Thompson Twins
This trio is one of the few groups who have managed to combine airy English pop modernism with solid dance instincts in an attractive fashion. While the material on Here's to Future Days is not as enthralling as some of that on the Twins' Into the Gap, the production values are superior. Credit for that goes to Nile Rodgers, who provided studio glitz in addition to his customarily sharp guitar and percussion lines. The Thompsons' front man, Tom Bailey, has a remote yet insinuating voice that is set off by the syncopated harmonies of Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway. On the best songs, Lay Your Hands on Me and Love Is the Law, the Twins' wispy synth riffs, their lilting melodies and Bailey's blasé voice break through to the other side of funky. Creating the kind of sparks that fly off this kind of mutation is a tough trick to pull off. Only the Thompson Twins, the Human League and Talking Heads accomplish it with consistency and conviction. (Arista)
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