Yeah, no new liner notes, pictures or demo dates - were these recorded for Virgin in 1992 before being dropped or closer to the album sessions in 1994? Also, no mention of a remaster in the credits though I've not listened yet.
There's a story behind that. And why it's so...well, crap. I think the idea was okay, just the execution was all wrong. And I believe Phil sees it that way too. Some of Crash isn't too bad...there's half a decent HL album in there. EG.
The only one it was possible to date was These Are The Days; the version released has the line ‘after sixteen years of legalised class hate’ whereas the demo has ‘thirteen years’ – so that must be from 1992!
I only have the old 88 US Greatest Hits which sounds fine. There is a 95 which includes Oakey/Moroder Together In Electric Dreams from the Soundtrack. I have the old Electric Dreams ST on cd so I never checked out the 95.
I didn't like the sound on the 88 Greatest Hits...too much difference in volume and SQ between eras. Which might not have been such an issue with chronological order, but they decided to mix it up and have 1981 tracks next to Jam & Lewis 1986 ones. Didn't ever get the 95 version, while 2003's Very Best was more satisfying in terms of content (adding Heart Like A Wheel, Tell Me When etc) but some people aren't fans of the mastering. EG.
Something most people won’t know is one of the babies is Noddy Holders. not sure which one probably the loudest
Generous! She's right about the sound having an underproduced feel to it, even if the band paradoxically strangled all the life out of the material in the studio. 1983-84 is my favourite era of the League. It's just not represented very well on any album. EG.
I only know the singles of the Human League. Now I want to explore their albums. I have read in this thread that "Dare" is a good album. Can someone recommend a good sounding CD version of this album. Nobody mentioned this compilation : The Human League - A Very British Synthesizer Group Is this a bad compilation-album ?
Here's a thread on the comp Jag- The Human League Anthology - A Very British Synthesizer Group Dare, for my tastes I love the old UK blue face. Warm and dynamic. It does carry pre-emphasis, just a heads up
It's pretty good...aside from a few random instrumental or alternate versions thrown in, but then its remit is to be a collection rather than a proper/definitive Greatest Hits. The 2-disc has some nice edits which are useful for iTunes playlists and the like. EG.
I've owned so many versions, I forget which sound the best but the worst was definitely the 2001 remaster. Mind you, Dare will never truly sound bad, as it's a classic. EG.
There is also this new 3CD compilation, good value for £5.... https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/the-human-league-essential-3cd-set/
I made a "Directors Cut" of Hysteria last year, incorporating the orphan singles from late 82/83 and replacing some of the album tracks with B-sides. Then rejigged the track order: 01 The Lebanon 02 The World Tonight 03 Betrayed 04 Life On Your Own 05 Louise 06 I'm Coming Back 07 Mirror Man 08 I Love You Too Much 09 (Keep Feeling) Fascination 10 The Sign 11 Thirteen I listen to this as my go-to League CD nowadays! EG.
I hope that's the version of I Love You Too Much from the Fascination EP rather than the lumpen Hysteria version?
I LOVE this! It's exactly what Hysteria should've been! I regard myself as a big Human League fan, although in reality I don't like anything they released after 1984. I can't bear 'Human', 'Heart Like A Wheel' or 'Tell Me When' — I think they're all horrible singles, and Crash is unlistenable. They lost their way with Hysteria and never recovered, IMO. But when the League got it right, they were untouchable. 'The Sound of the Crowd' and '(Keep Feeling) Fascination' are two of my favourite singles of the 80s, and Dare is a masterpiece. I enjoy Reproduction and Travelogue, but they're also a bit frustrating. It's the sound of a band trying to find itself.
I think the thing to do with Hysteria is not to buy/listen to it for 34 years like I did. Then the pressure for you to like it/compare it unfavourably to Dare isn’t so great. I agree about Crash, BTW. I don’t mind Human, but the rest of it is a real struggle. Presumably it is composed almost entirely of songs rescued from Janet Jackson’s dustbin.
I don't mind Hysteria as it is...it's an average record in that form, with some ace singles (I will never not love The Lebanon). Crash is a fantastically-produced album of so-so material...two excellent HL-style tracks, and one classic Jam & Lewis tune. Then some filler in differing degrees of awkwardness. Played the new remaster of Octopus last week and it sounded surprisingly good. EG.
I wonder if deluxe issues of Hysteria (and to a lesser degree Crash and Romantic?) would shine a kinder light on the respective eras. They don't strike me as a band that threw away songs completely at demo stage but all three of those albums had long gestation periods and changes of personnel/producer so there may yet be rough gems in the vaults.
