Dan’s DJ pick of the week is “Long in the Tooth” by Modern English.
“I Melt with You” gave Modern English their first big hit in 1982. They remained relevant throughout the ‘80s with song such as “Hands Across the Sea.” In the decades that followed, after two hiatuses, the band has moved with caution and intent, releasing music only when the time is right.
With their first single in six years, Modern English reminds us that with age comes experience, not answers. The song opens with up-tempo guitars and synthesizer, emulating their signature sound with hints of the present in their production and effects. The band knows how to deliver their message better than ever before. “I Melt with You” clocked in at 4:11, with a single edit that trimmed about 20 seconds off. No time is wasted and no cliches are exhausted on “Long in the Tooth.” This 2:40 track, concise and consistent, still manages to pull the heartstrings through analysis of what was and what is.
In the second half of the song, the lyric is repetitive, but not redundant. Each time lead singer Robbie Grey proclaims, “I know something, it might be nothing, I know something that you don’t know,” he digs deeper. His melancholy cry sits atop the wistful instrumental, leaving you lost in thought and wanting more.
Thankfully, more is on the way. “Long in the Tooth” comes from an album called 1 2 3 4 due out next year. Modern English is also currently on tour, which includes Nashville Sunday Night on September 24th. See them at Third & Lindsley, and listen to “Long in the Tooth” below:
Tune in to 100.1 FM or lightning100.com all week to hear “Long in the Tooth” by Modern English, Dan’s DJ Pick of the Week. Share your thoughts on the track by tagging #L100DJPicks on Twitter.
