanon silti.. objenktive kaksi i am the law
Pish, but better than Nico, or abba, or Morisey. Not by much though!
It was ok.
Brilliant marketing on the company's part to put the one good song at the very end of the album.
whatever. 2 stars
Two good songs round out an otherwise forgettable album replete with uninspired melodies and lyrics.
This is the type of 80s music that I find hard to like. The odd bit of it is listenable enough, but the majority I find cringy and amateurish. Don't You Want Me is definitely the best of the bunch. They don't compare to the likes of Simple Minds.
I don't know if it's intentional but it sounded pretty cheap and amateurish
I cant imagine who would listen to this more than once
Kyllähän tästä noita hittejä tunnistaa. On vaan aika tasapaksua. Moni muu tehny saman asian samaan aikaan, mutta paremmin. Darkness: kovat synat Vika biisu: kova
Most of the album was pretty bleh. I liked Do or die because the instrumental reminds of old school sonic the hedgehog and I am the law music sounds like stranger things. I think this band would be much better if it took its tone selection and did a more instrumental soundscape album. But I feel their tones sound cheesy when trying to make pop music
New wave, pop con sintetizadores. Un megahit. Rollo. Un 2.
I really hate that this album is the one that inspired synthpop. Not that I hate the genre, that's not the case whatsoever-- I fucking LOVE it. This is just one of the most pointless, uninspiring examples of it. It drains me of energy to listen to 37 minutes of okay-to-LOL material just for a genuine stroke of genius right at the end. I'd really rather something substantial, experimental, inspired AND influential be here-- what about Tin Drum by Japan or The Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto? And I can put you back down, 2(.5/5)
Niet veel aan.
Declaración de intenciones de banda de los 80's, se queda sólo en eso. One hit wonder? Tiene una batería electrónica insoportable.
This is kind of hilarious, really. There's some dark stuff here, but it's all poppy - presidential assassinations, atheism, apartheid, but all to fast, synthesized beats! The 80s were funny. And that last song, the only one anyone has probably ever heard from this...liiiiittle Weinstein-ish.
“Don’t You Want Me” is a classic, but I found myself mildly annoyed and agitated through the rest.
Echt een tegenvaller. Ik had er best hoge verwachtingen van, maar er is imo niks van overgebleven in 2023. Alleen Don't You Want Me is tijdloos, de rest is kaal en hol. Wat een domper.
Shows why album sequencing is so important. If you’re going to have Don’t You Want Me as the closer, the rest of the record has to be all bangers. This is not.
Too much synth pop this week effecting this review.
The amount of listens each song has on spotify explains a lot of this album. Pretty bland aside from dont you want me.
"the book of love has music in it, in fact that's where music comes from, some of it is just transcendental, some of it is just really dumb" my god the last two tracks. how sad they could permeate the rest of the album with anything to support these if not match them also john darnielle did you lift 'california song' from 'seconds', i mean probably not
If it was just don't you want me on loop i wouldnt have been able to tell
Ugh, ikke for meg
Orket ikke hele.
I have been enjoying some of the new wave on this list. This one just seems to be lacking some of the catchy riffs and energy the others have
Truth.
Decent '80s new wave pop album. Nothing spectacular, though it does have the one hit "Don't You Want Me." Not exactly a bad listening experience, but I wasn't wowed, nor was it really revealed to me why this one-hit wonder band deserved a spot on the list. Favorite tracks: Don't You Want Me, Seconds. Album art: Squarshed face centered in a too-big white border with some odd text placements. Very forgettable. 2.5/5
There was one good song, and it was the one I already knew, and it was the last song on the album
Very unmemorable - didn't even notice when it went back to the beginning.
The best way to describe this album is Russel Crowe singing a bad Andrew Lloyd Webber copy. Open Your Heart could have come straight out of Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat because it was just so cheesy, and had that classic Lloyd Webber style of playing the tune over the singer on a random ear piercing instrument (in this case some kind of woodwind). I also found the organ an interesting choice. When it wasn’t sounding like a dodgy musical it was giving fairground vibes.
Never wanting to hear don't you want me, it was a little better than expected
This isn't even bad 80's, it's completely boring 80's. Don't You Want Me is of course the only exception.
DON’T YOU WANT ME BABY? No, no I fucking don’t. Mostly lame, with a couple listenable songs mixed in. I definitely couldn’t beat my meat to it.
I think this is kinda bad haha. Don’t You Want Me Baby is the best one and it’s ok. The lyrics don’t make any fucking sense on the entire album! It was all just weird noises. I think Ross would fit right in with this band.
I feel like this is a band I should like, but I just can’t get into them. It’s not like this is a shit album, but even the most popular song is one I’ll change when it’s on the radio.
Casio keyboard 80’s radio junk. Don’t You Want Me is catchy, but in the most annoying way.
Not for me. Gets an extra point for 'Don't You Want Me'
Kinda shit Reminds me a liiiiitle too much of Talking Heads to be enjoyable. 2
Was gonna be an easy 1 star until Don't You Want Me saved it at the end.
It's alright. Honestly, I've heard much better new wave.
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⠛⠉⠁⠀⠙⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡿⠁⠀⢠⠤⠖⠒⠒⠲⢬⣇⣀⠤⠠⢄⣀⡹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⡯⠁⠀⠀⠀⣠⣴⡶⠖⠲⠾⣢⡠⣴⡲⠶⠶⣶⣝⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⡿⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⢞⣛⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⡿⢶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣾⠿⠷⢶⡶⠶⠶⠟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇⠀⢠⠴⠞⠋⠀⠐⠲⠼⣷⠖⠲⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⠾⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢦⡀⢻⣿⣿⡿⢃⢰⡍⠝⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣵⣖⣓⡲⠦⣤⣤⣄⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣨⡥⢆⣏⢨⠻⡘⣆⣷⡸⣸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⢄⡈⠉⠉⠉⠙⠒⢂⡄⡀⠀⡄⠶⠶⠶⣂⡿⢻⢸⣷⣾⣿⢟⣵⣿ ⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢦⡀⢸⣤⣇⢠⡇⢰⠐⣿⡟⢰⣿⣿⠟⣫⣾⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣶⣶⣤⣤⣄⣀⣀⣀⣙⠻⢿⢿⣿⠖⢫⣾⣿⣷⢸⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢸⣿⣿⡆⣿⣦⡙⢿⣿⣏⣿⣿⣷⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣎⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⣿⢁⣿⣿⣿⣦⡙⣿⢻⣿⣿⡇⢿⣿⣿⣿ ⡝⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣜⢿⣿⣿⡿⢰⣿⣿⣿⢘⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢀⣿⣿⣿⡇⣾⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⡌⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡙⢿⢣⣿⣿⣿⡏⣼⣧⣌⠻⢿⢣⣿⣿⣿⣿⢇⣿⣿⣿⣿
This album is bad. BAD
Ugh. It was OK, but that's the most positive thing I can say bout it.
Considering how iconic the hit is I was expecting a lot from this album and it really doesn't deliver. Disappointing.
Meh
Don't really think I needed to listen to anything more than don't you want me
Don’t u want me baaaabaaaaaayyyyy is only noteworthy song here
80s synth pop that falls short in delivering anything worth relistening to.
i can't take this shit seriously. it's a standard set up of 2 bangers and a load of filler but instead of the filler being insipid dirge it's hilarious wacky keyboard sounds form people who are super serious future goths. it was a nice move to put the bangers at the end of the album though, i think it might have made me listen to more of the album than i would have if they spaffed their load by the second track.
What Bort said
I wonder if one if the tracks influenced Josh Homme. Knew 'Don't You Want Me'
Déjà Don't you want me ça met l'ambiance y a un bon mood
Definitely grew on me. At the end of the day though, this is just not the music for me. It's just too...much...80s! I am what I am! That said, the song Seconds breaks free of the mold and is quite a lovely song about someone killing someone else (the storytelling isn't really the point here). The synths shine spectacularly, it's not overproduced, the vocal melody gives me the repetition that my basic brain craves. I'm into it. The rest, not so much.
Quintessential sound but not for me
Basic 80s album
"Sound of the crowd" first jont that wasn't totally boring. A couple decent songs right there then back to mid again, then "don't you want me", whose lyrics are much more foul than I realized!
Ok 80’s album with 1 hit that everyone knows but the lyrics are creepy
2.5
A pretty fun and simple new wave pop album. Don’t you want me is a classic song heard numerous times. I felt that this was some standard 80s pop which isn’t great pop but it’s easy to listen to. Would listen to a couple songs again but nothing too special. 5.5/10
Some interesting stuff is done with the synth on this album but generic drum machine beats, questionable vocals, and the repetive and often weak lyrics weigh this album down heavily. I'd rather listen to a D.A.R.E seminar
Lokalagið er staðfestur banger. Love action er líka ljómandi gott. Hitt er filler, stundum sæmilegt, stundum ekki. Ég er enginn svakalegur synthakall og þetta dansar á línunni fyrir mig. Held ég hlusti ekki á þessa aftur í heilu lagi.
Very repetitive and pretty bland.
I don’t want it baby
so fake for putting the good song at the end
Don't you want me couldn't save this album for me.
J'ai globalement assez peu apprécié cet album. Dès la troisième piste, alors que l'on est en train de se déplacer dans les hautes herbes, notre joueur s'immobilise et une musique se lance. Nous nous retrouvons alors face à un véritable Roucool de niveau 3. Notre Kaiminus enchainera dès lors les attaques « griffe » tandis que le Roucool répondra par des « vives-attaques » très peu efficaces. Le combat sera finalement remporté mais nous laissera sur nos gardes jusqu'à la fin de l'album.
Zep is still refining its sound and covering songs here. However, an album that includes a song like “Baby I’m Gonna Leave You” could not be considered as bad. “Good Times, Bad Times” is one of the most rocking songs in history.
Thinking about what I dislike the most: new wave or synth pop
It was okay...
Unfortunately, the only song I enjoyed was ''Don't you want me''. It's such a classic and I feel the song is better structured then the other songs. I usually enjoy the synth style of the 80's but the other song on that album just doesn't do it for me.
Some songs are not bad
New wave mania. Favorite Track: Don't You Want Me Relisten: Maybe
Vill gilla det här albumet mer än jag gör men faller inte helt på plats. Ibland spricker molnen upp och man skymtar något slags storhet bakom vad som annars är rätt mediokert. Vissa basslingor SLAPS, vilket kommuniceras med snygg mixning. Det känns lite som att lyssna på Kraftwerk, jag känner att det BORDE vara bra men klickar bara på kanske 3 låtar..
Av all bra synthpop som finns så väljer de human league? texterna är pinsamma och låtarna är inte ens catchy? Möjligtvis att don't you want me Har Något, men den är egentligen lite för långsam för att vara dansant.
The song is okay (kind of monotonous in beat/tone, for me) but I like the sentiment and really appreciate this simple truth of the opening track's chorus: Everybody needs love and adventure Everybody needs cash to spend Everybody needs love and affection Everybody needs 2 or 3 friends Fittingly, the song is called The Things That Dreams Are Made Of, and grander things are mentioned, but I think this basic list is poignant. Besides that, Don't You Want Me was really the only song that I liked.
cheesy 80's pop with the famous song at the end. didnt really vibe
Goed 80's vibeje maar zal het niet snel zelf opzetten
A single long transport to the album's best and last song.
about as 80s as it gets
Not a fan of synth pop. Not in love with the singing. But I did enjoy the lyrics and there were a few head bopping songs.
1981: Don't You Want Me Baby, Darkness
Synth-pop is wasn't into in the 80s, and still am not into it.
It was ok
Maybe it's because I'm older but I don't enjoy this as much now as I did in the 80s.
2.5
“Don’t You Want Me” is a bop but everything else was pretty boring and the vocalist delivery and style came across really monotone throughout. At the time I would suspect the synth mixed with pop was really ground breaking and interesting but now it just sounds dated.
Meh... It's about what I would have expected. Not really for me
It wasn’t bad, I just wasn’t a huge fan.
A couple of songs I remember.
Generally, this kind of 80s electric stuff is a bit of fun but not really my thing. I did enjoy parts and wouldn't be adverse to listening again but it's more for banter. Having said that, Don't You Want Me is an absolute tune and Open Your Heart is pretty good. I'm going to be slightly harsh here with a 2/5, just because there are so many albums to review but it could be a 3.
Only gave it one listen. Thought it was alright, but the singing was a bit flat and dull, the choruses weren't very punchy, and I don't think that the synth-heavy sound aged so well. But yeah when it first came out I reckon it sounded proper edgy and unique, so maybe I'd have liked it back in the day. It could grow on me with more listens but it would take a long time.
Every time sounds very similar to the one before. Last song is a classic, but what's that different about it compared to the previous 9?
A little too samey for me, singers voice is good but it all started to blend a little too much
Not for me!
Tried to like it, but it’s just *so* boring. Would’ve been 1 star until the last song. Guess that means I want you, Dare! OhhhhWoahhhhh
1.5 - pretty dull melodies, basic lyrics. may have been good for its day. nothing stands out.
Not the best album but a fun 80s sound. And of course you can’t forget the banger don’t you want me
Do or die
Some fun sounds but new wave is... pretty lame
Idée intéressante et sûrement très innovante pour l'époque mais vraiment dépassée.
The big hit at the end is great but I found the whole thing a bit flat and dull, probably more into rock music these days than the synth sound.
Did not care for this at all. Very boring.
Groundbreaking at the time but, the singles apart, nothing here to get too excited about these days. Definitely of its time.
One good song does not make an album. Very 80s
Kuin olis katsonut pornoa ilman kuvaa?
Because of the ‘don’t you want me’ this album transcends decades. But every other song is bad.
overal i find the album kind of boring
Banebrydende elektronisk pop, synthesizer, 80’er
Not even my app time favorite song can save this from being a dud
Pretty good synth-pop. Don't you want me baby hit
The author of this book shouldn't have been allowed to add so much of this fucking late 70s/early 80s new wave post punk pop garbage... I mean sure it was big at the time but it all just sounds the fucking same and he's only got 1001 albums to fit in here... surely all this new wave is taking up space better albums could've had... 2/5 because that's as low as I want to go unless it's actively fucking awful. This stuff is never downright awful, just annoying.
This is straight trash
Crap in the 80's and it definitely hasn't got any better. I've got 80's PTSD.
Pls stop with the 80s music, this decade should actually be banned
No thanks
dnf
These synth sounds are so shitty. The lead singer's voice so weak. The songwriting bores the hell out of me. Even the great hit at the end is awful. Can't imagine why anybody in their right mind would choose to listen to this. 0.5/5 - nearly unlistenable
1/5
listened to spotify track previews and did not like any of the experimental synthpop sounds. Their big hit from the album, Don't You Want Me, is more palatable to mainstream-pop at the time. it's better and I sorta like it. shelved 1/10.
The Human League - Dare! (1981) This was 100% an 80s albums with a bunch of synth sounds and things like that. I wasn't a fan if I'm going to be honest. I think the reason because it wasn't a lot of singing, it felt more like talking. I wouldn't listen to again. Maybe I'm not a Human League fan. Album Rank: 2.2 Favorite Song: Don't you want me
Bad streak lately
interesting…
I was never a fan of Don’t You Want Me. Turns out it was the “best” song on the album.
I would falsely confess to having committed an unsolved murder and endure a life sentence in prison just to ensure I never have to hear this again.
What actually killed Lester Bangs? Was it the opioids? Or listening to this, making him want to take a bunch of opioids?
Nope - plain old 80's synth pop. yawn
snark
Really hate this genre
Not for me
The first time I listened to this I put it in my top 50. Now, I’m wondering how his voice is so annoying. He needs to be kicked out, and that girl should become the lead singer.
⭐ Inte min grej. Bara tråkigt. Skulle klarat mig från att ha hört detta album och kommer inte lyssna på det igen.
most 80s album ever. some of the songs had a weird predator vibe to them.... savior complex... just an unpleasant vibe. a controlling man who thinks too highly of himself. "Success has been so easy for you But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now And I can put you back down too" and "You're lucky I care For fools like you You're lucky I'm there To stop people doing the things That you know they're dying to do You know I am no stranger I know rules are a bore But just to keep you from danger I am the law"
Listened to each song for as long as I could stand the vocals. Never got through a whole track...
This is not my type of music
Fuuuck The Human League.
Vocals were not my favorite
Just listen to Depeche Mode.
Hate this
My 100th 1/5 rating. This really wasn't enjoyable. It's like a really bad mix of Kraftwerk and Joy Division.
I imagine that this album sounded like the future when it was released. But this album is a stack of cold, digital sounds that attempt to be a facsimile of music, while never really getting there. There was one track, perhaps Seconds, late in the album that had a warmth of decent modern electronic music. Otherwise, the rest of this album, including Don't You Want Me, is an easy pass for me.