This is the 25th Anniversary expanded and remastered version of Modesty Blaise's masterpiece Melancholia that really should be treated as a chamber pop masterpiece, how I failed to buy it first time round is shocking, this album should have been massive for loved up dinner parties with cults and mysticism. Modesty Blaise were Jonny Collins, David W Brown, Gregory Jones, Clem Courtney and Julien Clapperton. The album was written, produced and mixed by Jonny Collins and engineered by Martin Nichols who also remastered the album at White House Studio. This review is of the main album there are two additional albums of outtakes and alternate and single versions of the songs, available for those that wish full immersion in the glory of Melancholia 3 hour experience.
The album opens with Chorale a simple beautiful bit of choral harmonizing, heralding the mood of the album to come, halfway between the church and a party. Strings arrive at the start of Carol Mountain bursting fully into life with the yearning and hoping that his date with Carol Mountain will go as planned, he doesn't know if he'll ever get over you. He'll have you wrapped up in strings and gentle percussion, seducing listeners with some laconic sax, wondrous harmony vocals middle eight, strings swell demonstrating just how devastated he is, that you no longer want him to be yours.
Old Woman-My Life Before You Came-Swivel Chair is a neo-orchestral suite for the Old Woman you Spurned, angry father who never approved of you, all the problematic behaviour, encased in sweeping strings, chiming bells, heartfelt emotions, a real-life psycho drama.
Transition to memories of My Life Before You Came and bewitched him, upbeat acoustic guitars, accenting memories, keyboards like a Celeste or Virginal imitating synth. The Swivel Chair swings both ways on the outro.
Melancholia (Three Humours) a nursery rhyme turned into another tale of love lost and reborn, sparse drumming and guitars, central vocals hitting home. Pretty Smart On My Part is an explanation of his love life, how he enjoys his girlfriend's country records, that get her in the mood. This has an acid twisted feel to the country inflected chamber pop, he did everything he had to do, to make her his for all time.
Even In My Darkest Hour is a sad violin and viola led lament for the loss of a close love, how can he ever get by and walk away. The shimmering strings wonderfully dramatic, over the top they may seem, they are never enough. Organ comes in, it seems that he may have found resolution in accepting that you and he, can both carry on living life without each other, lilting along to the trombone tugging at your soul. Harmonica is a 20 odd second blues solo.
The Little Things You Do-Gregory Fell Into His French Horn is another widescreen orchestral depiction of life's loves and how they affect you, rising brass and shimmering organ, keep upsetting him, when he sees your behaviour. I'm Going Out he won't stay at home like a hermit, this has a 60's kitchen sink drama pop feeling his need for escape, towering production and plenty of twists musically, you'll want to be going out with him.
When We Come Of Age-Swarm is a calm slow building expression of joy for all the things that signalled your Coming Of Age, finely crafted horns are laconic wondering at how wonderful things will be now.
The Love Suite: Sounds Like Love-We Are Love-The Love In is an immense 13 minutes of joyful orchestral pop, in love with the Sounds Of Love, stings, brass and that ever-repeating title phrase.
Eventually transitioning to a more tropicalia inflected middle section, claiming We Are Love and how could you deny an album this loving that acclaim, they have gone to San Francisco and may still have flowers in their hair, but all they want is to experience the love. What better place to experience the love but down at The Love In breezy feelings of wandering through Golden Gate Park on a glorious summer's day, hopefully without spending all your money in Amoeba by the entrance, on your way into the Love In, ready to hear a marvellously seductive guitar solo.
The original album closed with Chorale (Reprise) allowing the harmony vocals to return accompanied by the organ a lovely final coda. The bonus material starts with Carol Mountain (Full Version) that adds another minute or so with even more strings, more yearning and just more beauty, how could she ever resist. The dilemma at the heart of this song is in the acapella breakdown where it becomes clear Carol has a husband with a gun, that may be problematic for the continuance of this dalliance.
Baroque And Roll (Alternate My Life Before You Came) is a brilliant baroque interlude leading into The Darkest Strings (Instrumental Darkest Hour) a classical melismatic wallow in the wonder of strings to evoke emotions of love and sorrow.
We Are Acoustic they are saying goodbye to San Francisco like they are leaving with Flaco Jimenez and a boat load of love, beauty of the love they found, even more pristine and beautiful, an gloriously romantic musical serenade. The album closes with String Theory (The Love-In Strings) that separated from the whole become rather more intoxicated with the passions raging through melancholia like a siren call for more peace, love and beauty in the word.
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