ISMISM [AKA: SNACK ATTACK]

How strange it can be! 1981 the two separated parts of 10cc sounded so different from each other. 10Cc played soft and melodic pop and Godley & Creme did some form of experimental rap pop. The year 1981 was thirty-four years ago and these guys were acting in a confused time when prog rock wasn't popular anymore and it wasn't strange that they were experimenting with new genres.In fact they had always doen that. "Ismism" is the fourth studio album by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme which also paly all instruments without saxophone which is played by Bimbo Acock here. That is in fact a powerful and frequent instrument on this album. The cover design isn't remarkable but fortunately the music is more interesting.

The album consists of nine songs which are quite similar in style and feeling. It is a humble feeling laying over it and it is dressed in an electronic, modern rap style. I call it rap but it has very few similarities with the music people usually refer to as rap. One similar form of singing is of course Murray Head's rap on "One night in Bangkok". My, and other people's low rating of this album could make you believe this isn't good at all. But actually I am quite positive to what Godley & Creme did here. They experimented a lot and some songs here are enjoyable, intelligent and worth listening to. The vocals are fine and especially in the two humble quite ordinary songs "Under your thumb"(6/10) and "Sale of the century"(7/10) you can get the feelings from some of 10cc's best moments. The last mentioned track is in my opinion very nice. I also like the opening track "Snack attack"(7/10). Beside these mentioned songs this album is rather boring. All songs are well performed and there is something interesting everywhere but I think this new thinking of rap and electronic sounds was to much here. The band could have done a more varied record. I would also have liked this record more if the tops were higher.

My song to song rating ends at 2.44 which makes this a two star rating. 5/10 would have been more fair and to be honest I must say that "Consequences" isn't so much better than this. But "Ismism" unfortunately is a step down from "Freeze Frame".

Best tracks: Sale of the century, Snack attack, Under your thumb