This is a cover of the Spector, Mann and Weil classic. I'd always loved The Human League - and Dare is probably the seminal new romantic album. But it wasn't until a friend of mine bought Reproduction in the late 1980s that I discovered the early, darker side of The Human League.
Reproduction is often slated for being too doomy and too pretentious. But there's some real gems on there - and Empire State Human and Blind Youth bounce along nicely.
The real killer is track 7 - which effectively blends electronic lament Morale with the League's cover of You've Lost That Loving Feeling. It's a beautiful, slow version - a totally electronic lullaby and it's totally essential.
Another track from pre-Dare Human League. This is the League's version of Ennio Morricone's Funeral March from Sergio Leone's 1969 western, Once Upon A Time In The West. Like the League's interpretation of You've Lost That Loving Feeling, the track a is slow-paced, electronic beauty.
It was originally recorded in the late 1970s and received its first public airing on the recently released The Golden Hour Of The Future.
This album, actually credited to The Future and The Human League, compiles recordings made between 1977 and the moment The Human League signed to Virgin Records in 1979. The Future is The Human League's first name.
from The Golden Hour Of The Future (Black Melody MEL4)
Like all perfect Mogwai's tracks, Tracy is quiet and then loud. However, the track is particularly spine-tingling. Mogwai use sustained reverb guitar and xylaphone to stunning effect. The taped argument between the band, that is added to the fade out of the song, is also cool.
12 Dec 02 ·delicado: I still think 'helicon played at 45 instead of 33' is their best track! Funny - hearing it at the wrong speed and really liking it kind of ruined it for me...
What a song. No time for breathing - because we're straight into three phases of soaring harmonies and choppy Wurlitzer piano chords. As your spine tingles get prepared for the cyclical refrain that brings the song to its climax. We're talking beauty defined.
24 Jun 03 ·tinks: i'm witchu on this one, man...i can't even listen to it without getting all choked up. "i'm a cork on the ocean/floating over the raging sea". 22 Jun 05 ·sok186: After being pushed and pushed to make more music for the Beach Boys, Brian contributes his last major composition. It's always seemed to be his way of saying,"This is why I can't keep making music, and I need to go away for a while, because this is what I feel." Easily essential listening.
I never liked the Go-Gos. And I think Belinda Carlise's music is naff. But Jane Wiedlin has a certain something.
I remember first seeing the video to 'Rush Hour' on UK TV as a teenager. I thought that song was bloody great. My parents bought me her debut album 'Fur' for Christmas and we used to listen to it in the car. Listening to this always brings the memories flooding back.
Some of 'Fur' is a bit dodgy - but I can forgive Wiedlin. The high points still seem very high today. And 'Inside a Dream' is a beautifully crafted, Stephen Hague produced pop song. This three minute stunner moves and warps around a simple spine. Dubstar sounded a lot like this half a decade later.
15 Mar 04 ·Mike: I too was bowled over by the catchiness of "Rush Hour" and also ended up acquiring the album "Fur" at the time. It wasn't her first album, but I don't think she'd previously had any solo exposure in the UK. About half the songs are simple but undoubtably effective, but several others I have always found to be very ineffective!
I agree that Dubstar (who I also liked) sounded a bit like this at times - Stephen Hague's production style is quite distinctive. Did any of the members of Dubstar release anything since the band split up?
