ABC Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Surprise, surprise, but that ABC magic is back again! In the first half of the '80s, Martin Fry enjoyed world-wide success with his band ABC on the back of two albums that were not just fascinating in themselves, but seemed to promise quite more to come. As part of the british New Romantic scene, their debut album, Lexicon of Love, perfectly fit in with the tastes of the time, what with the desire for an artificial blend of (white) soul music mixed with certain '50s conservative sensibilities, all served up with a lot of hollow posing, thank you. ABC were an instant success in that climate, but definitely had more to offer than the surface sheen of most of their contemporaries. Their music had richer layers of meaning, which, over time, started to make them seem like a long-lost treasure. The much more obviously "deep" second album, Beauty Stab, which included the feat of uniquely melding Black Sabbath-type riffs to sultry progressive soul (both typical of the early '70s) already "threw" many of their newfound fans. They weren't counting on such a change of style, or on that much intelligence coming from this band. Third album How to Be a...Zillionaire! (with its uneven attempt at reverting to the charms of the debut album) sadly caused even more people to lose interest, and what followed were decades of ABC albums with music actually conforming to the dictate of hollow dancefloor tastes, with spaces in between albums growing ever longer, all to no avail. Since no one expected it, hardly anyone noticed that in 2008, Martin Fry pretty much delivered the album that ABC fans were probably hoping for in 1985. His lyrical mastery was back in place, an elegant mix of soul and style fully revived in the songwriting and production departments, and there were even some of those fascinating rock amalgams from the second album back on board. Opener "Sixteen Seconds to Choose" is one such song, followed by the soulful elegance of "The Very First Time" and then "Ride," which strikes a perfect rock-soul balance. Thus the tone is set for the rest of the album, the first really satisfying ABC album since the mid-'80s by far. Absolutely astonishing how Fry has managed to shrug of all the years of uninspired "making do" recordings and tap right back into that well of inspiration. He acquired lasting admiration worldwide for this kind of quality all those years ago; now the world would do good to start paying attention again. ~ Alan Severa, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
ABC was never famous for its live shows. In fact, the tour during which this CD was recorded (1997) was just the second-ever tour by ABC, and by then lead vocalist Martin Fry was the only original member left in the band. So, this is somewhat of a surprise release. Following some serious health problems, Fry resurrected the ABC name in 1997 (with the assistance of Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory, who does not appear on this CD) and produced the surprisingly good Skyscraping. Since the tour was to promote that record, a number of songs from the album were performed live, and appear on this release; and they hold up to the classic hits. Yes, the hits are here: "When Smokey Sings," "Be Near Me," "Poison Arrow," and, of course, "Look of Love." None of these songs benefit from the live performance, but neither are they embarrassing. The recording of the CD is somewhat flat; perhaps better production would have made this a more enjoyable listening experience. Fry's voice is in fine form, and he assembled a very tight, talented band for backup. Overall, this CD is not bad, but would probably be of interest only to ABC fans. ~ Aaron Badgley, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After spending half the better part of a decade in semi-retirement, Martin Fry regrouped ABC for the surprisingly successful comeback Skyscraping. Instead of pursuing the dance-pop inclinations of ABC's late-'80s records, Fry returns to the grandly theatrical new romantic pop of Lexicon of Love, cutting it with some contemporary dance production techniques. Collaborating with Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory, Fry constructs a number of shiny pop gems, highlighted by glammy guitars and shining synthesizers. While Skyscraping isn't as consistently thrilling as his best '80s singles, it has a number of fine moments, and is ABC's best record since How to Be A...Zillionaire!. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Abracadabra is a disheartening latter-day album from ABC, who are attempting to stay modern by incorporating both house and smooth Philly soul flourishes to their sound. Occasionally, the results sound supple and alluring, but the record is undone by a complete lack of strong, melodic songs, as well as what sounds like Martin Fry's indifference to the material. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
ABC's formula started to sound tired on their fifth album, which completed their contract with PolyGram, and unlike their first four, missed the charts in the U.S., while managing only one week in the U.K. charts. The singles "One Better World" and "The Real Thing" were likewise only minor hits in England and nonentities in America. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Returning to the Motown and Northern soul that provided the basis of their debut album, ABC turned to the pop songcraft on their fifth album, Alphabet City. The increased songcraft is certainly engaging, particularly on the hit "When Smokey Sings," but the songs are usually indistinguishable from each other, resulting in a sleek, stylish, and thoroughly entertaining album that leaves no lasting memory. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'How to Be A...Zillionaire!'
Release Date 1/1/1985
Tracks 14
Label Mercury
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Moving away from the guitar histrionics of Beauty Stab, Martin Fry reduced ABC to a duo of himself and Mark White for 1985's danceable How to Be a...Zillionaire! Incorporating light hip-hop rhythms, ABC made sure Zillionaire sounded contemporary for mid-'80s dance clubs, and as a result, some of the record sounds stiff and dated. Still, when Fry's sense of melody is on, as on the catchy single "Be Near Me," or when he works in his vicious, cynical wit, as on "How to Be a Millionaire" and "So Hip It Hurts," the record rivals the peaks of Lexicon of Love. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
