Modern English - After The Snow (1982)

This is probably my favorite early 80's so called "New Wave" album. I wouldn't even put this album in the New Wave or any other category, because I believe it shows a truly original creativity that transcends any genre. This record creates an "atmosphere" that takes the listener on a beautiful trip. I would compare it to a walk with your lover on a wonderful fall day in an English garden; you never tire of the feeling it gives. Personal favorites include "Someone's Calling" and "Face of Wood," but all the songs flow together as if being played in a suite. I think the entire album shows wonderful attention to detail in both lyrics and musicianship. In an era where a band's looks in it's videos were the most important element, Modern English threw that concept out the window and contributed an artisitc statement and musical feel that few bands from that era could capture. Ever notice how a winter snowfall brings beauty to everything it covers? "After the Snow" will add beauty and wonder to your CD collection.

After The Snow
1982
MODERN ENGLISH
Robbie Grey (v/g), Gary McDowell (g),Richard Brown (d),Mick Conroy (b),Stephen Walker (k)

Track Listings

1. Someone's Calling
2. Life In The Gladhouse
3. Face Of Wood
4. Dawn Chorus
5. I Melt With You
6. After The Snow
7. Carry Me Down
8. Tables Turning

Bonus Tracks

9. Someone's Calling
10. Life In The Gladhouse
11. I Melt With You (7 Inch Mix)
12. The Prize
13. Life In THe Gladhouse
14. The Choicest View

Modern English gave listeners the impression that the band was an upbeat pop act in the early '80s. "I Melt With You" was actually an anomaly in Modern English's early discography. Formed in Colchester, England, in 1979, Modern English was originally a punk group called the Lepers. Featuring Robbie Grey (vocals, guitar), Gary McDowell (guitar), and Richard Brown (drums), the Lepers mainly performed at parties. After Mick Conroy (bass) and Stephen Walker (keyboards) joined the band, they changed their name to Modern English and were signed to 4AD Records. Inspired by the stylish gloom of Bauhaus and Joy Division, Modern English released the singles "Swans on Glass" and "Gathering Dust" before recording their 1981 debut LP Mesh & Lace. Boiling with raw anger, dissonant rhythms, and weird noises, Mesh & Lace confused some U.K. critics while mesmerizing others. A year later, the group streamlined their sound, dropping much of Mesh & Lace's gothic experimentation on After the Snow. "I Melt With You" was included on the Valley Girl soundtrack, and its video became an MTV staple. Although "I Melt With You" didn't reach the Top 40 charts in America, After the Snow sold more than 500,000 copies. However, the band's next album, 1984's Ricochet Days, was a flop. Pressured by their U.S. label Sire Records to release another hit and exhausted from touring, Modern English began falling apart; Walker and Brown were fired from the group. Grey continued recording with different Modern English lineups. In the early '90s, "I Melt With You" was played in a successful Burger King ad. Modern English started recording another album with After the Snow producer Hugh Jones in 2001