Sunday, February 20, 2022

The 1981 Listening Post - Modern Eon - Fiction Tales

Modern Eon - Fiction Tales 



#252

June 1981

Modern Eon LISTENING POST DISCOVERY

Fiction Tales

Genre: Synth-yU2

4.75 out of 5



Highlights:


The Grass Still Grows

Watching the Dancers

Waiting for the Cavalry

Child’s Play

Euthenics

In a Strange Way


Who was Modern Eon? They are way ahead of their time in 1981. Moody synth-wave with melodies and distant saxophones but not discordant. These guys are building song tapestries. It’s like discovering The Sound for the first time. 


Ok. I just did some reading. 

One of these guys went on to form Apollo 440. And “Stop the Rock” is one of the GREAT dance rock songs of the 90s. Another guy went on to Dead or Alive and, well, we know how that went. 

But this isn’t dance rock. It’s something more sci-fi mind bending. It’s a lot more experimental and, in it’s own way, joyous. And cold. Joyously cold. 

This is post-Bauhaus stuff. This is where Love and Rockets got all their ideas. 

Honestly, I could have highlighted most of this record. It falls right into the spot I love. Less pretentious than U2 but also still very pretentious. Rhythmic and moody but smart and aware. The confidence they exude throughout, even on the ominous piano driven dirge “In a Strange Way” is startling. 

The mark of an excellent “discovery” is something that is timeless and yet of it’s time. (Well, that’s one mark). This is definitely that. You could put this on a New Rock playlist in 2020 and I don’t think anyone would be the wiser. 


I’m actually perfectly happy that Modern Eon was a 1 and done. I think they would only let me down after this.


https://music.apple.com/us/album/fiction-tales/827427499

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