ABC - Beauty Stab (1983)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by this CD, a 1997 UK remastered import.

“We were eager to go in a totally different direction. We didn’t want to do a sequel. In retrospect, perhaps that is exactly what we should have done" - Martin Fry

To say I was disappointed in this release in 1983 would be an understatement. It was nothing like Lexicon of Love and I felt the album was sorely in need of the production skills of Trevor Horn. Maybe the the band was listening to a lot of mid-'70s Bowie and Roxy Music? Not the best move for album sales, however, maybe a group can avoid the sophomore slump by completely changing directions. Reportedly, half the band quit because of the new direction. But was I wrong about this one? Possibly I dismissed it too quickly back in the '80s. After all, in its 2015 list of "100 Lost Albums You Need To Know," NME placed this album at #37, stating "It’s not a perfect album, but I think there’s something really interesting on there that everyone is missing out on." Well, I don't think that's quite true - there's no way there's something here for everybody - but I will admit that, even though I hadn't listened to this music during the several decades leading up to 2022, it's better than I remember.

Besides the production and arrangements shifts, most lyrics are laughable - most notably the bit about "a piece of apple crumble" - and the music simply isn't suited to Martin Fry's voice. That's a shame because occasionally there's some hooks hanging about if you listen hard enough. Bottom line: I'm glad I've given this another chance over the past year or so and have been amazed at how much of it I remembered, but I probably won't be spinning it very often.

In 2020, Martin Fry and album producer Gary Langan joined in for Tim's Twitter Listening Party for Beauty Stab. Informative in spots, but rather sparse with more lyric-quoting than there should be. Hardly required viewing.

Press of the time:

• Robert Christgau (A-): "give this one five spins and you'll remember every track"
• Rolling Stone (★★): "Martin Fry has only succeeded in shooting a poison arrow into his own foot"
• Smash Hits (6 out of 10): "either a radical mixture of styles or a complete and utter mess." ed. - can't it be both?
• Billboard: "closer in and sound and substance to Roxy Music"
• Stereo Review: "It's like the difference between a Parisian cabaret and a Brooklyn social club. Trouble is, ABC belongs back in that cabaret."
• CashBox: "The music is harder, rockier, and certainly, eclectically more diverse."
• Musician: "To their credit, ABC have struck out in a different direction on Beauty Stab. Unfortunately, they have just struck out, period"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #69
• Billboard Rock: #20
• CashBox: #49
• Rolling Stone: #20

Tracks: One single was released in the US, That Was Then But This Is Now (#89 pop, #35 rock), and I like it on occasion, but the top song on the album is easily track 11, S.O.S. Not coincidentally, it is also the only track that wouldn't be out of place on Lexicon Of Love. Many songs seem like combinations of song bits/ideas/fragments just haplessly thrown together, so there's good pieces to songs like If I Ever Thought You'd be Lonely (chorus), The Power Of Persuasion (opening riff), Hey Citizen (verse), but there's not enough to maintain interest for the whole tune. And then tracks like Bite The Hand are a complete mess.

This particular CD edition of the album added one bonus track: Vertigo, the b-side to That Was Then But This Is Now. Instrumental with lots of LinnDrum and screechy sax; plus it's (mercifully) not even 2 minutes in length. As we like to say around here: b-sides are usually b-sides for good reason.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I was a self-absorbed, know-it-all high school senior when this album was released and I had read some article about the album, it's title, and change of sound and prattled on about it to whoever would listen. I guess I wanted to 1) appear that I liked "cooler music than you," and/or 2) seem more knowledgeable than I was. In retrospect, I only succeeded in seeming insufferable. It's amazing I had any friends, much less dates with actual girls. My excuse? Well, I was a self-absorbed, know-it-all high school senior...

Bringing a smile to my face is the CompuServe URL of the "New ABC Website" listed on the back insert of this 1997 reissue: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Melomania. This has nothing to do with the album itself, but it brings back good memories of early online endeavors and discoveries, and URL adventures with backslashes, tildes, and the like. The logo to webcrawler just popped into my brain.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Lexicon of Love II (2016)
Traffic (2008)
Absolutely (1990)
The Lexicon of Love (1982)