Kings of the Wild Frontier brought Adam & the Ants massive popularity in England and enormous pressure for Adam Ant and guitarist Marco Pirroni to stand and deliver another slice of dynamite. The first single, the punchy, horn-laden "Stand and Deliver," suggested that they were up to the task, but when Prince Charming appeared in late 1981, it was seen as a letdown. With its ridiculous song titles and cover photos, which suggest that the Ants were moving away from Native Americans and toward pirates, it's hard not to view it as a descent into camp, yet Ant claims in the liner notes for Antbox that he believes that Prince Charming is "a very serious record based on very classical, historical themes." That may be true on certain tracks, but it's hard to see where "Mile High Club," "S.E.X.," "Mowhok," and "Ant Rap" fit into that scheme, although he's right about the intent -- this is a markedly different record than Kings, and intentionally so. The group not only moved on in terms of image, but also left behind its signature Burundi beats while upping the cinematic qualities inherent in its music. So, "Five Guns West" and "Mowhok" are given neo-spaghetti Western backdrops, while eerie guitars, mariachi horns, and trilling vocals underpin "That Voodoo." There are a lot of little details like that to dwell on in the production -- "Picasso Visita el Planeta de los Simios" sounds absolutely terrific -- and songs like "Scorpios," "Stand and Deliver," and the cheerfully ludicrous "Ant Rap" are highlights. Kings had style, sound, and songs, while Prince Charming simply has style and sound -- which, in retrospect, isn't all that bad.
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