10cc – How Dare You!

I've worn the grooves out of this record since I got it around 1978. I picked up a second copy, but when I got it home, found it was unplayably melted.
The previous reviewer here makes a very nice stab at this. It's not low-brow pop. It's not high-brow pop. But it's both (it is, definitely, "thinking man's pop"). One thing I want to point out is that the production is impeccable, which is typical for 10cc, but makes all the possible difference in the world.
A genius artist (I suggest) has available to them the entire pallet of their medium. That's what's going on here. There isn't any motif or vibe (or studio gimmick) that is off-limits. They don't hesitate to tease at any tired trope. Any sensibility that they might need to call upon, they call upon unapologetically. And what's amazing, they execute it very fluidly and naturally. I don't want to wax on overly profoundly about this album. In a way, it wouldn't do it justice. But if you find you can appreciate this stuff, it's very confirming in a way. They "get it."
PS: the Hypgnosis art is perfectly fitting, and invites repeated review.

"How dare you!" was the first _complete_ album I ever bought in my life. In 1976 I only had a cassette player and I had to order the cassette version. Nevertheless this one was played in the morning and in the evening.
Still my favourite 10cc album.
But what is it? It's not just "Soft Pop", it's advanced pop music with an very intelligent approach. Not sophisticated (like "The Original Soundtrack"), but complex, and mostly easy-minded at the same time. Nice pop melodies mixes up with some kind of overwhelming drama ("I'm Mandy Fly Me"), irritating funk grooves were interrupted by lots of voices ("I Wanna Rule The World", "Art For Art's Sake"), BeBop-like notes goes Pop ("Iceberg") and lots of more ideas. Every song seems to be some kind of a little head movie. Timeless.
Anyway, the only song I don't like is "Rock n Roll Lullaby".