Modern English "Life in the Gladhouse" (1982) (single)

Life in the Gladhouse, 12'' single
release date: Jun. 7, 1982
format: vinyl (BAD 208) / digital
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Hugh Jones; Modern English
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Life in the Gladhouse" - - B) "The Choicest View" (4 / 5)

Single release by Modern English with the A-side taken from the album After the Snow (May 1982). The A-side is an extended remix of the album track. The B-side is a previously unreleased track with a playing time above 11½ mins. The A-side single track is a rather ordinary post-punk track, or at least, so I found it at the time; however, the B-side really is the most daring and also most interesting composition here. Not only is it quite unusual having a lengthy playing time (the '80s considered), it's also a strong blend of styles and genres but somehow it still remains a rather strict composition with art rock, progressive rock and neo-psychedelic traits.
I purchased this at the time of its release without knowing anything of the band. The cover itself made me pick it up and ask for having it played. Coincidentally, and quite luckily, I heard the B-side first, and it really attracted me. Only afterwards, I unfortunately came to understand that this experimental style wasn't what the band usually played. The A-side is in that respect closer to the bands repertoire, but the B-side is the true gem here.

Modern English "After the Snow" (1982)

After the Snow
release date: May 3, 1982
format: vinyl / cd (1992 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Hugh Jones, Modern English
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

2nd studio album by Modern English. The '92 cd-issue is definitely the better option here with its 6 bonus tracks of which four are 'just' remixes of album tracks but it also contains the nearly 12 minutes long "The Choicest View", the B-side track from the Life in the Gladhouse 12'' single.

Modern English "Mesh & Lace" (1981)

Mesh & Lace [debut]
release date: Apr. 6, 1981
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]
producer: Modern English
label: 4AD Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Gathering Dust" - 4. "Move in Light" - 5. "Grief" - 9. "Dance of Devotion"

Studio debut album by Colchester-based quintet Modern English is a self-produced 9-track album. The band consists of Robbie Grey on vocals, Gary McDowell on guitar and backing vocals, Mick Conroy on bass and backing vocals, Stephen Walker on keyboards, and with Richard Brown on drums.
Stylistically, it's evident that the band owes a great deal to other bands of the era - and in particular Joy Division, The Sound, Bauhaus and Killing Joke. ME both plays a simplistic and energetic post-punk incorporating gothic rock and certain industrial rock elements. "Gathering Dust" sounds like a clone of Bauhaus and The Sound. A track like "Move in Light" is almost a rip-off from early Joy Division and listening to "Grief" as it kicks in after 2 mins. is unthinkable without "Atmosphere" also by Joy Division, AND "A Viable Commercial" (track #7) is just another JD clone - this time like a lesser copy of "Atrocity Exhibition". The album closer, "Dance of Devotion" sounds like an attempt to produce something made by Killing Joke. A similar approach may be utilized to find sources to every other composition on the album, which ultimately makes this debut boast of very little originality.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]