The Luxury Gap cover

The Luxury Gap

Released

Two refugees from the Human League went hard left on their first record (subtly titling their debut single “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang”) and, despite adopting a brighter, more radio-friendly sound on album number two, didn’t make many political concessions to the BBC censors. Leadoff track “Crushed by the Wheels of Industry” is a strident proto-industrial anti-capitalist manifesto. Their two biggest hits represent opposite extremes from each other: melancholy breakup bop “Let Me Go” taps into Wang Chung’s not-fun side while “Temptation” goes full seventies soul (with synthesizers) to express what got the narrator in trouble in the first place. Cradle of Filth later covered the latter, a true testament to its hedonistic power. Heaven 17 crossed The Luxury Gap from disposable to delightful here.

Jeff Treppel

Suggestions
Spring Session M cover

Spring Session M

Missing Persons
Galaxy cover

Galaxy

Rockets
A Flock of Seagulls cover

A Flock of Seagulls

A Flock of Seagulls
Aeromantic II cover

Aeromantic II

The Night Flight Orchestra
Replicas cover

Replicas

Gary Numan, Tubeway Army
Metamatic cover

Metamatic

John Foxx
Shakin’ Street cover

Shakin’ Street

Shakin' Street
Nice Mover cover

Nice Mover

Gina X Performance
Catholic Girls cover

Catholic Girls

Catholic Girls