Agitated, Organised And Over-Educated

Momus' umpteenth album Ballyhoo came out in late July, yet before I've caught up, Nick Currie's popped out another three releases, one new song, one cover version and one revision of an old song.

 

But, Ballyhoo first. Succinctly described as "An album exploring AI composition tools and influenced by K-Pop.", it's exactly that though through Momus' cracked, muddy filter and overlayed with the deft lyricism that typifies his work. And who can resist song titles like The Enshittification Of Everything or Kleptoglade?

Not an album to convert the unconvinced, but if like me you've enjoyed Momus' work over the years, then there is plenty to enjoy here. In an age where Pet Shop Boys, O.M.D. and Gary Numan continue to release new music that reflects but doesn't replicate the sounds of past glories, it's good to see Momus shaking his syrup alongside them.

 

Catchy? Hell yes.

 

I wish I'd caught Orange Pills in time to add it to my post on the US election result last week. The gentle bossanova beat belies the lyrical arrows, each finding their mark. An easy target perhaps, but no reason not to take aim and let fly.

I don't subscribe to Momus' Patreon page although I'm considering it. One of the perks is the opportunity to ask Momus to cover a favourite song of yours, and this has become an ongoing series called, unsurprisingly, Versions. 

In early October, Momus' own choice was a cover of Fad Gadget's "nuclear swinger" Fireside Favourite, (more or less) the title track of his 1980 debut album. Momus' version isn't radically different but in an interesting take on the accompanying video, his vocals are synced to footage of Fad aka Frank Tovey performing the song live, four decades previously.

An early Momus favourite of mine was I Was A Maoist Intellectual from his 1988 album Tender Pervert. A live performance from French TV at the time is available on Momus' YouTube channel, though annoyingly audio is confined to a single channel. Thankfully, "Lee Jones" posted a stereo version a while back. It loses a bit of the song at the start, and the picture quality isn't great, but enjoy the music and the days when Momus had lengthy, lop-sided hair, all his own.

 

Fast forward to last Sunday and Momus posted a 2024 remake of the song, which is frankly wonderful. The music has been updated and although the lyrics are unchanged, they still hit the mark, don't they?

 

I was a Maoist intellectual in the music industry I always knew that I could seize the world's imagination And show the possibilities for transformation I saw a nation in decay, but also a solution: 

Permanent cultural revolution Whenever I played my protest songs the press applauded me Rolled out the red carpet, parted the Red Sea But the petit bourgeois philistines stayed away They preferred their artists to have nothing to say How did I pass my time on earth? Now it can be revealed: I was a Maoist intellectual in the entertainment field I showed the people how they lived and told them it was bad Showed them the insanity inside the bureaucrat And the archetypes and stereotypes that were my stock in trade Toppled all the ivory towers that privilege had made Though I tried to change your mind I never tried your patience All I tried to do was to point out your exploitation But the powers that be took this to be a personal insult And refused to help me build my personality cult How did I pass my time an earth, what on earth got into me? I was a Maoist intellectual in the music industry I left the normal world behind and started living in A hinterland between dissolution and self discipline I burned the midnight oil to build my way of seeing A miner at the coal face of meaning The rich despised the songs I wrote which told the poor their worth Told the shy to speak and told the meek to take the earth But my downfall came from being three things the working classes hated: Agitated, organised and over-educated How did I pass my time on earth, how did I bear witness? As a Maoist intellectual in the entertainment business And how was I treated in this world and in this industry? As a Maoist intellectual in a business would be I became a hotel doorman, I stood there on the doormat Clutching my forgotten discs in their forgotten format Trying to hand them out to all the stars who sauntered in The ones who hadn't been like me, who hadn't lived in vain I gave up ideology the day I lost my looks I never found a publisher for my little red books When I died the energy released by my frustration Was nearly enough for re-incarnation But if I could live my life again the last thing that I'd be Is a Maoist intellectual in the music industry No, if I could live my life again I think I'd like to be The man whose job is to stop the men who think like me Yeah! If l could live my life again that'd be the thing to be The man who plots the stumbling blocks In the lives of the likes of me!