Book of Love

While the U.K. generally dominated the synth-pop dancefloor in the 1980s with bands such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, and OMD, the U.S. had their noble contributors and none were any more radio-ready than Book of Love. The group’s art student beginnings informed their pop aesthetic with an appreciation for culturally diverse reference points from “Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)” to “I Touch Roses,” songs that take romance from the back seat to the frontal lobes with their engaging reflective pop themes. The band’s 1986 debut album is a substantial feat, featuring their finest tunes and introducing their formidable talents, from Susan Ottaviano’s near spoken vocals to Ted Ottaviano’s (no relation!) keyboards that use a much appreciated sense of space to map out their vision. Tunes such as “Boy” and “Book of Love” are obvious attention getters but it’s the smooth, spacey lullaby “White Lies” that gives the band unexpected depth.