Metro was a pivotal yet underappreciated English art rock ensemble formed in 1976, primarily serving as a vehicle for the collaboration between Peter Godwin and Duncan Browne. Browne, already an established solo artist with a penchant for baroque folk and classical guitar, provided a sophisticated musical backbone that contrasted with Godwin's more modern, synthesizer-literate and theatrical vocal approach.
Their sound was a precursor to the New Romantic movement, blending the artifice of glam with a moody, urban sophistication. Their cultural footprint is most notably marked by the song 'Criminal World', which David Bowie covered on his 'Let's Dance' album, validating Metro's influence on the 'sophisti-pop' and new wave genres. Critical consensus views them as a 'missing link' band that refined the excesses of prog into a sleeker, more cinematic form of rock. Despite internal tensions leading to Browne's early departure, their debut remains a cult classic of the era, celebrated for its meticulous production and evocative, nocturnal atmosphere.
Shares mysterious, wistful, brooding (moods); studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); art rock, new wave (subgenres)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); mysterious, wistful, brooding (moods)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); art rock, new wave (subgenres)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); crooning, breathy, baritone (vocal style)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); crooning, breathy, baritone (vocal style)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); crooning, breathy, baritone (vocal style)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); art rock, new wave (subgenres)
Shares studio_polished, analog_warmth, layered_dense (production style); art rock, new wave (subgenres)
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