My first introduction to the Thompson Twins' was from the Ghostbusters Soundtrack, where their song and 1982 hit, "In The Name Of Love" from the album of the same name, was included. I was taken by the heavy synth emphasis and Tom Bailey's strong British vocals. Yet as the liner notes of the TT's compilation states, they were the anti-rock, riding the wave of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and other synth-oriented British acts that comprised the Second British Invasion.

Most of their American success was on the dance charts, as evidenced by "Lies," an archetypal 80's synth pop tune with its "lies lies lies yeah" chorus, which was a dance chart #1 and their first US Top 40 hit. Quite a cynical line, with "Cleopatra died for Egypt, what a waste of time." The UK Top Ten "We Are Detective", like "Lies" on the Side Kick album, seems tepid compared to their other oeuvre. The mid-paced synth-heavy ballad "If You Were Here" also on the same album, was also on the Sixteen Candles soundtrack, though in terms of Brat Pack movie songs, it's probably overshadowed by OMD's "If You Leave," from Pretty In Pink.

Into The Gap is considered their best album due to five songs included here, three of which entrenched them as one of the UK's biggest acts then. "Hold Me Now" another #1 dance hit, was their biggest US pop hit, peaking at #3. "Doctor! Doctor!" and "You Take Me Up," with its harmonica bits, choral group, and light calypso riffs were the other big hits.

The material from Here's To Future Days coincided with my MTV days, and videos for two of the songs here, "Lay Your Hands On Me" and "King For A Day" were my proper visual introduction to them. Sadly, their rip-roaring cover of the Beatles' "Revolution" is excluded, a pity as it's the best song on HTFD. But "Lay Your Hands," wins with the strong gospel melodies from the Eastern Harlem Hobo Choir in the chorus. Also, the songs here benefited from Nile Rodgers' production genius. The idealistic "King For A Day," with its cool guitar intro, incorporated Beatles-like whimsy by its "love is all you need" refrain towards the end.

The inclusion of the catchy but reflective "Nothing In Common," from the Tom Hanks/Jackie Gleason movie of the same name, is notable not only as an underrated hit and one of my favourite TT songs but for Joe Leeway's last contribution to the band, which left Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie as a duo, true to their name. But the song about how two people have grown further apart, lead to the more introspective material of Close To The Bone.

"Get That Love" merely made it in the Top 40, and was a good enough tune, but maybe the average listener didn't care for Bailey's take on love: "when you're picking and choosing/you wind up losing" and the pre-chorus refrain "I won't give up on love." More serious material here for sure, as was the somber "The Long Goodbye," with the protagonist "seeing my future die, my whole past as well." "When your love has gone away, it's the long goodbye" was a sure far cry from their earlier upbeat days, but the song's title perhaps reflected that it was time for the Twins to say goodbye; two further releases, Big Trash and Queer made it clear that the Twins were as relevant as Rubik's Cubes and Pacman games to the 90's. Still, this greatest hits serves as a memento to a group who made a brief mark in the early to mid-80's.

Most of the compilations around nowadays are pretty good but far from the best, short of buying the actual albums themselves. I feel that this holds its own in terms of the casual listener is concerned, but an aficionado of the band would want a double disc or box set to be happy. It's organized chronologically which is a plus to me, with the all of good tunes here.
It has all of the classics from the band you'd want. In the Name of Love, Lies, Love on Your Side, Hold Me Now, Doctor! Doctor!, The Gap, & Lay Your Hands on Me. The album's major plus are the not-so-well known tunes to me like We Are Dectetive, Don't Mess With Doctor Dream, Nothing in Common, & Get That Love.
The booklet enclosed has some good info on the band, including their explosion onto the MTV scene, as well several photos, credits for each song. Too bad, they didn't fill out the album's time with some lesser known tunes not here or live tracks. They were phenemonal live & should've had some live tunes here to show it.
I love all of the tracks, but it's not complete enough to get a full 5 stars from me.

Exactly just how many "greatest hits" albums are going to be released from this greatest band of the 80's? Do we really need so many different CDs with the same songs on them? How about getting some of those videos ("Single Vision", "Into The Gap Live", etc) digitally remastered onto DVD!!!

I think I speak for many Thompson Twins fans when I scream, "I want a Box Set!" There are simply too many "Hits" collections for the Thompson Twins that have songs missing from what fans would choose; and just forget about getting the original albums on CD, like "Here's to Future Days" for 30$?! Not likely. There are some songs here that made me scratch my head such as "Nothing in Common." That song over "Day after Day" or "No Rest for the Wicked"? What about "Breakaway," "Roll Over," or their great cover of The Beatles song "Revolution"? As for the tracks from their earlier recordings there is a glaring omission: "Love Lies Bleeding." Hell, what about some of the better songs from their album "Close to the Bone," like "Dancing in Your Shoes" or the under-appreciated "Savage Moon." Overall, as a one-time Thompson Twins fanatic speaking to all those loyal to this band through their peak and on through their waning years, don't get this CD or any other so-called "Hits" collection. For the casual fan who thinks I may be too harsh in my criticism, this CD and any other "Hits" collection seriously only scratches the surface of all that was once great about this band. This collection is only for the very casual fan. Any true fan would scoff at how many songs are not listed here. Let us pray for a Box Set, and soon, because this so-called "Hits" nonsense has got to stop!

That band is probably the best band alive who brings the new wave era with them!! All the songs are original and inspired. My favorite one still Doctor, Doctor! The lyrics are so emotional (in some ways).