Information/Write-up
Pop Modern(e) is both a product of its time and a restless challenge to it—an album that reflects the promise, pressure, and identity crisis of an artist trying to navigate the synthetic glamour of the early 1980s pop landscape. Long unavailable in any official format, it is now streaming exclusively on CitizenFreak.com, offering a rare chance to hear one of Canada’s overlooked pop experiments of the era.
Originally released in 1984 under the self-titled Benjamin Russell, this major-label debut was meant to be called Pop Modern(e)—a nod to both the French aesthetic and a sly critique of trend-chasing. The title alone tells you what’s inside: a collision of pop, dance, new wave, and electronic styles filtered through a distinctly Canadian lens.
At the center is Russell himself—programming machines, playing every part, and wrestling with the industry’s attempt to shape him into the next Eurythmics or Eddy Grant. The result is polished yet personal. Standout track “Miracle (Miracle of Love)” became a MuchMusic staple and earned him a CASBY nomination for Most Promising Male Vocalist, but ironically, it started as a reluctant riff on Shannon’s Let the Music Play, pushed by producer Tony Green (of Come to Me fame).
Despite Green’s heavy commercial hand, Russell’s artistic voice finds a way through. You can hear it in the genre-hopping experiments, and especially in the lyrics co-written with his partner Elyce. There are flashes of synth-funk grooves and melancholy balladry—all hinting at the multi-genre artist he would later fully become. Sylvain Jacob’s mix keeps everything clean and balanced, allowing the emotional push-pull to unfold without clutter.
In hindsight, Pop Modern(e) captures the story of a young artist at a crossroads: seduced by pop, grounded in folk and rock, curious about electronic experimentation, and quietly absorbing the rhythms from across the street. The album may have been marketed with polish, but underneath is the sound of someone still figuring out who he wants to be—and refusing to stay in any one lane for long.
Long unavailable except on vintage vinyl, Pop Modern(e) remains a critical chapter in Benjamin Russell’s evolution—one that shows the tension between label-driven image and individual expression. Its rediscovery is a reminder that the 1980s Canadian pop scene wasn’t just about mimicry; it also harbored artists struggling to make something real under the weight of commercial expectation.
-Robert Williston
Written by Benjamin Russell and Elyce
Arranged and performed by Benjamin Russell
Produced by Tony Green
Production assistant: Elyce
Engineered by Sylvain Jacob
Recorded and mixed at Studio Marko, Montreal, Quebec
Back cover photo by Elyce
Insert photo by Guy Lussier
Covert art and lettering by Extrafrafix
Thanks to everyone at Steve's
Special thanks to Anne and Garry
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