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Amazon.co.uk Review
The arrival of Secrets, the Human League's first album since 1995's barely acknowledged Octopus, is most timely. With British R&B artist Craig David performing "Human" live in concert and with much plauditry heading in the debt-owing direction of Ladytron's automatous retro electro-pop and New York's quirky Laptop (Jesse Hartman's vocals are very much a little acorn fallen from the branches of Phil Oakey) there couldn't be a better opportunity for Sheffield's finest post-punk knob-twiddlers to stage a comeback. There have been better Human League albums but that isn't to say that Secrets is in any way a disappointment. Sure, six instrumentals is stretching it a bit but--among the wordless synthy shelf-filler--the trio of Oakey and his shop-assistant sidekicks Joannne Catherall and Susanne Sulley come up with enough downbeat dance-pop tunes to keep the faithful happy. Thus, "All I Ever Wanted", with it's rasping disco octave bass synth and memorably uncomplicated chorus, the shimmering "Never Give Your Heart" and the near Travelogue-style radiophonic workshop throwback of "Shameless" are all corking reminders of the good old days when guitars really didn't matter. And if the "The Snake", with Oakey's best Christopher Lee vocal and it's creepy Pied Piper-esque request to "Join us, come and join us" all sounds a bit sinister, it's really about one of the best rambling routes on the Yorkshire moors, albeit a notorious UFO sighting hotspot. --Kevin Maidment
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
An exciting, supremely catchy electro-pop album, with rich textures of analogue sounds that allow it to withstand the scrutiny of repeated listening (and if this electro thing is at all your bag, expect many, many repeat listens!).
On Secrets, The Human League are back on best songwriting form, with lyrics that range from intelligent melodrama to surreal daftness, all showcased by producers (TOY) who pull off the difficult trick of making the songs sound fun and cool at the same time. All I Ever Wanted, Love Me Madly, Shameless and You'll Be Sorry are in the same league (sorry!) as their early 80s smashes, stealing just a hint of Mirwais and Daft Punk (who they influenced anyway) and blending it with their trademark sound. Even the weakest tracks (Liar, Never Give Your Heart) are actually pretty enjoyable and sound like singles - an indication of the consistent quality of this album. The League have only pulled off this trick once before, on the acclaimed Dare.
OK, so it lacks a cheesy mega-hit like Tell Me When to lure you in, but this one works much better as an album. It's failure to seriously dent the charts was one of 2001's biggest pop shames.
But it does mean that if you are one of the few who have this album, you'll be in on a delightful (ahem) Secret.
Magnificent, and sadly misunderstood.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I read the previous reviews here and thought it sounded excellent - and also as I was due to see them live I thought I'd buy it.
The reviews were correct - absolutely fantastic! Brilliant return to form from the best band of 1981, and now in my opinion the best band of 2001. This is trademark League stuff but is very modern. Great catchy vocals and excellent state-of-the-art electro music.
Gorgeous instrumentals i.e. - "Nervous"
Pounding songs i.e. - "Love Me Madly?"
I'm well chuffed that my childhood favourites have produced such a belting album for 2001, this is the true sequel to "Dare".
Buy it.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
As a Human League music buying fan of 12 years and a fan of hearing their music since I was 8 years old 19 years ago, I have had high expectations of every album they have released since 1988s Greatest Hits. Sadly those 12 years have only seen 3 albums but what Human League have lacked in quantity they have up for in quality a million fold. The new album blew me away on the first listen. Few albums can claim to have music that would all comfortably sit in the mainstream in the 80s, 90s and 2000s but this can with its unique NEW for OLD sound. There are tracks here which hark back to their old stuff circa Travelogue & Reproduction but this is a very upbeat new sounding CD. The general feel is the same as Octopus but this is a far superior work to that. Octopus to me had 3 stand out tracks Tell Me When, Filling Up With Heaven & Houseful Of Nothing (My Favourite) but this is an album where every track is a stand out track. My favourites on this are Love Me Madly, Shameless & Reflections. Its true there is a line in Love Me Madly where Phil says,"Youre like the woman out of species, youre gonna make me go to pieces" but the musical genius of this album makes this OK in context like so many daft Human League lyrics that have gone before. This album is the rightful winner of next years Mercury Music Prize but somehow I doubt it'll be in the nominations. If you are reading this then you obviously have at least a passing interest in this amazing band so if you havent got this CD you must buy it as it will not disappoint. Finally I do advise anyone who likes this album go out and buy the whole back catalogue on CD as I did around 10 years ago as it will enrich your life!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
'A Curious But Engaging Beast'
'Secrets' is it has to be said a million miles away from anything the Human League released in their 80's heyday. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Antony May
TOP SECRET-FOR ALL EARS ONLY
THIS IS ONE OF THERE BEST LPS AND IT IS A SHAME IT NEVER GOT MORE MEDIA ATTENTION[the reson being that the record company they were signed to went bust just before the release date... Read more
Published 11 months ago by fanesnach
Good music, bad packaging
Cd described in good condition, the box was ripped, not in the post but clearly before it was sent, please qualify 'good'condition
Published 20 months ago by Anthony Bools
THEIR BEST EVER ALBUM!
I wholeheartedly agree with the other reviewers comments. This is without doubt their best album ever. It beats "Dare" by a country mile in my opinion. Read more
Published 23 months ago by S Moore
Too good to be kept a Secret
A bit like Madness's "Wonderful" album I cannot believe how such a strong album as this could have been so coldly received in terms of chart success. Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2008 by Adrenalin Streams
Sheffield steel!
Hooray! The Human League are back.
This is the first newly released CD that I've bought for a long time and I wasn't disappointed. Read more
This is the first newly released CD that I've bought for a long time and I wasn't disappointed. Read more
Published on 6 July 2008 by Debra from Hull
This is a good CD to drive to.
I once drove a hire car from Barcelona to London with a mate of mine, non-stop, in 24 hours. We listened to the Human League's Secrets on replay from the moment we left Catalunia... Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2005
Phil Oakey for president...
Minimal publicity for the latest 'League opus, but it's been worth it. "Octopus" was a major return to form, and "Secrets" matches that. Read more
Published on 1 Oct 2002 by jut2k
What a disappointment
Sadly, out of all the tracks only All I Ever Wanted was worth a listen. The songs are repetitive, shallow and lack any melody. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2002 by grpowell_gavenny@hotmail.com
Wow!
I am a very casual fan of the Human League. I bought Dare! when it came out in the early 80s because of "Don't You Want Me". Read more
Published on 15 Nov 2001
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