Search - Metro :: Metro

Why, o why, is this CD so unknown?

B. G. Shultz | Rockwall, TX USA | 02/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have to admit, had it not been for David Bowie's cover of "Criminal World", I would have been as unaware of Metro's existence as the next guy. This, their one and only album with this particular line-up, was released in 1977 to as little fanfare as possible. The core members on this release (future New Waver Peter Godwin, former folk singer Duncan Browne, some other guy who currently shall be knwn as anonymous), banged together one gem of an album, had their single ("Criminal World") banned because of its "controversial lyrics" (in the year 1977, no less, when the polite and proper musical form known as punk was sweeping across the land), and fell off the radar with nary a death throe. The album itself is a confusing mish-mash of musical styles that mostly succeed in a major way, and give off a filthy erotic vibe. "Criminal World" is a sexy, pulsing song with lyrics like "where the boys are like baby-faced girls" and "she'll show you where to shoot your gun". Great guitar work. "Precious" is cool and poppy, in that bouncy English way, "Overture to Flame" is a disco prelude that leads to "Flame", a sensuous, slow tune, with a catchy sad melody and lyrics like "when I taste your tongue/it makes me sad you got burned so very young". I'm not personally a big fan of "Mono Messiah", which is the only time the band really tries to rock out; the melody is just too goofy for me. "Black Lace Shoulder", arguably the highlight of the album after Criminal World, is a Spanish-sounding tune about, yet again, lust, with a violin squealing in here and there. "Paris" is poppy in the same way as "Precious", "One Way Night" is another song that deals with yearning to know a woman before she became so "experienced", and "Jade" is OK. All in all, this album blends prog-rock, disco, and steamy balladry, and works most of the time. The lyrics are somewhat perverse, but stylishly so, and the cover has Browne and Godwin looking like Italian pimps. Great album, if you can find it."

Proto-new wave minor classic.

B. G. Shultz | 07/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Before there was new wave and sometime after prog/art-pop was on the verge of a serious sunset, there was Metro. Metro was comprised of Peter Godwin and Duncan Browne, both of whom went on to minor fame in the late 70s and early 80s as solo artists (Godwin most notably with a few synth-driven hits such as 'Images of Heaven' and 'Baby's in the Mountains.') Arty in the vein of The Buggles 'Age of Plastic,' Metro's self-titled debut is perhaps most notable for the song 'Criminal World' (2 versions are included on this release), which was covered by David Bowie on 'Let's Dance.' For fans of arty late 70s British pop, this hidden classic is worth having."