Adam & The Ants - Kings of the Wild Frontier

Reissue of their hit second album in a digipak. Originally released in 1980 on Columbia, 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier' features 12 tracks, including the hits 'Antmusic' & 'Dog Eat Dog'. Also features new sleeve notes. NOTE: the tracklisting on this release is that of the original U.K. edition, which differs from the U.S. version by two or threecuts. 1998 Columbia release. Album Description

There is still Nothing to Compare

I am still blown away by this album. I was fortunate enough to be at the ripe (and extremely influenced) age of 17 when this record came out. As a first generation latch key kid, and suffering from the post 70's divorce syndrome, this was/is, above all other musical influences, the one I still remember most keenly and purely.

The kinetic drums, solid beat, whistling/grunts, urgency, sexuality and message, regardless of how inane it may now seem ("Ant music for sex people, sex music for ant people"), there was still a message echoing 'the future will not stand still' to me... And that, is what attracted me as a teen who felt no power, no voice. I cut up t-shirts and scribbled fanatically: ADAM & the ANTS...wore them to school while teachers shook their heads, sent me to the Principle...I felt my first twinges of girl want to Adam, and I had the secret of this fantastical musical creation to get me through my days.

At the ripe old age of 44, I can still listen to this album and feel sorry for kids today. Only becuase I know that they have nothing as ripe, interesting, or fantastic as "Kings of the Wild Frontier", and the gorgeousness and raw sexuality of Adam to compare. I will forever be a fan and grateful for the experience! September 9, 2008

Can't get it out of your head......

.....once you listen to this record. (sorry CD the record would be better) I discovered it way back in the begining of the 80's when I was-well let's just say I was YOUNG...and man did it open the most amazing doors into music for me. I love it, adore it, and no matter what kind of day you are having "Physical (you're so)" is ust what you need. I thank great music like this for showing me those night romantics which lead me to what turned them on, and what got them going.....well you get the idea. Music is wonderful. October 5, 2007

One of the 80s era-defining peerless albums

It's really hard to articulate the sheer sense of excitement felt upon the original LP release of this album - surely one of the best, era-defining, utterly peerless albums of the 80s - I can still recall unwrapping the shrinkwrap back in the 1980 and putting it on my turntable - ANTMUSIC, DOG EAT DOG, PRESS DARLINGS, on & on - the hits don't stop - a visionary, clever, hilarious, dead-cool amalgam of Bolan/Bowie glam posturing ignited with post-punk style and a dose of fable-like mythology - the look, the sound, the entire package came together for the first (and last time) here. Over 25 years later, KINGS still sounds more fresh, immediate, and just plain FUN that anything on the radio in 2006. Sad, but true. Now where oh where is the DVD anthology with all of the Ants' videos?! October 28, 2006

Completes the Rock Trilogy

1 Sgt Peppers
2 Dark side of the moon
3 Kings of the Wild Frontier
That is all have to say April 10, 2006

Ants Invasion

This album, which held the #1 spot on the UK chart for most of 1981 (though only reaching #44 on the US chart), is simply Adam & the Ants' greatest achievement. It starts of with the fantastic, upbeat & ecstatic 'Dogeatdog', a UK #4/US #15 smash. The song takes a while to get used to, but when you finally get it, it will blow you away.
'Antmusic', a UK #2/US #14 single, was Adam & the Ants big breakthrough, & the only single that was able to reach a respectable chart position during the post-murder Lennon craze of christmas 1980. Being kept of the top spot by the songs of the tragically murdered prophet of his generation, 'Antmusic' nonetheless, broke Adam & the Ants internationally, & desrvedly so, for it is among his best & catchiest songs. New listeners, start with that song, for it will get you in the first listen.

After these two songs, the record suddenly gets very dark. Actually the album is a pretty dark affair, with 'Los Rancheros' & especially 'Feed Me To The Lions' bringing visions of a Bowiesque post-apocalyptic landscape to mind. 'Press Darlings' is another catchy classic followed by 'Ants Invasion' & 'Killer In The Home', that follow up the apocalyptic tension. 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier' itself, a UK #2 hit following the #9 placing of the non-album 'Young Parisians', is the strangest song on the strangest record. Indeed. There is nothing else to say about that song (later `Ant Rap' would follow up on this tradition of taking Adam & the Ants' weirdest songs into the UK top 3).

`The Magnificent Five', `Don't Be Square (Be There)' & `Jolly Roger' (the name signifies the direction Adam & the Ants would take on their next record) are somewhat average Adam & the Ants songs (though such a thing doesn't exist). `Jolly Roger' jumps from brooding to a parody of singalong every 15 seconds or so. They are all great songs, & carry the hilarious/apocalyptic mood up to `Physical (You're So)', a #19 hit in the US, but never released as a single in the Ant homeland of the UK. Truly one of his best songs, it is also one of his darkest, carried by a paranoid guitar feedback. It leads into `The Human Beings', another misty dark song, which scares you into laugter... or?... well, it sounded good. A strange chorus carries the tune & ends this most fascinating & brilliant album.
December 30, 2005

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