MODERN MUSIC

Be Bop Deluxe was pretty busy in 1976. No less than two albums!

The band incorporates some new-wave as well as some reggae touches in here. Twilight Capers for instance has a gloomy and weird atmosphere which reminds me great debut album of the excellent Doctors Of Madness (Late Night Movies All Night Brainstorms).

Kiss Of Light is a decadent reggae (a new genre maybe?). The band again shows its inventive side. Reggae was booming in Europe at the time, and I have to say that the combination of a fine melody combined with these rhythms is quite well accomplished.

After two average tracks, the band get back fully loaded with their incredible and indescribable sound. Fantasy, decadence, glam, catchy beat etc. Bring Back The Spark is a song I really like. Fantastic guitar as well (but this is no surprise if you have listened to their debut album).

After a hesitant start (some noisy switches from one radio station to another), the title track is another good ballad in the world of the soft-rocking glam. Nothing wrong with this: the origin of their music belongs to this roots and one in a while the band just came back to it.

The second part of the album is a long suite made of short parts. This epic/combination of short part is an incredible mix of various musical genres. In the running order: some glam (for the first two songs), glam-country (all this during the very short Lost In The Neon World, disco-funk (Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids, romantic-rock (Modern Music Reprise).

Glam is again on the forefront for the next couple of parts (Forbidden Lovers, Down On Terminal Street). I would have wished a more crazy or disjointed finale instead of the gentle Make The Music Magic.

The usual bonus tracks are leading us into a science-fiction world (Futurist Manifesto), a more classic rock tune (Quest.) and a great traditional Deluxe song (Autosexual).

It is obvious that Be Bop Deluxe got heavily back to their (glam) roots with this album. Their next effort will be totally different. I would rate this album with seven out of ten but I'll upgrade it to four for sentimental reasons.

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