Artist : Heaven 17 

Label : Virgin 

Genre : 80's - Synth-Pop / New Wave / Punk / Krautrock

how men are / LP / 70277

1984 saw the release of the 3rd Heaven 17 album, "How Men Are", which reached number 12 in the UK charts. It is very plush, but not americanised in sound (like the variable "Pleasure One"). There are jabs and jibes aplenty here lyrically, during quite turbulent times, most against a great musical backdrop. "5 Minutes To Midnight" is a suitable starter, with gasps and hooligan chorus yells, and leads you into the rest of a more melodic album than the previous 2. We personally love "This Is Mine", "Flamedown" and "Shame Is On The Rocks", with nods to their past still aplenty, amongst some incredible vocal harmonies. "Skin I'm In" could equally be about aging or love, and "That's No Lie" could also be about love failing, or something far more politically potent. Maybe not quite as incisive or influential as their first 2 albums, this still shows their craft off well; Buy it whilst it's easy to get hold of !