Modern English

Modern English

 

Modern English/ Everything’s Mad. Mi5 Recordings/ Caroline EMI 2007.

 

Produced by band member Ted Mason and the band, this latest album of Modern English mixes the influences of world music, combining traditionl Indian instruments (sitar, souring, tables) with classical strings, harps as well as western rock guitars/drums and sampling.

 

This is re-release of that album and is considered the most adventurous albums the band ever produced.

 

Formed in Colchester, Essex, England, in 1977 by Robbie Grey (vocals) Modern English sold over 4 million records in the US alone. Members included Gary McDowell (guitar, vocals), and Michael Conroy (bass, vocals), Richard Brown (drums) and Stephen Walker (keyboards) and Ted Mason (guitar, vocals). Though known for their classic hit “I Melt With You”, the band had several top billboard hits including Richochet Days, Hands Across the Sea, 16 Days, After the Snow, to name a few.

 

The Band’s full-length Mesh & Lace, released by 4AD Records was one of their first success and drew heavily on the sound already patentd by bands such as Joy Division. The follow-up After The Snow, was a minor revelation as they introduced warmth and strong guitar harmonies (most notably on the classic “I Melt With You”).

 

The album Richochet Days has a crisper production and included the hits Richocet Days and Hands Across the Sea, selling over 300,000 units. Next came Stop Start ,which was the last record Modern English recorded for Sire.

 

In 1990 the band released Pillow Lips on the TVT label, selling 300,000 units. Robbie Grey and band member/manager Ted Mason co-wrote and produced with Robbie a second release for TVT recording with live strings and multiple harmonies. The ambitions of the band received very little enthusiasm from TVT. Locked into contractual obligations with TVT, Grey subsquently put the band on hold to study and travel, and Mason handled the legal issues of getting out go the TVT deal. In 1995, they successfully managed to get out of their contractual obligations and signed with Terry Ellis’ label Imago.

 

This re-release of that album and is considered the most adventurous albums the band ever produced. It included Indian musicians, live strings, a small chamber orchestra and samples collected through Robbie Grey’s travels through India. Modern English’s Everything is Mad with Robbie Grey (vocals, guitar), Matthew Shipley (keyboards) and Ted Mason (vocals, guitar) has been repackaged to represent this ambitious and magical recording and it has been digitally re-mastered.

 

Robbie Grey continues to tour extensively on the US club circuit, and in 2001 signed a new recording contract with A.P.G. Music. 2007 saw the repackaged/remastered re-release of Everyting’s Mad for the Mi5 Recordings label distributed by Caroline/EMI.