Happy New Year! Now, let's rewind forty years...
The sleeve of this record is one of those images that suffers when it is crammed into a CD case. Touches such as the peeling in the top left corner or the outline of the schooner get lost when the image is reduced. I also love the faintly gormless look on the band's faces which gives the impression they have just emerged from an all night party (or studio session).
My original 1983 pressing comes from a time when a new chart album only cost £4.29 and it has the sticker to prove it. I bought this record five years ago from ebay and, whilst it is playable, its not in the best condition. Happily I have a pristine yellow vinyl from the "Play to Win" box set for better fidelity.
This record was a more concerted effort by Heaven 17 to incorporate soul and blues influences into their music. Their debut "Penthouse and Pavement" had attempted the same feat but achieved mixed results. For this record, the band had access to much better instruments, newer technology and unlimited studio time. Therefore it is unsurprising that this album is sonically more refined and features more considered songwriting.
The first song "Crushed by the Wheels of Industry" isn't a radical departure from the sound of the first album but does have some funk influenced flourishes. The Wikipedia article for this song cites a contemporary review that suggests it is the best the band have produced to date but it is, "still less than great". I think that is a fair summary as, whilst this song has some good moments, it simply doesn't have the strong hook required to propelled it up the charts.
The intended pop/soul/electronic mélange is realised more clearly with the second track "Who'll Stop the Rain". Despite the soul influences this song is the usual assortment of piano, Linn LM1 and synth burbles that don't quite click into place.
Martyn Ware regards "Let Me Go!" as one of the finest songs the band produced and for once, he's right. The melody on this track is great and when you throw in the burbling TB-303 bassline and some interesting lyrics you have a sure fire winner. When released as a single the song didn't become a hit and Ware places the blame with BBC Radio 1 who refused to playlist it. Yet, as I remember, the record buying public were obsessed with immediate pop tunes like "Uptown Girl", "Karma Chameleon" or "Billie Jean" in 1983. Subtle melodies underpinned by a TB-303 and glissando synths were a step too far for the majority of the record buying public back then.
As "Let Me Go!" didn't make much impression on the charts, I wasn't aware of it at the time of release. In fact, I didn't really come to listen to Heaven 17 in earnest until 1992 when the Brothers In Rhythm remix of "Temptation" became a big hit. I used to think the original version of "Temptation" sounded frail and old fashioned, but today I'd argue the pounding TR-909 and Korg M1 presets of the remix have dated much more than the superb original we hear on this album.
"Come Live With Me" is another hit single that deserves your attention. Too many times Heaven 17 failed to hone the winning formula, but this and the proceeding track mark their commercial peak.
"Lady Ice and Mr Hex" is a jazz influenced number that points to the sound of future albums where the band threw the baby out with the bathwater and stopped using electronic instruments. Things improve with the surprisingly catchy dance track "We Live So Fast" which also lends is melody and chord structure to the less frenetic final track, "The Best Kept Secret".4/5
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