Cockney Rebel – THE
PSYCHOMODO
There are albums
which appeal to your mind and then there are albums which appeal to your
psyche. The Psychomodo is in the
latter category. Whatever I wanted my music to be, Cockney Rebel’s second had
it. It triggered every hidden sense and nerve that needed to be triggered
without me even realising that. It has never let go.
‘But Desdemona and me
We had a ball in a tree
She read my palm in a moment
It was shocking to me’
In more ways than
one, The Psychomodo is an album you
could describe as ‘mental’. Yes, you could say these are pop songs. But they
are unconventional pop songs. Subversive. They have zero commercial appeal. Title track is glam-rock threatening to fall apart at any second. “Mr. Soft” is
Ray Davies writing songs from a mental hospital. “Sling It!” is delirious pop
insanity. “Ritz” makes no sense lyrically, but it’s the most charming incomprehension
I can imagine. “Tumbling Down” is an orchestrated anthem that is almost too
beautiful for this world.
The cover gives you a
good idea of what The Psychomodo
sounds like. It may not be a classic in the general sense of the word. Rather,
it’s a personal classic. In fact, I don’t think you can be as heartless and
sane as to not sing along with Steve Harley during that final chant:
‘OH DEAR LOOK WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO THE BLUES...’
Again, it makes no
sense. It makes perfect sense.
