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33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Proper retrospective for the band, February 1, 2005
My first introduction to the Thompson Twins' was from the Ghostbusters Soundtrack, where their song and 1982 hit, "In The Name Of Love" from the album of the same name, was included. I was taken by the heavy synth emphasis and Tom Bailey's strong British vocals. Yet as the liner notes of the TT's compilation states, they were the anti-rock, riding the wave of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and other synth-oriented British acts that comprised the Second British Invasion.
Most of their American success was on the dance charts, as evidenced by "Lies," an archetypal 80's synth pop tune with its "lies lies lies yeah" chorus, which was a dance chart #1 and their first US Top 40 hit. Quite a cynical line, with "Cleopatra died for Egypt, what a waste of time." The UK Top Ten "We Are Detective", like "Lies" on the Side Kick album, seems tepid compared to their other oeuvre. The mid-paced synth-heavy ballad "If You Were Here" also on the same album, was also on the Sixteen Candles soundtrack, though in terms of Brat Pack movie songs, it's probably overshadowed by OMD's "If You Leave," from Pretty In Pink.
Into The Gap is considered their best album due to five songs included here, three of which entrenched them as one of the UK's biggest acts then. "Hold Me Now" another #1 dance hit, was their biggest US pop hit, peaking at #3. "Doctor! Doctor!" and "You Take Me Up," with its harmonica bits, choral group, and light calypso riffs were the other big hits.
The material from Here's To Future Days coincided with my MTV days, and videos for two of the songs here, "Lay Your Hands On Me" and "King For A Day" were my proper visual introduction to them. Sadly, their rip-roaring cover of the Beatles' "Revolution" is excluded, a pity as it's the best song on HTFD. But "Lay Your Hands," wins with the strong gospel melodies from the Eastern Harlem Hobo Choir in the chorus. Also, the songs here benefited from Nile Rodgers' production genius. The idealistic "King For A Day," with its cool guitar intro, incorporated Beatles-like whimsy by its "love is all you need" refrain towards the end.
The inclusion of the catchy but reflective "Nothing In Common," from the Tom Hanks/Jackie Gleason movie of the same name, is notable not only as an underrated hit and one of my favourite TT songs but for Joe Leeway's last contribution to the band, which left Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie as a duo, true to their name. But the song about how two people have grown further apart, lead to the more introspective material of Close To The Bone.
"Get That Love" merely made it in the Top 40, and was a good enough tune, but maybe the average listener didn't care for Bailey's take on love: "when you're picking and choosing/you wind up losing" and the pre-chorus refrain "I won't give up on love." More serious material here for sure, as was the somber "The Long Goodbye," with the protagonist "seeing my future die, my whole past as well." "When your love has gone away, it's the long goodbye" was a sure far cry from their earlier upbeat days, but the song's title perhaps reflected that it was time for the Twins to say goodbye; two further releases, Big Trash and Queer made it clear that the Twins were as relevant as Rubik's Cubes and Pacman games to the 90's. Still, this greatest hits serves as a memento to a group who made a brief mark in the early to mid-80's.
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40 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
almost definitive, and quite fun!, July 19, 2001
This is the best non-import Greatest Hits collection of the Twins that you will ever come across. All of their dance & singles chart topping songs from the Arista age are included on this disc: The Billboard dance chart toppers "In the Name of Love" & "Lies". Their biggest U.S. singles -- "Hold Me Now" (#3, 1984), "Lay Your Hands on Me" (#6, 1985), "King for a Day" (#9, 1986), and "Doctor! Doctor!" (#11, 1984). The steps into movie soundtracks -- "If You Were Here" (memorably used in "Sixteen Candles"), and "Nothing in Common" (from the Tom Hanks' movie of the same name). Even the lesser-known gems like the anti-drug jungle grunt of "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" and the Arabian flair of "The Gap".The only drawback here is not covering the Twins' entire career... simply because their last 2 albums were released on Warner Bros instead of the Arista label. Regardless, this is a must-have for anyone that enjoyed the Twins in the 80's and beyond...
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thompson Twins-They're gonna get you, October 23, 1999
By A Customer
Thompson Twins are the best the 80's music scene has to offer. They are my favorite group of all time. Their songs are filled with delightful hooks, melodies and great instrumentation. This collection features the track, "If You Were Here," which was featured in "SIXTEEN CANDLES." Other highlights include "Sister Of Mercy," "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" and "Long Goodbye." One thing would make a Thompson Twins collection better, b-sides. If it were an instrumental version, an unreleased song or a remix; Twins fans around the world would sing and dance forever. Even though the Twins are "no more," we can enjoy this compilation and more recent recordings (known by the artist BABBLE). So, what are you waiting for? Let them get you!
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