A random for the hell of it Modern English thread

Life in Norway is tough whenever a new Modern Talking collection is let loose on the market. The serene moments in between I do my utmost to forget about them, so the similarly-named must too be cast aside.

I've asked this once before, but -- speaking of theme parks -- is "Rainbow's End" about a theme park of the same name outside of Auckland? I'm not sure if they toured New Zealand or not, but I figured I'd ask.

I pulled this out about a month ago. It's just proven to be one of those albums I pull out from time to time even if I can't say it's in any way a perfect album and I usually can't remember how the songs go. (It's also one of my all time fave 4AD album covers) Anyway I enjoyed it so much I decided to go ahead and get it on CD like I'd been meaning to do for quite some time. I just like the SOUND of the album - so damn goth, for lack of a better word. I will admit though that I always had a preference for one particular side of the record (the one that starts with Drowning Man). I owned a number of the original 7"es that are added as bonus tracks on the CD, but none of them made a lasting impression.

I bought After The Snow & Ricochet Days in the late 80's sometime, and enjoyed them I suppose. There were a few great songs, but again none of it really "stuck". I do recall one particular b-side though that really stood out. It was called "Ringing In The Change" if I recall correctly (way too tired to look it up right now) and it was from some single off Ricochet Days, perhaps "Chapter 12"?

Sorry, I meant the side that starts with The Token Man of course. Their first single from 1979 was called Drowning Man.

I'm listening to After The Snow and Richochet Days now for the first time in...ages. They do seem to me just a little bit better or more valuable than they did at the time. Mesh & Lace is one thing, but to hear these other records...they kindof make me feel like I'm 16 again, and there is some really great stuff here.

Machines! I remember this song! I'm dying over here! Wow!

yes.
modern english = v. classic
and, certainly much, much more classic than all of the shithead mohawk-guy "punk" bands that ironically cover "i melt with you".
and, certainly, definitely, much, much more classic than all of the shithead tight shirt-wearing indie bands of indie fux0rs that ironically cover "i melt with you".

modern english is just classic. okay? i have to give 'mesh and lace' a listen, soon.

"Ink & Paper" rules!

recommendations as to where to start? Ned on Allmusic seems to think After the Snow is a pretty quality album. Suggestions?

I'd agree with that reviewer.

I pulled out Mesh & Lace tonight. Fantastic stuff.

Does anyone else know this song called "Home" by them? It was on some obscure compilation or something, I can't remember now what it was on, exactly. Fucking amazing post punk. Fucking amazing.

I just picked up the new-on-CD release of their 1986 "Stop Start". Wow, did they throw every 80s studio trick into this mix - over-the-top drum sound, fretless bass, etc. It's really not good at all and yet I have a real soft spot for it. Nostalgia, I suppose...

i dabbled into their two most recent albums this past weekend for the first time since i purchased them around the time of their respective releases. it's not super amazing or anything; but absolutely solid stuff. have always loved the timbre of robbie grey's voice and he somehow sounds more like himself than ever before on these newer records.

soundtrack (2010) is the more "technicolor" of the two; which makes sense seeing as it reunites the band with the mighty hugh jones. take me to the trees has some weird buzzing, very early 80s post-joy division-esque songs, but the presentation is much more humble. the mastering on the vinyl is great — you have to crank it to hear all the nuances, but it's very dynamic and full.

it's just kind of a chuckle how consistent and "hey NOT BAD" these two newer albums are; especially in proportion to how little anyone cares about them anymore. in the immediate post-"melt with you" days, they had more attention than they ever would again and squandered it away on bland MOR 80s boredom. now that no one is watching (quite literally) decades later, here they are again, but doing nice things that will not get them any attention whatsoever.

oh well.

here's a nice thing from soundtrack; v pink floyd-ish: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Xc2XkV6sMIcTuDB8TSbwG

I just picked up Ricochet Days in the used rack today, and was thinking it's not half bad (I'm a sucker for meat-and-potatoes synch pop).

Then I got to Blue Waves, which is such a blatant "Melt With You" rewrite, that I'm not sure I can take this album seriously:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97z56S-flko

I guess you can't blame them for trying to ride the crossover success of what turned out to be their one hit.

the best parts of that album make up for the worst parts though.

"machines" has always been a band highlight for me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czHxDHH3QRc

they are taking time off from their zookeeper jobs and coming to my town. at least i think they were going for that edgy zookeeper vibe that is all the rage these days.

https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/354269332_10161282696972137_7608491280852417656_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=4HnH04uGu-wAX_BmmVX&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AfC5Z6t4RdnME5wznw7fP93C8wLF7yMt4XBUCeVah9-pOg&oe=6491FD77

Wow, do they even let you in the Boy Scouts if you have that many face tats? Maybe that's why they don't have any patches on their uniforms.

That guy reminds me of the guy in Papillon, Masked Breton. "You like this? I did too, at the time, but I was drunk."

There's a new CD reissue of Stop Start that came out a few months ago, glad that's back out there!