Very Best Of The Human League, The - Human League (The)

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Unmemorable
Value for Money	Very Poor

Advantages:	Eight Good tracks .
Disadvantages:	Twenty naff tracks .

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

The Very Best of the Human League.

This compilation of HL tunes was released in 2003 and if you do want to buy it after this review, my advice is iTunes, all 28 songs for £7.99. To buy in most shops as a double CD is still more than £10, and the price (and availability) varies greatly online.

To be honest, when I was compiling an 80's playlist for my iPod I needed about 6 songs from HL but could not resist downloading the lot for the price. Did I regret it? would I have been better off getting just a few tracks?

well........

1.Don't You Want Me
Absolute classic, who can forget the video. Heavy electronic beats, a great storyline, good vocals and almost everyone knows the lyrics, so this one gets a tick, I've kept it 9/10.

2.Love Action (I Believe In Love)
Again, big tick for me. From the incessant bass line and jingly bells, to the synthesised backing, 80's all over, and I just love the backing vocals "hard times". Phil Oakeys voice is all husky on this track which is just about okay, any huskier and it would be laughable. 9/10, and keeper number 2.

3.Open Your Heart
I do like this, very early Spandau Ballet like, very simple, catchy riff, another keeper, though not as strong as the two openers. 7/10.

4.The Sound Of The Crowd
Forgot how much I like this, quite hammer horror like in some ways, like a B movie sound track and quite a good mix between the post punk pop style and electronica, could have come from Gary Numan. 8/10, and another keeper, so far my investment is looking good.

5.Mirror Man
I find this awful, though I know many folk like it....reminds me of a slick American 80's film, just horrid. 2/10. Not a keeper.

6.(Keep Feeling) Fascination
More of a dance type tune from HL, quite a strange offering, very new romantic, not for me. 4/10.

7.The Lebanon
Love this, the philospohical side of new romance, I remember Spndau Ballet, Visage and OMD doing similar social conscience type tracks. 8/10. That is 5-2 as keepers

8.Life On Your Own
5-3, yuk. 2/10.

9.Together In Electric Dreams
5-4 From a film, can't remember which, anyway, not for me.

10.Louise
6-4. Oh yes, this is better, for me the best HL track of all, along with songs like the Streets (Dry your eyes) and Elvis Costello (I Want You), one of the all time classic 'break up' songs, the music is catchy and just fits and the vocals are a lament, morose yet joyful, pure brilliance 10/10.

11.Human
Too accomplished, Duran Duran on hot chocolate, yuk. 1/10. My tally now stands at 6 keepers and 5 throwers, not cost effective yet.

12.Heart Like A Wheel
I don't even remember this from first time round, OMG, rubbish, 'very best of'?, don't think so. 0/10.

13.Tell Me When
More rubbish and it just seems one I have heard from a bundle of other groups. 1/10. The throwers overtake the keepers at 6-7.

14.One Man In My Heart
Like when was this released?, oo la, la, la, la...no another 0/10.

15.All I Ever Wanted
Okay, very electronic but bloomin boring, 1/10. Oh dear the throwers are now storming ahead at 6-9.

16.Being Boiled (Fast Version)
Phew, a decent track again, reminiscent of 'Fade to Grey', great synthesiser, and bass beat, haunting and remote vocals, nice. 7/10, keeper, hurrah. 7-9.

17.Empire State Human
Oh no, it's like a comedy march from Monty Python. Embarrisingly bad -1/10.

Then we come on to what would be the 2nd disc if I had bought it in said format instead of downloading. Pretty much different remixes of all the earlier tracks.

1.Don't You Want Me (Majik J Original Booty Vocal Mix)
Actually this is bloomin good, very heavy drum beat, great dance type track, reminds me of the extended version of 'Beautiful' Chritina Aguilera. It's a keeper, for long drives at nearly 8 minutes long. So now I have just about broken even with my investment.

2.Open Your Heart (Laid Remix)
No thank you.

3.The Sound Of The Crowd (Trisco's PopClash Mix)
Spoilt a good song.

4.Love Action (Brooks Red Line Vocal Mix)
Again, a good mix this, bit more 'dancey', not too different, but different enough.

5.(Keep Feeling) Fascination (Groove Collision TMC Mix)
Awful, a backing riff that sounds like 'celebration' Kool and the Gang, it is so wrong.

6.Empire State Human (Chamber's Reporduced Mix)
Laughable.

7.The Things That Dreams Are Made Of (Jimmy 19 The A509 PWC Remix)
Oh why? Ring my Bell, Anita Ward comes to mind.

8.The Sound Of The Crowd (Freaksblamredo)
Okay, too many whistles and squeaks though, not unpleasant but not a hit either.

9.Open Your Heart (The Strand Remix)
Another mix of this song, gawd knows why.

10.The Sound Of The Crowd (Riton Re-Rub)
Alright, bit more edgy than the original.

11.Love Action (Fluk's Dub Action Remix)
Another remix of a remix, oh dear.

#####Final thoughts#####
The 2nd disc, or 2nd half of downloads apart from the first one, are really not worth bothering with unless you are a diehard Human League fan, I'm not. In fact, that EMI/Virgin had the cheek to call the last 10 tracks 'The Very Best of' is almost a crime under the trade descriptions act. This is a shame as the first half/disc is okay; well, 7 songs are more than okay, they are very, very good. So, with those 7, plus the first 'remix' you would be buying 8 tunes at 79p, or spending £6.32p, so my advice, do that. I got mugged.

I cannot review the sleeve etc. as i got it as a download.

Also posted on DooYoo, same member name.