UK Post-Punk Innovators Modern English Return to the US for 'Take Me To The Trees' Tour

On the heels of this summer's "Retro Futura" package tour, UK post-punk innovators, Modern English, who released their first album together in thirty years, "Take Me To The Trees", earlier this year, are happy to announce that they will be returning to the US in November for the headlining "Take Me To The Trees" tour. The tour kicks off on 11/1 in St. Paul at the Turf Club, and concludes on 11/22 in Brooklyn at Rough Trade. The shows will feature songs from the new album, in addition to early 4AD singles, and tracks from their classic albums, "Mesh and Lace" and "After the Snow". Vocalist Robbie Grey says, "Now that our guitarist Gary has recovered from his successful life threatening surgery earlier this year, we're excited to return to the US for the completion of the "Take Me To The Trees" tour. As a band that was there when post punk happened in the early 80s, the shows will be both edgy and sonic, as well as melodic and atmospheric."

Grey, bassist Mick Conroy; guitarist Gary McDowell; and keyboardist Steven Walker, made their first ever appearance at SXSW this year, playing several shows, and "Paste Magazine's" Annie Black included Modern English in the "10 Best Sets We Saw at SXSW" article and raved, "...Lord, this band is so much more than a one-hit-wonder. Nearly 40 years after their start in Essex, these British gentlemen still retain that iconic post-punk, synth-heavy feel. Often times, you may hear people say "what's old is new," but for Modern English, what is old is timeless and what is new is classic."

You can catch Modern English on the "Take Me To The Trees" tour in the following cities:

NOV 1 - ST PAUL, MN - TURF CLUB
NOV 2 - KANSAS CITY, MO - recordBar
NOV 3 - ST. LOUIS, MO - OFF BROADWAY
NOV 5 - DETROIT, MI - MAGIC STICK
NOV 6 - CHICAGO, IL - EMPTY BOTTLE
NOV 8 - TORONTO, ONTARIO - ADELAIDE HALL
NOV 9 - ALBANY, NY - THE HOLLOW
NOV 10 - ASBURY PARK, NJ - THE WONDER BAR
NOV 12 - PHILADELPHIA, PA - JOHNNY BRENDA'S
NOV 13 - SOMERVILLE, MA - ONCE BALLROOM
NOV 16 - ATLANTA, GA - VARIETY PLAYHOUSE
NOV 18 - CARRBORO, NC - CAT'S CRADLE
NOV 19 - NASHVILLE, TN - THE BASEMENT EAST
NOV 21 - WASHINGTON, DC - ROCK & ROLL HOTEL
NOV 22 - BROOKLYN, NY - ROUGH TRADE

Funded by PledgeMusic and released via Kartel Music Group, "Take Me To The Trees", which was released in late February 2017, not only reconnects the band to their roots, in the fervent and fecund world of late 1970s/early 1980s post-punk Britain, but they have co-produced it with Martyn Young of Colourbox and M/A/R/R/S fame, whose last production job was 1986. In addition, the album's beautiful cover is by venerated art director Vaughan Oliver, whose very first sleeve design was Modern English's "Gathering Dust" single in 1980. The album was described by Brittnie Fuller from Seattle's "The Stranger" as combining "...the swooningly romantic new-wave jangle of 'Melt' with the effects-heavy eeriness of their 1981 4AD debut, Mesh & Lace.... post-punk riffs glossed in a heightened pop polish".

One of the highlights of the album is the track "Moonbeam". Written at his home in Thailand, the song is about his wife Tracy, and the beautiful nature in the country. Describing the song Robbie says, "The music is centered around nice guitar picking, a bass that really motors and is covered in melody, and keyboards that wouldn't be out of place on a rave anthem."

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