The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
“This album contains instrumental versions of previously released songs by The Human League specially remixed and produced by Martin Rushent”
Personal Review:
Every single person knows who the Human League is – if not, you need to go here, here or here. Educate. Anyways, this whole album is instrumental versions of their popular tracks, so here we go?
The album opens with the instrumental of “Hard Times” and well, basically, I don’t understand the point of this album, it’s basically what a B-Side of a 12″ Single is for… is it not? The song is good, though I’m just waiting for there to be vocals, I want vocals, I love vocals. Oh, those were mild vocals. Very mild. I can’t even tell what is happening. Oh, it’s someone saying “Hard Times” – and immediately it switches off into “Love Action (I Believe In Love)” and I’m generally annoyed by that type of move, and the songs are good, but I still demand vocals on these tracks. Oh, once more it’s the inaudible vocals where they are simply one word only, “love!” “action!” – come on. Then they go into “Don’t You Want Me” and they should just keep it as a vocal track, but hey, I still like this track – so I guess I can give them that. Oh hey, there is some vocals again – and you know what, it’s just the song title, being repeated.
Anyways, so to the B-Side and open with “Things That Dreams Are Made Of” and well, it’s an okay track, I’ve heard better songs, and I’m definitely not liking this instrumental stuff. I’m not a fan of instrumentals. I need vocals. That electronic sounding guitar, most likely a synthesizer sounds pretty cool. Okay, and onto “Do Or Die” – which they really need to not have made this into a constant song, with very, very small track breaks, cause it is getting me mad. Yup, this album is quickly proving itself to not be my type of music. It’s unfortunate. “Seconds” comes after, and it’s a tolerable track, comparatively to the others, but I still am not liking this album enough yet. Then comes “Open Your Heart” and once more, it’s a bit more tolerable, then again, it may just be because I’ve been listening to this for so long that it’s become tolerable. Who knows really? Then the album ends with “The Sound of the Crowd” and I guess it is an okay way to end the album… still very unsure of this album all together.
Interesting Facts:
None.
Track Listing:
A1 – Hard Times
A2 – Love Action (I Believe in Love)
A3 – Don’t You Want Me
B1 – Things That Dreams Are Made Of
B2 – Do or Die
B3 – Seconds
B4 – Open Your Heart
B5 – The Sound of the Crowd
Label:
Virgin Records
Catalog Number:
VM 2240
Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
The Band – Dave Allen, Ken Ansell, Ian Burden, Jo Callis, Joanne Catherall, Philip Oakey, Martin Rushent, Susanne Sulley & Philip Adrian Wright
Other Albums I Own by The League Unlimited Orchestra:
“Crash”
Released:
1982
League Unlimited Orchestra is not a band and the point of this album is that in the early 80’s during the dawn of the 12 inch remix, there were a couple of bands that put out remix albums.
Love & Dancing was specifically dub remixes similar to Imagination’s Night Dubbing album from around the same period.
The back cover acknowledges the work and input of the producer Martin Rushent and the engineers Dave Allen and Ken Ansell (note the pocket pens).
So this was not an album in the conventional sense, just an attempt to try something slightly different. There were a few other more conventional 12 inch albums, notably The 12″ Album by Howard Jones and Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing by Soft Cell. These were in the main 12 inch versions that were extended but still contained full vocals that you found in the 7″ singles and on the original albums.
Thanks for the information!