Today’s Pop Rescue from an unknown fate, is the 1981 album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell. Will this album swiftly become a firm favourite, or will it be a Tainted Love? Read on…

This 10 track LP opens with a frustrated shouting of the song title of Frustration. A beat soon drops in as Marc Almond takes the mic. He’s pitched against some fairly repetitive hard synths from David Ball that kind of merrily dance along regardless. Marc’s vocals are clearly frustrated, as he sings about having somewhat boring hobbies. He’s joined by a saxophone who duels him to the end, as Marc goes for it with his stuttering shouted vocals. It’s a

Next up is the lead single and track synonymous with Soft Cell – Tainted Love. From the first three notes, you’re instantly transported into this 1980’s pefection, with a slightly ethereal sound that matches the floating head of Marc in the song’s video. This is a cover of Gloria Jones’ track, and whilst many see this as better (for those who realised it wasn’t an original Soft Cell song), I think it’s an equal, and a brilliant example of taking a song in a different direction and still delivering a hit. Rightly, this track gave them a huge #1 hit, a dazzling debut single, and became the second biggest selling single of 1981, behind Human League’s Don’t You Want Me.

That’s followed by Seedy Films, which gives us a sultry bass line and gentle beat. Marc’s vocals fit right in with the ‘feeling sleazy in sleepy sin city’ vibe. The track does deliver some subtle and less-subtle euphemisms including ‘down in your alleys, seems anything goes’. The saxophone returns and gives Marc a nice contrast for his softer vocals, along with backing vocalist Vicious Pink Phenomena. It’s a nice slow and sexy track, and I’m left half expecting La Toya Jackson to appear at any moment for another orgasm.

Then it’s on to Youth, which gives us some nice synth pads over a juddering bass and soft drum machine. It’s a brooding, almost menacing sounding track, giving Marc some chances to show off his vocal range, although it managed to remain fairly soft.

Sex Dwarf follows that, giving us a burst of almost disco energy. Vocally, i’m reminded here of Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys. There’s little wonder about the lyrics (‘luring disco dollies to a life of vice’) and sounds here (whipping), which are heavily referencing BDSM. The beat and synths work well here, the lyrics are a little bit cringeworthy now, but would have attracted outrage in 1981.

Side Two opens with Entertain Me, where Marc gets to show off his vocals as the first verse is sung a capella, flanked with backing vocalists. Then, for the chorus, the song goes racing off, as the backing vocalists and synths take on a sort of gangland franticness, that carries a slight sinisterness in its delivery.

Then it’s Chips On My Shoulder, and this brings the spirt up with a set of whistles, elated ‘wooo!’ vocals, playful little gargling synth riffs, and a racing beat. Handclaps join in too as the song gallops along. Marc’s vocals are bright here, despite singing about injustice and things to be miserable about. It’s definitely a massive foot-tapper, and catchy as hell.

That leads on to second single Bedsitter, which gives Marc some slightly character-driven vocals about loneliness and routine of living in a bedsit. It doesn’t carry the same catchiness of Tainted Love, but it bounces along nicely with the drum machines and synths effortlessly carrying the song along. It gave the duo a #4 hit.

Next is Secret Life, which has a wonderfully distinct keyboard sequence running through part of the song, which briefly reminds me of Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes. Here, Marc’s vocals are soft and rich, with the chorus allowing him to build up from a lower register.

The album closes with Say Hello, Say Goodbye, which stood as the third and final single. This track gives us a heartfelt mid-tempo narrative track about a terrible date. It’s a bit downbeat in the verse, but the synths here are beautiful and distinct. Soon, Marc gets to show off some wonderful big vocals though, which he does perfectly in this sad song. It’s musically and lyrically the perfect closing track for the album. It unsurprisingly took the duo to #3 in the UK singles chart.

Verdict

Over all, this album is a great example of early 1980’s synth pop, massively overshadowed by that big iconic hit.

Aside from the highlight being the cover of Tainted Love, the album does bring some other gems in the form of Chips On My Shoulder, Secret Life, and Say Hello Say Goodbye – all of which are musically and vocally wonderful.

Most of the rest of the album consists of essentially good songs – with plenty of immaculate synths, and wonderful vocal performances turning up throughout. However, out of all of the tracks here, it’s probably the opening track – Frustration – that is frustratingly the weakest moment. Perhaps, fuelled by youth and excitement in this fresh new sound, it would have sounded better. Now though, it sounds a bit messy.

You’d be foolish to miss this album, and there’s plenty of different sounds here that go beyond that heard in the big hit. Definitely worth a spin.

• POP RESCUE 2024 REVIEW RATING: 3 / 5
• 1981 UK ALBUM CHART PEAK: #5, certified Platinum by the BPI.
• POP RESCUE COST: £0 – inherited.