Danseparc by Martha & the Muffins — or M & M, as they are sometimes called — is one of those quietly heralded new wave albums that misses most top-of-the-decade lists, but remains a favorite with die-hard music buffs. Martha & the Muffins gained fame with their frothy dance hit “Echo Beach,” but M & M’s founders, Mark Gane and Martha Johnson, had much more to offer as evidenced by the rich tapestry of horns, sound effects, layered vocals and percussion on Danseparc.First released on vinyl in 1983, Danseparc remained out of print for years, but is now available in a digitally remastered 25th anniversary CD edition on Cherry Red Records, complete with lyric booklet as well as bonus and live tracks.Martha & the Muffins' first album, Metro Music, spawned “Echo Beach” and a world tour for this Toronto based band. Shortly after the release of their next album, though, keyboardist Martha Ladley, bassist Carl Finkle and drummer Tim Gane left the group. Rock critic turned drummer Nick Kent and bassist Jocelyne Lanois then revamped the Muffins with more cerebral, cutting-edge playing. Jocelyne suggested her brother Daniel produce their 1981 album, This Is The Ice Age, and the rest is history. Daniel Lanois went on to produce such artists as Bob Dylan and Brian Eno, but cut his teeth, admirably, on a few Martha & the Muffins projects.While the songwriting team of Johnson and Gane had expanded their experimental sound on This Is the Ice Age, Danseparc marked their biggest critical success. It proved that Johnson and Gane were Canada’s version of New York post-punk hipsters — minus the pretentiousness. M & M are more listener-friendly than David Byrne and more intellectual than Human League.In “Obedience,” they pick at the intricacies and foibles of everyday life. Johnson uses her voice like an instrument, applying the word “repeat" as a mantra against escalating tribal drums. It’s small but specific touches like this that give Danseparc its flavor.The cover of Danseparc is a photo of a park setting, all tiny trees and grass. While it looks like an aerial shot of a real park at first glance, it is actually a photo of a miniature park model once owned by Gane and Johnson. The park as a social setting provides subject matter and imagery for much of the album.“Boys in the Bushes” was inspired (not surprisingly) by a trip to San Francisco and the extracurricular activities of its gay male residents. The dizzying tone of “Several Styles of Blonde Girls Dancing” marks its territory with jaunty percussion and Gane’s deadpan vocals, which disintegrate into growls at certain points. Here, the wordplay (and the park theme) continues with lyrics like, “A verdant park of small proportions underneath the sky/ The turtles' eggs, the dancing suns/ The things I can’t explain.” Each song on Danseparc unravels like a stream of consciousness dialogue, describing everyday emotions set to a background of horns, hand claps and/or percussion.The bonus tracks include a live performance of “Sins of the Children” and the dark dance synth of “These Dangerous Machines”, an eerie bit of rock disco that is best played with the lights off.
For those who like discovering (or rediscovering) brilliant but often under-publicized recordings of ‘80s post-punk and new wave, this remastered edition of Danseparc is one of the “lost” gems of that era.
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
1 - Kit O'Toole
Wow, Martha and the Muffins! That sure takes me back. I remember their single "Black Stations/White Stations," which was pretty controversial in 1984. As I recall, Martha Ladley wrote the song in reaction to an INXS tune ("Original Sin," maybe?) being banned from some stations because the lyrics mentioned an interracial romance. Anyway, it's great to see this ahead-of-their-time band get some recognition! Nice review.
2 - sourdust
Wrong Nick Kent, love. Otherwise, thanks for identifying long lost but terrific LP/CD.