Modern English – ‘1 2 3 4’ album review: The culmination of a celebrated career
THE SKINNY: Influential post-punk outfit Modern English have arrived with their ninth studio album, 1 2 3 4. A culmination of their career up to now, it’s a musically broad but refined record, ranging from gothic sounds to dream-like balladry, with the lyrics encompassing everything from direct political messaging to surreal comedy.
There’s a reason why Modern English have managed to dodge so many different zeitgeists and remain one of the finest cult acts that Britain has produced: the fusion of talent and creative vision. Not being afraid to push themselves into new artistic areas while having fun with their craft has allowed the group to keep going. In true punk form, a general disregard for what people think has created an oeuvre that’s as oscillating as they come, with their new record the latest distillation of this sentiment.
While the band that burst into the mainstream with the 1982 hit ‘I Melt with You’ is still there, they’ve lived many lives since their youthful new wave-leaning days, and their music is much more full-bodied now. 1 2 3 4 immediately arrests the listener with the opener, ‘Long in the Tooth’, as the group aptly reflect on where they presently find themselves before embarking on a forensic demonstration of all the weapons they have accrued in their arsenal. Vintage post-punk basslines are there, as are shoegaze guitar tones, and of course, the intermittent assault of rock ‘n’ roll remains.
These moments are just the tip of the iceberg, too, and by the time the album closes, you are left with the utmost respect for the Colchester band. While nothing reinvents the wheel per se, 1 2 3 4 is fun, solemn, and really, whatever you want it to be. This deftness has always been the essence of Modern English.
For Fans Of: Pogoing, drunk driving, and chain smoking out the back of gigs.
A concluding comment from my landlord: “Modern English! I haven’t heard that name in ages; what was that song they did? Doesn’t sound like the new stuff will climb to the top of the charts!”
1 2 3 4 track by track:
Release Date: February 23rd | Producer: Mario J. McNulty | Label: Mesh & Lace Recordings
‘Long in the Tooth’: A resounding album opener, complete with a keyboard sound you might have found in CBGBs in the mid-1970s or even in the Shacklewell Arms circa 2012, this song fuses frontman Robbie Grey’s surreal lyricism and attitude-laden delivery with a pulsating groove. Furthermore, lines such as “It’s taken a lifetime / I’m long in the tooth” and “I know something that you don’t know” point to the group’s unfailing self-awareness and comedic grasp, which courses throughout the album. They know where they’re at, years after forming in 1979, and they’re happy with it. [4/5]
‘Not My Leader’: Another direct earworm complete with a catchy vocal melody and chord progression, this song is fuelled by the band’s punk roots. You might not necessarily think of Modern English as a political band, but this song certainly is, taking an explicit shot at our incompetent leaders. Musically forthright and lyrically to the point, Grey sings: “Now listen to me / You’re not my leader”. Hear, hear! [3/5]
‘Not Fake’: A synth-driven piece commencing with a euphoric blend of blaring synths and crunching guitars straight out of 2005, this is the sort of track that will arrest audiences, given its adroit use of the classic loud-quiet-loud dynamics. We might have heard things like it many times before, but Grey’s vocal performance is enough to differentiate it and put a definitively Modern English spin on the familiar sound. [3/5]
‘Exploding’: A dissonant flurry on the guitar opens this one before Michael Conroy’s ominous bassline, which evokes the feeling of late 1980s goth, enters the fold. Here, Grey’s vocals burst in and out of the mix as space is placed front and centre, and a dark psychedelic palette is established, aided by the hallucinogenic plucks of the violin played on the keys by Stephen Walker. Furthermore, the frontman’s lyrics about the fear of death prompt a moment of internal reflection as an effective counterbalance to the hypnotic music and Gary McDowell’s textured guitar. [3.5/5]
‘Plastic’: The midway point is undoubtedly the most mystifying on the record. An utterly surreal piece, opening with a keyboard sound that makes us think of the ’90s herd going down to Greece, it quickly becomes apparent that this effort is another political one with a distinctly environmentalist angle. In some ways, it is outright hilarious due to Grey’s lyrics, which emphasise the word “plastic” through repetition, and the droning music’s similarity to the vibe of Danny Dyer’s Chocolate Homunculus, but scratch past the surface, and you’ll find black comedy mastery. Although Grey’s words are explicit – and loaded – the hypnotic essence of the music, including the strummed bassline, over-the-top guitar distortion, and the vocalist’s dramatic delivery, augment the sentiment that we need to stop bloody relying on plastic products. [3/5]
‘Crazy Lovers’: Musically, the harmonious synth line contains flecks of the band’s early years. However, this single is very much contemporary Modern English in every other way. It’s another catchy effort, brimming with Grey’s expressive delivery, which toes the line between seriousness and humour. It also drives itself deep into the prefrontal cortex due to the vocalist’s use of a telephone-esque effect, mesmeric rhythm, and smattering of catchy guitar licks. [3/5]
‘I Know Your Soul’: A more traditional song. ‘I Know Your Soul’ is one of the bluer moments on 1 2 3 4. Much of the track’s introspective sentiment is initiated by Conroy’s bass’s slow but melodic strums, plucked straight from the group’s post-punk origins. On top of his performance, emotive synths, a shimmering guitar and Grey’s baritone are effortlessly layered as it unhurriedly moves to a brief but affecting climax. [3.5/5]
‘Genius’: In classic Modern English style, they fuse genres seamlessly here. Containing the stoned essence of desert rock, the attitude of the most arresting post-punk sprechgesang and a touch of psychedelia, from the dirty chord progression to the swollen slides of the bass, ‘Genius’ is a distillation of how far the band’s artistic reach stretches. The final minute is particularly glorious. It’s far out, man. [4/5]
‘Out to Lunch’: A darker number, underpinned by the evil locomotion of the bassline and McDowell’s atmospheric guitar work, it oscillates between two main parts that keep the listener locked in, with a potent chorus melody the cherry on the cake. Clearly, goth is something that the band do very well. [4/5]
‘Voices’: An exquisite way to bring the curtain down on 1 2 3 4. Grey’s vocal performance is particularly impactful across its duration, with the delay-drenched bends of the guitar and dream-like accentuation of the percussion throwing you deep into the mind’s eye as the past goes racing by. Everything about the track is glorious. I want to get stoned now. [5/5]
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