by aLfie vera mella
Stop Start
(1986)
“Well there
it is in black and white
No need to
read between the lines
You made it
clear to the letter
You’re
breaking off the chains that bind”
The
fourth album of Modern English, Stop Start, geared toward an edgier type of Rock, emphasized by the dominance
of the guitar and the drums and by the obvious absence of Classical instruments
aside from the horns. The structures of the songs were also simpler, not much orchestration and mood changes. Nevertheless, the Postpunk angularity of the
guitars, the keyboards, and the catchy choruses remained.
I (far left) and some friends with members of Modern English—Mick Conroy, Robbie Grey, Gary McDowell, and Stephen Walker—at the front of Jill's Restaurant & Bar, in Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines, in May 2013, during the English New Wave band's concert in the country.
In some degrees, the
changing tide of what’s commercial in the Alternative Rock scene in the tail
end of the 1980s has affected the musical direction of Modern English; but
remaining members Robbie Grey (lead vocals), Gary McDowell (guitars), and Mick
Conroy (bass, guitar) were somehow able to maintain the trademark danceability
and sing-along hooks of the band’s music. Worth mentioning also is the fact
that there were four musicians who played guitars in this album—McDowell, Conroy, and new
members Tony Lowe (guitar) and Aaron Davidson (keyboards, guitar); this explains why the sound became edgier and more
guitar-oriented. Other musicians who played in the album were Gary Barnacle (saxophone) and Graham Broad (drums).
"Ink and Paper"—a broken heart in black and white
The drum introductory interlude of "The Border" is a cue for many New Wave enthusiasts to rush to the dance floor.
"Breaking Away"
With Stop Start, one may find Modern English in an
edgier and more Rock-oriented style of New Wave music, but the whole album carried the melodic
catchiness and meticulous instrumentation the band’s previous albums were known
for.
The Modern English concert in the Philippines in May 2013 at SM Mall of Asia Arena was "The Greatest Show."
Many
music listeners focus their attention exclusively on the singles, failing to
discover the beauty of entire albums. For instance, “I Don’t Know the Answer”
is a gem even many self-proclaimed fans of Modern English tend to ignore.
"I Don't Know the Answer"—a gem even many Modern English fans tend to ignore
(review of the rest of the albums, to be continued...)
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