Customer Reviews

Crash

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After a handful of hits in the early 1980s, the Human League's streak came to a halt with the release of 1984's "Hysteria," which had the flop single "The Lebanon." Phil Oakey and Co. needed to prove that they weren't a flash in the Totally 80's pan, and, strangely enough, they hooked up with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for their 1986 album "Crash." It's a departure from their ice-cold, synth-heavy work, but, remarkably, the Minneapolis funk Jam and Lewis bring nicely compliments the group. Of course, there's the hit "Human," but the League don't turn it loose until the we get to the stomper "I Need Your Loving," which is probably as funky as anything the Time recorded back in the day. "Swang" swings along nicely, but the song that brings the house down is the excellent "Love is All That Matters." While "Crash" didn't steer the League into r&b territory for long, it was a welcome diversion that makes it one of their most interesting albums.

It's a shame music critics were not too kind to this album or that the only place it went was into the cutout clearance bins at your local record/c.d. shop. A lot of critics and die-hard Human League fans claimed that this project was too Americanized or pop driven by producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The only gem of the album for the Human League and for many listeners was the hit song Human.

What I appreciated most about Crash was that the Human League displayed a warm and enjoyable (letting loose, if you will) type of dance or club sound. Of course it sounded "American"--whatever that means; the album was produced here in the U.S. by mega-talented producers Jam & Lewis from FlytTyme Productions ( responsible for contributing to the successes of Janet Jackson, S.O.S. Band, Cherelle, and Alexander O'Neal). Crash had that mid 80's chart topping R&B Minneapolis sound which still sounds just as fresh today. Crash also demonstrated that the Human League did not necessarily have to adhere to their usual heavily synthesized and often cold sounding material which catapulted them to the top back in the early 80's with Don't You Want Me ! I must admit,even though this album sounded great, the last few tracks started to sound redundant until it slightly picked up again with the last track titled Love Is All That Matters. I think what disturbed critics of this album is that some songs were produced by Jam & Lewis while the others were produced or written by the Human League and their own writing team which may have caused a notable inconsistency in style. Despite the fact that this album "crashed and burned" on the charts and with many critics, it is worth a listen and your few dolllars if you find it in the cutout clearnace bins or at a used c.d. shop...

many critics and fans have said this is human leagues worst album. i disagree. i think its one of their best. it includes some of their most beautiful songs like human, are you ever coming back, love is all that matters, and i need your loving. looking back, maybe using jam and lewis as their producers wasn't their best move but at least it brought them their biggest hit, human, and i think helped them survive their one hit wonder status. get this album, it really is good.

I am a HUGE Human League fan. I grew up listening to their music, waiting for each new release to come out so I could go to the record store and be the first kid in my town to own a copy. This album is NOT a fair representation of the band. Their American fan base was beginning to waver due to changing tastes in music stateside, so their record label gave them one last chance: try to appeal to the urban/r&b dance charts by hiring Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as producers. The music is weak at best, and is over-compensated with funk/r&b grooves to make up for any signs of British synth. It was a commercial success in the states with the non dance-able "Human", the make-up sex song for the next few years, but other than that, it was largely forgettable. This is their one let-down for me in their entire catalog... but hey, they're only human, of flesh and blood they're made.

Crash by the Human League is a classic example of 80s r&b produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The highlights of the CD are Human, I Need Your Loving and the phenomenal Love Is All That Matters. I had this title on cassette as a kid and loved it so much that I had to order the CD. The bonus tracks extended mixes of Human, I Need Your Loving and Love is All That Matters are very good. Overall, a classic album featuring upbeat classic dance music with an r&B edge. Highly recommended for those who enjoy 80s dance and R&B.

I'm goint to have to disagree with many people here.
I like the band a lot. Some of these songs are amazing, but where I disagree is that a lot of people like "Human" and "Swang". I don't like those songs. Human reminds me of Richard Marx or Michael Bolton, yuck. -- maybe because I was 5 when it was on the radio. Swang is Okay -- to me the notes just don't go together. Yes-Sir-ee.

All the other songs are excelent. I could go on and on about that.

I rediscover this album every few years, and still love it. The strange-bedfellow pairing of pasty Brits and rising R&B producers seemed like a headscratcher at first, but the result is glorious. The League's yearning heart had always belied its chilly veneer, and Jam & Lewis were looking for a dance act that could help break them into the mainstream ( JJ's "Control" hadn't hit radio yet). Furthermore, British acts had a history of crossing racial and stylistic boundaries with panache.

The result? Great melodies and rhythms from both camps and some brilliant, underrated songs. Not that every tune is a homerun (and the first half does include some lightweight lyrics) but this is one helluva fun and satisfying disc. It starts well enough, but actually gains steam as it progresses right up to the gorgeous closer "Love Is All That Matters."

The fervor with which the Leauge sheds its reserve (but not its cool) is a hoot. The funky, synthy proceedings are tongue-in-cheek at times, genuinely soulful at others. "Human" was a deserved world-wide smash, but my favorite tracks are the slamming "I Need Your Loving" (whose hot-and-bothered lust seems to precede the sexual digression and remorse in "Human") and the magnificent one-two punch of the back-to-back "Love On The Run" & "The Real Thing," two pieces of perfect pop.

The former is a soaring declaration of No-Regrets propelled by staccato horns & drums and impassioned vocals by Phil. Man does he wail on these lyrics! The latter tune captures the heady rush of new romance with its killer bassline, falsetto backing vocals, sunny horns & keyboards. Beats even "Mirror Man" for bright, wistful imagery. And check out that background glissando in the chorus, among other brilliant touches. And yes, purists, both tunes are League-penned.

Harder to find than some other League discs, "Crash" features some of their most accomplished melodies and singing. It's a revelation that will move your ... and melt your heart.

I feel like I'm the only person on the planet who actually finds this to be a great album. Released around the same time as "Control" and produced by the same people, Human League's "Crash" album ranks as one of my favorites by the group and forever made me a fan of theirs. Although I was too young to know who they were, I have fond memories of "Human" from when I was little and now at age 23, I find the song to be an amazing classic and light years ahead of it's time. That's not to say the rest of this album is inferior by any means but the song was a well-deserved hit and remains a major classic 20 years on. "I Need Your Loving" is silly in a sense sounding like they recycled the drum loop of "What Have You Done For Me Lately" and made a different melody and different lyrics. IN my opinion WHYDFML wins out but this is still a good song.

This is the Human League album that left music critics and die-hard fans of their previous work scratching their heads.It was also like a bitter sweet project in that it yielded their last #1 hit here in the states (after that, every other album came and went without a memorable tune or hit).Human League received a lot of backlash for being deemed as "pop-sell outs" and for coming stateside to record this project with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis at the controls...I remember one music reviewer in a popular magazine years ago referring to Crash as nothing more than outtakes or rejected songs, leftovers from the Minneapolis Jam & Lewis, Prince protogee clan (Jesse Johnson & The Revue, Ta Mara & the Seen, SOS Band, Cherelle, Alex O'Neal, The Time...you get the gist).It all had that sort of electronic mid-80's funk & soul meets pop-new wave hybrid character.

In a positive light,Crash is also the album that finally gave lead singer Phil Oakey a vocal workout instead of the usual dead pan droning we were accustomed to.The guy can actually sing with emotion as highly evident on Human(also read somewhere that Oakey did several takes on Human under the guidance of Jam & Lewis so that he could give that "warm" vocal performance). Also, the cold,harsh, dark and stark synthesized sound of the New Wave era had finally thawed out with Crash (there are slight echoes of Fascination that can be heard on Crash).True, a lot of synth work and electronic drums were used for this project but to a more refined and casual sound ! Can't forget their number one smash single Human came off of this project (not since Don't You Want Me did HL have a #1 single)...

In retrospect, Crash had a very mature, flexible, accessible and warm updated soundscape. Harsh critics could not fathom why England's pioneering and inventive techno-new wave HL members would want to "Americanize" their musical image or "funk it up". The end result, and for me personally, is that Crash made many take notice of the Human League that they could go beyond their "Don't You Want Me" early days on MTV. The musical talents, writing, and ingenious soul-pop melodies from both the Jam & Lewis camp and the Human League actually worked (so what if it all has a polished feel)!

Standout tracks:Money (upbeat), Swang (electronic funk), Human (melodic and memorable), Jam (likeable dance tune), Are You Ever Coming Back ? (haunting, melancholic,atmospheric), I need Your Loving/Love Is All That Matters (very much the Jam & Lewis, Janet Jackson Minneapolis sound popular at the time).

The other tracks, while not as on the same level as the above mentioned hold their own (Party,Love On The Run,The Real Thing).Here's where I think most critics and fans or listeners began to see where these three tracks are almost similar in sound and structure;some said this is where the original album released began to loose a little steam. It's still fun and nothing that will make you hit the skip button.

Bonus Tracks: Nothing to really write home about, but they are definitely a welcomed edition.The remixes are not so far out that you cannot recognize the songs (as so many other artists do when remixing, they literally trash their own material and make it totally unrecognizeable).

This is also my favorite Human League release... Crash is the only title I can literally listen to all the way through unlike their other albums in their catalogue ! Crash is a worthy Human League title to give a spin. Do not try to strain yourself reading into the lyrics or listen too hard to the material.It may all be simple, but it's simplicity in it's smoothest form. Listen with an open mind.Don't believe music reviews of 20 years ago that Crash lacked style or substance.Crash has plenty of style and substance as well as soul (three s's) ! Three f words come to mind: It's fun, funky, and feel good stuff !!!

The Human League had had international success with "Don't You Want Me" from the 1981's "Dare," followed by 1982's "Fascination" that had the chart maker "(Keep Feeling) Fascination." After 1984's "Hysteria" failed to make a dent on the pop or dance charts, the group teamed up with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis - a duo making headways with Janet Jackson, Alexander O'Neal, Cherelle, and other artists - and released "Crash."

Though many of Human League's fans were upset with "Crash," an album that deviated somewhat from the group's trademark synth-pop formula, the album proved to be the group's biggest commercial success, yielding their last number one hit, "Human." That song is possibly one of pop's best-penned songs, a song asking for forgiveness for "indiscretions" on the part of both partners in a relationship.

As a whole, the album is a lot of fun with all tracks, with the exception of the mid-tempo "Human," excellent dance and party songs. It is definitely one of the most innovative and distinctive albums of the late 80's.

This release features extended versions of three songs, although the songs in their original forms are better.