Song#: 3995
Date: 08/12/1989
Debut: 94
Peak: 83
Weeks: 8
Genre: Synthpop
Pop Bits: After a pair of upbeat Pop Top 10 hits from their self-titled debut album, Information Society released the ballad "Repetition" for a third single. It faltered and peaked at a minor #76. Still feeling there was life left in the album, the band's label went ahead and released this fourth single. Although it got a little bit of attention at Dance reaching #23, the song would only spend a couple months near the bottom of the Pop chart. By this point in time, the album had already peaked at #25 and gone gold.
ReduxReview: This was a good cover tune that perhaps could have benefited from a heartier remix. With "Repetition" not connecting, the band really needed something punchy and immediate to win back radio and listeners. I always thought the track "Tomorrow" could have been another hit, but instead the label went with this cover. It was fine, but it just needed an extra boost to really give it a push. Instead it just fell flat. I really didn't care for their next album upon release, but I've connected with it a bit more these days and it definitely has its merits. Still, it's not nearly as good as their synthpop debut.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by ABBA in 1980. It was included on their #17 gold album Super Trooper. It would not be released as a single until the spring of '81 when a remix of the tune began to gain attention in clubs. In the US, it would only be a 12" single combined with two other Super Trooper tracks. The new mix would end up reaching #1 on the US Dance chart. It did not make the Pop chart. 2) For Information Society's next album, 1990's Hack, they chose to be more experimental. They would use even more samples and loops on the LP than found on their debut. There were also short segues between several of the tracks. Of course "experimental" usually means less commercial and Hack certainly leaned that way with edgier tracks that weren't necessarily in line with the catchy synthpop of their debut. However, the band understood there had to be a couple of songs with chart potential and one of them was the lead single "Think," which was more in-line with their previous Top 10s. While it would reach #5 on the Dance chart, it was less successful at Pop where it stopped at #28. That left the album peaking at #77. The band would have one more major label release with 1992's Peace and Love, Inc. It would fail to chart, but did feature the #10 Dance title track. Over the years there would be various line ups of Information Society. The original trio would fully reunite in 2008 and go on to record a few albums.
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Just out of my own curiosity, what rating would you give "Think"? It's an 8 for me. Sort of surprised it didn't do better than #28.
ReplyDeleteI did like the track. I'd probably go a 7 as I didn't find it quite as memorable as their other hits, but yes it should have done better on the chart.
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