Modern Classics (DIMPLE DISCS DEE-DEE 013-CD) is to date the third item we’ve heard from the Montague Armstrong duo, who are English players Jude Montague and Matt Armstrong, continuing their plan to record and release jolly instrumental tunes played on old Hammond organs, for the most part.
For today’s item they are leaning a little more heavily on the “retro gear” angle and stressing the use of a 1960 Supersound amplifier, a piece of kit whose lineage they claim to trace back to the Kings Road in Chelsea. When other bands wanted to evoke some vague essence of 1960s cool, it was usually the clothing fashions – coats, dresses, mod boots – that they fastened on; I’m thinking now of certain groups of a 1987-88 vintage who wished to project a Swinging London vibe. In 2024, the game seems to have evolved to an even higher level of post-ironic eyebrow-tilting, assuming that we’re getting into one-upmanship about the provenance of one’s vintage gear. On the other hand, it’s fair to say that a general “analogue everything” movement has been detectable in certain strains of electronic music for some time now, one benchmark being the ascendancy of Delia Derbyshire.
I seem to be over-stressing one small aspect of this album though, which is charming and inventive, offering nine very enjoyable melodic excursions…it feels as if Montague Armstrong are putting that shade more effort into composing and arranging. Tunes may appear simple on the surface, but the melodies are diverted into clever little byways and rabbit-holes, while the arrangements – including bass guitar, drum machine, guitars – have an elegance and restraint that is commendable and bound to appeal to all lovers of “pure pop” records. Even if it starts out jaunty and jolly, it’s equally likely that the tune will find its way into a semi-experimental neighbourhood, following the maps devised by the creators. It’s just possible that Montague Armstrong are now starting to transcend the parameters of their own self-made joke, and finding a way to smuggle in more of their avant-ish proclivities. The only drawback I can see is that is requires such poise to walk this particular tightrope that the music on Modern Classics, while hugely entertaining, never really cuts loose or displays much in the way of passion. When I think of one of my favourite 1960s organ records – ‘Indian Thing’, 1967, by Shotgun Express (composed by Peter Bardens who probably played the organ too) – there’s an excitement and thrill in the urgent music which our Hastings duo are unable to muster.
Nonetheless, this is a good release (although I didn’t care as much for the two vocal pieces at the end); be sure to look out for the previous EP on this label, Mini Moods which came out in April 2023. This, from 4 January 2024.
Hi, thanks for the review Ed.
The Supersound amplifier is interesting as it was made on King’s Road, St Leonards-on-Sea on the same street as our workshop is today. We picked it up from its long term owner who was living in a caravan behind Trade Paints in Bexhill and Justin Ellis refurbished it for us, all in this small seaside town.
Note re: drum machine all the drums are played live by Matt Armstrong. There’s a tiny bit of drums with the old Hammond drum machine on ‘Coder’ and ‘Zanne’ and none on previous records.
I also wanted to just say thanks properly as well well I Thought I didn’t really get over how great it was to have the review in your fine magazine which I am always reading.
I definitely need to make it clearer about the King’s Road thing that’s got to be my fault. Doh. It’s really helpful actually that I know that was a bit of a misunderstanding
would have emailed you but I seemed to have lost your address. These comments are probably not really for posting although if you want to that’s fine of course!
Cheers Ed!