How Men Are
| How Men Are | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1984 | |||
| Genre | Synth-pop | |||
| Length | 38:18 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Producer |
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| Heaven 17 chronology | ||||
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| Singles from How Men Are | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Smash Hits |   [1] |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
How Men Are is the third studio album by the English synthpop band Heaven 17. It was originally released in September 1984, on the label Virgin. The album peaked at No. 12 in the UK and was certified Silver (60,000 copies sold) by the BPI in October 1984.
Three singles were released from this album: "Sunset Now" (UK#24), "This Is Mine" (UK#23) in 1984, and an edited remix of "...(And That's No Lie)" (UK#52) in early 1985, which was the first Heaven 17 single to fail to reach the UK Top 40 since "Let Me Go" at the end of 1982.
Although digital sample-based instruments such as the Fairlight CMI and the Linn LM-1 drum machine were still responsible for most of the album's sounds, How Men Are marked the beginning of an increased usage of acoustic instruments in Heaven 17's music. A small orchestra is employed on three tracks, and two tracks make use of the Phenix Horns Esquire, Earth, Wind & Fire's famous brass section. Another notable contribution to this album was made by the vocal group Afrodiziak, who sang on four tracks.
In 2006, Heaven 17's first three albums were remastered and reissued with bonus tracks.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh, and Martyn Ware, except where noted.
- "Five Minutes to Midnight" – 3:46
- "Sunset Now" – 3:35
- "This Is Mine" – 3:51
- "The Fuse" – 3:05
- "Shame Is on the Rocks" – 3:59
- "The Skin I'm In" – 3:46
- "Flamedown" – 2:59
- "Reputation" (John Wilson, Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh, Martyn Ware) – 3:03
- "And That's No Lie" – 10:02
- Additional tracks
| 2006 remastered CD bonus tracks | |
|---|---|
All bonus tracks originally appeared on various formats of the singles taken from the album and had never appeared on CD before. "Counterforce II" was originally a B-side from the "Sunset Now" 12-inch single, and was also released under the title "Chase Runner" on the Electric Dreams soundtrack. | |
Personnel
- Heaven 17
- Glenn Gregory – lead and background vocals
- Martyn Ware – LinnDrum programming; Roland System 100 bass; backing vocals
- Ian Craig Marsh – Fairlight CMI programming; Roland System 100; backing vocals
- Session musicians
- Greg Walsh – Fairlight CMI programming; Roland System 100 bass
- Nick Plytas – Roland System 100 simulated classical guitar; piano
- Ray Russell – guitar
- John Wilson – guitar
- Mo Foster – fretless bass guitar
- Phenix Horns Esquire – horns
- Michael Harris – flugelhorn
- David Cullen – orchestral arrangements
- Afrodiziak – backing vocals
- Production team
- B.E.F. – producers
- Greg Walsh – producer; engineer
- Jeremy Allom – engineer
- Ray Smith – cover paintings; photography; cover concept
Chart performance
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| German Albums Chart[3] | 31 | 6 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[4] | 28 | 2 |
| UK Albums Chart[5] | 12 | 11 |
References
- ^ "Rimmer, Dave (27 September 1984). "Album Reviews". Smash Hits. Vol. 6, no. 19. EMAP Metro. p. 25.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ "Charts-Surfer". Charts-surfer.de. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
- ^ "UK Singles & Albums Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
External links
- How Men Are at Discogs (list of releases)
