When synthesists and left in 1980, the decision seemed iffy; after all, appeared on the way up and would achieve global fame the very next year with . The first album from , 's new trio with singer , 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 had left off with , the group created glistening that didn't skimp on danceable grooves or memorable melodies. What set apart was the well-deep vocals of , who managed the difficult trick of sounding dramatic without seeming pretentious, and an overtly left-wing political outlook best expressed on the debut single Other standout combinations of witty lyrics and whiplash electro-grooves include while the funky title track draws on 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 . Nevertheless, stands as one of the most accomplished debuts of the '80s. ~ Dan LeRoy