Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
ABC's Beauty Stab: A misunderstood gem, July 17, 1999
One of the most misunderstood albums of the eighties, "Beauty Stab", ABC's 1983 follow-up to their multi-platinum debut, "The Lexicon of Love," so thoroughly alienated the band's core audience and was so reviled by critics that it nearly annihilated their career.Which is why open-minded fans of 80s-era pop may be pleasantly suprised to find that this critical and commercial disaster is actually a great album. With a new sound and a new social conscience, the band seemed intent on defining a different direction with its very first track. Its title, "That Was Then, But This Is Now" could be taken as a bold statement that this was no longer your little sister's ABC. Other tracks like "Power of Persuasion" and "Hey Citizen!" feature a tough, guitar-driven style that blends arena rock theatrics seamlessly with singer-lyricist Martin Fry's voice and quirky songcraft. Ballads like "If I Ever Thought You'd Be Lonely" and "By Default By Design" stay true to Fry's romantic streak but show a more mature approach to matters of the heart than anything on ABC's first album. But in the end, it was this radical new sound and lyrical focus beyond L.O.V.E. that sent this album to record store bargain bins across the globe. Many potential fans who remembered the band's gold lame' suits, pancake makeup, and faux soul-disco sound had already written them off. Meawhile, it's core audience, which consisted largely of teenage girls, apparently didn't know what to make of their new sound. They likely felt betrayed that they weren't treated to "Lexicon of Love, Part II." Let's face it, pop music fans may like evolution in their favorite bands but usually they don't want it overnight. For example, if John, Paul, George, and Ringo had released "Sgt. Pepper" right after "Meet the Beatles" the world probably would have just scratched its collective head and wondered what the Fab Four had been smoking. I'm not saying that "Beauty Stab" is ABC's "Sgt. Pepper." But is it a damn fine pop-rock album? You bet.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
an amazing album, March 26, 2004
I can't believe this album "flopped." It's definitely a departure from Lexicon of Love, but for cryin' out loud, it's a heck of an album. The same meticulously smooth, hooky pop with satiric as hell lyrics and the extra oomph of rock guitars everyone feels obligated to mention when they discuss this album.No, it's not as good as Lexicon. But it's probably better than Millionaire and Alphabet City. Which are also great albums, so that's sayin' something. If you like ABC at all, you need to own this album. It's worth the price for "Love's a Dangerous Language," "If I ever thought You'd be Lonely," "By Default by Design" and "Power of Persuasion."
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worthwhile!, August 17, 2005
After the stylishly over-the-top "Lexicon of Love" (1981) ABC elected to forego the lush production of Trevor Horn and Ann Dudley in favor of a more stripped down approach. "Beauty Stab," produced by ABC with Gary Langan represented a radical departure for the group. Gone were the lush strings, orchestrations, and synthesizers that provided such a sumptuous backdrop for vocalist Martin Fry. Down to the trio of Fry, Mark White (guitars) and Stephen Singleton (saxophone) the group was focusing on a sound dominated by sax, guitar, and drums ala late 1970s Roxy Music. The comparison is rather appropriate as Fry does consciously seem to be aping Bryan Ferry and backing the band are ex-Roxy stalwarts Andy Newmark on drums and Alan Spenner on Bass. As a whole "Beauty Stab" does rather sound like "Manifesto" or "Flesh and Blood" era Roxy. As usual love is the subject of most of the songs here. Kicking off with the hard driving "That Was Then But This Is Now" ABC clearly throws down the gauntlet that they are not the same band they were on the last outing. The song bleeds into the equally hard driving "Love's a Dangerous Language" sending the message ABC is clearly not going to be the white-tie fops from "Lexicon." The mood calms a bit with "If I Ever Thought You'd Be Lonely" with the group allowing more quiet spaces and giving Fry a chance to really showcase his great vocals; easily the best track on the recording. The tempo roars back up to full speed with "The Power of Persuasion" with some truly hysterical lyrics, but ultimately very enjoyable. "By Default By Design" again slows things down and gives Fry a chance to show off his vocal talent, something never really allowed on "Lexicon." Its at this point that ABC ventures away from the comfortable subject of love and delves into the larger concerns of the world. "Hey Citizen!" is a great track with a great throwaway lyric (There's no glamour in the slammer), but it's never really clear what the hell it's about. "King Money" appears to be an anti-capitalist screed that rocks hard segueing into "Bite the Hand," a swipe at the ungrateful. The pacing here is a bit off but things recover nicely for a return to love with the lively "Unzip" with its catchy chorus. "S.O.S." is a lush turn again showcasing Fry's warm vocals and a sign of things to come on future recordings. The real lump in your throat moment for me is "United Kingdom." I'm not British, but am an Anglophile, and this song to me seems to best sum up Britain's feelings towards their country in the Thatcher era. Perhaps not, but for me it does. The bonus track "Vertigo" is a great instrumental, the B-Side to the single "That Was Then" that wasn't on the original release.
Critics and fans didn't seem to know what to make of "Beauty Stab" as it was such a departure from "Lexicon" sonically and musically. Lyrically it is no different, but the presentation was quite a departure. It was said at the time Martin Fry flushed his gold lamé suit down the toilet after "Lexicon" and perhaps that was metaphorical rather than literal. For many it seemed "Beauty Stab" was literally flushing all they had built with "Lexicon" down the toilet but I think that's a bit harsh. Great tracks abound on "Beauty Stab" ("If I Ever...," "Love's a Dangerous...," "Power of Persuasion," "Unzip," "S.O.S.," and "United Kingdom") that far out compensate the weaker ones and to me the raw stripped down sound was very exciting and interesting. Granted I loved the lush Trevor Horn era ABC too, but the production on "Lexicon" papered over the weaknesses that were exposed on the stripped down "Beauty Stab." Stung by the criticism and lukewarm public reception ABC pared down to just Fry and White and shifted stylistically to the lusher Euro-Disco of "How to Be a Billionaire." Not necessarily a bad move, but yet again a very different turn. "Beauty Stab" remains a recording of a band in search of a style that fits. For most they should have stuck with "Lexicon" and it's hard to argue against that. ABC kept their stylish (some say foppish) airs about them for many more recordings. Most see "Beauty Stab" as a temporary detour but it can be rewarding.
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