Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret [Bonus Tracks] (CD)

Perverts with style.

By ivan  Nov 7, 2000

This of course goes if you take the fact that Soft Cell are mostly connected to the rock scene's underground circuit (Coil, Psychic TV, Virgin Prunes, Current 93, Lydia Lunch are to name but a few). However the poppiness (as well as everything else)... on 'Non Stop Erotic Cabaret' is the earliest you can get in here to make a particular review (according to numerous remastered versions), 'Tainted Love' is a huge smash (and will be for ages - though I wonder what's the original like, when these two chose to cover this very song which ironically refers to their manipulation of pop industry in general. An interesting fact is that 'Frustration', the opening number on this album (and its most evident statement), already appeared in a rawer version, on the duo's debut, 7"EP 'Mutant Moments'. It is a nervous intro into more and more sensitive affairs ('Tainted Love', 'Youth', 'Say Hello Wave Goodbye') based around sex ('Sex Dwarf', 'Entertain Me'), sleaziness ('Seedy Films', 'Secret Life'), frustration (already meantioned above, followed up by 'Chips On My Shoulder' and 'Bedsitter')... So after all there is a strange gut feeling when you give a listen to these songs you find them out being carefully arranged and derranged just for the sake of consumer's inner self-observations. And once agin, 'Frustration' can really hit the nerve! Read more Less