Philadelphia synth-pop group Book of Love had a string of hits including "Boy", "Lullaby" and "Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls", all of which were boosted by their successive support for two Depeche Mode tours in '85 and '86. "Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)" opens their debut self-titled album, and right off the bat sets Book of Love a notch above the rest. Synth-pop was dominating the charts, and despite too many one-hit-wonders and disposable novelty acts to name, the standouts are those who have survived the test of time. Book of Love excels in their arrangements but most of all in the voice of Susan Ottaviano, whose icy tone adds an elegiac dynamic to the group's sound. Lyrically, Book of Love were always ahead of the curve, dealing with topics including sexual orientation, AIDS, and gender.
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