The Associates
Fourth Drawer Down

In the ongoing miracle represented by the perfect three-minute pop song, a special place is reserved for the Associates, namely Alan Rankine and Billy Mackenzie, authors of at least three albums of wrenching, twisted beauty, not devoid of sparkling and "dance" elements, in the best sense of the word (that is, liberating). Among the first three albums, having to choose between the not yet fully defined compositions of the first work "The Affectionate Punch" and the anthems of joy contained in "Sulk", we opted for the second album "Fourth Drawer Down", without automatically wanting to define this album as the best of the series.

Released by Situation Two in 1981 (a year of grace for English New Wave), this album represents the culmination of the so-called "new rock's" ability to subvert every scheme, even in a traditionally limited sector like sophisticated pop.
The album opens with "White Car in Germany", with a majestic and subtly melancholic gait, and continues with "A Girl Named Property" and "Kitchen Person" that introduce us to the universe of Billy Mackenzie's deep sensations, perhaps one of the last authentic dandies produced by rock music, always attentive to a rigorous aesthetic but never for its own sake. The slow and psychedelic "Q Quarters" closes the first side of the album.

The second side starts with "Tell me Easter's on Friday": a powerful and imaginative bass, all played in off-beat, interweaves with Mackenzie's inspired vocals and guitar sketches. In the interlude, the same bass takes on a rhythm that can well be described as "symphonic", reaching peaks of rare expressive power. The track probably represents one of the absolute pinnacles of Associates' production.
The subsequent "The Associate" is an irresistible hit, yet pervaded by an undefined vein, which with each new listen sublimates the initial melodic and dance perception, turning it into a splendid inner experience.

The album nears its conclusion with a piece with broken rhythms titled "Message Oblique Speech", in which one finds the classical vein of the Scottish duo, which this time drags us along poorly lit corridors where shadows now take on terrifying, now shining shapes. To close the work is "An Even Whiter Car", a composition that plays with dub, echoing the notes of "White Car in Germany" making it, if possible, even more solemn.

"Fourth Drawer Down" (despite not being conceived as an LP but rather a collection of already made tracks and singles) is an album that over twenty-five years after its release still manages to amaze for its ability to expand the expressive possibilities of pop music - precisely the recipe sought by the latest musical trends - still offering new creative insights today. The original and peculiar artistic sensitivity of the Rankine/Mackenzie duo, however, has deeply characterized their style, exposing it to criticism from some short-sighted critics who have only grasped its coarser and more recognizable stylistic features.

Note: The track listing of this review is that of the original vinyl edition, I strongly recommend listening to this and NOT the CD reissue, as the added tracks and their order distort the essence of the album, to be listened to in one breath.