MODERN ENGLISH

小簡(jiǎn)介
有些樂(lè)隊(duì)一輩子就只能出一張好專輯，五人樂(lè)團(tuán)Modern English就屬于此類。樂(lè)隊(duì)成立于1979年的英格蘭，最早做朋克樂(lè)起家，后來(lái)受到Joy Division，Bauhaos等后朋克樂(lè)團(tuán)的影響而開始改變風(fēng)格。82年樂(lè)隊(duì)簽約著名獨(dú)立廠牌4.A.D，成為4.A.D早期曇花一現(xiàn)而又出類拔萃的后朋克樂(lè)隊(duì)。
After Snow是Modern English第二張也是最成功的一張專輯，專輯賣出了50萬(wàn)張，盡管主打歌"I Melt With You"沒(méi)有進(jìn)入美國(guó)排行榜的Top 40，但它卻被收錄進(jìn)Valley Girl的電影原聲，成為80年代New Wave時(shí)期的不朽之作。"I Melt With You"最吸引人的是強(qiáng)勁連綿的鼓點(diǎn)，主唱Robbie Grey平穩(wěn)矜持的英國(guó)式唱腔，加上新浪潮時(shí)期流行的Synth-pop流行合成器音色和流暢旋律。
Modern English 《 After snow 》
除了依舊沉重陰森的鼓聲，同名曲目After The Snow相對(duì)乏善可陳，Carry me down則用略帶迷幻感的富有空間層次感的吉他將專輯推向另一個(gè)高潮。專輯里還有另外一些頗為不俗的曲子，Someone's Calling in the night里陰暗的激情，Life In the Gladhouse里喜悅和悲涼的交織。Face of Wood里毀滅性的絕望情緒，分裂狀的破碎節(jié)拍和同樣起落的情緒以及清亮的和聲。
Robbie Grey遠(yuǎn)不像Peter Murphy那樣陰沉著臉唱歌，聽(tīng)起來(lái)似乎平和的聲音卻悒郁得可怕。Modern English的這張專輯只適合一次聽(tīng)一遍，盡管它有不少清爽流暢流行旋律。我現(xiàn)在就被專輯里那些沒(méi)完沒(méi)了的陰沉節(jié)拍攪得頭暈。當(dāng)然有人要說(shuō)了，Modern English這樣的作品在現(xiàn)在流行的Dark Wave浪潮中只是小兒科。而實(shí)際上，那些拙劣的裝神弄鬼的哥特模仿者經(jīng)常讓我忍不住笑出來(lái)（那種裝腔作勢(shì)而無(wú)意中產(chǎn)生的舞臺(tái)間離效果實(shí)在太強(qiáng)了！)也許與你擦肩而過(guò)的陰沉聲音才使人真正不寒而栗。后來(lái)After the Snow這張專輯的bonus版本還附送了幾首作品的Remix版本，要知道，他們?cè)?0年代的Dance Club是很出名的曲子。
Modern English《Life in the glad house 》
另外想說(shuō)一句，Modern English雖然缺乏作為一只偉大的后朋克樂(lè)隊(duì)所具備的持久的創(chuàng)作靈感，但After the Snow卻是代表了80年代吉他流行樂(lè)的最高水準(zhǔn)，它不遜于The Cure,Bauhaus,或是The Smiths的任何一張專輯。
The summery hooks and warm lyrics of Modern Englishs biggest hit, I Melt With You, 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 Englishs 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 & Laces 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 didnt reach the Top 40 charts in America, After the Snow sold more than 500,000 copies. However, the bands next album, 1984s 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.