‘Bow Down Mister is one of the best tracks of his career’: Boy George’s The Martyr Mantras retrospectively reviewed
Before Olly Alexander was Years and Years, Boy George was Jesus Loves You - and what a fascinating chapter in his discography it was
Culture Club frontman Boy George’s early solo career had suffered several false starts. The soul and new jack swing of early releases had failed to set the charts alight, and he was struggling to shake off his colourful reputation. But with a new decade came a new sound – house – and a redirection of George’s focus when it came to his music.
Rebirthing as Jesus Loves You, the short-lived rebrand enabled him to swerve some of the preconceived judgements attached to his name and divert the listener’s attention back to the music. The resulting body of work, 1991’s The Martyr Mantras, is a reflective listen.
Album opener ‘Generations of Love’ is a hypnotic deep house track that sets the sonic and lyrical template of what is to come. “Hey, I don’t need redemption or no government plan / No big AIDS sensation, no 28 clause,” George sings, referencing two of the most devastating events to affect the queer community.
In fact, Margaret Thatcher’s infamous ban on LGBTQ+ education is revisited later in the album. ‘No Clause 28’ is one of the earliest recorded entries on the album, released three years prior and upon the legislation’s enactment. The political sound-off is a trojan horse, masking the message of protest with bass-heavy synths akin to the floor fillers of the time.
“Don’t mean to be too precious / I don’t mean to be uptight / But tell me Iron Lady / Are we moving to the right?”, asks George. If anything, the track is a depressing reminder of how little has changed – but is a testament to George’s willingness to speak out as a public figure.
The album is less radio-friendly than George’s previous efforts. Tracks like ‘Love’s Gonna Let You Down’ and ‘After the Love’ refrain from the typical structural confinements of pop and instead meander in sonic spaces that become almost hypnotic. However, the album’s highlight comes in the form of the exhilarating ‘Bow Down Mister’.
Closing off the 11 tracks, it’s like a breath of fresh air. George ditches the synthesised beats in favour of more live instrumentation, taking inspiration from a trip to India and paying tribute to the Hare Krishna movement. It’s one of the most surprising and best tracks of his career.
While the album was a commercial flop (it peaked at no. 60 in the UK), The Martyr Mantras still holds up. Disappointingly, this was the sole release from George as Jesus Loves You. One can only imagine where this particular endeavour may have led the singer artistically. With that said, the record is a timeless entry in his back catalogue and proves George’s credentials as a musical risk-taker and an important voice in LGBTQ+ history.