I have to admit, I didn't own "Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret" until I bought the CD in 1996. I acquired this copy of the original UK vinyl in 2019 and it sounds in pretty good shape.
I think had been deterred from exploring the Soft Cell's work because of the ubiquitous nature of "Tainted Love." There's no doubt their mega-hit warranted its success, but I heard it so frequently I imagined that if you were to press your ear against the wall of any nightclub, you might still perceive its echoes resonating within the very fabric of the building. Today, I can listen to the song quite happily, but it will never be my favourite and, in some ways, it isn't characteristic of its parent album.To my mind, this is a concept album about vice. One definition of the word 'vice' is: "Criminal activities involving prostitution, pornography, or drugs"
and, with the exception of "Tainted Love", the songs on this
album seem to address these subjects. We hear tales of dwarves being paraded up
and down the high-street on a leash, people who are watching seedy
films in which they may (or may not) be featured and a man being
blackmailed over his rather naughty secret life.
Key to the early success of Soft Cell was their unique sound. Made with just two synthesizers (Synclavier and Korg SB-100) and a drum machine* (Roland TR-808), the sound canvas is minimalist in approach, yet the songs still manage to paint the most vivid pictures. Or as the album's producer Mike Thorne described it: "Flash was at a minimum, the message maximum."
Unfortunately, as with most albums from the eighties, there are saxophones. I can't help but wonder what has happened to all the session musicians that used to warble and screech their way through pop records. Maybe there is a giant retirement home full of former professional saxophonists who now have nothing to do but sit around and reminisce about the old days. Let's hope they don't escape. 3/5
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* This statement is actually only true of the album tracks recorded in New York. "Tainted Love" was recorded before the rest of the album and features a Roland CR-78, Pearl Syncussion drum pads, a Simmons claptrap and an Electro Harmonix Super Space Drum. The distinctive 'bink bink' sound was made using a Star Instruments Synare 2 played through a delay.
