When synthesists
Ian Craig Marsh and
Martyn Ware left
the Human League in 1980, the decision seemed iffy; after all,
the League appeared on the way up and would achieve global fame the very next year with
Dare!. The first album from
Heaven 17,
Marsh and
Ware's new trio with singer
Glenn Gregory, wasn't greeted with quite the same commercial kudos when released in 1981, but it turned out to be an important outing nevertheless. Picking up where
Kraftwerk had left off with
The Man Machine, the group created glistening electro-pop that didn't skimp on danceable grooves or memorable melodies. What set
Heaven 17 apart was the well-deep vocals of
Gregory, who managed the difficult trick of sounding dramatic without seeming pretentious, and an overtly left-wing political outlook best expressed on the debut single "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang." Other standout combinations of witty lyrics and whiplash electro-grooves include "The Height of the Fighting" and "Play to Win," while the funky title track draws on American R&B for its popping bassline. Despite the catchy material, chart success proved somewhat elusive; the group didn't score a major hit until their next album, 1983's The Luxury Gap. Nevertheless,
Penthouse and Pavement stands as one of the most accomplished debuts of the '80s. ~ Dan LeRoy