Reprinted at Allenlulu.com
When you get a number one the only way is down – Here Comes The Grump
Adam Ant – Friend of Foe – 1982
The “Ants” were always meant to be dispatched. After all, Adam wrote all the songs with Marco Pirroni, who would not leave. And “Merrick” was really Chris Hughes, the producer of the last two records and this one. So, it was really just the drummer and bassist that they could replace.
I’m sure that wasn’t fun for those guys. But it was fine for the listener because Adam was about to fulfill the promise of the last 4 years.
From Art School post punk, to experimental New Wave to New Romantic, no one really knew what to expect from this “solo” record.
The horns warm up on the head of the first track “Friend or Foe” and then that double drum attack and it’s obvious. Nothing has really changed. It’s just streamlined, radio friendly and pop precision.
Addressing his detractors on this and the rockabilly super smash hit, “Goody Two Shoes” Adam cemented his place in rock history and became rich. It’s still “Antmusic” and it’s still great. But this time the aim is directly placed on teen girls and MTV. Two things that go hand in hand and were tailor made for the ex-Stuart Goddard and his “Pure Sex” ethic. Pure Sex, by way of caricature.
Gone are the ridiculous pirate/Indian/cowboy themes and tossaways. Adam is extolling the virtues of “every girl” (“Something Girls”), lamenting the pitfalls of fame (“Place in the Country”, “Here Comes the Grump”, “Desperate but Not Serious”, “Crackpot History & the Right to Lie”), he’s got a score to settle with a gold digger (“Made of Money”) and desperately wants to be the heir to that sex-god lizard king, Jim Morrison (A botched cover of “Hello, I Love You”).
All of this amidst yodels, nonsense lyrics, hyper-frenetic drumming, click clacks and a controlled mayhem. Perhaps that’s what “Antmusic” really is, after all.
If you haven’t heard the song, “Goody Two Shoes” in a while…well, I’m over my anger that this was the song that made everyone fall in love with Adam. Where were all you posers last year!!? I’m over I because it just came on while I’m in a hotel room and I can’t help but shake my hips and move my feet. It’s just plain great.
Friend or Foe was designed to break Adam stateside and over the world. It did just that. To say that he is the face of New Wave or one of the primary faces of the 80s is dead on in its accuracy. But he would pay a heavy price for this. If one were to listen to Dirk Wears White Sox and Friend of Foe back to back the two would not stand well as brothers. The singer and songwriter might be the same but they couldn’t be more different. The fact is, Dirk is an album of more integrity than Friend. Not to say FoF is bad. It isn’t. It’s piffle. Candy. A product.
But, I will give it this: When my late daughter, Lizzie, was 11 and she heard this album for the first time she responded with, “I like this, it’s bouncy!”.
It sure is.
Grade B+
A-Side: Friend or Foe, Goody Two Shoes, Desperate But Not Serious
BlindSide: Something Girls, Here Comes the Grump, Try This for Sighs
DownSide: Hello I Love You, Crackpot History & the Right to Lie
