Saturday, February 2, 2019

The 1984 Listening Post - The Human League - Hysteria

The Human League - Hysteria


#107
May 8 1984
The Human League
Hysteria
2 out of 5

Martin Rushent had a busy year in 84. He made the Go-Gos sound better than they ever had after giving shine and clarity to Altered Images a few years before. He showed up here to do the same for The Human League. 
The real question posed by this album is: how do you make a listless dance record? 
New Wave is over and it’s time to move on but the League doesn’t know that. 
Gary Numan sounds more human than Phil Oakey because on songs like “Rock Me Again and Again…” he sounds like he’s trying to emulate what he thinks a soul singer should sound like. Reminds me of Fitz & the Tantrums in that way. The shame of it is I think the band is ready to do something worthwhile, they just don’t have the songs or a handle on the narrative of the musical moment. 


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