[Holding that 40-Year-Old Gap] -- Here's another record that turned 40 years old this month: the fourth studio album by Thompson Twins, Into the Gap. Released on February 17, 1984, Into the Gap peaked at #1 in the UK and #10 on the US Billboard 200. It also peaked in the top 40, or higher, of several other countries. It is the band's most commercially successful album with their biggest selling single, "Hold Me Now."
"Hold Me Now" hit the UK charts in November 1983, but it was not released in the US until February 1984, with the release of the album. That delay did not seem to hurt the single's success. It peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also hit the top 10 in three other Billboard charts as well as global charts. The next two singles, "Doctor! Doctor!" and "You Take Me Up," peaked at #11 and #44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 respectively.
Critics were mixed in their assessments of Into the Gap. My favorite slag might be the one in Smash Hits magazine that accused the band of representing "the usual triumph of naked ambition over talent." And the best backhanded compliment came, of course, from J. D. Considine in Musician who wrote that the band's gimmicks and synthesizer settings "make the album seem dazzling even when it isn't."
Thing is, Into the Gap is kind of dazzling. And it's not just the singles, though they do the heavy lifting, particularly "Hold Me Now." Each track has its own personality, and listening to the album as a whole is a journey of shifting styles. But if you want to pick and choose, I would say other highlights on this album include "Sister of Mercy," "Day after Day," and the album's closer, "Who Can Stop the Rain."
Flashback: Into the Gap (February 17, 1984)
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
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