VA - Into Tomorrow, The Spirit of Mod 1983-2000 (4 x CDs)

MOD REVIVAL

VA - Into Tomorrow, The Spirit of Mod 1983-2000 [2023] (4 x CDs)

Along with being one of the pillars of the U.K. punk scene in the mid-'70s, the Jam were also at the forefront of the burgeoning mod revival that swept through the nation on a wave of Vespa exhaust. When the band split up in 1982, the revival didn't die, but as the four-disc collection Into Tomorrow: The Spirit of Mod 1983-2000 shows, it mutated and evolved in a number of different ways. Leading off with a track by the post-Jam band the Style Council ("A Solid Bond in Your Heart"), the set traces how different aspects of the mod sound carried on, whether it was Tamla-inspired, horn-driven soul like JoBoxers' "Just Got Lucky" and Tracie's "Far from the Hurting Kind," powerful garage rock like the Barracudas' "Next Time Around," or the Small Faces-like heavy groove of the Prisoners' "I Drink the Ocean." As the '80s went on, the influence spread to bands as disparate as the mod-ska group the Untouchables, the left-wing funk group Redskins, psychedelic indie pop collective Biff Bang Pow!, and even the chart-topping Fine Young Cannibals, whose "Good Thing" is a wonderful example of how the energy and excitement of the basic mod sound could be expanded into the pop arena. By the end of the second disc, and the end of the '80s, the mod sound began to split into divergent streams. On the one hand, there were bands like the Stone Roses and Inspiral Carpets who captured the experimental spirit of the best mod, the way it could combine genres to come up with something special. On the other, there were groups who took the jazzier elements of the style, as pioneered by people like Georgie Fame, and started the acid jazz movement. This collection includes many of these acts, most of whom stuck closely to funky jazz grooves designed for a sophisticated club audience.

A more straightforward mod revival began to take shape in the early '90s, with Paul Weller returning to a more guitar-driven style -- as heard on "Into Tomorrow" -- and groups like the Buzz and the Shadowland donning skinny ties. Some of the biggest bands of the era, like the Charlatans and Blur (sadly not included here), incorporated elements of mod into the songs at the dawning of the Britpop era. This celebration of nostalgia and excitement led to the formation of many bands seeking to put their own spin on a very noisy, angsty version of mod. Groups like These Animal Men and Mantaray played with all the amp-rattling volume of the Who while also dashing off melodies that the kids could easily sing along with. The whole of the fourth disc shows just how widespread the influence of the mod sound became, moving from the Small Faces-cranked-to-11 heaviness of the Supergrass B-side "Melanie Davis" to the sunshine-y jazz pop of Groove Tunnel's "Rainy Day," which, to go full circle, sounds like the Style Council with a few layers of lacquer applied. The collection does a really nice job of exploring all the avenues that mod traveled down after the Jam broke up; it's hard to think of anything they missed (other than the groups they couldn't license). It might not always be the smoothest listening experience, as not every fan of the raucous guitar bands might be into the smooth jazzbo jams and vice versa. That being said, there's still enough flow and enough pleasant surprises along the way to smooth over any huge bumps in the road, and most every broadminded fan of the mod sound will find much here to love. (AMG review by Tim Sendra)

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Track lists

CD01

01 Style Council - A Solid Bond In Your Heart 3:18

02 Truth - A Step In The Right Direction 3:36

03 Small World - First Impressions 2:51

04 Scene - Looking For Love 2:44

05 Joboxers - Just Got Lucky 3:41

06 Apocalypse - Don't Stop 3:21

07 Undertones - Got To Have You Back 2:53

08 Squire - Jesamine 2:46

09 Times - Big Painting 3:31

10 Blades - Downmarket (1983 Single Version) 3:27

11 Nerve - I'll Give You Up 2:44

12 Co-Stars - Not Ready For Love 5:05

13 Tracie - Far From The Hurting Kind 4:03

14 Dee Walker - My Happy Little Heart 3:08

15 Jetset - The Man Who Lives Upstairs 3:23

16 Barracudas - Next Time Around 3:00

17 Wipeout - Come Join The Dance 4:18

18 Milkshakes - I'm Talking About You 1:50

19 Prisoners - I Drink The Ocean 3:40

20 Playn Jayn - I Love You Like I Love Myself 4:04

21 Direct Hits - She Really Didn't Care (Unreleased Version) 3:26

22 Mod Fun - I Can See (Everything) 3:03

23 Xl - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 2:33

24 Dansette - This Is Your Life 3:09

CD2

01 Untouchables - I Spy For The F.B.I. 3:26

02 Makin' Time - Honey (Original Version) 2:15

03 Gents - New Direction 3:03

04 Way Out - This Working Way 3:44

05 Redskins - Bring It Down (This Insane Thing) 4:37

06 Reflection A.O.B. - Mind The Gap 1:58

07 Topper Headon - Leave It To Luck 3:10

08 Kick - Armchair Politician 3:33

09 Purple Hearts - Friends Again 2:31

10 Rage - Come On Now 3:46

11 Fast Eddie - Vicinity 2:58

12 Alljacks - The Real Thing 2:54

13 James Taylor Quartet - The Money Spyder 3:44

14 Mood Six - The Contemporary Scene 2:52

15 Biff Bang Pow! - Someone Stole My Wheels 2:47

16 Risk - Good Times 4:35

17 Threads - Alison 3:58

18 Boys - Happy Days 3:00

19 Moment - Ready To Fall 2:55

20 Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing 3:24

21 Clique (Featuring James Taylor) - Crying Days 2:37

22 Studio 68 - Closer Than Close 3:13

23 Inspiral Carpets - Keep The Circle Around 3:07

24 Stone Roses - Standing Here 5:08

CD3

01 Paul Weller - Into Tomorrow 3:08

02 Five Thirty - You 4:29

03 La's - I Can't Sleep 2:39

04 Stairs - Woman Gone And Say Goodbye (Unissued Imaginary Ep Version) 2:55

05 Mystreated - You Better Run 3:05

06 Revs - Ten Seconds Of Temptation 4:07

07 New Jersey Kings - All Wrapped Up 3:21

08 Mother Earth - Mr. Freedom 4:33

09 Corduroy - London, England 3:23

10 Charlatans - Can't Get Out Of Bed 3:11

11 Strange - Magic Spiral 3:55

12 Ride - How Does It Feel To Feel? 3:41

13 Shadowland - Smoke 3:31

14 Buzz - Tell Her No 4:35

15 Bogeymen - You've Got No Scruples 2:37

16 Acrylic Tones - Girl 2:25

17 Goodchilde - Sarapeutic 3:33

18 Animal Men - Speeed King 3:05

19 Mantaray - Insomniac's Dream 2:59

20 Weekenders - Seems You've Missed Sunday 2:54

21 Orange Deluxe - Love 45 3:50

22 Pimlico - Queenie 2:28

23 Apemen - Love Train 3:33

CD4

01 Aardvarks - You're My Loving Way (Album Version) 2:55

02 Clique - She Doesn't Need You Anymore 4:09

03 Supergrass - Melanie Davis 2:44

04 Nerve - Submarine 2:51

05 Cast - Alright 3:36

06 Phaze - Indian Rope Man 4:10

07 Ocean Colour Scene - You've Got It Bad 3:46

08 Kula Shaker - Grateful When You're Dead/Jerry Was There 5:44

09 Knave - Bachelor 3:36

10 Gene - Fighting Fit 3:56

11 Groove Tunnel - Rainy Day 4:32

12 Skooby - Deep Inside 3:14

13 Nuthins - Mistake 3:05

14 Thee Cherylinas - We Were Happy 2:46

15 Primal Scream - Hammond Connection 3:40

16 Edward Ball - The Mill Hill Self Hate Club 3:18

17 Bronco Bullfrog - Down Angel Lane 4:17

18 Jarvis Humby - Get On Board My Train 4:35

19 Quant - Play With Mary 3:03

20 Upper Fifth - Sea Groove 4:14

21 Boss Man - Sea Groove 4:27

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