30 years later, i still consider this as one of my favorite records. records like this make it difficult for any band to live up to their fans' expectations.
Showing posts with label human league. Show all posts
Showing posts with label human league. Show all posts
2011/06/12
2011/01/27
the league. the human league.
at about the same time as (virtually) the rest of the world, i was introduced to the human league with their single, "don't you want me." and it immediately stuck with me, even if having only heard it on tiny radio speakers in my car.
YES, it was terribly unique, instrumentally. and the lead vocal being so flat like that. the interchange between M and F was engaging. and again, the instrumentation was just compelling.
when i found the album, dare at my local record store (under a section heading of "avante gard", as "new wave" hadn't been established yet): what was this? a plain white cover with a cropped photo of a man with heavy eyeliner? so...not american.
though none of the other songs from dare made any airplay (in detroit, michigan, USA, anyway), it was on heavy rotation on my turntable for several weeks. later, in utah, i would hear "love action" remixes at the local disco club ("star disco" or something like that), a single that became my enduring favorite from the album.
then one night, the club deejay announced a new single from the human league, "mirror man", and i was thrown off a bit...very girl-group, not very synth-new-wave. did i like it? i did...but wished / hoped it wasn't a new direction for the league.
several weeks later, the EP fascination came out, with the very awesome single, "fascination". some other tracks seemed more like concepts than songs, but still, a great record.
fascination kept me entertained until "the lebanon" single was released, in advance of the new album, hysteria. again, it seemed the league were heading into another new direction with big guitary sounds; other tracks on the album were less rock-inspired, but stuck with a big bassline. particularly lovely was "louise", which, like "don't you want me", told a nice story, this time somewhat more sentimental.
i never cared much for crash, the album by janet jackson's producers, though the single, "human" was hugely popular. just too not-human-league for my taste, i guess.
then i lost touch with human league. they released romantic?, an album nobody heard or bought. followed five years later by octopus, which again most folks didn't listen to, though it had a TERRIFIC single (really, one of their best), "tell me when".
and there's where the magic of human league becomes apparent: though they drift in and out of popularity, every few years they suddenly reappear again with a fresh new retro-y yet now-y single that really makes you wonder if they were ever off your radar (and if so, WHY?).
2001 brought them back with "all i ever wanted", again, one of their very best singles. this was part of an album, secrets that has no dull moments. outside of dare and maybe fascination, secrets, is a key album in catching up with human league.
the new single, "night people" doesn't disappoint, with clever lyrics and all that, but i'm hoping the rest of the album offers more than this club track.
2010/11/22
2010/07/11
2010/01/09
Altsounds.com News | The Human League Sign To Wall Of Sound
Said Mark Jones,
“Never before have The Human League been more relevant musically than they are today. The evolution and progression of electronic popular music is what brings us together. It’s an honour and inspiration to have them signed to Wall Of Sound. They say ‘never work with you heroes’…. but fuck that for starters.”
fuck that, indeed
2009/12/19
league
dear project leader:
this alien read that human league are getting back in action, having signed a new record deal. it's all i ever wanted.
this alien read that human league are getting back in action, having signed a new record deal. it's all i ever wanted.
2009/12/10
the future
dear project leader:
this alien acknowledges that he named "spaceman", by the killers, as single of the year...but he would argue that "this used to be the future", by pet shop boys and phil oakey places very, very high on the list.
he would perhaps create a new category in the list, for GREATEST OUT OF THE BLUE COLLABORATION for 2009, thus giving "future" someplace for a top spot.
coincidentally, this alien saw human league in concert with "the regeneration tour" in 2008...and was fairly impressed. fingers are crossed for a new single or two from mr oakey and the league.
this used to be the future, pet shop boys and phil oakey
postscript: this alien's husband wonders why he has so much pet shop boys on his player...it is not intentional. this alien suspects pet shop boys tracks regenerate on their own.
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