Classic Albums Reviewed And Rated Day 3

Throughout this month we are going to take a look at albums regarded as classics from the 80s and one or two from the late 70s and give you our comments, and our rating of each album.

Each day, during November, we will focus on one album.

To rate the albums we rate each track on the album as either 3 (Outstanding), 2 (Good), 1 (ok) and 0 (Hate it). Those points are totalled up and then divided by the maximum points the album could get (EG 10 tracks would equal 30 points, 10 x 3). Then times the figure by 100 and that gives you your percentage rating. This is a very good indicator of how you rate an album.

For todays classic album, we go back to 1981 and an album most electronic/synthpop lovers will, I am sure, have in their music collection, it is of course "Dare" by The Human League, which was released in 1981 and reached number 1 in the UK album chart. This album was the first under the new version of the band led by Phil Oakey, following an acrimonious split with other founder members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. The album featured 4 brilliant singles, "The Sound Of The Crowd", "Love Action (I Believe In Love", "Open Your Heart" and the number one single "Don't You Want Me".

Regarded by many as the ultimate synthpop album and rightly so, our track recommendations are all 4 singles, as well as, the tracks "Darkness" and "Do Or Die". There are no tracks that we dislike, almost pop perfection.

Our overall rating for this album is 76/100

The album is available for under £4 from Amazon here