REISSUE OF ABC'S FOURTH ALBUM
• Following a hiatus while singer Martin Fry was treated for
Hodgkin's disease, ABC returned to the studio to record Alphabet City, which
they thought might be their final album.
• Best known for “When Smokey Sings”, a tribute to Smokey Robinson, the
album also spawned “The Night You Murdered Love” and “King Without a
Crown” as singles.
• Many critics lauded Alphabet City as a return to form for the group, noting
its polished production by Fry and White in conjunction with Bernard Edwards,
best known for his work with Chic.
• The album's title and the names of several songs were inspired by the
Alphabet City section of Manhattan, New York, where Fry and White lived for a
time prior to the album's release.
Returning to the Motown and Northern soul that provided the basis of their debut album, ABC turned to the pop songcraft on their fifth album, Alphabet City. The increased songcraft is certainly engaging, particularly on the hit “When Smokey Sings,” but the songs are usually indistinguishable from each other, resulting in a sleek, stylish, and thoroughly entertaining album.