Comments for Thompson Twins, Into the Gap

The Thompson Twins Most Sucessful Release "Into The Gap" Features The Hit Singles "Doctor! Doctor!","You Take Me Up" "Hold Me Now" & "Sister Of Mercy" -Ken Gillespie

Includes one of the best singles in synthpop`s history - "Doctor Doctor !". Popular track in Latvia.

I used to have a cassette of this in the mid-80's on which the B-side was various remixes of the original album tracks.....does any one have this??? Any dub would be very much appreciated as these were the first really overt mixes I had heard and sometimes on lonely, rainy nights, I hear them playing incessantly throughout the empty cavern o' my brain .... Thanks! -JV

This is the Thompson Twins'' million-selling LP. Released in 1984, this album had spawned 3 worldwide hits and brought them international success. It''s their most commercial sounding record, and despite it sounding somewhat dated now, it has some excellent material on it. The biggest hit from this album (which is actually their biggest hit, period) is "Hold Me Now". Ask anyone if they remember the Thompson Twins and they''ll immediately associate them with that song. By now it''s appeard on countless ''80''s compilations and is the most recognized Thompson Twins song ever. The second single was "Doctor! Doctor!", the album''s opening track. This is when the Twins started going into a more "pop" oriented direction. A song about the burning desire one has for a lover, asking for confirmation from the other if he/she is feeling love or lust. Quite a subject matter for the young teens that were the large fan-base for this band at the time, but then again this song wasn''t analysed to death, and the lyrics are more romantic than sexual. The 3rd hit, "You Take Me Up" probably took a lot of fans by surprise, but fits well on this album of straightforward sing-along songs. Technically, it''s quite a brilliantly produced track when you look at it. It''s got samples of machines put together as part of the rhythem section as Tom Bailey mentions that he "works hard on machines". With it''s gospel overtones and all around positive feel it became a Thompson Twins favourite. The remaining tracks on the LP are well structured, beautiful pop songs. Not many of the songs just sound like "album tracks". "Day After Day" is a Thompson Twins staple, with a powerful chorus and haunting melody with percussive highlights throughout. "Sister Of Mercy", released as a single in the UK and other parts of the world, has a unique story line about a housewife who goes nuts after being married to her husband for 25 years. She then "kills him with a knife", only to end up in a mental institution being worse off. One of Alannah Currie''s favourite songs, to which she played it to the hilt at Thompson Twins concerts, holding a big knife in the air on stage during the song''s intro whispering "Sister...Mercy". Their most dramatic song. "No Peace For The Wicked" is about the threat of nuclear war. Although a morbid prospect, it''s a protest song that asks if love will conquer the morbid subject. The title track, "The Gap" returns with the ethnic, Indian feel that Bailey became enraptured with during his early travels to India. A song about breaking down barriers and getting along being the common goal. Both a political and humanist statement. The last 2 tracks, "Storm On The Sea" and "Who Can Stop The Rain?" are 2 Bailey ballads that are both easy to listen to, and bring a calm feeling of water, seas and love in one, and also brings you to the end of an amazing album. You can listen to this LP from beggining to end without being tempted to skip a song. It''s a great album that contains some of the most melodic, substantial songs of the ''80''s. It should be part of your ''80''s CD section. It''s still available out there - get it!