The 1980 Listening Post - Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap

Magazine - The Correct Use of Soap 

#301

by David Jackson 

May 1980 

Magazine 

The Correct Use of Soap 

Genre: British post-punk; new wave. 

Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5

David’s Rating: 4 out of 5

David’s Highlights:

Because You’re Frightened

You Never Knew Me

A Song from Under the Floorboards

 

Label: Virgin Records 

Charts: Reached #28 on the Official Albums Chart (UK) 

Singles: “Sweetheart Contract” (#54 UK Singles); “Thank You (Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Again)” (#42 US Billboard Dance Music) 

Fun fact according to Wikipedia: two songs reference works by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, "Philadelphia" refers to Raskolnikov, the main character in Crime and Punishment and the opening line in "A Song from Under the Floorboards" paraphrases the opening sentence in Notes from Underground. 

This is the third album released by Magazine, the Manchester band led by Howard Devoto, formerly of the Buzzcocks. 

This record is a fantastic listen and really holds up well after 40 years. 

“Because You’re Frightened” opens the album with (if there is such a thing) a classic new wave/post-punk sound with a driving guitar and bass. When the swirling keyboard sounds, provided by Dave Formula, start to kick in near the middle of this four-minute track (ok, not very punk), you get the sense you might be in for something a bit more accessible with a variety of sounds working here. Any doubts about that are quickly erased with the opening notes of the album’s super catchy second track, “Model Worker,” are struck on a piano that sounds like the one that was in my grandparents’ house back in, well, 1980. The 

saxophone solo and female backing vocals that feature on the next track, “I’m a Party,” combined with a killer bass line complete a very strong opening to this terrific record. 

Speaking of killer bass lines, there are no shortage of them throughout the album. In fact, Barry Adamson would receive my vote for “most valuable player” for his work here. More specifically, Adamson does some stellar work on the next track, “You Never Knew Me” – my favorite song on the record (love those background vocals and Devoto’s line “Do you want the truth or your sanity?”), and he completely takes over on “Philadelphia” overshadowing some fine guitar work by John McGeoch. 

There is no let down on the second half of the album, which includes a worthy cover of Sly & the Family Stone’s classic “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again).” Formula provides some notably good keyboard work on the bouncy “Sweetheart Contract” and Adamson again shows of his bass wizardry on “Stuck” while complimenting outstanding lyrical and vocal work from Devoto on both tracks. The album somewhat ironically concludes on yet another musical high note with the entire band showing off their strengths with “A Song from Under the Floorboards,” a sort of anthem for the downtrodden (“I am angry, I am ill and I'm as ugly as sin, I don't know what keeps me alive and kicking”) that certainly does not leave the listener disappointed. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0CADblPa3Ui6lnv4251m08?si=xJcxNjezSa-0X5W-T8Jx2A