The Album Review Club - Week #120 - (page 1413) - The Lexicon of Love - ABC

[RobMCFC]

Sometimes, less really is more. This is one of those. I know it is not a genre and era I particularly like anyway, but on it's own merit, it is just overdone. Throw as many gimmicks at it to disguise otherwise boring formulaic song writing and unoriginal performance and singing. And then rinse repeat for each song, with the hope that those looking for something 'more' will fall for it. I have in the past praised richness in songs, so I don't think it is necessarily a conviction to minimalism, just purely how I see this album. Liked it less than the last one and a few I can remember so a 3 from me.

I agree entirely about the rinse and repeat aspect - there’s definitely a whiff of the same song retooled many times. But as I said in my review, there are some very good songs on this album - “All of My Heart” being the best example - that even the OTT production can’t drown.

 

[threespires]

Sometimes, less really is more. This is one of those. I know it is not a genre and era I particularly like anyway, but on it's own merit, it is just overdone. Throw as many gimmicks at it to disguise otherwise boring formulaic song writing and unoriginal performance and singing. And then rinse repeat for each song, with the hope that those looking for something 'more' will fall for it. I have in the past praised richness in songs, so I don't think it is necessarily a conviction to minimalism, just purely how I see this album. Liked it less than the last one and a few I can remember so a 3 from me.

This has been a good album for raising the question what is it we actually hear when we play stuff like this. Are we listening to decent music or are we really 'hearing' our memories of a carefree time and place. I think it's both and tbh even if it's more the latter then what's the purpose of music if not to create emotions that then turn into memories. That said I think this album is a testament to the times but also stands the test of time too. No one seems to have mentioned the hooks, it's got loads of them. Are they massively innovative? Not really. Are they often a bit formulaic? Possibly. But that didn't stop Motown or Atlantic or PIR from producing great records too.

As an apprentice miserablist at the time, I did my level best to dislike all of the pop music of the day. But the good stuff will always get it's hooks into you.

This album is not perfect and some aspects have stood up less well than others but to me over forty years later it's still eminently playable.