Heaven on the streets

Press, 10 December 1981, Page 18

Heaven on the streets

HEAVEN 17 “Penthouse And Pavement” and the Human League "Dare!” (RTC V 2208 and V 2192). “Once I didn’t care at all, now I can feel the ratings' fall” - "WXJL Tonight” by the Human League, 1980. Once the original Human League quartet split, the interestingly experimental side of the music by “a” band of that name went out the window, it seems. Heaven 17 concentrate on the dancefloor. It can be big business, we can interpret from the excellent cover. The Human League today are six, but only one original musically active member remains, he of the lop-sided haircut, Phil Oakey. Philip Adrian Wright is there too, but he is still doing slides, dabbling in synthesisers only occasionally. His contribution is more to a live set, rather than to a record. The two new members are lan Burden and ex-Rezillo, Jo Callis, while Joanne and Susanne are two girls, that Oakey “discovered” in a Sheffield disco at the start of their year. They look good in the film clips (we’ve seen “Love Action” on TV), singing and dancing, which is what the

1981 Human League is about. Image! Electronic partying! That man in. ; the'funny-hair-cut’s so cool! Pity about the album. : "

“Cove Action’-itself is only average, its saving;/grace being a nice-cascade).pf , synthesiser notes in the 7 chorus: It has been described elsewhere as a classic. Wrong. “Sound Of The Crowd.” which is also oh this album, is much better. Less reflection, more action. Add your voice

While the Human League have enjoyed unprecedented success in the singles chart this year, the moodier side to their current on-going groove situation (what?) remains. “Darkness”: and “Seconds” fall into this category. The latter must be about the death of John Lennon, using that old “shot heard around the world” cliche as it does.

The first track on side one, “The Things That Dreams Are Made Of,” just about sums it up. New York, icecream, TV, travel, good times, that’s what we all want. But the music on that track is so simple. Too simple. The complexity of such greats as “Empire State

Human,” “Being Boiled” or “WXJL Tonight” has given way to a lighter, more superficial, sound. I would recommend, buying the “Sound Of The:;Crowd” single and the previous album, “Travelogue,”'instead. Then, perhaps ■ take*a look at this.one. But you should know what has gone before. Heaven 17, meanwhile, have qpme up with a cracking first side, but then the second slips back into just about what I expected — good, but not .special, elec- . tronic sounds. 7 . lan Craig Marsh afid;Martyn Ware from the Leagu'e have' joined with?:.-Glenn' Gregory to make this album? The first track on the "pavement” side is the so-called classic “(We Don’t'Need This) Fascist Groove. which has sent a number of. reviewers and buyers of imports frothing at the mouth. Stay clam, it’s very good, but don’t steal for it. As expected, it’s the Heaven 17 get-together anti-Nazi plug. Whereas “Dare!” was all synthesisers, percussion, guitar, bass, brass, and saxophone feature on “Penthouse And Pavement,” which

makes it more interesting. A major advantage is the bass playing of guest John Wilson on the "pavement” side. Sensibly Heaven 17 have given their funky songs a superfunky . mix, which has resulted in the bass clambering right over the other sounds. <

The title track features a female vdcalist (Josie James) who adds a sort of “Philly sound” to it. “Play To Win” has an irresistible handicap and Dixie whistle in the chorus which makes it playlist material for the ears. "Soul Warfare,” the fourth in a succession of long songs, is also highly recommended. Flip the disc over, and the all-electronic sounds resume — on the “penthouse” side. They’re • more aggressive than , on “Dare!” thankfully, but I would, have liked more of side one. < ~ “We’re Going To Live: For A Very Long Time” is worth a listen, it’s an obvious shot at the people who live only for all tomorrow’s parties. But, as in real life, there’s more excitement on the “pavement” than in the “penthouse." — David Swift.