Album flashback
M+M - Mystery Walk [1984]
As the 1980s evolved, Toronto’s Martha and the Muffins were progressing themselves.
Personnel changes and the desire for more musical flexibility resulted in an awkward rebrand.
The group decided to move forward as M+M, but didn’t lean into it all the way, leaving them with the clunky addendum ‘otherwise known as Martha and the Muffins’ on their records.
While this was not ideal, the music was excellent - with co-founders Martha Johnson and Mark Gane now beginning their second project with burgeoning super-producer Daniel Lanois.
The style is more ambient and worldly. Sophisticated in a way that might leave you wanting to distance yourself from your poppier early works.
Songs are given time to breathe and display the moody nuances of Lanois’ production.
‘Mystery Walk’ spawned two singles. One which bubbled under, and one that would cause controversy south of the border.
Cooling The Medium | peaked #72
It’s the infectious rhythm that grabs you here, along with the melody and smooth vocals. And if you like a cool video effect, check out that ‘water’.
A great little upbeat number that seems made for 1984 radio.
Black Stations/White Stations | peaked #26 Canada, #2 US Dance
As The Payola$ had found out not long before, shining a critical spotlight on the music business can be hazardous to your success.
M+M succeeded with this track on the dance floor more than anywhere [hitting #2].
However, challenging the radio biz to be more open-minded resulted in a brouhaha that yielded a modest chart hit - #63 on Billboard and #46 in the UK.
This despite many stations refusing to play the record and a ban for the video in some quarters.
Speaking of the video, it is a must watch.
And the song that inspired M+M?
‘Brown-Eyed Girl’ by Van Morrison, or ‘Brown Skinned Girl’ before he thought such a title might hamper his airplay. The song was a massive hit, but of course was long censored lyrically by the industry.
Martha and Mark took a break from recording for a while, but are now making now music again. Under the ‘Muffins’ name.
You can’t fight name recognition, folks.
PS - Love M+M and/or Martha and the Muffins? I wrote about their breakthrough single a little while back.
This is another band I mean to do something on at some point, likely with another low charting song from the same year which has a similar argument, or just all the fascinating facts related to them and their members/collaborators. I always was impressed that Black Stations charted as well as it did on Billboard's chart given it was a direct indictment of radio format segregation, not to mention racism in general. The fact it was their only Billboard "hit" makes it even more impressive as an achievement. And Cooling the Medium is superlative. I really feel like they were on track to have a Peter Gabriel So-like breakthrough, but never did. It breaks my heart that Martha Johnson has Parkinson's.
Love it! I know This Is The Ice Age like the back of my hand but haven’t ventured much further. I will have to check out Mystery Walk.