One record at a time: 176. The Human League - Travelogue

"Travelogue" is the second album by The Human League and here I am playing the 2016 180g repressing. As with "Reproduction", this album was made by a different line up to the one that exists today and sits in a kind of limbo. This album wasn't included in the recent "Virgin Years" box set and the current band don't play these songs live (although Heaven 17 played the album its entirety for its 40th anniversary).

The album starts in the same vein as the first with nonsensical space-age lyrics sung over the clacking analogue synths. There's a very enjoyable version of Mick Ronson's "Only After Dark" which only needs a kick drum to be perfect.

Another highlight for me is the magical instrumental "Toyota City" which draws on the influences of Bowie, Eno and the band Japan to great effect. But nothing else on this album really catches the ear in the same way.  

"Crow and a Baby" sounds like a prototype version of "The Sound of the Crowd" and there's a sub-par re-recording of their first single "Being Boiled". The rest of the album consists of a cover of the theme tune to a TV commercial and various unremarkable attempts at synth pop. I have a CD version of this album which features some contemporary non-album singles and the rather funky "I Don't Depend n You", but none of this is included on the vinyl.

The relative commercial failure of this album caused some anxiety within Virgin Records and a split of the band was engineered to try to garner more sales. As the next post will reveal, the plan succeeded. 2/5

One record at a time: 175. The Human League - Reproduction

This is the debut album by The Human League which was originally released in 1979. I own a copy of the 180g repressing from 2016 which sounds clear and has no surface noise or other issues. Purists may note that this record uses the 'remixed' masters which omit the sound effects heard on the original pressing.

I'm not really sure if Philip, Joanne and Susan regard this album as part of their oeuvre nowadays as it wasn't included in the recent "The Virgin Years" box set. However, they have played tracks like "The Path of Least Resistance" and "Empire State Human" live so it must be considered canon in some way. 

To me this record sounds rather naive and certain sources would have us believe that this is because it was created at a time when electronic music was in its infancy. Yet by 1979 Kraftwerk had already released the highly polished "The Man Machine", Daniel Miller had created the seminal "T.V.O.D." and people like Jarre and Vangelis were nearing their commercial peak. 

I think it is probably more accurate to say that the sound of this album is driven by something more fundamental: money (or lack thereof). Martyn Ware himself has pointed out that some of his contemporaries could afford much better equipment and were able to create better sounding records as a result. There are a lot of good ideas and strong melodies on this album, but the band didn't quite have the resources to polish their creations. Martyn Ware also suggests producer Colin Thurston diluted the sound of the band in what was his first outing as a producer.

"Almost Medieval" dates back to the very earliest days of the group and is a tangled tale about moving back in time. Much like early Heaven 17 material, this song doesn't flow and stutters along whilst Phil sings couplets like, "Jump off the tarmac there's no stagecoach speed limit. Outside the office hangs the man on the gibbet."

"Circus of Death" was originally a b-side but is presented here as a new mix which incorporates a few edits to reduce the running time. Once again Phil spouts some contrived sci-fi themed lyrics as Ian and Martyn tinker away with their synthesisers. The next two tracks "The Path of Least Resistance" and "Blind Youth" continue to deliver stuttering, angular rhythms set against ridiculous lyrics such as, "Dehumanisation, Is such a big word, It's been around since, Richard The Third."

In his autobiography, Martyn says "The World Before Last" sounds weak compared to the version they played live at the time, but I think this track is amongst the best on the album. Another stand out track is the single "Empire State Human" which was a concerted effort to create a hit single that failed. 

One the b-side, "Morale...You've Lost That Loving Feeling" is not a track I enjoy. Whilst I know the band members found inspiration in blue eyed soul and R&B, it isn't a passion I share. I'm not sure where each of the two original compositions included in the medley "Austerity / Girl One" begin and end, but there are some really interesting ideas in here. Things end with the accelerating tempo of "Zero as a Limit" which lacks melody and is a bit of a disappointing end. 2/5

One record at a time: 174. Hot Chip - Freakout/Release

Last year I decided I needed to be more selective about the vinyl I purchased. This decision was partially driven by finances but also by the practical consideration of where to put all of this stuff. Therefore when Hot Chip announced their new album I decided not to pre-order it. 

Therefore, when this copy of the album arrived in the mail (complete with signed art print) soon after release, it came as something of a surprise. Someone really should take my phone off me when I have been drinking.

"Down" is based around a long sample of "More Than Enough" by Universal Togetherness Band. This track features acoustic drums and employs the over saturated vocal sound that Depeche Mode seem to love nowadays. You can tell I'm not a fan. 

"Eleanor" starts very brightly but the acoustic drums sound saggy and drag the whole thing down. "Freakout/Release" is produced by Soulwax and inevitably sounds like it could have been culled from their "Nite Versions" album. 

On the flip side "Broken" is one of the better tracks on the album as it has a lush sound and strong, almost pop, melody. "Not Alone" is a slower and more contemplative effort but it becomes a bit boring. Lyrically  "It's Hard to be Funky" is just stupid but more accomplished from a production perspective.

The second disc kicks off with "Time" which develops into a great dance number that might have befitted from coming at the start of the album. "Miss This Bliss" simply takes too long to get going and when it does gather some momentum neither the groove nor the melody are strong enough to impress. Disappointingly "The Evil That Men Do" sees the return of saturated vocals and seems to borrow the piano riff from Moby's "Honey". 

On the final side of the album "Guilty" has a strong electronic sound and enough eighties touches to be seriously impressive. In fact this is my favourite song on the album. "Out of my Depth" is yet another attempt to produce a flourish at the end of the album. This track reminds me of the sound of early Kraftwerk; all it needs is some flute to complete the sound. A fair effort but not one of their best. 2.5/5 

One record at a time: 173. Hot Chip - A Bathfull of Ecstasy

There are a few Hot Chip albums I only own on CD so we find "A Bathfull of Ecstasy" from 2019 next on the shelf. This is the standard European double album in a gatefold sleeve.

I've not listened to this album much in the last three years as I think the terrible cover and strange title might be deflecting me. The first track "Melody of Love" has a lush production that I don't normally associate with Hot Chip. Closer examination of the credits reveals this album uses external producers which may explain its added sparkle.

The seconds track "Spell" sticks more closely to the band's normal recipe and sounds strong and melodic - even if the Vocoder is a little over used. The title track is a mid-tempo R&B influenced groove that uses auto-tune on the vocals but misses the mark for me. 

When I first heard "Echo" I thought it was about to break into "The Circus" by Erasure, but as the track develops it actually becomes a nice groove with some great drum programming. I own a number of remixes of the next rack "Hungry Child" that develop it into a more immediate dance track, but the original version here is much more satisfying. This track builds the atmosphere beautifully before the beats come in and lift it to another level. Like a lot of the tracks I've heard so far there is a great groove here but I'm not sure the melodies are as strong as on previous albums.

The best song on the album may also be the best song Hot Chip have ever recorded. There's something about "Positive" that appeals to me on every level; the lyrics are the irreverent and yet touching, the drum programming is just perfect and the atmosphere created by the synth textures is sublime. 

Things slow down a little for "Why Does My Mind" and the bossa nova beats of "Clear Blue Skies" but neither are very impressive. The final track "No God" is a clear attempt to generate an epic finish but it is only partially successful. I should listen to Hot Chip more. I think I regard them as being a bit 'hit and miss', but listening to albums like this I realise they are more consistent than I recall. 3/5

One record at a time: 172. Hot Chip - One Life Stand

The release of this record coincided with both my growing appreciation for Hot Chip and a resurgent interest in vinyl. This double 200g pressing is numbered and comes with a 7" single that features a couple of bonus tracks.

This version was exclusive The Vinyl Factory who used to release a steady stream of limited edition pressings that were very finely crafted and clearly designed to appeal to collectors.

Today vinyl is no longer a niche product so most labels seem content to get GZ Media to knock out some cheap copies and count the cash. Heavyweight, numbered items like this have disappeared. They certainly don't appear on The Vinyl Factory store any more anyway. Now all their shop seems to list is sold out items, 12" singles for an eye watering £20 or obscure stuff you've heard of (and unlikely to even want to hear).

As you might expect of an album that was cut at Abbey Road and pressed on the EMI 1400 it sounds good. In fact, the first disc is an almost perfect collection of songs that must rank amongst the band's best. Unfortunately the second disc has a couple of more disappointing tracks in the form of the overly long and rather boring "Slush" and the disjointed "Alley Cats".

However "We Have Love" and the uplifting chorus of "Take It In" are quite brilliant and come close to matching the quality of the material on the first record. Neither Hot Chip nor The Vinyl Factory make records like this any more and that makes me sad. 4/5

One record at a time: 171. Heaven 17 - Naked As Advertised

To be honest, I had no idea I owned this many Heaven 17 records and at this point, I'm growing a little tired of them. Maybe this album of re-recordings is just the tonic and will let us finish off these reviews on a high.

Proceedings don't get off to the most auspicious start when the dodgy saxophone presets of "Being Boiled" emerge from the speakers. Yes, Martyn may have heard this song as a funk odyssey when he wrote it, but the Human League recording we all know and love is an electronic tour de force. This is just poor.

There is some improvement with "Geisha Boys and Temple Girls" which is given a contemporary workout that sounds pretty good. Thankfully "Temptation" leans on the original rather than the Brothers In Rhythm version, but I'm not sure it does enough different to justify its existence.

The ubiquitous "Penthouse and Pavement" finally gets the funky synth bass it always deserved but those block piano chords of the chorus annoy me intensely. Next up is a cover of The Associates song "Party Fears Two" which is quite mesmerising. I am guessing the piano performance is by programmer Keith Lowndes as it is quite accomplished; but this is just a guess. "Don't Fall" is a new track that continues the slower and more reflective style without impressing much. We get another unnecessary rendition of the terrible breakbeat version of "Fascist Groove Thing" before a more successful rendition of "We Live So Fast". 

Things finish with a new version of another Human League track "Empire State Human" which is competent without being impressive. Today was the first time I noticed that Vince Clarke is credited with programming on this track. 

This is a perfectly adequate album but I'm confused what is it supposed to be. It's not a remix album, its not a covers album and it only has one new track. I still have no idea what the album title is all about either. Another thing that disappoints me with this album is backing vocals. As good as Billie Godfrey is as a singer, her contribution sits too high in the mix and dominates Glenn at every turn. It's a shame this album isn't more focussed as there are flashes of inspiration here. 2/5

One record at a time: 170. Heaven 17 - Before After

After a nine year hiatus, Heaven 17 returned with "Before After" in 2005. This album proved to be Ian's last involvement with the group and he left soon after it was released. The version I am playing here is the coloured vinyl from the "Another Big Idea" box set from 2020.

The album gets off to a promising start with the energetic "I'm Gonna Make You Fall In Love With Me". Second track "Hand Up To Heaven" is well produced, but its too melancholy to be the uplifting dance anthem it aspires to be. The CD version of the "Another Big Idea" box set has 17 edits and remixes of these two songs but none really hit the mark.

The retro synth style of "The Way It Is" is entertaining but the backing vocals become too dominant. There are some great beats on "Freedom From Love" and Glenn's baritone is given room to breathe. There's an ill advised cover of rock classic "Don't Fear The Reaper" which comes replete with outdated plastic Korg M1 house piano. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad effort, but it lacks zest.

After all of this disappointment we are greeted with what is probably the best thing Heaven 17 have ever recorded, "Into the Blue". I love this track so much I wrote a post about it ten years ago. There is a surprising amount of guitar here but it somehow suits the mood perfectly. I can't place my finger on why I love this song so much, but it has always been a firm favourite..

Whilst the next track "Deeper and Deeper" has a great groove and some great melodic ideas it sounds dated. Next up is an embarrassing copy of "Gangsta's Paradise" called "What Would It Take" which is pretty awful. The next track "Someone for Real" represents the low water mark and you get the impression the band had run out of ideas by this point. Things improve with the final track "Are You Ready?" which is yet another competent stab at nineties dance music released ten years too late. 3/5