MOMENTS OF MADNESS

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Hugh’s cautionary tales about matters of the heart are revealed in his inimitable coded style on Beware of the Doll.“You think you’re listening to love. You’re sinking from a foot above.” And the more personal album closer Heartbreak at Sevenwhich was the first song that Hugh recorded for this album. Illustrious, multi-talented and a legend, with Moments of Madness, Hugh Cornwell has produced a timely and thought-provoking masterpiece for our times. That one is one of the longest on the album. The rest are presented without excess. “Red Rose” is a celebration of jewellery. He’s not impressed with tattoos, mind you. “Then you get the tramp stamp, I don’t like the tramp stamp” is not a chorus I thought I’d review, but whatever. For reference, these are also known as “slag tag’s” if you want to get that in a future record. Glad to help. Looking for You reveals a Jim Morrison inspired vocal over this song’s spooky atmospherics, and the semi-autobiographical and upbeat When I Was a Young Man opens a can of insightful, wistful emotions “As years go by and friends, they die they leave me living slow,” Hugh sombrely sings as he reflects upon his family and friends.

Moments Of Madness creates a universe where Stranglers hardcore and newcomer alike can revel.” Record Collector, 4 Stars A high watermark and a modern-day masterpiece, Moments of Madness is being tipped as the most significant album of Hugh’s career. Widely regarded as the poet laureate of the punk era (from his early career fronting the Stranglers to his transition as a solo artist), Hugh Cornwell has built a substantial and singular body of impressive solo albums. I don’t mind different types of jewellery, show it to me, just feel free’, could be I’m missing the artistry” opines Hugh on Red Rose– a song about the bewildering trend for tattoos revealing a record of many gleaming lyrical gems. Four years since his previous remarkable solo album Monster, the opener, and first single, Coming Out of the Wilderness surfs an edgy and explosive sixties sound with a heavy Duane Eddy guitar twang as Hugh declares, “I’m coming out of the wilderness, learnt how to throw a bowie knife. Ran into fair-haired maiden’s out there but didn’t take no wife.”

Moments of Madnesss

Widely regarded as the poet laureate of the punk era (from his early career fronting the Stranglers to his transition as a solo artist), Hugh Cornwell has built a substantial and singular body of impressive solo albums. His tenth solo opus, Moments of Madness, continues his illustrious output by experimenting with musical genres as his enviable reputation as a wordsmith resounds across this album’s songs. When future historians of music draw up a list of the movers and shakers who changed the modern musical landscape, there will be no doubt that Hugh Cornwell's name will be prominent amongst them. As a pioneering musician, songwriter, and performer his pervasive influence persists in the record collections of music aficionados, across this spinning globe's radio waves, and on stages around the world. Hugh's presence is unquestionable. Born in Tufnell Park, North London, Hugh attended school with another celebrated musician Richard Thompson before achieving a degree in biochemistry. He performed his first solo gigs at restaurants owned by celebrated TV chef Keith Floyd who used The Strangler's Peaches music on his food programmes. With the fullness of the Beaver Moon hanging upon high erstwhile Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell brings his latest solo UK tour to the historic city of Exeter.

I don’t mind different types of jewellery, show it to me, just feel free’, could be I’m missing the artistry” opines Hugh on Red Rose – a song about the bewildering trend for tattoos revealing a record of many gleaming lyrical gems. I don’t mind different types of jewellery, show it to me, just feel free’, could be I’m missing the artistry” opines Hugh on Red Rose – a song about the bewildering trend for tattoos revealing a record of many gleaming lyrical gems. Four years since his previous remarkable solo album Monster, the opener, and latest single, Coming Out of the Wildernesssurfs an edgy and explosive sixties sound with a heavy Duane Eddy guitar twang as Hugh declares, “I’m coming out of the wilderness, learnt how to throw a bowie knife. Ran into fair-haired maiden’s out there but didn’t take no wife.”

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There’s a sentence in the supporting press documentation that came with this, though, that rather intrigues. It says that Cornwell was “widely regarded as the poet laureate of the punk era” and certainly, the ten songs here are wonderful in their use of language that verges on the unique, but it’s only when you add it together with the truly bewildering kaleidoscope of musical styles that you realise how good “Moments Of Madness” is. His tenth solo opus, Moments of Madness, continues his illustrious output by experimenting with musical genres as his enviable reputation as a wordsmith resounds across this album’s songs. Next up was the 1982 standalone ‘Strange Little Girl’ single. After which we had ‘Tramp’ from The Stranglers 1981 ‘La Folie’ album, which I don’t recall hearing live before, unlike 1977’s ‘Hanging Around’ which followed. Another live rarity was offered in the form of 1984’s ‘Souls’ from the ‘Aural Sculpture’ album. Another set highlight arrived in the form of ‘Duchess’, with the lyrics “And the Rodneys are queuing up God forbid”, where “”Rodney” symbolises the kind of nouveau-riche chancers with no “breeding”. So it’s a fine album. There’s even a song titled “Lasagne” that saw me having a groove through the kitchen!

Stranglers founder Hugh Cornwell plays all the instruments himself on 10th solo album Moments Of Madness

Moments of Madness – New Album and Tour - HughCornwell.com. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022. Four years since his previous remarkable solo album Monster, the opener, and first single, Coming Out of the Wildernesssurfs an edgy and explosive sixties sound with a heavy Duane Eddy guitar twang as Hugh declares, “I’m coming out of the wilderness, learnt how to throw a bowie knife. Ran into fair-haired maiden’s out there but didn’t take no wife.” The coupling of ‘Big Bug’ and ‘Mothra’ is lifted from the non-vampiric side of ‘Nosferatu,’ Cornwell’s 1979 collaboration with Captain Beefheart drummer Robert Williams. An unlikely pairing, in terms of subject matter, as there could possibly be. The former about Leon Trotsky’s armoured train whilst the latter, with its “machinations of a giant moth,” takes its inspiration from the Japanese fictional monster of the same name.

It had been another interesting experience to be in the company of a legend, but sadly it did all feel rather staid and had an strong air of going through the motions about it, which no doubt had been amplified by the standoffish crowd, bar a few that were competing with the “I love you Hugh” shouts. A positive though, was that the merch stall was doing brisk business as Hugh was there to sign albums. So the punters were showing their appreciation in another way. For me, it was nice to also catch up with old friends. Hugh Cornwell and Pat Hughes at Concorde 2, Brighton 12.11.22 (pic Cris Watkins/ PunkInFocus)

Widely regarded as the poet laureate of the punk era (from his early career fronting the Stranglers to his transition as a solo artist), Hugh Cornwellhas built a substantial and singular body of impressive solo albums. His tenth solo opus, Moments of Madness, continues his illustrious output by experimenting with musical genres as his enviable reputation as a wordsmith resounds across this album’s songs.