The Lexicon Of Love

Having ditched my old turntable for a new CD-only player I went through all my old vinyl and picked out the essentials that needed to replaced by CD. While 90% of the synth/pop stuff from the 80's now sounds dated, 'Lexicon' stood out as one of the few that still sounds as good in 2002 as it did around 20 years ago. To those too young to remember or weren't around 'Lexicon' shows how 'pop' is done properly. Big on glam, big on glitz, big on sound. Not for ABC black pullovers, Gap khakis and rehashed Beegees/Cat Stevens numbers.Every track is a winner, although I'd say the 'singles' are not as good as 'Valentine's Day', '4 ever 2 gether' and 'Many happy returns'.Its got the lot, lush string arrangements, big drums and some cracking bass lines. 'Thriller's often talked of as being the best 'pop' album made. Nah! This blows that away every time.

You know. The one that you like a song or two off of it, so you say, 'hey, give it a whirl', and you buy it and give it a listen. You stick to the excellent singles for a while, and then start to play the others. You enjoy them. You then play the whole damn thing through in one go, and then do it again. And again. Because it has grabbed you and is never, ever letting you go. And you want to shout it's praises in public, in the most superlative, terrible detail, to the bemusement of everyone else. Which is what I'm about to do here. You were warned.

'Lexicon...' is about love. Heartbreak, longing, bitterness, break-up, happiness- but instead of a string of cliched routine pop songs, ABC made what is essentially a kind of pop concept album. It even sort of features a persona, as Martin Fry's voice showcases the innocence of hopeful love and bitterness of a man scorned who feels frustration and sadness but is unable to really vent his anger (like most people, really). Each track is individual(there is no 'fade out' on any of the tracks) but also part of a whole, in terms of theme and execution.

'Show Me' opens the album, but by the end has become frantic in it's speed, and abruptly finishes, to then immediately launch into the splendid 'Poison Arrow', a perfectly produced bit of pop, complete with bitter, and possibly slightly ironic, lyrics, and a classic chorus ('Who broke my heart. YOU did, YOU did'). On 'Tears Are Not Enough', as Fry opens with a near falsetto, but proceeds to sound almost vicious ('yes you're shown you're tough...tears are not enough'). 'Valentine's Day' is notable for the wonderful ending lyrics, and the single 'Look of Love' also is a great showcase for Martin's great pop range, beginning on a high note and finishes with a vocal flourish that indicates his joy in the performance itself.

'All of My Heart' manages to be a pop ballad that fits this mostly up-tempo album, and despites first appearances, is not sappy. And 'Together 4 Ever' finishes the main part of the album in a desperate, dark finale that is both like and unlike the rest of it. 'Look of Love Part 4' is a pleasant, soaring instrumental, and I've always had a soft spot for the bonus track, the Mantrap theme, which is a reworking of 'Poison Arrow' which wouldn't sound amiss playing in the bar in 'Casablanca'- simple and melancholy.

'Lexicon' is great. Well-produced, well-written, well-performed, smart, fun and inventive, and one of the few pop albums that can be played now and still sound fresh. Worth trying, for there is a good chance that you'll like it, and the possibility that you might think it's just a bit more special.

When I was forced to listen to this album, back in 1982, by a brother with a curious Martin Fry haircut, I tried with all my might not to like it.I was won over in seconds by the lush orchestral opening with seemed so out of kilter with the single-note synthesiser music typical of the time.Each track built on the one before in such an uncontrived and seamless manner that, without trying, it built into the best concept album ever, and one of the best of all time. Times have flowed ever onwards and fashions have changed, yet this album sounds as fresh and contemporary today as it did all those years' ago.What a shame that the group chose to dramatically change tack after this, their seminal work; but there again, it was a hard act to follow. Do yourself a favour, buy the album and relive those days where everything seemed possible and adult responsibilities were something that your dad worried about.