ALBUMS-

• THE HUMAN LEAGUE: DARE: 1981: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: VINYL: The first two Human League albums didn’t make the Top 200 album chart in the US- this their third went all the way to #3 and contained one of the biggest and best singles of 1981- in “Don’t You Want Me” #1 in US and UK. One of the reasons for the albums success was member changes in the band and a shift from being an experimental electronic band their first two albums to a commercial pop band for this one. At the time it was different sounding from what was on the radio with the synthesiser of a new member to the group Ian Burton.. Favorite songs on the album- of course the great “Don’t You Want Me’, the album opener “That’s What Dreams Are Made Of”, “Seconds”- about the JFK assassination, “Get Carter” “Love Action” and “The Sound of The Crowd.” I hadn’t listened to this album in years- it was even better sounding than I remembered.

• BLONDIE: EAT TO THE BEAT: 1979: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: VINYL: Like The Human League- Blondie didn’t become a successful chart band until their third album Parallel Lines in 1978 with the #1 hit “Heart of Glass.” This album wasn’t as successful due to the lack of a big hit single- but for my money the best Blondie song ever is on this album- “Dreaming.” which peaked at #27. The other singles “Union City”  ‘The Hardest Part”  and “Atomic” went nowhere. I think this album was just as good as Parellel Lines I probably listened to it back in the day more often- but it just isn’t as commercial. Blondie would correct with the next three singles following this album- all going to #1- “Call Me”, “The Tide Is High” and the annoying “Rapture.” Eat To The Beat was to me Blondie at it’s peak.