Romantic

1990 studio album by the Human League

Romantic?

Studio album by

the Human League

Released| 17 September 1990 (1990-09-17)[1]
Studio| Genetic Studios, Streatley, Berkshire
Length| 43:37
Label| Virgin Records (UK)
A&M Records (US)
Producer|

* Tim Baldwinn
* Mark Brydon
* Robert Gordon
* Bob Kraushaar
* Martin Rushent

The Human League chronology
| Crash
(1986)  | Romantic?
(1990)  | Octopus
(1995)

|
|

Singles from  Romantic?

1. "Heart Like a Wheel"
Released: 6 August 1990
2. "Soundtrack to a Generation"
Released: 12 November 1990

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [2]
Chicago Tribune| [3]
Entertainment Weekly| B+[4]
NME| 3/10[5]
Ottawa Citizen| [6]
Q| [7]
Record Mirror| 1.5/5[8]
Rolling Stone| [9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide| [10]
Smash Hits| 6/10[11]

Romantic? is the sixth studio album by English synth-pop band the Human League. It was issued by Virgin Records in 1990 and was the band's first album of new material in four years. Romantic? had several producers, most notably Martin Rushent, who worked with the Human League on their biggest commercial success (1981's Dare) and had walked out of the recording sessions for its 1984 follow-up (Hysteria). Also producing several tracks is Mark Brydon, who would be one half of musical duo Moloko several years later.

At the time of the album's release, the Human League had reached the nadir of a decline in popularity following the success of Dare nine years prior; this fall from grace was reflected in the song "The Stars Are Going Out," in which the band reflects upon their loss of fame and its impact on them. The song one writer called a "pointless and bland filler,"[12] was ditched as a potential third single.

The album signalled a critical and commercial low point for the band, which led to their long-standing contract with Virgin Records being terminated.[13] The only significant success came from the album's first single "Heart Like a Wheel", which peaked at No. 29 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 32 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The second single "Soundtrack to a Generation" charted at No. 77 in the UK. The album itself peaked at No. 24 on the UK Albums Chart, and as a result the band moved to East West Records to release their next album, 1995's Octopus.

The Human League's live performance of "The Stars Are Going Out" on Later... with Jools Holland in 1995 was included on their 2003 The Very Best of the Human League DVD.

## Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Philip Oakey and Neil Sutton, except where noted

Side oneNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Kiss the Future"|  | 4:13
2.| "A Doorway?"|

* Russell Dennett
* Philip Oakey
* Neil Sutton

| 4:21
3.| "Heart Like a Wheel"|

* Jo Callis
* Eugene Reynolds

| 4:30
4.| "Men Are Dreamers"|

* Dennett
* Oakey

| 3:54
5.| "Mister Moon and Mister Sun"|  | 4:42

Side twoNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

6.| "Soundtrack to a Generation"|  | 4:35
7.| "Rebound"|  | 3:54
8.| "The Stars Are Going Out"|  | 4:05
9.| "Let's Get Together Again"|

* Gerry Shephard
* John Rossall

| 5:01
10.| "Get It Right This Time"|

* Callis
* Jesse Rae

| 4:12
Total length:| 43:37

## Charts[edit]

Chart (1990)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA Charts)[14] | 115
UK Albums Chart[15] | 24

## References[edit]

1. ^ Smith, Robin (15 September 1990). "This Week: The Next Seven Days in View - Releases". Record Mirror. p. 32\. ISSN 0144-5804.
2. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r9614
3. ^ DeKnock, Jan (27 September 1990). "Home Entertainment....Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
4. ^ Sandow, Greg (21 September 1990). "Music Review: Romantic? (1990)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
5. ^ Williams, Simon (22 September 1990). "Beezer Homes League". NME. p. 43.
6. ^ Erskine, Evelyn (21 September 1990). "Liberty; Duran Duran incites dancing with sassy funk". Ottawa Citizen. p. D6.
7. ^ Bradley, Lloyd (September 1990). "The Human League: Romantic?". Q. No. 48.
8. ^ Stanton, Peter (22 September 1990). "Albums". Record Mirror. p. 16\. ISSN 0144-5804.
9. ^ Wild, David (4 October 1990). "Good Effort by Singer With a Bad Attitude". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020 - via News & Record.
10. ^ Considine, J. D. (2004). "The Human League". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 397–98. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
11. ^ Soutar, Mike (19 September 1990). "The Human League: Romantic? (Virgin)". Smash Hits. No. 308.
12. ^ Semon, Craig S (27 January 1991). "Is it enough that Human League gets 'Romantic?'". Telegram & Gazette. p. 10.
13. ^ "The sound of the crowd (hopefully)". The List (266): 36. 3 November 1995. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
14. ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week commencing 17 December 1990". www.bubblingdownunder.com. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
15. ^ "Artist Chart History - The Human League". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2013.

## External links[edit]

* Romantic? at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

The Human League

* Philip Oakey
* Joanne Catherall
* Susan Ann Sulley

* Ian Craig Marsh
* Martyn Ware
* Philip Adrian Wright
* Ian Burden
* Jo Callis
* Jim Russell

Albums|

* Reproduction
* Travelogue
* Dare
* Love and Dancing
* Hysteria
* Crash
* Romantic?
* Octopus
* Secrets
* Credo

Compilation albums|

* Greatest Hits
* Soundtrack to a Generation
* The Very Best of The Human League (1998)
* The Golden Hour of the Future
* The Very Best of The Human League (2003)
* Live at the Dome
* Original Remixes & Rarities

EPs|

* The Dignity of Labour
* Holiday '80
* The Sound of the Crowd
* Fascination!
* Dance Like a Star

Singles|

* "Being Boiled"
* "I Don't Depend on You"
* "Empire State Human"
* "Only After Dark"
* "Boys and Girls"
* "The Sound of the Crowd"
* "Love Action (I Believe in Love)"
* "Open Your Heart"
* "Don't You Want Me"
* "Mirror Man"
* "(Keep Feeling) Fascination"
* "The Lebanon"
* "Life on Your Own"
* "Louise"
* "Human"
* "I Need Your Loving"
* "Love Is All That Matters"
* "Heart Like a Wheel"
* "Soundtrack to a Generation"
* "Tell Me When"
* "One Man in My Heart"
* "Filling Up with Heaven"
* "Stay with Me Tonight"
* "All I Ever Wanted"
* "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of"
* "Night People"

Video and DVDs|

* Video Single (1983)
* The Human League Greatest Hits
* The Very Best of The Human League
* Live at the Dome

Related articles|

* Discography
* Heaven 17
* British Electric Foundation
* Reproductions
* Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
* YMO Versus The Human League

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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