Remembering The Mo: The Progressive New Wave Band behind "Asia"

by aLfie vera mella
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The Dutch band The Mo is one of those groups that many music enthusiasts know only for that one great song--"Asia." Because I don't want to stay limited about my knowledge about this band, I researched about them and decided to look for copies of their albums and to buy them if available.

The song "Asia" has really become a favorite New Wave song of many music enthusiasts. But, who really was the group behind that song?

Formed in 1979, in Netherlands, by the brothers Clement and Huub de Lange, The Mo's activity was rather short-lived. After recruiting Heili Helder as singer and Harm Bieger as drummer, the four-piece The Mo released its self-titled, debut album in 1980, with singles "Nancy" and "Fred Astaire"--with the latter sounding to me now as Indie Pop in the league of The Cardigans. 

"Nancy" starts off with a dark-sounding drums-keyboard melody interplay and then continues with an upbeat tempo with elements of melodic progressiveness.

"Fred Astaire" is a funky, danceable song with the same progressive sensibilities.

The Mo initially disbanded in 1981, leaving drummer Bieger to pick up the pieces by recruiting new members to re-form the group. With him in the new version of The Mo were singer Linda Bloemhard, Ton van der Meer (synthesizer), Hans Nieuwint (synthesizer), Eddie Conard (percussion), and Willem Ennes (keyboards).

I could see how the music of The Mo could easily be described as Synthpop--they practically did not have a guitar nor a bass player. However, the arrangements of their songs, albeit synthesizer-oriented, have definitely elements of Progressive Rock / Progressive Pop music--sudden stops-starts, instrumental interplays, irregular drumbeats, and ear-catching time-signature changes.

"Cheese," from The Mo's second album, has that Bossa Nova feel, reminiscent of songs like "Lovefool" (1996) by the Swedish group The Cardigans. 

The revitalized The Mo was able to release two more albums--Ha! Ha! The Sound of Laughing (1982) and Stop Staring (1984). Unfortunately, the success of the single "Asia," culled from what became the group's final album, did not stop the band from ultimately dissolving, soon after the last album was released.

"Small Talk" is another song taken from The Mo's final album of 1984. The backing-vocal tracks were indicative of The Mo's Pop sensibilities.

The attractive introductory interlude of "Stop Staring," carried by the sound of the bellkit, makes it the song closest to the sonic style of "Asia." It also has a nice vocal-flute interplay in the mid-song instrumental interlude.

The introductory interlude of "ADSR"--which is on 7/8 time signature--for me further exhibits the Progressive Rock predilection of certain member/s of The Mo. The synthesizer melodies may remind a Progressive Rock enthusiast of the music of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. 

Now I could see why, after listening to the other songs of The Mo other than "Asia," I easily got drawn to their music--I would suppose that one or a few more members of the band were enthusiasts of '60s Progressive Rock, particularly of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. This one, "Take Me for What I Am," had a short instrumental interlude that reminded me of ELP's "Fanfare for the Common Man" and "Karn Evil 9."

The short version of the instrumental "Fanfare for the Common Man" (1977) by the English Progressive Rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer; the instrumental interlude of The Mo's "Take Me for What I Am" sounded to have been influenced by this.

Here's part 2 (or the "Second Impression") of the instrumental "Karn Evil 9" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

The introductory interlude of the song "Distant Early Warning" (1984) by the Canadian Progressive Rock band Rush sounds similar also to that of The Mo's "Take Me for What I Am" (1980). However, this time, The Mo's song predated that of that Rush's single. Considering Rush's admittance of having taken New Wave influences from some of the New Wave artists/bands of the late '70s to the early '80s, Rush might have been the one to be influenced by The Mo.

In 1993, a compilation of 24 songs by The Mo, including "Asia" and their other singles, entitled 'Remembering Mo,' was released. This would be a great addition to my record collection. Now is the time to look for a copy of this.

A nice song to end this tribute with is "Horse Race," a slow ballad that still carried the synthesizer-oriented progressively melodic music of The Mo.

Final Note
After having listened just now to as many songs by The Mo available on YouTube, I could now see why I got drawn immediately to the rest of the Dutch band's music. While many music reviewers and listeners have long described the band as Synthpop, I personally was able to glean a wealth of Progressive Rock influences in their music. The song arrangements and the synthesizer melodies reminded me of Progressive Rock bands such as Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Yes in particular. And because New Wave and Progressive Rock have long become my two most-favorite music genres, I came to love The Mo's music for that. I now really need to have copies of their albums!

The Ultimate New Wave Experience (vol. 5)

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Here's volume 5 of the compilation series of songs classifiable as New Wave that I started. 

01 The Boomtown Rats - Like Clockwork (1978)

02 The Cure - Grinding Halt (1979)

03 Split Enz - Give It a Whirl (1979)

04 The Glove - Like an Animal (1983)

05 The Armoury Show - A Sense of Freedom (1985)

06 Lulu Kiss Me Dead - The Ultimate Solution (1985)

07 Peter Coyle - Yours, the Spirit that Soared (1985)

08 Wire Train - Love, Love (1985)

09 Cactus World News - Years Later (1986)

10 Adrian Borland & the Citizens - Brittle Heaven (1992)

11 Rumblefish - What You Do to Me (1992)

12 Antarctica - Absence (1999)

13 Fine China - For All Centuries (2000)

14 Bad Lieutenant - Shine like the Sun (2009)

15 Elephant Stone - I Am Blind (2009)

16 Freebass - It's Not Too Late (2010)

17 Ocean Blue - Sad Night, Where Is Morning (2013)

18 The Primitives - Lose the Reason (2014)

Get it here!

If you enjoyed the set, then start checking out the discography of each of the bands featured in this compilation. Support the artists by listening to all their albums and songs.

New Wave music is not entirely rooted in Punk Rock

Contrary to a popular belief that was based on the claim of many music journalists, New Wave music is not entirely rooted in the American and English Punk Rock music that originated in the mid-'70s via bands like The Ramones and Sex Pistols. An immense number of what came to be regarded also as New Wave took their cue from the '60s Art Rock, Folk Rock, Baroque Pop, and Psychedelic Rock of bands/artists like Pink Floyd, Soft Boys, Love, David Bowie, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and even The Beatles--at least in a musical perspective.

To think that the thousands of bands whose music has become classifiable as New Wave originated from only the small contingent of '70s Punk Rock bands apparently triggered by The Ramones in New York, USA, and Sex Pistols in London, England, in the early to mid-'70s is a ridiculously narrowminded perspective. 

Examples of bands whose respective music has also been considered part of the genre New Wave that are more musically related to the finesse of '60s Art Rock and Baroque Pop than to the abrasiveness of '70s Punk Rock:

China Crisis, Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, The Pale Fountains, The Lotus Eaters, Care, This Final Frame, Spandau Ballet, The Lightning Seeds

Aha! a-ha!

(The Return of a-ha...Again)

Formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1982, the band a-ha--led by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Morten Harket, and Magne Furuholmen--had disbanded five years ago. A sad news especially for those who love a-ha's music, which may be classified as New Wave / Synthpop.

Many New Wave enthusiasts certainly have in their collection a-ha's debut album, Hunting High and Low (1985), where the band's most popular songs may be found--such as "Take on Me," "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.," and "Love Is Reason."

However, to those who have a longer attention span and who are able to follow the development of a-ha and New Wave music in general, a-ha is more than this first album; a-ha's studio discography is actually comprised by nine albums:

Hunting High and Low (1985)
Scoundrel Days (1986)
Stay on These Roads (1988)
East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990)
Memorial Beach (1993)
Minor Earth, Major Sky (2000)
Lifelines (2002)
Analogue (2005)
Foot of the Mountain (2009)

And while many fans thought that the last album was indeed the final one, here comes a great news item that says the trio have decided recently to reunite once again not only for a tour but also with a new album in the works (entitled Cast of Steel), slated for release in September 2015.

I'm excited. This should not be surprising. After all, what fan of a-ha, or New Wave music for that matter, will not be stoked about this?

To those who wanted to catch up before the release of the 10th album, I recommend the following compilation, The Ultimate a-ha Discography Experience, which is comprised by two of my most favorite songs off each album.

"Living a Boy's Adventure Tale"
"The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
"We're Looking for the Whales"
"Maybe, Maybe"
"Touchy!"
"You Are the One"
"Early Morning"
"Waiting for Her"
"Dark Is the Night for All"
"Angel in the Snow"
"Velvet"
"The Sun Never Shone That Day"
"Afternoon High"
"Dragonfly"
"Don't Do Me Any Favours"
"Analogue (All I Want)"
"Riding the Crest"
"Real Meaning"

Eu-reka!

The music of a-ha has been classified as New Wave, Synthpop, and Pop Rock. With the band's nine-album discography, the suggested genres are indeed befitting. However, what gives a-ha's music its best distinctive characteristics are Harket's wide-ranging silky voice, Furuholmen's melodic keyboards and synthesizers, Waaktaar's subtle guitar parts, and the band's overall flare for writing songs with meticulous arrangement and instrumentation infused with strong pop sensibilities and penchant for soaring and catchy choruses.

Final Note
This year is the 30th anniversary of Hunting High and Low, a-ha's first album, which certainly continues to enjoy a 'no-skip, repeat-mode' treatment from any New Wave music enthusiast. Let's celebrate the Norwegian band's music by listening to it now on our respective media players...

And by purchasing a copy of the new album when it finally comes out in September 2015.

Writing Album Reviews

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Writing album reviews excite me very much. It obliges me to listen to music--whether new or old--in a very objective manner and in a more focused and multidimensional approach.

I began writing professionally as early as in my highschool days, in the mid-'80s, that if we would consider writing for the school paper professional writing. After all, there was a chief editor who ensured we followed grammatical standards, so I supposed that it counted. My passion for writing, which really started when I was six years old--by way of listing things that amused and interested me in that little journal that my father gave me--became a lifelong preoccupation--both professionally and as a hobby.

In my university days, I contributed articles and poetry for school papers as well as for national publications and music magazines. When I was already working, I also had the chance to start and write for the corporate newsletter of the company where I worked. I also made newsletters of my own that I distributed to friends and acquaintances, almost similar to fanzines, only that the contents were more professionally written, grammatically speaking.

However, my life as a proper, professional writer really began when I got hired at Diwa Scholastic Press in 2000. I handled academic textbooks and magazines on Science & Technology and English Grammar & Literature specifically.

Here in Canada, where I have been living since 2003, my writing flare simply continued. I have been maintaining a number of columns in the local community newspaper Filipino Journal since 2006. I have also been able to maintain my blogspots for my other more personal writings and other literary interests. But these are just hobbies of mine, for my fulltime work is really as a nursing aide at a hospital or health center.

Writing simply makes my day exciting and worth living. Through this, I am able to express the countless ideas floating in my restless head every day.

Now, back to writing music reviews...

Recently, I've embarked again on writing music reviews professionally. So far, I've written six articles for the websites Jazz Corner and All about Jazz and three articles for CrypticRock.

Michael Sarian - Subtitles (2014)
Sehrang - Dar Lahze (2014)
J.Q. Whitcomb & Five Below - Tales of Enchantment (2014)
Apostle Fractal - The Ichabod Suite (2012)
Rija - Silent Heart (2013)
Ross Prior - Heavy Sheddin' (2014)

Simple Minds - Big Music (2014)
Morrissey - World Peace Is None of Your Business (2014)
Midge Ure - Fragile (2014)

The Ultimate New Wave Experience (vol. 4)

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Here's volume 4 of the series of compilation of songs classifiable as New Wave that I started. Choosing the songs to be included in each volume is both challenging and engaging. Foremost, I ensure that the style of music flows smoothly from song to song, to further illustrate that the genre of music that has long become New Wave really has identifiable characteristics.

As usual, I picked three songs for each decade except the '80s, which has six.

01 Nick Lowe - (I Love the Sound Of) Breaking Glass (1978)

02 The Knack - Oh Tara (1979)

03 The Slits - Typical Girls (1979)

04 B-Movie - Switch On Switch Off (1985)

05 Cyndi Lauper - The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (1985)

06 Indochine - A l'Assaut (Des Ombres Sur l'O) (1985)

07 Eyeless in Gaza - Welcome Now (1986)

08 10,000 Maniacs - Like the Weather (1987)

09 The Sugarcubes - Motorcrash (1988)

10 9 Ways to Sunday - Restless (1990)

11 The Sundays - Hideous Towns (1990)

12 Shelleyan Orphan - Burst (1992)

13 Camera Obscura - I Don't Do Crowds (2001)

14 Trashcan Sinatras - It's a Miracle (2004)

15 The Magic Numbers - Forever Lost (2005)

16 Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work (2010)

17 The Cranberries - Tomorrow (2012)

18 Morrissey - Staircase at the University (2014)

Notes:
The Knack is not only about "My Sharona." It's about time to revisit the band's music. "Oh Tara" is actually a far more romantic fast ballad.

Cyndi Lauper may have been associated more with Pop music, but much of her early outputs were obviously oozing with New Wave sensibilities. 

Compare the introductory interlude of B-Movie's "Switch On Switch Off" with that of Cyndi Lauper's "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough."

The Philippine FM radio station WXB102 used to play Indochine's "A l'Assaut" and Eyeless in Gaza's "Welcome Now" back-to-back. Every time I play them now, I get suck back to 1986.

I got to discover 10,000 Maniacs and The Sugarcubes already in the late '80s, via another Philippine FM radio station, NU107.

Many people automatically think of "Here's Where the Story Ends" when asked about The Sundays. This is the reason I picked a different song for this compilation.

If the music of The Sundays may be regarded as New Wave, then why couldn't the music of Shelleyan Orphan, Camera Obscura, and The Cranberries?

Many fans have long forgotten The Cranberries. To them, the band is only "Dreams," "Linger," and "Zombie." To me, I do my homework--I keep myself updated. If you've been doing your homework too, then you shouldn't miss "Tomorrow."

Personally, Morrissey's latest album is the best, lyrically it's still Morrissey being Morrissey; but musically, the songs are more well-structured and the instrumentation is more intricate. 

GET them here and listen to the songs yourself.

Fixx Me with Your Secret Reformation

(On the Return of The Fixx)

by aLfie vera mella

The Fixx is a British band that became popular during the peak of New Wave music in the 1980s for the singles "Red Skies," "Secret Separation," and "One Thing Leads to Another."

The band disappeared from the commercial radar as the 1990s loomed, just like many other New Wave bands before and after them; but unbeknownst to many, The Fixx has released albums in the ensuing decades.

In 2012, The Fixx returned with an album of new materials—with the classic lineup of Cy Curnin (lead vocals), Rupert Greenall (keyboards), Jamie West-Oram (guitar), Adam Woods (drums), and Dan K. Brown (bass). Entitled Beautiful Friction, the 10th album was their first since 2003.

The Fixx has so far released 10 studio albums.

The first single off Beautiful Friction was “Anyone Else,” which sounded unmistakably New Wave—owing to the repetitive staccato guitar melody in the intro, the slow buildup of the rest of the instruments, the synth sound in the background, and the distinct vocals that conjure a nostalgic image of familiar red skies. Other songs from the album that I personally liked were “Just before Dawn,” “What God?”, “Second Time Around,” and “Follow That Cab.” The overall music of The Fixx shared a similar feel with that of fellow New Wave bands like U2, Simple Minds, and Babybird.

"Anyone Else" is the first single off the latest album of The Fixx ( Beautiful Friction, 2012).

The complete studio-album discography of The Fixx is as follows: Shuttered Room (1982), Reach the Beach (1983), Phantoms (1984), Walkabout (1986), Calm Animals (1988), Ink (1991), Elemental (1998), 1011 Woodland (1999), Want That Life (2003), and Beautiful Friction (2012).

The Fixx in 1982, with a performance of their classic single "Red Skies"

Another personal favorite The Fixx song, "Secret Separation"

Here's perhaps the most popular song of The Fixx, "One Thing Leads to Another."

Final Note

The college friends Curnin and Woods formed The Portraits in 1979. After recruiting additional members, they changed their name to The Fix; then became The Fixx through the suggestion of the recording company that signed them—to dissociate the band’s name from the drug innuendo of the word fix.