Reviews (page 7 of 8)
First 3 songs are good. Middle songs are bleh. Last 2 songs are good. I disavow Get Carter. Ez 3.
IDNTHT
It's okay, this didn't need to be on the list.
Pish, but better than Nico, or abba, or Morisey. Not by much though!
It was ok.
Not my cup of tea, but I recognized some songs, one that I really enjoy.
Good fun album with surprisingly good songs. It’s obviously a sound of an era but the songs transcend it. And now in hindsight those synths sounds are gorgeous.
Some might describe this as the pinnacle of 80s synth pop, and in many ways they've got it right. The problem I have with this is that it's a culmination, something that almost allows no further refinement. To go further with this would mean changing it into something else, distinct and different to what it already is.
it was ok
Enjoyable but I'm not sure I'll ever come back to it.
Favourite tracks: things that dreams are made of; love action; don't you want me; seconds
I really enjoy synthpop and love that big 80s feeling. There were some really standout tracks on this one.
Brilliant marketing on the company's part to put the one good song at the very end of the album.
Apparently Philip Oakley thought 'Don't You Want Me' was the weakest song on the album, so relegated it to the final track on Side B and was unhappy with the record company's decision to release it as a single. Perhaps an example of an artists' inability to be objective about their own work, as although this is a generally strong album, DYWM is a legit banger and the best thing on the record by a long way. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Don't You Want Me Date listened: 26/08/23
Seems to me like standard synth-pop. I mean, I don't know jack shit about this genre, so it's probable I don't get its importance. Anyway, it's nice, but it doesn't have anything special.
Some solid hits on here, high 3 with personal preference stopping me from rating it higher
If you took the entire recorded output of Yes, King Crimson and ELP, added it together and multiplied it by 3, that level of pretentiousness would still be less than that of the morose, navel-gazing catalog of synth-pop bullshit contained in the 1001 Albums list. In closing, let me sing you a portion of the “Don’t You Want Me?” x 1001 Albums Generator parody song I’ve written: [synth sounds] I was bored of working at my nine to five When I met you I got online, I signed right up You told me that you Would turn me on to something new Now one year later on you've got me losing my mind Assigning albums 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? Don't Don't you want me? You know I can't believe it when I get another synth pop record Don't Don't you want me? You know I don't believe you when you say that it’s the last one You think that this is fine? You think that I don’t mind? One more OMD album and I’ll be leaving here for good this time… Don't you want me, baby? Don't you want me? Noooooo! Don't you want me, baby? Don't you want me? Noooooo!
Nice, not special except for the one song... just as so many other times.
whatever. 2 stars
It's crazy how much they rip off Kraftwerk's general sound while making it sound stupid.
Two good songs round out an otherwise forgettable album replete with uninspired melodies and lyrics.
Love them or hate them, the Human League wrote the definition of synth music and set the bar for the rest of the 1980s. I've always liked their music, it was something different from the 70s sound, but it did become a bit bland as they sought commercial success. This album isn't bad, although not as fresh and raw in that post punk period as their first single Being Boiled in 1978, which is worth a listen.
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
3/5. Honestly a lot more enjoyable than I was expecting after the first song. Synth solos and pop music galore. However, every song does sound the same. It was still a fun listen though.
Kyllähän tästä noita hittejä tunnistaa. On vaan aika tasapaksua. Moni muu tehny saman asian samaan aikaan, mutta paremmin. Darkness: kovat synat Vika biisu: kova
3,5! Kepeää ja keveää poppista.
I like the sound very much. Too bad they sold out after this one.
More low-key than the single would have predicted but still a vibe
Don't You Want Me is the blockbuster song but the rest of the album is very 80s pop
One of my favorites! Standouts: Don't You Want Me, The Things That Dreams are Made of, The Sound of the Crowd, Love Action, Seconds, Open Your Heart, Get Carter/I Am the Law, Do or Die, Darkness and Hard Times (Bonus). Yes. It is an amazing album. Start to finish, it is absolutely perfect. This was one the first albums I ever bought. It will always be special to me. 5/5
If you like the human league you’ll like this. Apart from the remixes but I suppose they need to be taken in context of remixes and electronic music being fairly new on a mainstream album so they didn’t want to rock the boat too much.
Most likely this album was included on the list to present a snapshot of popular music at a moment in time, rather than for its artistic merit. It's not actually bad, but it's also really not great. Few very skippable tracks, only seemed to reach a good level during the last two.
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
V Strong 3, big 80s synth pop dance vibe, catchy catchy, goes on for a bit with a lot of the same stuff
Ваще не выкупила прикола......
10/10 one of the best New-Wave albums I’ve ever heard — endlessly creative
Some interesting ideas, can hear the stereotypical 80's sound for sure.
This was okay. Extremely forgettable but not unenjoyable. 3.5
Album 107 of 1001 The Human League - Dare Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Track : Don't You Want Me A decent album for its genre. While all other songs aren't as strong, the hit song from it is pretty much iconic for the times. We all know that she was working as a waitress at a cocktail bar...that much is true.
New wave, pop con sintetizadores. Un megahit. Rollo. Un 2.
New wave, synth-pop, Son los de Don't You Want Me. Bien, está bien. 3. 80's
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)
De eerste paar nummers zaten met niet lekker, maar moet toegeven dat het uiteindelijk helemaal niet verkeerd was.
Heel eighties. Wel leukish
Ik hou van het 80s geluid, en sommige nummers zijn echt heel sterk en poppy. Maar word ik hier als mens nou echt beter van? Mwa. (Wacht.... had ik dat niet al eerder gezegd?)
Niet veel aan.
the human league's dare had some heavy synth! with the intense synth sounds, the album definitely came across as dark. but oh my gosh, some of these beats were delicious. i heard some similarities with kraftwerk, who did predate them (no shade meant! it's just good to know who influenced who). like kraftwerk, their electronic/synth sounds definitely were more on the experimental side. an educating listen, to be sure. "don't you want me baby," as the fourth single, is absolutely bonkers to me, considering how it's their most famous song by far. it's a fun album closer, though.
This is one new wave band that I have never bothered to check out outside of their huge hit, "Don't You Want Me". All throughout, this is fun new wave that is extra heavy on the synth (and man, are there some excellent synth hooks in here)! I imagine the heavy is due to what is some obviously strong influence from the German electronica space. This also definitely has a David Bowie quality to it that is undeniable and unmissable. I would say the album as a whole is a bit eclipsed by and doesn't quite reach that same peak as "Don't You Want Me", but still a fun ride in early new wave space!
Seconds and Don't you want are such great songs. The rest of album is just ok, a bit bland at times.
Seconds and Don’t You Want Me were the highlights for me and are very different songs appealing in different ways. Much of the rest was kind of generic 80’s synth pop.
Pretty standard synth-pop. The single still holds up.
I quite enjoyed this one. Of course you can't escape Don't You Want Me, but the rest of it I liked a lot as well. Heavy synth-pop that I found myself bobbing my head and tapping my toe to. Would listen to this one again.
Declaración de intenciones de banda de los 80's, se queda sólo en eso. One hit wonder? Tiene una batería electrónica insoportable.
Gewoon prima weetje
Very synth pop from the 80s, ends on a band with Don't you want me.
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.
I do love me some synth heavy 80s pop, so this hit the spot. It has several really great tracks, and the filler is pretty pleasant and fun too. I don't know that I would listen to this frequently, but I really liked it. 3.5/5, rounding up just to be nice.
Super synthy and classic new wave 80s sounds. "Don't You Want Me" by far the most popular megahit but the rest wasn't bad either. I liked "Love Action". I've listened to alot of music from this era so far and this is electronica done right, even though it's from '81. 8/10.
Was going to say very 80's but instead it's defining 80's. some may hate it but it's such a strong statement of what music was and could be at this time. 5
Enjoyable 80's style. Crazy time period.
Very 80s. Probably an album that helped define the decade. A lot of the songs sound similar. "Don't you want me" is great.
I can totally see how this is an influential 80's album. Really has a classic early-80's sound. I mean I grew up listening to Don't You Want Me. I think this album was fine
3.5 Good jams, Dont You Want Me is an all timer and amazing one to end on
SYNTH!
I liked it, synth heavy which makes it fun, and is kind of like 50% of the way to Talking Heads
I'm a bit of a synth slut cause I like this.
This should be preserved as a human artifact of synthesizer usage in 1981. Holy crap this has lots of authentic 80’s Casio Keybord goodness! Simple beats underlying a HOF synth effort. And best of all, their only hit is left for the final track, like the sweet cherry at the bottom of a 1981 Old Fashioned.
Good very 80's sounding pop.
Some classics but probably not something I'd go back to.
“Don’t You Want Me” is a classic, but I found myself mildly annoyed and agitated through the rest.
Boring. Not until the last track did they show any life, passion, or variety, which made a great single and exposed the rest of the album in even worse light.
pure 80s vibes
I would put this album maybe one step above the soft cell and a-ha albums and a few steps below the eurythmics album in that the whole thing revolves around one song and the rest of the tracks are just fine. Not dumb like the first two albums or good like the other album I mentioned, just whatever. Unfortunately, dont you want me isn't as strong of a single as take on me so it gets the same--maybe slightly higher--score as hunting high and low.
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.
Pretty decent 80s jams
и это тоже, знаем, любим
Still sounds great Synths rarely sounded better
Every synthpop album of the 80's must reckon with the question "what are we doing that's better/different from Kraftwerk?". New Order has a post-punk background with immaculate production. Depeche Mode had a darkness that reflected on the human condition in modern society. The Human League had BEATS. This album feels like The Human League putting the emphasis on the wrong syllable: there's far too much focus on glossy, shiny synth sounds and not the incredible rhythms that they've stacked track after track. Do Or Die would almost certainly go on to inspire LCD Soundsystem's approach to crafting a danceable beat. I dislike everything else about Dare!. Side B opens with a lot of conceptual minimalist synth that meanders until the song Seconds, which brings us back to the rhythmic goodness of Human League's drums and bass synths. For all of the hit-or-miss of Dare!, I thought it was oddly good. I think it is quirky enough that I enjoyed the earnest weird synth parts of the Human League. Also ends on a strong note.
Some classic pop, some slightly going nowhere pop. Very of its time.
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.
I imagine this is what people have no choice but to listen to in places like Guantanamo Bay.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Do You Want Me (10) 2 - Seconds (8) 3 - The Sound Of The Crowd (3)
It's alright I think, doesn't blow the doors off but there isn't really anything offensive there either. Also has a very samey sound throughout the album which I guess comes with the early synth territory
This album is actually such a great listen. So many catchy beats and hooks on every song. Great fun from start to finish
The amount of listens each song has on spotify explains a lot of this album. Pretty bland aside from dont you want me.
no
Amazing synths, nice rhythms, has aged well
I'm sad that Don't You Want Me ended up being the best song on the album. This was perfectly fine, but I found myself hoping that most of the songs would do something more. My favourite song was Don't 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
This was good! Much better than I expected, knowing only the big hit but thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. Not one I’m going to be knocking down doors to buy but good fun nonetheless!
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
Another essentiel 80’s album. Like it
“Don’t You Want Me” is definitely a founding 1980s New Wave single, and it’s hard to remember a time in my life when I didn’t know the song. The rest of this album is interesting and sometimes good, but other than the single/last song, most of the songs feel incomplete. New Wave developed quickly after albums like this, and you can hear how it influenced later electronic music… but I wanted a little more…
Plenty of hits. Good stuff.
Truth.
If you change your mind, you better change it back or we will both be sorry. Interesting lyric to a very popular song. Just funny how lyrics were back in the day of "oh you don't like me? Well you better or you'll be sorry.". Either way, this was an enjoyable album to close out the week. We got that classic single, along with some other fun ones on here. There were a few skips as well, this is a UK band that seems like it was ahead of it's time back then, but a little outdated now.
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
Own on Vinyl
Fun and catchy!
Genres: New wave, synth-pop Formed: Sheffield in 1977 Run time: 10 songs, 40 min, 53 sec I haven’t heard the first track before, but Philip Oakey’s vocals are instantly recognisable. A couple of tracks have less than 1M listens on Spotify, but most are well over 1M listens. “Don’t You Wany Me” has almost 400M listens. It’s a great album, well worth a listen. My Rating: ****
хз
Great 80’s synth bop
Feel like this one might grow on me. I had heard Don't You Want Me and Seconds before, but never the full album. So clear how massive of an influence they had on bands like LCD Soundsystem and MGMT. 4/5
No. No more lamé 80’s synths. I’m done. Again, an album that’s here just because a one hit wonder. Fuck off.
Better than expected
At first I thought I was getting another 80s synth-pop/nu-wave album styling. Then I looked at the song list, right at the very end, is probably one of the best songs of the 80s 'Don't You Want Me'. Looking back the lyrics are somewhat concerning, yet gives the female protagonist a voice to move forward with her life when the relationship comes to an end, and move onto bigger and better things. Overall it was a great album and really opened up the 80s to the new sound of the synth. Best: Don't You Want Me Worst: I Am The Law
Mostly faded into the background, but that last song… now that will get stuck in your head.
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.
Full on concentrated 80s new wave synth
As much as I dislike this era of music, this isn't terrible
Hell no. Just no. What is this garbage? Gross. No.
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.
first listen, very new wavy. Apart from the last track which is iconic nothing really stands out to me as brilliant
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.
I enjoyed what I heard although I didn’t fully finish listening to it. It was a very different sound in the 80s and was nostalgic. 3*
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
very good, although some also very bad singing....it's the genre.
Meh. One good song and the rest is either them trying to sound like Devo, or them trying to sound the like The Cure trying to sound like Devo. It's like that period of the 80's new wave all had the same producer who couldn't get out of their own way.
Was gonna be an easy 1 star until Don't You Want Me saved it at the end.
Really good album. Those myths a fantastic and ends with a popular stalker about an abusive boyfriend. Great.
It's alright. Honestly, I've heard much better new wave.
Hated it from the first note - until the last song which, admittedly, is catchy. But it also always made me feel dirty. It's such a creepy-stalker song. "Don't forget it's me who put you where you are now / and I can put you back down too"? "You better change your mind or we will both be sorry"? Gross.
4 stars - super fun, will revisit.
⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⠛⠉⠁⠀⠙⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡿⠁⠀⢠⠤⠖⠒⠒⠲⢬⣇⣀⠤⠠⢄⣀⡹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⡯⠁⠀⠀⠀⣠⣴⡶⠖⠲⠾⣢⡠⣴⡲⠶⠶⣶⣝⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⡿⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⢞⣛⠋⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⡿⢶⣶⣶⣶⣶⣾⠿⠷⢶⡶⠶⠶⠟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇⠀⢠⠴⠞⠋⠀⠐⠲⠼⣷⠖⠲⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⠾⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⢦⡀⢻⣿⣿⡿⢃⢰⡍⠝⣿ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣵⣖⣓⡲⠦⣤⣤⣄⣀⣀⣀⣀⣀⣨⡥⢆⣏⢨⠻⡘⣆⣷⡸⣸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠐⢄⡈⠉⠉⠉⠙⠒⢂⡄⡀⠀⡄⠶⠶⠶⣂⡿⢻⢸⣷⣾⣿⢟⣵⣿ ⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢦⡀⢸⣤⣇⢠⡇⢰⠐⣿⡟⢰⣿⣿⠟⣫⣾⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣶⣶⣤⣤⣄⣀⣀⣀⣙⠻⢿⢿⣿⠖⢫⣾⣿⣷⢸⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢸⣿⣿⡆⣿⣦⡙⢿⣿⣏⣿⣿⣷⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣎⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⣿⣿⣿⢁⣿⣿⣿⣦⡙⣿⢻⣿⣿⡇⢿⣿⣿⣿ ⡝⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣜⢿⣿⣿⡿⢰⣿⣿⣿⢘⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢀⣿⣿⣿⡇⣾⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⡌⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡙⢿⢣⣿⣿⣿⡏⣼⣧⣌⠻⢿⢣⣿⣿⣿⣿⢇⣿⣿⣿⣿
Enjoyed the energy of some of the songs. But lots of synth isn't my favorite.
This album is bad. BAD
Decent. Got old after a bit, soft 3
Score: 80 Album art: 70 Penis music The lyrics are a lot darker than I expected. Some songs are just good but others are great, darkness was my favorite. Being before the 80s I feel like this was probably ahead of the game. Enjoyable album
It's Dare! It's a Casio on a Plastic Beach. This is cool Atari, beep boop, robot rock music. This is a product of its time and that is okay. It's a great, influential beginning to a wonderful decade of awesome music. This sound is often trying to be recreated, often used as a gimmick, but this one is original and authentic. Neat that their biggest hit is the last song (and it's incredible, also creepy and incel-ish).
4.5/5 I love every song on this album.
Ugh. It was OK, but that's the most positive thing I can say bout it.
This was really, really good.
Strange synth pop made by synthetic, futuristic, robotic aliens. Stilted in such a way that I think is intentional. Straddles a line between too poppy for avant garde, but not weird enough. Fun enough. Favorite tracks: "The Thing Dreams Are Made Of", "Do Or Die", "Don't You Want Me"
light 4
Considering how iconic the hit is I was expecting a lot from this album and it really doesn't deliver. Disappointing.
Meh
Baaanger. Except for the first two tracks of side B (they’re basically one song), those were a little wank
Koola elektronix
It is pretty decent new wave. Not my favorite from the genre, but in the range of new wave it earns its keep. "I Am The Law" was my top song outside of the closing track. Speaking of the last track, it is fucking amazing and bumps this from a 3 to a 4 star album for me. At the start I wasn't sure if it would make it there, but damn "Don't You Want Me" is an amazing track.
'Don't You Want Me' is of course a classic. The opening track 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of' was also a good song. Although I get the significance of this album it's too much synthesizers and 80's for my taste. 3/5
Budget Depeche Mode
Good album. Very synth heavy sounds with a lot of different things going on. Last song is a classic gotta love it.
Last song = best song. Otherwise nothing special about this very 80s album. It is very background 80s music.
A terriblely good example of how bad the 80s could get when it really tried. Less this and more Sparks please and thank you. Have come to the unfortunate realisation that Don't You Want Me Baby was a fluke, and on reflection (or at least in the context of it's album) not a very good song in the first place.
A true classic of 80s techno. Everyone knows "Don't You Want Me (Baby)?" but there are many other great 80s club hits on this album, starting with the lead off "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of".
Crappy synth pop. Lousy singer. And a song that I loathe. Great combo.
Of course I know "Don't You Want Me", but I'm not 100% sure I had ever heard another Human League song before. I went into this expecting it to be alright (they are, after all, referenced in LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" so they have to be decent) but I was pleasantly surprised by an all around excellent synth-pop album. The only real complaint I have is that I feel like this mastering doesn't sound "big" enough except on "Don't You Want Me" where the synths really punch through and there's more bass. I can't bring myself to give it 5 stars but it's a very solid 4.
Not bad. Lovely synths. I vibe with those. Bit generic maybe. I dislike the last song.
I think that this album gets overshadowed a lot when talking about good 80's album. It embodies so well the capacity that good synthpop has of bringing pop sensibilities while staying very artistically interesting and genre-defining. Don't You Want Me is a timeless classic at this point, but many songs here are absolute bangers, like Love Action and Things That Dreams Are Made Of. 8,4/10
I liked it, but nothing too special.
I wish I was born in the 80s
Don't really think I needed to listen to anything more than don't you want me
80’s flashback. Nice
Don’t u want me baaaabaaaaaayyyyy is only noteworthy song here
You've got to sit through the entire album to get to the good bits. I'm going to ding a star for Get Carter. Why did that need to be remastered?
The synth stylings are a bit a product of their time... though it is wrapped around a pretty decent set of songs. Most of them are an interesting listen, though nothing quite stands out as well as Don't You Want Me. Enjoyable.
Nice
Very 80’s. Only recognized the last song. Can’t say I’m a huge fan but glad I was exposed to it
okay
After two albums of attempting to be Sheffield's answer to Kraftwerk, Philip Oakley and his Human League had to undergo dramatic changes (Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh leaving to form Heaven 17) and conjure up what would become one of the more defining synth-pop sounds of the early 80s and beyond. With Dare!, Human League not only revitalized itself but assimilated themselves into what would become the juggernaut of music consumption with the sound that could only be absorbed wholeheartedly by the crowd. These are the things that dreams are, indeed, made of. Favorites: The Things That Dreams Are Made Of, The Sound of the Crowd, Do or Die, I Am the Law, Seconds, Love Action (I Believe in Love), Don't You Want Me.
That was so hard to listen to and none of it was enjoyable. God, I hate early 1980’s synth-pop type music.
Side B is 5 star
Right up my street. Catchy melodies, luscious synths, smart lyrics. The 80s in a single album.
ooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOO DON'T DON'T U WANT ME
Its interesting as a cultural artifact of the early 1980s and early synth pop.
New York, ice cream, TV, travel, good times Norman Wisdom, Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, good times These are the things These are the things The things that dreams are made of These are the things
Good! Didn't amaze me but I enjoyed it and I can see it's influence.
6/10. Don’t you want me is classic, and there were some interesting synth sounds , but it really felt like a one-hit-wonder list inclusion.
6/10. Don't you want me sounded like it always does, do or die was pretty good, the rest was pretty forgettable.
This one hit wonder group was smart enough to put their hit at the end of the album! 5/10
1980s me loved this. 2020s me may have outgrown it.
One all-time pantheon song that stands so far above the other songs on the album to make them all sound like filler. Don't You Want Me works so well because it's a duet, which makes me wonder if the other songs would benefit from a little less Phillip Oakey, who gets annoying after a while. But they'll always have Don't You Want Me, a classic that alone warrants a spot on the list.
cool
80s synth pop that falls short in delivering anything worth relistening to.
Sounds like something Gus listened to as inspiration
Great album
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
Likely on this list solely for "Don't You Want Me," which was indeed a critical pop breakthrough. But "Fascination" and some very early stuff aside, little stands out in their catalogue.
Quite fun to listen to
Decent 80s synth pop album. Liked the song Darkness. Kind of like ah ha
Yes! 80’s pop is very much to my taste. Even better, I’m pretty sure I only know one song from this album, which means I’ll have a lot to discover and (hopefully) enjoy a lot. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Don’t You Want Me Favourites: Don’t You Want Me, Open Your Heart, Love Action It saddens me that nobody seems to make music like this any more. The sound of the drums, the overuse of synths, the style of singing - it all got stuck in the 80s and never made it further. Perhaps it may have overstayed it’s welcome if it did continue longer, but I do wish we still had new music to look forward to that sounded like this. My only critique is that I Am The Law felt much less exciting to me, but otherwise this was full of very good songs. If you’ve somehow never heard The Human League before, I’d be happy to recommend trying this album.
Sound, songwrighting and singing are all par for the course for early 80s wave music, but this is generally a pretty uneven record. Singing-wise, Philip Oakey aims for all the right notes, but misses too often. This, too, is a trademark of that kind of music, but one that I never was particularly fond of. Most songs are quite dark, but not all too memorable - except the obvious hit "Don't You Want Me". For this alone I'll raise by rating by .5 points. Without it, this album would have been very disappointing. 2.5/5.
I wonder if one if the tracks influenced Josh Homme. Knew 'Don't You Want Me'
Here’s what I find interesting about this album. The last song, “Don’t You Want Me” is not the best song on the album but a logical conclusion to it. Really cool to see the progression in a single album in a transformative era.
Surprisingly good and inventive for a synth-pop album. The synths, and the songs in general actually, are a bunch of hit-and-miss. When they did hit though, it's very nice and groovy, they have the haunting synth sounds that I love about '80s pop. It's definitely a daring, albeit monotonous, synth-pop album. The popular tracks hit it, and they hit it well.
Not as up beat as expected
Déjà Don't you want me ça met l'ambiance y a un bon mood
Human League is a group I've always had on my "need to check them out more" list. This album has highs and lows for me. I love all of the synths being used, but there are some tunes where the use of portamento is kind of exhausting. But songs like Do or Die and Don't You Want Me are undeniable bangers. Overall good, I would give this a spin again. 3.5/5
Decent, but nothing amazing. I was a little bored, and could tell I wouldn't revisit. 2.75/5
New wave really is more of a singles genre than an albums. That’s probably why Substance is the only New Order album I only. “Don’t You Want Me” is a triumph of the genre, but most else os forgettable. C
This wasn’t an amazing album. It was pretty typical 80s synth-pop. Although, I did enjoy the use of auto tuned cat meows as the lead instrument for Love Action. Overall, there were three songs I kind of liked(Love Action, Don’t You Want Me, The Things Dreams are Made Of). The rest was really forgettable.
Beautiful
Запомнил только Don't you want me baby, пушто единственная раньше была в плейлисте. Годные синты, тот самый "дебильный" по моим детским меркам звук, который стал нравится в 20+. Но хочется уже выйти за рамки 20 века, и особенно 80-ых. Может, новый альбом хотя бы 2000ых?
Lovely little album. Can't help but feel that they're a one hit wonder with Don't You Want Me, but I don't know anything about The Human League.
It took me a bit, but I'm really getting into this record. The first songs to really catch my attention were "I Am The Law" and "Seconds." Those slower tracks seem stranger to me. More weird soundscapes and bizarre little accents crafted with the synths. (There's a fantastic LCD Soundsystem cover of "Seconds" that is worth checking out!) Those strange, early-synth/electronic Kraftwerk-inspired elements are evident elsewhere in the record. But, coming to this record from 2022, it was hard for me to get into the sound which (A.) has been parodied and mimicked to death, (B.) reeks distinctly of chart-topping pop music from a decade I don't particularly care for, and (C.) sounds cheesy and dated in the same way proto-CGI work in a film always feels cheesy and dated. But, as with those film effects, such knee-jerk aversions to early technology in art are best looked past as they really have very little to do with the music. It's just the unfortunate effect of perspective. So, now that I'm into it, I'm digging it. I think the second half of the album, from the instrumental "Get Carter" through the immortal "Don't You Want Me," is seriously fantastic stuff. The front half still feels a little single-focused to me, and a bit less cohesive. But it doesn't take at all away from the album's flow. I think that kind of pro/faux-commercial wink is a very important part of the band's identity, as it was many other bands of the era from Devo to Frankie Goes to Hollywood and even some 80s Bowie. The band name as well as the album title and art—such weird stuff going on with typeface and that cropping haha—certainly supports that. Overall, it's an amazing, essential album buoyed by what is quite possibly an even more amazing backstory behind it's creation. (Seriously, has no one made a movie about this yet?) I've had a great time jamming to this today and an incredible turn around with it. I went in thinking it would be a 3. But honestly, think I'm going to give it a 5! I can't think of any good reason why I shouldn’t.
At first I really disliked this album. Mostly because the suite of retro synths, drum machines, and digital reverbs used in "Dare" has become so associated with 80s tropes that it was difficult for me to access it as anything other than a gimmick. I also feel like lyrics were less of a priority for the members of the band than were sound design and melody. As a result several songs on the album sounded like perfectly decent synth instrumentals that had been retrofitted with lines from a children's book or a teenager's diary. I'm not sure if saying that the writers were being intentionally trite for ironic effect would be giving them too much credit, or if my "modern" ear (trained on the irony of such genres as vapor wave and hyper pop) imbues anything so directly commercial sounding with an implicit sardonicism, or if indeed this was all part of the intended affect. Despite all this, perhaps I was rewired by the sparks and glam and 80s circuitry, because I was really enjoying this album by the time it ended. "The Sound of the Crowd" was the first one that caught my ear, because of the strange vocal processing at the end of the chorus and the unconventional songwriting style in general. I also really liked "Darkness", "Do or Die", "Seconds" and "I am the Law" for similar sound design reasons. There were times when the drum machines struck up a great groove, and the synth arpeggios tickled the stereo field in a way that still felt fresh to my nostalgia-suspicious ear. The weakest song for me was actually the single "Don't You Want Me"; the writing feels a bit clunky to me. As a whole, this album is pretty good! I wish I could have heard this when it first came out to hear how it was situated in its contemporary cultural environment. I don't think I had a good angle of approach from the launch pad of all the "Stranger-Things"-type shows and reheated synthwave tropes that abound in today's cultural repertoire, but the trail that "Dare" blazed still feels interesting, if now a little over-trodden.
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.
Like DJ said... I liked it the more I got into it. At first I was a bit lost and distracted by the lyrics, which are somewhat jarring. The second listen was where it started to come together for me. I read that this was a radically new sound, that really nothing like this had been done, and that nobody was clear (even up to the last minute) whether it was any good or not. That made me understand the album more... it's unintentionally groundbreaking. It does feel a little bit effortless in a funny way, and not contrived. I liked it the more I got into it.
As one reviewer on 1001 Albums Generator so eloquently puts it: “A synth-pop 80s purgatory is a better place to be than a 80s post-punk hell.” I don’t feel that I’m in purgatory listening to this album, but I do feel a little cleaner afterwards. I like 80s synth pop! ABBA, Laura Branigan, Tears for Fears. Maybe it was because I took a small taste of the first track at 6:58am, but those synths slap a little hard and that main vocal feels too forward in the mix and too gravely. I really just wanted Laura Branigan to start singing I guess. It was fun to read everyone else’s reviews first because I’m handing in my homework late. DJ, Jacob, and Charlie all had a very similar takes, which is funny. You all did some major take-backs by the end of your reviews. I don’t have the curse of listening with a producer’s/musician’s ear, so I embraced this album with no questions of irony or prejudices of commercial ambitions. I enjoyed it! I can see myself dancing to it while cooking! It’s a 3/5 for me.
So this is at least an automatic 3 if only because of "Don't You Want Me", which is an absolute monster classic. But Open Your Heart and The Sound of the Crowd have a lot of the same DNA as that monster classic, which makes them very enjoyable in their own right. Do or Die is alternately bouncy and dark and moody and totally works even though the vocals and synths don't sound like they should work together at all. Side 2 is a bit more scattered - I Am the Law doesn't work despite having a similar template as Do or Die. A couple of friends and I are all doing independent listening projects concurrently - I'm maybe 15 albums in front of them. One of them rated this album 1 star, which I think I can understand since I was 7 when that monster classic hit #1 in the US, and a lot of what I listened to or saw on early MTV sounds somewhat similar (and was everywhere), while they are a few years younger than me. I was harsh on Dylan in an earlier review for seemingly coasting on older folks' nostalgia, but here I am doing the same thing with The Human League of all things. Hmm.
I went through the whole album without knowing what the last song would be which was a fun exciting way to end it because I’ve known that song 4ever. Other than that the album was funny and strange.
Almost the essence of what I stereotypically think of as an early-80s robotic synth pop sound. Completely dated but that's probably the point of this being influential - I don't know how often this kind of sound broke through to the masses before this. Even if I only know the smash single it all has a familiarity to it; giving it a generous 3 as it doesn't have much that "sticks" but at ~40 minutes is short enough to not get annoying (and I kind of like that the hit is the last track). It is admittedly kind of fun; definitely worth putting on at a party. Sneaky best song: "Seconds" 6/10 3 stars
One of the first albums to incorporate synths into pop so flawlessly, thus affecting the way pop music sounds to this day. I believe the influence of this album reaches recent pop stars such as Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Dua Lipa. It's a fantastic and short album, with highlights all throughout. Pulls in audiences with the energetic tracks and ends with the hits. As sad as it is for bands to break apart, this album is much more polished, accessible, and coherent than anything Heaven 17 put together. The synths are fun, loud, exciting, and all over, feeling spacious and a bit industrial or futuristic. The vocalists are enthusiastic and almost robotic-like, continuing this trend once started by the likes of Kraftwerk. I appreciate the supporting female vocalist, not necessary, but adding another layer to the club singalong vibe. "I am the Law" is the only "weak" song but also the most atmospheric and still nestles tightly between the others. Last 3 tracks are just incredible.
A good record in its day but not doing it for me today
More than just the cocktail bar song, this album sets the detached vibe for the New Wave.
Quintessential sound but not for me
Basic 80s album
i love synth pop
The lyrics are actually good and thoughtful. The music has a date on it but is still good enough to hold up to fresh ears.
"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!
When will I find an album from the 80s that I actually like... Don't You Want Me is a banger tho
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
Pre-listening thought: YES, I’ve been excited to get this. Post-listening thought: HELL YEAH!
Have a soft spot for this brand of synth-pop. I know in good conscience this could be left out of a 1001 albums list, but Don't You Want Me is just perfect so this gets a 4 from me.
It's an album I'm glad I persisted with. I'm really quite fond of synthpop and new wave, but if it was only for Side A I'd have given up and would've been wondering why in the world this should be on a 1001 greatest album list. It gets interesting on the B Side of this album and the album finally gets lifted out of mediocrity with the last 4 songs, starting with the interesting "I Am The Law", turning into the great "Seconds" and ending in the classic "Don't You Want Me." 4 songs can't save an album, but is does make it stand out among contemporaries.
Used to listen to this on my Walkman at college during lunch time playing the 1942 arcade machine in the leisure centre across the road. Good times. A cracking album btw. One that’s often mimicked, but rarely bettered.
I could get down to this. 6/10
Deeper than I expected
Not really my thing, but since this appears to be such an inspiration for so much electronic music, I'll give it a 3.
Excellent, and probably light years ahead of its time. Haven’t listened to Side B yet though as I am too sleepy
So fun
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this all that much but this synthy, new wave shit is pretty fun. "Don't You Want Me" is the big hit for a reason. What a jam. The first couple songs I kept thinking, if it weren't for Kraftwerk...
I can't resist.
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
I am not big into pop music history, and if I believe in paying respect to the most influential artists, then I do in a more theoretical way – not by making myself like it. But I do have to give kudos for paving a new way musically while writing absolutely iconic lines such as "Everybody needs cash to spend; Everybody needs love and affection; Everybody needs 2 or 3 friends" I am completely deaf to bleeps and bloops, but I can't help feeling some appreciation among weirdos
I think Purgatory was just the 80's.
A synth-pop 80s purgatory is a better place to be than a 80s post-punk hell.
Silly 80's album like I love
I do love this 80s full on cheese! I think the synths are amazing and it's such a feel good vibe. Don't you want me baby is such a classic but also reminds me of lockdown days when I created a cover and music video fueled by about 10 gallons of rosé... I really enjoyed bits of Do or Die with no vocals and it's an all around great album for me apart from the track called Seconds I didn't enjoy the shouty vocals and I'm not sure why other than that I just don't like that one lol. I already have quite a good appreciation for the Human League but didn't know any other tracks on this album before so that's fun too. Good start to the week as I'm listening on a Monday!
Wow this was SO of an era - could you get more 80s music..!? Probs not. Certainly enjoyed enough of this and better known songs, but have to say some of it was rather repetitive and probs needed a strong drink to go alongside. Don't you want me is obviously iconic - probs the right thing to put this at the end of an album and end on something more melodic and interesting
Didn't mind it at all but it was fairly repetitive. Would enjoy all the tracks on their own but a whole album was a lot. Also, the Human League just makes me think of the electro episode of the Mighty Boosh. I AM ELECTRO BOY, I AM ELECTRO GIRL
The album feels very typical for 80's synth pop. It's still a fun listen. However, it does not feel very inspired. The synths are nice, the vocals are decent. There are some very good moments in this record but most of it feels very bland. The beginning of the record feels fun and fresh. The middle starts to drag very slowly. The last track on the record is easily the highest point. The most poppy, and most musically interesting track. Favorite Track: Don't You Want Me Least Favorite Track: I Am The Law
Made me want to do the robot. Vibes were chill.
If you mention this website when the play Don't You Want Me at Holiday Club this Friday, I'll buy you a beer
Classic 80s music. Synths out the ass. Some pretty good songs on here although I though a lot of them sound very similar. I actually dont think i could tell you a song other than dont you want me and i just finished it 10 seconds ago. Shallow and pedantic 5/10
Accidentally lisstened to this on shuffle
A real mixed bag of an album. The singles are the stand out tracks - Sound of the Crowd, Love Action, Open Your Heart and especially Don't You Want Me. The other tracks less impressive, even after repeated listens. The singles get Dare an extra star
Solid synthpop - and unashamedly so. Melodies as solid as the synth cutting through your earholes. It dips a little in the middle but picks up the slack at the end. Best Tracks: The Sound of the Crowd; Love Action (I Believe in Love) Don't You Want Me
a lot better than i expected
Very 80s
8/2/2022 - ALBUM #187 Today's Album: "Dare!" by The Human League - This album is one of those albums that is on this 1001 albums list because it has a hit single that was massively overplayed by the public, which in this instance is the album closer, Don’t You Want Me. However, unlike most albums of this vein, there are a few tracks throughout the album that justify a full listen. The opener, The Things That Deams Are Made Of, is a fairly energetic start to the album, introducing the whirring synths and robotic drum beats that are emblematic of both this album and the developing sound of new-wave in the early 80s. I also like the slower, broodier track, I Am The Law, as I think the songwriting of the track is particularly strong and I think the ambient synths and bass framing the track create a really interesting soundscape. There are, though, plenty of tracks here that have a real lack of urgency and an uninteresting sound palette, with some songs sounding pretty goofy from the childlike sounds the band was experimenting with. The overall flow and balance of this record is ultimately heavily thrown off by this, with some of the highlight tracks sounding fairly good, but having a hard time shining when mushed together between what sound like playground experiments. There is obviously, the shining star at the end of the album, Don’t You Want Me, which really does capture the overall sound of this album and shows it off in the most flattering light. It is an extremely clean and polished new-wave song and as a genre that thrives when it sounds like digital beeps, I think it really elevates this album from a forgettable experiment to an important musical influence. Overall, though, I think this album is a pretty mixed bag of early new-wave experimentation. It has a ton of moments that are sonically impressive and a fair bit of memorable hooks to keep you hooked, but it’s mostly just 4 good songs held together with scotch tape and gum. Give this one a listen if you are into new wave and otherwise maybe just peep the highlights. Highlights: The Things That Dreams Are Made Of, Darkness, I Am The Law, Don’t You Want Me Score: 6/10 Early new wave album that is very groundbreaking, but is mostly held up by a few good songs
Leuke popsongs waarbij ik al snel meezong of neuriede. Spijtig dat geen enkel nummer een deftige Outro heeft
An easy 4 stars!
Really, really 80s sounding synth-pop which I should love but I just couldn't get into it. 3.5/5
Es war nicht alles schlecht in den Achtzigern. Das hier allerdings ist sehr schlecht. Depeche Mode für ganz Arme. Don’t You Want Me ist der einzig gute Song.
Early example of New Wave. Heavy on synthesizers, vocal effects. "Don't you want me baby" is the biggest hit off this album. I didn't recognize any other songs.
80s are alive and well here.
This list really loves low-stakes 70s and 80s one hit wonders that are all but forgotten outside of classic rock radio stations that play on an endless loop in the workplace as bland, inoffensive background noise. Not. Fucking. Essential.
Synthtastic!
“You’re really going to give this album a 4 because of the last song being so iconic?!!?!? 😡😡” “Yes.”
This album is like getting roped into an 80s dance hall filled with Tab
I don’t like the eighties unless it’s ladyhawk
Never listened to it at the time, but actually quite nice as background music and that 80s feel.
The 3rd HL album, for some strange reason the first two albums are not universally liked but Dare is one of the best albums from the 80s, must be the perfect pop album ever.
80's nostalgia. brilliant.
Disco rock style. Don't you want to listen?
Just ok. It was clever of them to put the best song at the end, so you'd listen to the rest of it first
Reminded me a lot of Penthouse and Pavement (unsurprisingly) - and I enjoyed this one too. Catchy, quirky, synthy melodies aplenty, artfully treading the line between tacky and sophisticated - and that's before we even get to Don't You Want Me at the end. Something about it starts to grate after a while though. I think maybe I'm not a huge fan of the vocals. 3.5
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.
This is the kind of electronic music that people hear, and then they decide they don't like electronic music and write off the genre.
Massive album of the 80s. Contains big hit singles. And from my home city. I have problems. Although I like electric pop. 1 I haye the big drum sound. 2. The lyrics are a bit inane. 3. Oakey's voice is like nails down a blackboard to me. Will never love it. Sorry. Can't take away the big tines though. 3
Total 80's album.
Some good songs but far too repetitive
I'm now a Human League fan.
Quite enjoyable.
Very repetitive and pretty bland.
I don’t want it baby
Seguramente tuvo alguna importancia para el desarrollo de la música y sentó el precedente de algo y tal, pero fuera de la canción muy muy conocida, este disco no me dejó nada.
Aunque Don’t You Want Me de hecho me gusta bastante, el resto del disco es de ese horrible género del Synth Pop que suena a Ross jugando con su teclado. El disco se vuelve un poco largo y hay tracks que de plano no me encantan. Encima, hay una versión con remixes que la neta sí me salté. Alcanza la 3ª estrella solo porque si me gusta una rola.
Listened to on 5/31/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: don’t you want me Great background 80s music with a solid banger ending
Really vacuous British voice + cheesy 80’s synth throughout made for a mediocre album at best. Don’t You Love Me is the classic on here and clearly the best song.
The more new wave albums I hear the more I realize it's not really that good. This is mostly boring and even the one song I like (Don't You Want Me) is kinda boring too. I'll give it an extra point because it was pretty influential but won't listen again.
This album is very 80's but I enjoyed it.
so fake for putting the good song at the end
Not a fan of the band, especially when this album was first released. I didn't listen to any synth-based pop music on the radio, but reflecting back it does bring back a bit of nostalgia. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing their big hit, Don't You Want Me and it still remains an earwig in my mind once in a while. It's not always a bad thing.
The release year is important here, at least it is to me. The sound and style of this album sound dated to my ear now, and as someone who was a teen in the 80s, this kind of music is very familiar because it was quite common back then. But in 1981, it wasn't. That's what I mean by this album's release year's importance. Makes me understand how groundbreaking and influential this album really was. I don't particularly love the album overall, but that's because the higher frequencies that my ear hears in synth-based music kind of grates on me. No fault of the music or anything else; just how I experience it. Because of that, I don't listen to synth music. 'Don't You Want Me' is still a lot fun, though. I remember liking it back then and I still do.
Great album, full of bouncing brooding electronic beats and melodies
Dare is the third album by English synth-pop band The Human League. This album was recorded in the new wave of pop style, after the departure of two founding members of the band caused a shift from their prior avant-garde electronic style. This change in genre for the band paid off big once the singles from the album began releasing, and this album went on to define the synth-pop genre. The final track on the album is the single "Don't You Want Me" which became an international hit - as well as the band's biggest hit and the 25th highest selling single in the UK - after it was finally released against the band's frontman Philip Oakey's opinion who thought it was the weakest track on the album and shouldn't be a single. The album was on the UK chart for 71 weeks, being number 1 for a good chunk of that, and "Don't You Want Me" was the number 1 single during some of that time as well. With all this popularity, it's no surprise that the album has been certified triple platinum in the UK. As critically acclaimed as this album is, it's still pop music, and to me this genre's songs are easily forgettable and/or repeatable. I loved the single "Don't You Want Me", but obviously everyone in the world loved it too. The other tracks on the album weren't as special, but a few did stick out to me as good. Overall, this album is pretty amazing and did bring pop - and more specifically synth-pop - into the spotlight for the foreseeable future.
A trip down memory lane..clubbing in Honolulu…great tunes
Some bumper 80e Cover art 3/5
Alright. Not what I’d call a classic
Classic 80s band with their best song
I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was bothering me about Dare! until it finally hit me on the eighth track, ‘Seconds.’ Vocalist Philip Oakey, who was also involved in the collaborative writing of most of the songs, seems to be more of an observer than a participant of life. Or, at least he’s a very passive participant. The song following ‘Seconds,’ ‘Love Action (I Believe in Love)’ states as much: ‘I love your love action. Lust’s just a distraction. No talking, just looking. Watching your love action.’ On the opening track, detailing his list of things that dreams are made of- ‘like fun and money and food and love’- he manages somehow to, well, take the fun out of fun. No doubt it’s the purposefully monotonous synthesized music and vocals, the utter lack of dynamics, or instrumental solos, or a bridge, or some kind of deviation from what was just played on the song before, not to mention that one to follow. To be fair, there were two that were different, the first two on side two- ‘Get Carter,’ an odd instrumental played slowly, one note at a time, and ‘I Am the Law,’ an equally odd song void of percussion. I think it was meant to be a ‘thank you’ to the police for protecting us from the evil deeds of criminals, but it didn’t exactly exude gratitude. Philip and the League, true to form, just sounded bored. The German pioneers of this kind of danceable electronic music, Kraftwerk, are never going to win any awards themselves for stage presence (although they do offer some very interesting and creative surrounding visual accompaniments in concert), but their music does successfully communicate emotion and heart, even if in a stereotypically ‘cool’ German fashion. I’m a fan. So, maybe its because The Human League are likewise stereotypically stoic British mates simply keeping a stiff upper lip and all that rot; but, its confusing when on the first and second songs of Dare! the listener is encouraged, at least lyrically, to ‘Do all the things you’ve ever dared,’ and ‘Open your heart. Dare to feel,’ but to a sound that hardly conveys adventure, or passion, or any emotion at all other than apathy. Weird that they named themselves The Human League. Inside joke? Satire, perhaps? I don’t get it. Some of the songs did contain some melodic hooks, so important to pop music, so I’ll give ‘em that. But I dare you to try and find any kind of soul on Dare! I sure couldn’t.