Customer Reviews

Book of Love

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Funny that with the explosion of female-driven electroclash that more people aren't singing the praises of the 80's femme synth pioneers Book of Love. This eponymously titled album was likely their best and while it may have sounded like sugar-coated pop the content often pushed the envelope with its innuendo. "Boy" is an 'alternative lifestyles' anthem with its deviant insinuations. "I Touch Roses" was also a club hit as was "Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)", a tribute to the Renaissance Italian painter. Several remixes of these hits appear at the end of the disc - remember this was the new age of CDs when everyone felt obligated to fill all 70+ minutes of available capacity.

So much for the singles, there were other great songs here. "Still Angry" showcased bitter and jagged little females decades before Alanis Morissette ever did. "You Make Me Feel So Good" is another innuendo wonder. "Yellow Sky" is a mid-tempo masterpiece - truly excellent. "Die Matrosen" (German for "The Saliors") is a bubbly, sing-song affair that reminds me of a cool Nena song (no, not that one). And "Book of Love" got some club play too.

All in all, a very strong synthpop album that has influenced many more acts than you probably would imagine. I'm certain that Ladytron, Chicks on Speed and Peaches were all spinning this 15 years ago.

...along with Erasure, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, OMD, Alphaville, and (if you insist) New Order. It was mostly downhill for Book of Love after this debut -- and its solid followup _Lullaby_ -- but for a moment there, these four were doing light synthpop, tinged with just enough darkness to keep things from becoming too cheesy, as well as anyone else on the planet. The lightweights of the era tended to peter out after a couple great singles and maybe a couple decent album tracks, but Book of Love's debut keeps it going throughout: "Boy," "Happy Day" and "Die Matrosen" still sound better to me, at positions 9-11, than anything that Ladytron, Freezepop, et al. have managed at positions 1-3.

(That being said, if you enjoy this one, I highly recommend "We Are Pilots" by Shiny Toy Guns, a new band from LA. The BoL influence is unmistakable, and the songwriting and production are top-notch.)

If you like 80s dance music, buy this album! More than 10 years ago, my best friend and I treked to San Francisco to see them live at the Filmore. It was one of the greatest concerts I've ever been to (ranks up there with seeing Midge Ure at the Filmore and Icehouse at the original Warfield). At that time it was clear people really didn't really know the group that well. In fact, as we were waiting to get into the Filmore, we didn't realize we were leaning on the group's van. When they came out of the building after their sound check, they walked up to us and my friends and I stood awe struck! What was more amazing was that nobody else in the crowd even moved! They had no idea who the people in front of them were! I was sickend at the fact that such a great band was not even recognized! Enough about the fact that people really didn't appreciate them...this was a great album...one of my DIDs (along with anything Ultravox, Icehouse and Killing Joke!).

This album has well thought out and inspirational lyrics and beats. Something for everyone. Pop, dance, introspection. I highly recommend this album for anyone that loves Depeche Mode, Erasure, or the like.

Although I didn't hit my teenage years until the late eighties, through my older friends I became a book of love fan. This album is one of the best of its genre- whether you classify them as new wave or whatever. Modigliani is a very uplifting song that puts you in a great mood. Boy, whether or not they intended it, is a lesbian anthem...read into the lyrics and you'll see why. I Touch Roses also, perhaps...hmm.

Even the dinkier moments like Die Matrosen are great synth-pop. I can't believe that Book of Love didn't get bigger than they did.

This is new wave pop at its best. If you like dance music that has gorgeous melodies than get this.

I first heard of this band back in 1989 during high school. This band has a lot of creativity. From the happy-go-lucky "You Make Me Feel So Good" to the sassy "Boy", these fab four create simple lyrics full of hidden meaning accompanied by plush synthesizers, horns, and chimes. Their following albums carry on the sound we first loved them for. It's too bad they never got the recognition they deserved.

I love Book Of Love. This CD is their first and, I think their best. Although Lullaby is excellent as well as Lovebubble. Candy Carol has the excellent Counting the Rosaries. The remixes of that are superb. Book Of Love are excellent. I love the fact that they are from the U.S., unlike PSB, Electronic/New Order, etc. This CD has dance songs as well as some beautiful songs like Modigliani (mixes are great too) and Happy Day. I wish they were still together. BUY THIS CD!!!! takes me back........

Like some of the other reviewers, I forgot about this group. Someone snagged my cassette a few years back. This is an incredible CD, albeit dated at this point. I think Book of Love would rank at the top of the list of great bands that no one has heard of. I'm sure you would recognize the club tunes - I Touch Roses, Boy, etc. Truly, this is a great unheralded piece.

Back in highschool I'd listen to Sisters of Mercy and The Cult with my friends. After my friends leave, I'd play my Book of Love lp!