Many Be Bop Deluxe fans might say, "Sunbirst Finish" is their favorite Be Bop Deluxe album, & I agree, it's a great album, but then, "Live In The Air Age" came out, & many of those songs were on there & done with so much more energy! So my vote goes to "Modern Music" as the best Be Bop Deluxe studio recording. Their former album to their last, "Drastic Plastic.""Modern Music" is just filled with incredible melodic ideas, that keeps flowing like a wondrous spring of breath taking musical brilliance! It's fine writing & musicianship, keep this recording floating like a feather on sweetly scented winds. Ace guitarist, Bill Nelson's (the Bop, behind Be Bop Deluxe) guitar, transcends everything it comes within ear shot of. His miraculous tone, phrasing, fluid leads, & expert rhythm playing, embellish these songs with the joy of a man gifted well beyond most guitarist, to give you a listening experience that is seldom rivaled! Though "Modern Music" is not a heavy album by any means, it definitely makes a huge impact on the listener ready to be enveloped by it's warm embrace! Jumping rock subgenres like the beautiful ballad, "Down On Terminal Street," to the funky fusion energy of, "Dance of the Uncle Sam Humanoids," "Modern Music" is a whole greater than it's sum. Filled with exotic shades & colors, & enough down to earth simplistic beauty, to give this listener years of enjoyment, & more years to come!
This was a concept album, designed to be played in it's entirety. The idea was that you were listening to the radio for the evening, or something like that. The concept works, the music is excellent throughout, and (I think) a must-have Be Bop Deluxe album. Highly recommended.
Be Bop Deluxe's masterpiece Modern Music, exemplifies the group's soaring space-age sound, and the sound of the era. I have been listening to this on vinyl for thirty years. I finally picked up a CD for the car and after hearing it in its brilliant clarity, I realized I need to replace my vinyl copy! Funny, for some reason I always listened to side two first (tracks 7-15 on the CD). The entire side holds together as one unified piece. Hearing it in the original order on the CD makes perfect sense and flows beautifully. Modern Music is transcendent.
...That "something special" turned out to be this recording, "MODERN MUSIC," which boasts good vocals, solid guitar work, interesting songs, but most of all - a special feeling or aura that seems to envelope the entire concept and project.
When this record came out I somehow felt compelled to buy it before ever hearing any of it on the radio, from a friend, or anywhere. I just plain bought it sight unseen, and it turned out to be one the best 'flyers' I've ever taken with regard to my impulsive music buying habits. "MODERN MUSIC" is Be Bop Deluxe's best album in every respect.
More than anything, it's a completely conceptualized whole, comprised of two song sets, the former sides 1 and 2. ... The second of these is the elegant and powerful "Modern Music Suite," where the songs crossfeed dreamily one into another. Both "sets" of music have held up for me over an untold number of listens, spread out over a significant number of years (this record was released in the late 1970s).
Excellently recorded and produced, this is Bill Nelson's peak with regard to his Be Bop Deluxe period. If you enjoy other vintage 1970s recordings such as 10CC's "HOW DARE YOU," Genesis' "LAMB DIES DOWN" and "FOXTROT," "Todd Rundgren's "A WIZARD, A TRUE STAR" and "SOMETHING/ANYTHING" or any one of a dozen or more other such treasures, give this recording a try. The uninitiated among you will likely enjoy this time-capsule nugget as much as I have, and do.
The first side of this album has the same impact as Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Led Zep's Stairway, City Boy's 5000 years and Lou Reed's Sweet Jane from Rock and Roll Animal. It is one of those long complex songs with great guitar playing. I have been listening to this for the past 30 years and it never gets old.
If you are not familiar with Be Bob Deluxe listen to the Modern Music Suite from this album it consists of tracks 7-12 on this CD but on the vinyl it is one kind of continuous song kind of like the Medley on The Beatles Abbey Road. This really is classic great guitar playing from the 70's that flew under the radar it seems. Besides great guitar playing another thing I think Bill does well is lyrics, like on "Down on Terminal Street"
In "Modern Music", each track is crafted to perfection and smoothly flows with driving melodic energy in a superb, dreamlike sonic journey. How this masterpiece as well as the band for that matter never really caught on here in the U.S. to the degree of greatness it deserves is a mystery to me. However, greater than ever sounding on CD, this is worth the purchase for music lovers who never experienced this "lost" gem. Bill Nelson is one great guitarist - just listen to "Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids". Though it is just too short for me, this is one of the classic guitar instrumental songs of all time! Purchase and enjoy this CD !! You will not regret it!!
They were also canny enough not to let their considerable musical abilites ever overwhelm their songs: they always kept things tight and flowing, their surfeit of ideas being expressed in a thoroughly accessible manner.
Some more excellent writing about this brilliant record on the Amazon page for it:
JAMES MCCORMICK April 3, 2013 5 Stars = Masterpiece
5.0 out of 5 starsFilled with Exotic Shades & Colors, & Down to Earth Simplistic Beauty!
Many Be Bop Deluxe fans might say, "Sunbirst Finish" is their favorite Be Bop Deluxe album, & I agree, it's a great album, but then, "Live In The Air Age" came out, & many of those songs were on there & done with so much more energy! So my vote goes to "Modern Music" as the best Be Bop Deluxe studio recording. Their former album to their last, "Drastic Plastic." "Modern Music" is just filled with incredible melodic ideas, that keeps flowing like a wondrous spring of breath taking musical brilliance! It's fine writing & musicianship, keep this recording floating like a feather on sweetly scented winds. Ace guitarist, Bill Nelson's (the Bop, behind Be Bop Deluxe) guitar, transcends everything it comes within ear shot of. His miraculous tone, phrasing, fluid leads, & expert rhythm playing, embellish these songs with the joy of a man gifted well beyond most guitarist, to give you a listening experience that is seldom rivaled! Though "Modern Music" is not a heavy album by any means, it definitely makes a huge impact on the listener ready to be enveloped by it's warm embrace! Jumping rock subgenres like the beautiful ballad, "Down On Terminal Street," to the funky fusion energy of, "Dance of the Uncle Sam Humanoids," "Modern Music" is a whole greater than it's sum. Filled with exotic shades & colors, & enough down to earth simplistic beauty, to give this listener years of enjoyment, & more years to come!
Peter A. Johnson January 8, 2014
5.0 out of 5 starsOne of the best from Be Bop Deluxe...
This was a concept album, designed to be played in it's entirety. The idea was that you were listening to the radio for the evening, or something like that. The concept works, the music is excellent throughout, and (I think) a must-have Be Bop Deluxe album. Highly recommended.
tvc215 January 8, 2008
5.0 out of 5 starsA Masterpiece!
Be Bop Deluxe's masterpiece Modern Music, exemplifies the group's soaring space-age sound, and the sound of the era. I have been listening to this on vinyl for thirty years. I finally picked up a CD for the car and after hearing it in its brilliant clarity, I realized I need to replace my vinyl copy! Funny, for some reason I always listened to side two first (tracks 7-15 on the CD). The entire side holds together as one unified piece. Hearing it in the original order on the CD makes perfect sense and flows beautifully. Modern Music is transcendent.
DonB July 25, 2002
5.0 out of 5 starsWonderfully Conceived/Performed 1970s Classic -
...That "something special" turned out to be this recording, "MODERN MUSIC," which boasts good vocals, solid guitar work, interesting songs, but most of all - a special feeling or aura that seems to envelope the entire concept and project.
When this record came out I somehow felt compelled to buy it before ever hearing any of it on the radio, from a friend, or anywhere. I just plain bought it sight unseen, and it turned out to be one the best 'flyers' I've ever taken with regard to my impulsive music buying habits. "MODERN MUSIC" is Be Bop Deluxe's best album in every respect.
More than anything, it's a completely conceptualized whole, comprised of two song sets, the former sides 1 and 2. ... The second of these is the elegant and powerful "Modern Music Suite," where the songs crossfeed dreamily one into another. Both "sets" of music have held up for me over an untold number of listens, spread out over a significant number of years (this record was released in the late 1970s).
Excellently recorded and produced, this is Bill Nelson's peak with regard to his Be Bop Deluxe period. If you enjoy other vintage 1970s recordings such as 10CC's "HOW DARE YOU," Genesis' "LAMB DIES DOWN" and "FOXTROT," "Todd Rundgren's "A WIZARD, A TRUE STAR" and "SOMETHING/ANYTHING" or any one of a dozen or more other such treasures, give this recording a try. The uninitiated among you will likely enjoy this time-capsule nugget as much as I have, and do.
Russ Lavergne February 18, 2011
5.0 out of 5 starsOne of the great 70's guitar rock albums of all time
The first side of this album has the same impact as Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Led Zep's Stairway, City Boy's 5000 years and Lou Reed's Sweet Jane from Rock and Roll Animal. It is one of those long complex songs with great guitar playing. I have been listening to this for the past 30 years and it never gets old.
If you are not familiar with Be Bob Deluxe listen to the Modern Music Suite from this album it consists of tracks 7-12 on this CD but on the vinyl it is one kind of continuous song kind of like the Medley on The Beatles Abbey Road. This really is classic great guitar playing from the 70's that flew under the radar it seems. Besides great guitar playing another thing I think Bill does well is lyrics, like on "Down on Terminal Street"
ill Appel February 21, 2004
5.0 out of 5 starsONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED "LOST" GEMS OF THE 70'S
In "Modern Music", each track is crafted to perfection and smoothly flows with driving melodic energy in a superb, dreamlike sonic journey. How this masterpiece as well as the band for that matter never really caught on here in the U.S. to the degree of greatness it deserves is a mystery to me. However, greater than ever sounding on CD, this is worth the purchase for music lovers who never experienced this "lost" gem. Bill Nelson is one great guitarist - just listen to "Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids". Though it is just too short for me, this is one of the classic guitar instrumental songs of all time! Purchase and enjoy this CD !! You will not regret it!!
They were also canny enough not to let their considerable musical abilites ever overwhelm their songs: they always kept things tight and flowing, their surfeit of ideas being expressed in a thoroughly accessible manner.
This.