One record at a time: 186. Janet Jackson - Control

I only really became enamoured with Janet Jackson's early work when a friend played me this album sometime in the mid nineties. Hearing "When I Think of You" blasting from a high powered car stereo seemed to fire my imagination and I became a confirmed fan of this record.

The copy I am playing here is a 180g re-release from 2019. I bought this record from the Universal online store as it wasn't much more than £10.

The opening title sets out the stall for what is to come. By and large these are heavily rhythm driven tracks with a sparse but funky production style. "Control" has a level of honesty that sets it apart from the manufactured pop being released at the time. When Janet tells us she is "now in control" she means it.

"Nasty" is another single that seemed to be defining a whole new genre in 1986. This song has an amazing groove that is all the impressive when you consider Jam and Lewis didn't even need to resort to using a bassline. "What Have You Done For Me Lately" has the winning formula of imaginative lyrics and a strong a club vibe. "You Can Be Mine" sounds less original and is the closest thing to album filler you will find here. However, if you are looking for a prime example of an eighties guitar solo, look no further than this track. It is impossible to find anything more 'eighties'.

"The Pleasure Principle" is the only track not produced by Jam and Lewis and, despite some weak vocals on the first chorus, it retains the same polish as the other efforts. For me the absolute pinnacle of this record is "When I Think Of You" with its amazing Yamaha DX7 BASS 1, Linn LM1 beats and Ensoniq Mirage piano. If you listen to the horns in isolation (also derived from the Mirage) they are actually very basic; but in the context of the song they make a perfect punctuation for Janet's silky vocals.

"He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" pulls on some funk influences but is still a little to generic to impress all that much. I always found ballad "Let's Wait A While" disappointing as its chorus sounds twee and the whole thing just plods along without doing much. Yet, it is worth remembering that songs such as this were covering new ground in the eighties. Girls were finally calling the shots and not only that, they were singing about it. For my money, a much better ballad is the final song "Funny How Time Flies" that has a truly inspired chorus. As for the ending of the song.... 4/5

One record at a time: 185. The Human League - Secrets

I bought this album when it was released in 2001 and I only listened to it a handful of times. In fact, I think I threw out my original CD with a limited edition O-card during a 'clear out' a few years later (don't ask, I'm still not ready to talk about it). I thought this album was a disjointed and inconsistent affair and it didn't warrant my attention.

In recent years I have re-purchased the CD and also acquired the vinyl version released in 2018. I missed the limited edition white vinyl released for Record Store Day the same year, but my copy does have a second disc of additional material not included on the other.

Lead single "All I Ever Wanted" opens the record and is probably the best thing on here. I purchased both CD singles of this when they were released and, despite the disappointing remixes, I was quite impressed.

The second track "Nervous" is an instrumental that only lasts for two minutes and it saps the energy built by the opening track. It might have been better to have maintained the momentum and placed the second single "Love Me Madly?" here instead. 

The next track "Shameless" has a classic Human League sound that is a bit weak in the first chorus but gets beefier as things progress. There's another instrumental titled "122.3 BPM" which is a Kraftwerk inspired ditty that peters out after a minute and a half. There's another typically HL sounding track "Never Give Your Heart" where Susan takes on the lead vocal duties. This is quite a good song that I think I must have overlooked when I first heard this record. "Ran" is nothing more than an instrumental interlude that brings side one to a close.

"The Snake" features some hokey lyrics but, like a lot of these songs, has quite a strong melody. "Ringinglow" is another instrumental but is more substantial at three and a half minutes long. I'm not a big fan of "Liar" as it sounds a little trite and under-produced. Phil's vocal melodies also remind me of another song, but I can't quite place it. 

"Reflections" and "Sin City" are less memorable tracks that seem to just pad out the second side. The last track "You'll Be Sorry" is another good pop song that leaves us on a high. The second disc has a disappointing b-side called "Tranquillity" and some typical millennium era dance mixes that are decidedly annoying.

I think part of the problem with this record is it can be difficult to discern what is going on. The various instrumentals don't really offer much and just serve to confuse things. If we were to discard the instrumentals and revise the running order, we might end up with a more concise album that gives the better songs room to breathe. 3/5

One record at a time: 184. The Human League - Octopus

For some reason Blogger deleted by original version of this post so I am having to rewrite it. This unexpected turn of events has given me the opportunity to re-think how I write about this album.

You see, I like this album and it has some great songs; but I think I am drawn to it as it reminds me of a very specific time in my life.

During the summer of 1995 I played this album as I commuted back and forth to my first 'proper' job. Like a lot of people, my first car was a little dilapidated and it had no in-car entertainment of any kind. In order to hear music I had to use a personal cassette player and some portable speakers. In my memory, the sun was always shining as I swept along empty streets with "Tell Me When" blaring from the passenger seat. Great days.

Yet, when I look back now, I can see that I used to work long hours with horrible people for little money and absolutely no thanks. The car was actually borderline dangerous and, whilst the streets were definitely less crowded back then, the paving stones had also been torn up and thrown at the Police.

In the cold light of day this album seems to lack a little punch. Producer Ian Stanley (I didn't realise it was the Tears for Fears Ian Stanley for a loooong time) seems to have pulled back on the transients and gone for a much more rounded, analogue sound. To this day I prefer the Utah Saints remix of "Tell Me When" to the album version and the Hardfloor remix of "Filling Up With Heaven" wipes the floor with the original. There's clearly some album filler on here too and the last track could never merit its seven minute run time.

When I put my rose tinted spectacles back on, this album can transport me to the warm summer of 1995 when I was young and my future stretched out before me. Some of the songs might be a bit limp, but they are redolent of summer mornings and new beginnings. Which is along winded way of saying my assessment of this album is completely flawed. 5/5

One record at a time: 183. The Human League - Romantic?

I didn't actually own this album until April 2007 when I bought a CD from eBay. Today I also own an original 1990 pressing of the album and the clear version from the "Virgin Years" box set.

The fact that the majority of this album was produced by Mark Brydon of Moloko and Robert Gordon of Warp Records blows my mind. Of course, back in 1990 neither Mark or Robert had achieved the notoriety they have today, but it was still quite a revelation when I read the credits.

Unfortunately this album finds the band at rock bottom. Four years had passed since "Crash" and they now found themselves completely out of step with current trends.

Quite how anachronistic the band were at this time is illustrated by the opening track "Kiss the Future". As Philip begins to channel his inner James Brown he emits various grunts and groans which sound ridiculous. Most of the synth sounds on this track are poor and the melody is just plain bizarre.

Susan takes up vocal duties for "A Doorway?" accompanied by little more than a breakbeat and some Memorymoog organ sounds. Whilst this isn't the worst song ever recorded by The Human League, it hardly makes for an inspiring opening.

The first flash of quality comes with "Heart Like a Wheel" which sees the welcome return of Martin Rushent as producer. I've always liked this song and I even saw the video on television a few times back in the day. Yet, when released as a single it only just broke into the top 30 and signalled the end for the band at Virgin Records.

The long outdated BASS 1 preset from the Yamaha DX7 gets rolled out for "Men Are Dreamers" which also has some backing vocals that are completely off key. "Mister Moon and Mister Sun" has some unmistakable William Orbit touches that make it sound almost contemporary, but the wailing guitar drags it down. 

I'd love to have been in the meeting where the record company identified "Soundtrack to a Generation" as a single because there must have been some strong substances on offer. This song is as naive as they come and some of the lyrics are just agonising. Unfortunate producer Bob Kraushaar clearly decided that if you can't polish a turd, you might as well try to roll it in glitter.

One of the songs that struck me when I first listened to this album was "Rebound" which is quite haunting and benefits from William Orbit's mix skills. It is rumoured that "The Stars Are Going Out" was scheduled to be released as a single but was shelved when it was mauled by music critics. For once the label made the right choice and this remains an album track.

In retrospect, a cover of a Glitter Band song seems very ill advised, but in 1990 "Let's Get Together Again" was merely seen as passé rather than toxic. The songwriting powers of Jo Callis and enigmatic funk composer Jesse Rae combine to provide the final track "Get It Right This Time". Not only is this a good composition but it also benefits from the production chops of Martin Rushent. If only the rest of the album had been executed with the same level of skill. 3/5

One record at a time: 182. The Human League - Greatest Hits

I own two copes of this record and they provide a good illustration of the vagaries of grading. One record was bought from a shop and described as in "excellent" condition and the other is from eBay and described as "good." 

As you can see from the images, the gatefold of the "excellent" copy has somehow been stuck together and once I preyed it open, the sleeve ripped. I don't wish to speculate on the nature of the the sticky substance that landed on the image Joanne and Susan.

If we were to apply the record collector standard grading definitions I'd say the "good" copy from eBay is actually in very good condition. Typically it was also was much cheaper than the "excellent" one that was stuck together. Record collecting is all swings and roundabouts.

I remember when this album was released and it felt like it was signalling the end of the band. To promote the album the record company decided to release a two year old album track "Love Is All That Matters". This seems a very odd choice now, but if like me, you assumed the group were pretty much finished at the time, it seems more logical.

Most of the familiar hit singles released by the Mk II version of the band are here along with the original version of "Being Boiled". As a youth unfamiliar with Mk I of the band I thought this song stuck out like a sore thumb and I'm still not sure it fits here. Still, this is a good album that offers the band's best material from the period 1978-1988. 4/5

One record at a time: 181. The Human League - Crash

I have two copies of "Crash", the original UK release and the coloured version from 2022's "The Virgin Years" box set. 

This album is from 1986 and was (in)famously produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. As I mentioned in my review of "Hysteria", the band were really struggling with production at this point in their career and it was thought that using Jam and Lewis would provide the spark required. 

What everyone didn't seem to appreciate was that Jam and Lewis are a "production house" that control almost every aspect of the music they create. The tensions this approach created led to the break up of the band and the producers were forced to complete this record alone.

Things begin with "Money" which was written by the band, but the rhythm guitars and shrill brass stabs give it a distinctly American flavour. The change of production style is brought front and centre when the song moves into a funk influenced breakdown that sounds alien on a Human League record.

The worst song on the album is the God awful, "Swang" which is a bad song, that is badly produced and badly performed. We then move from the ridiculous to the sublime with the massive hit single "Human" which has a great melody and sympathetic production. For once the backing vocals on this track sound good but Philip is rather fragile.

For some reason the next song sees Philip in desperate need of preserves as he has, "gotta get some jam". Whilst the music for this song is better than most on the album, the lyrics are just nonsense. Things are more straight forward on "Are You Ever Coming Back?" which was written by the band but given a much more complimentary production sheen by Jam and Lewis. 

On the flip side the first track "I Need Your Loving" wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Janet Jackson album "Control". Whilst there are no additional vocalists credited on this album there is no way the backing vocals here are by Joanne and Susan. This track was released as a single and its relative failure can't have come as a surprise to anyone.

The ubiquitous E.BASS 1 from a DX7 dominates the next song "Party". The first time I heard this I could swear they were singing, "Everyone is going to Cardiff". Once you hear it there is no going back. "Love on the Run" is another attempt by the band to harness the sound of Motown but it falls well short of "Mirror Man". The irrepressible DX7 bass rolls on through "The Real Thing" which is a moderately entertaining song with some terrible vocals. Things end with the Jam and Lewis composition "Love Is All That Matters". This is an fantastic song that leaves me in the mood to forgive some of the earlier transgressions (even if Philip is trying to channel his inner James Brown with predictably bad results). This album is good in places but ultimately it is a case of trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole. 2/5

One record at a time: 180. The Human League - Hysteria

And so we come to the "difficult second album" that isn't a second album. I own two copies of "Hysteria" on vinyl: an original UK pressing and the yellow version from "The Virgin Years" box set.

Following the success of "Dare" The Human League were under considerable pressure to produce another hit album. This pressure seemed to lead to the band locking themselves up in AIR studios and doing little but argue for months on end. There is one, possibly apocryphal tale, that the band were so stymied they spend a whole week just auditioning kick drum sounds.

For some reason the band decided they didn't want to repeat the successful formula that led to "Dare" and dispensed with the services of Martin Rushent. The first producer to be drafted in was Chris Thomas but for various reasons he left the project half way through. It was left to Hugh Padgham to take the half finished multi-tracks and a dysfunctional band and make a record. Yet both Thomas and Padgham are most famous for working with rock acts and their involvement has always struck me as a mismatch. With such a problematic gestation, it is no wonder the end product was so disappointing.

The opening track "I'm Coming Back" has a whiff of "Don't You Want Me" in the chorus but it is far less successful than its illustrious predecessor. The faltering nature of this record is best illustrated by "I Love You Too Much" which was originally produced by Martin Rushent and released on the North American album "Fascination!" The version presented here retains Rushent's original Linn LM1 programming but dispenses with the electronic percussion and churning synths and replaces them with a maudlin pad sound. I can only describe the approach as an "audio smear" which robs the songs of its dynamics and makes it less engaging. 

If using rock producers weren't incongruous enough, the band now decide to cover seventies funk song "Rock Me Again & Again & Again (6 times)". There have been several occasions when Philip has tried to record with an American funk/soul affectation and it turns out badly every time. The whole thing is just an auditory car crash.

The single "Louise" sounds a bit sparse but there is enough melody to carry it along. The big hit single "The Lebanon" is a pulsing composition that uses the Lebanese civil war as its subject matter. I read somewhere that the bass guitar on this track was sampled into various AMS DMX units and triggered manually; an indication of how over thought this album was. Yet, as Phil was using a Synclavier II at the time of this album, I think it much more likely that this was used.

The second side kicks off with "Betrayed" which sounds naive and a bit like someone doing an impression of The Human League rather than the band themselves. I'm sure there is a good song somewhere within "The Sign" but the execution is so bad it's hard to tell. "So Hurt" is another limp pop song propped up by Ian Burden's bass and the familiar Linn drum machine. History tells us the drum programming for single "Life On Your Own" took a whole week and whilst there are lots of other nice touches that make this an entertaining track, you can't help think it was a little overthought. The final track "Don't You Know I Want You" is a fittingly disappointing finale that only serves to show off the presets in their new Yamaha DX7 .2/5