Dave Ball – In Strict Tempo

Oh, god. Okay. Let’s just say as little as possible about this one and move on.

Dave Ball In Strict Tempo front cover
Yeah, that cover was pretty out there for 1983. I think it’s pretty out there for now.

Remember how many, many Marc Almond records I had? Well, Marc first came to the world’s attention as one-half of Soft Cell. Dave Ball was the other half. The keyboard-playing half. Definitely not the singing half. This solo album was put out while Soft Cell was still together, but they weren’t long for this world.

Dave Ball In Strict Tempo back cover
I don’t think anyone in this picture is struggling, exactly, with their sexuality.

Since Dave can’t sing . . . he drones. The music is electronic tempo stuff. I’ll admit, listening to it again for the first time in 30 years, it wasn’t as bad as I remembered. That doesn’t mean it’s good. I’m sure there are people who love this, and Dave Ball has continued to have a career in music all these years, but this is not for me. From the weird fetishy cover to every other thing about it, the only reason I have this is at the time I was a Soft Cell completist and couldn’t imagine not having it. Also the only reason I kept it — still haven’t gotten rid of that completist gene. I’m sure I never heard it before I bought it. It’s all pretty much like Soft Cell if you took out the melodicism and the singing ability.

Evidently, I bought this at Modern Records in Syracuse, my reliable home for imports. I don’t remember the colored price codes anymore, but you could guess this wasn’t even cheap.

Dave Ball Label Side One
At least Dave Ball also got custom labels on Some Bizzare
Some Bizzare thinks home taping is killing music
Some Bizzare thinks home taping is killing music. Wait ’til they hear about the internet.

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