Modern English are officially making a comeback with the song “Long in the Tooth,” their first new music since 2016. It’s the lead single from the British rockers’ previously-announced upcoming album 1 2 3 4.
We mean this as a compliment: “Long in the Tooth” sounds like it could be a few decades old, recalling the scrappy, melodic post-punk of Modern English’s 1981 debut album Mesh & Lace. It’s a retrospective track that attempts to reckon in the grey area between getting older and wiser, but still feeling a bit lost: “I know something/ It might be nothing/ I know something that you don’t know,” singer Robbie Grey chants.
“Modern English and its journey, both musical and personal, has spread over 40+ years, and ‘Long in the Tooth’ is a song about this part of that journey,” Grey explains in a press release. “As we have reached out into the world and all its changes over all those years, it’s a meditation of getting older in a world that still spins in a chaotic and always interesting way.”
Modern English recorded 1 2 3 4 last fall in live studio sessions, accompanied by producer Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails). The band say the album’s aim is to capture the energy of their live shows, and “Long in the Tooth” is a good example of that slightly rough-around-the-edges feel. Stream it below.
Last fall, Modern English embarked on their 40th anniversary tour for their album After the Snow. They also have a handful of shows remaining this month; find tickets here.
