Melt with Them Over and Over Again (part 6)

(continuation of a definitive review of Modern English's full studio discography)
by aLfie vera mella

Everything’s Mad (1996)

“I’ve read your books

And seen your films

I’ve lived this life

And tried everything

But I don’t know anything”

Most likely because of the failure of Pillow Lips to crack the U.S. market, as what the band had expected, Modern English went on a hiatus soon after the release of the album.

In 1995, Modern English became active again but with only vocalist Robbie Grey as the remaining original member, supported by musicians Ted Mason on guitars, keyboards, bass, and backing vocals and Matthew Shipley on keyboards and synthesizers. A number of sessionists were also brought in to enhance the sound of the band: Robert Brian on drums, Mahandar Singh on sourangy, Shamim Miah on tabla, Christoph Franzgrote on violin, Yue Xu on violin, Erika Atchley on violin, Ina Litera on viola, and Matt Goeke on cello. 

That ensemble resulted in Everything's Mad, the sixth studio album of Modern English, released in 1996. With those additional instruments, Modern English was obviously incorporating into their music a flavor of Hindustani and, yet again, the band's previous New Romantic sound. It would then be safe to compare the album with Echo & the Bunnymen's Reverberation (1990), which featured also East Indian instruments. The results, for me, were interesting and fascinating. They presented a sound that was fresh and yet familiar. The music of Modern English has really opened wide. It still stood out amidst the Grunge-dominated and edgier, guitar-oriented Alternative Rock scene of the mid-'90s.

My favorite tracks off Everything's Mad are “I Don’t Know Anything,” “The Planet,” “Heaven,” and “That’s Right.” The melody of the strummed guitar in the intro of “I Don’t Know Anything” had a ring of “Here Comes the Sun,” one of my favorite The Beatles songs, included in the band’s 11th studio album, Abbey Road (1969). For “Heaven,” Modern English used as a springboard the song “Cheek to Cheek,” which the American songwriter Irving Berlin wrote in 1935, and which was first performed by Fred Astaire in the movie Top Hat, which was released in the same year.

The melody of the strummed guitar in the introductory interlude of "I Don't Know Anything" had a ring of The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun."

"Here Comes the Sun" is one of my favorite songs by The Beatles. It is included in the English band's 11th studio album, Abbey Road (1969).

For "Heaven," Modern English obviously used as a springboard the song "Cheek to Cheek," written in 1935 by American composer Irving Berlin and first performed by Fred Astaire in the same year.

Here is American artist Fred Astaire's performance of the Berlin composition, "Cheek to Cheek," in the 1935 movie Top Hat.

(review of the rest of the albums, to be continued...)