There are certain acts and albums I absolutely adored in my younger days in the ’80s that I don’t quite care for now. One of these groups is the Thompson Twins, the New Wave trio that broke into the charts big time with the 1984 single “Hold Me Now” and its album, Into The Gap.Á‚ As a high-school sophomore, I wore out my copy of Gap, but I really loved their 1982 effort, Side Kicks, which featured “Lies” and “Love On Your Side.”
But while Side Kicks still holds some appeal, I really could go the rest of my life never hearing “Hold Me Now” or “Doctor, Doctor” again.Á‚ So, when I came across the new, deluxe remastered editions of both albums that came out late last year, I didn’t exactly rush to purchase Into The Gap.Á‚ But after staring at for a few months each time I went to the record store (remember those?) I finally broke down and bought it.Á‚ And I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.Á‚ Again.
“Sister Of Mercy” (download) was the the album’s fourth single in the U.K., while the U.S. got “The Gap.”Á‚ The U.S. single faltered in the upper 60’s, but “Sister Of Mercy” became the album’s fourth Top Ten hit in the U.K.Á‚ I have to wonder if the song’s lyric, about a woman who finally snaps and stabs her husband to death, was a bit too much for U.S. radio.Á‚ Too bad, because while “The Gap” was a decent enough song (love those hand claps!), “Sister Of Mercy” could have been yet another smash for the trio.
The Into The Gap reissue is also packed with tons of remixes and b-sides, including a big favorite, “Passion Planet,” (download) which was originally the b-side of “You Take Me Up.”Á‚ While “You Take Me Up” floundered around the 40’s of the U.S. charts, a lot of West Coast radio stations flipped it over and played the hell out of “Passion Planet,” a goofy, just plain fun dance tune we don’t hear enough of these days.Á‚ For “Passion Planet” alone, the Into The Gap re-release is totally worth the purchase.
“Sister of Mercy” was not released as a single in the U.S.
“Passion Planet” was the b-side of the “You Take Me Up” single.
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