Poly Styrene - 'Generation Indigo'

I've been listening to the new record from Poly Styrene, 'Generation Indigo', and feel ready to talk about it. I've seen various reviews saying it's her first album since the demise of X-Ray Spex or that it's her first 'pop' album since then. I have a need to put the story right.

Poly Styrene placed an advert for 'young punx' to join a new band in 1976 after seeing the Sex Pistols at Hastings and X-Ray Spex was born. There was a short string of hit singles and the magnificent 'Germfree Adolescents' album in 1978 (and yes, this blog is named after one of the songs on the album). After the band split there was the 'Live At The Roxy' album and that was it for X-Ray Spex.

Poly then released the album 'Transluscence' and the single 'Talk In Toytown', followed in the mid-80s by the 'Gods & Godesses' 12" ep with the excellent 'Trick of the Witch'. She then went quiet until the mid-90s X-Ray Spex re-union album 'Conscious Consumer', an excellent album that is far more poppy that 'Germfree Adolescents' and has some great songs on it. She then went quiet again, except for rumours of her arranging chanting on things like Boy George's 'Bow Down Mister'. She reappeared in the early-00s with 'Flower Aeroplane', a mix of re-recorded songs from 'Transluscence' and new age-y songs to Krishna. There's a lot more to 'Flower Aeroplane', which I love, but that's the short-hand version. She sang on a rather dismal Brian James Gang song and on the great 'City of Christmas Ghosts' with Goldblade before releasing the live album of her 2008 Roundhouse gig, which is marvellous. In November 2010 we had the great 'Black Christmas' single followed, in March 2011, by 'Generation Indigo'. There, I think I've got the chronology right for the records. What I haven't mentioned yet is that Poly has been diagnosed with cancer. Bugger.

Some of the reviews seem to think that Poly is - and should be - delivering the follow-up to 'Germfree Adolescents' to which I can only ask 'why?'. Why would Poly produce a follow-up to an album that's 32 years old? She's done a lot of living since then, as have we all. But the integrity of Poly Styrene is still there with commentary on consumerism, personal integrity and life in the modern age, ie now.

The music veers from electronica and thrash to reggae and dub with a hefty dose of dance-pop. Poly always could write a perfect three minute pop song and she's given us a selection of them to enjoy on this new album. The album opens with a slice of wry humour in 'I Luv Ur Sneakers' celebrating that animals haven't been killed for fashion-wear before moving on to 'Virtual Boyfriend' about developing and maintaining relationships through social media.

I'm not going to describe every song on the album - that would be pointless and I want you to buy or download it to listen for yourselves. This isn't an old punx last throw of the dice, this is a vibrant album full of hope and positive messages, written by someone who's experienced life and still believes in love and a higher spirituality.

One of my favourites (well, they're all favourites) is 'Electric Blue Monsoon' which I hear as a love-song to Krishna, although you might hear it as something else. I love 'No Rockefeller', an upbeat reggae skank reminding us that the majority of the world lives in poverty. I love 'L.U.V.' that tells us that love is all that really matters. I love 'Code Pink Dub' that tells us there must be a return of love and light and we need peace. I love 'White Gold' in which Poly wishes she could fly a plane of ice cubes to the desert. I love 'Thrash City', Poly's response to the madness that is modern London. I love the whole album. And so should you.

I am 'Generation Indigo'. I was back in 1978 and I am today in 2011. Generation Indigo never ages. Thank you for a great album - get well Poly!