Iconic British new wave and post-punk band Modern English are still at it some 40+ years after forming in Essex, England, and on January 19th, the group released their latest single, “Not My Leader.”
“Not My Leader” is the third single off of their upcoming album, 1 2 3 4, due out February 23rd, and is their first album in eight years.
Most famous for their mega hit single, “I Melt With You,” off their 1982 album After the Snow, Modern English is incorporating their musically innovative sound in “Not My Leader.” Their post-punk guitar and melodic vocals are instantly recognizable, ramped up with an upbeat indie rock energy emanating from beginning to end.
A pointed political song, the new single was born out of lead singer Robert Grey’s frustration with the current political climate of the world. “It seemed that everybody in charge of the world was completely incompetent,” he says. The track is also a lyrical observation of the similarities between U.S. and U.K. politics.
This theme of political frustration is not new for Modern English, as Grey says, “For me, as a lyricist, it’s always about personal journeys, or the journey of the band, or just getting pissed off with governments and politicians.”
Grey and other founding band member and bassist Mick Conroy started coming up with the music for 1 2 3 4 during lockdown in the spring of 2020. Conroy set up a temporary home studio in Suffolk, England, and soon found inspiration in the first Siouxsie and the Banshees album and David Bowie records that featured Mick Ronson.
After some time pondering and penning songs, the band decided on a “raw-sounding affair” that was “more energetic,” Conroy says. The album was recorded with just a few takes, encapsulating a certain edge to this raw familiar sound. And with that, their goal was achieved- to create a live sounding album.
1 2 3 4 was produced by Grammy award-winner Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails) and mixed by Cenzo Townsend. It was mastered at Abbey Road.
Prior to the release of “Not My Leader” were the singles “Crazy Lovers” and “Long In The Tooth.” With three evocative and nostalgic singles in the chamber, we can surely anticipate a lot more excitement from the rest of the album, as it’s bound to have a careful balance of the Modern English sound we all know and love, coupled with a more modern musical aura.
Modern English will be touring this year following the release of 1 2 3 4.
