UK import
Only for the serious Human League fan. I guess that means I fit that category. OK, I'll own that; I loves me some technopop. As the disc title suggests, this is a mixed bag of b-sides and extended versions. This is risky business: an extended version is great if you like the song, but a painful 6 minutes if you don't and most b-sides are b-sides for a reason. This was purchased more out of curiosity than anything else. As the critic from allmusic.com says, "Original Remixes & Rarities is a useful accessory for fans but -- unsurprisingly -- it's not the least bit essential for anyone else." Come to think of it, some of the "rarities" aren't even that rare, having been released in 2003 on the remastered Dare/Love & Dancing CD.
Tracks:
| 1 | Being Boiled (Album Version) | 1980 |
| 2 | The Sound Of The Crowd (12" Version) | 1981 |
| 3 | Hard Times (Love Action B-Side) | 1981 |
| 4 | Non-Stop (Open Your Heart B-Side) | 1981 |
| 5 | Don't You Want Me (Special Extended Dance Mix) | 1981 |
| 6 | Mirror Man (Extended Version) | 1982 |
| 7 | You Remind Me Of Gold (Mirror Man B-Side) | 1982 |
| 8 | (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Improvisation) | 1983 |
| 9 | Total Panic (Fascination B-Side) | 1983 |
| 10 | The Lebanon (12" Extended) | 1984 |
| 11 | Life On Your Own (Extended) | 1984 |
| 12 | Together In Electric Dreams (Extended) | 1984 |
| 13 | Human (Extended Version) | 1986 |
| 14 | Heart Like A Wheel (Extended Mix) | 1990 |
My favorites here are Hard Times (the B-side from the 1981 single Love Action), and the extended versions of (Keep Feeling) Fascination and The Lebanon. One of the better songs isn't even a Human League song: Together In Electric Dreams is a collaboration between the League's Philip Oakey and über-producer Giorgio Moroder. Written for the 1984 film Electric Dreams, the song was a bigger hit than the movie. It's one of the best upbeat, feel-good songs of the '80s. You'll want to stay away from the other tracks, particularly Non-Stop, You Remind Me Of Gold, Total Panic, and the dreaded Human.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Secrets (2001)
Greatest Hits (1988)
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