Customer Reviews

Fig. 15

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

 

 

In late 70s/early 80s, Boston was alive with some of the best bands that never made it "big". Human Sexual Response was by far my favorite band. This album lived on my turntable. My brother used to beg me to stop playing Marone Moan and go to bed. I paid no attention to him. I couldn't. It was an addiction between us. The whole album is great. Cutting edge stuff that was way ahead of its time. Dance to Jackie Onassis and What Does Sex Mean to Me. Learn the words to Marone Moan - it's a great ballad. If you know this band, you already have this album. If you are curious, waste no time in buying this CD. Oh, and Wendell did indeed lick Betty Ford's boots. He worked at Filenes when Betty ordered a pair from the famous department store to wear to China. He was packing them to send to her and decided to lick them before he put them in the box. She wore them all over China.

I've been listening to this album since it first came out and Boston radio station WBCN really got behind "What Does Sex Mean To Me?" (back in the days when major market stations supported local acts..but that's another story), and this CD release brings it back sounding better than ever. The four lead vocalists harmonize with unique strength and a beautiful blend, with a truly rocking power trio bashing behind them. They deserved far better; they were probably just too bizarre for their times - and way ahead of them! HSR developed an unprecedented sound, and the feedback/noise in "Unba Unba" & "Dick & Jane" hints at a musical movement that wouldn't develop for another ten years. A truly great debut record which should have hit big nationally; if only MTV had been around, Human Sexual Response would have been HUGE. Check out "Marone Moan" and "Anne Frank Museum" - no other band has ever combined four-part harmonies with such fierce instrumentation, and the surreal soundscapes they created have never been duplicated. A genuinely unique and inimitable band.

Bostons best kept secret of the 80's. I saw them perform live three times in the Boston area. I wish they could have stayed together longer. Bangor formed another band called Animal Kingdom or something like that. I don't remember exactly. If you're looking for something different to listen to give this album a try,It's awesome! Also try "In A Roman Mood" another underrated album .

This record sold 60,000 copies in the Boston-area alone yet did nothing nationally. Why? The record label, Passport Records, didn't have the wherewithal to do national distribution. This band was one of the treasures of the early 1980's. If you can find it, "In a Roman Mood" is a good recording too.

If you are a fan of the boston music scene then check out these amazing albums:
1) Surfer Rosa by The Pixies
2) Lyres Lyres by The Lyres
3) Low Rises by Baby Ray
4) Vs. by Mission Of Burma
5) Fig. 15 by The Human Sexual Response

I wholeheartedly agree with the above assesments that this band would have been big, given the proper, and due, promotion. Even though it is twenty some years later, give them a listen. Their performance talent and writing brilliance is still evident.

I was amused the other day when I was listening to Rage Against The Machine and I heard them quoting the refrain from "Jackie Onasis".

One of my favorite records of all time by a band that defined for many of us the sound of Boston in the early 80's. The singer (Larry Bangor), guitarist (Rich Gilbert), and drummer(Malcolm Travis) went on to form the Zulu's which defined the sound of Boston in the early 90's. Gilbert went on to play with Frank Black, Travis with Bob Mould's Sugar.

One of Boston's best rock bands was essentially a power trio with four singers . What's not to like with lyrics ..." I want to be Jackie Onassis , I want to wear a pair of dark sunglasses ." These guys really rocked ( this isn't the Cars )and several songs build to such amazing crescendos at the end that you just want them to play on and on . I always turn up my c d palyer loud towards the end of Guardian Angel , milking every last note , till , sadly , its gone ,but hoping they might play it longer every time I listen .I'll put it this way , Guardian Angel is one of the best damn rock song period.