The Sound are to have their first three albums from the post-punk icons to be reissued as a collection of limited-edition colour vinyl The first three albums “Jeopardy” (white vinyl) “From The Lions Mouth” (orange vinyl) and “All Fall Down” (blue vinyl) are to be released as individual single albums on 13th September 2024. They sadly never had a huge following relative to their creative output despite being championed by famous Radio DJ John Peel, and Korova label mates Echo and The Bunnymen, as well as touring with The Comsat Angels.
Their lyrics often explored themes of isolation, despair, and social commentary. Despite achieving limited commercial success during their active years, The Sound’s influence on later generations of musicians cannot be overstated. With their distinctive guitar-driven sound and Borland’s emotive vocals, The Sound created music that resonated with listeners who were drawn to its raw energy and introspective lyrics. Songs like “Sense of Purpose” and “Winning” showcased the band’s ability to craft powerful melodies while addressing universal themes of hope and longing.
Tragically, The Sound disbanded in 1988 after struggling with personal issues within the group. However, their legacy lives on through their dedicated fanbase and the continued admiration from fellow musicians. Today, The Sound remains an influential force in the post-punk genre, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire new generations of artists.
One of the greatest ‘under the radar’ bands of the post-punk era, The Sound, are the subject of three very welcome coloured vinyl reissues. Their classic three album 1980 – 1982 run, consisting of “Jeopardy”, “From The Lions Mouth” and “All Fall Down“, complete with original track listings and iconic artwork.
Fronted by cult hero the late Adrian Borland (coincidentally the subject of a newly published biography, Destiny Stopped Screaming) and evolving quickly from punk pioneers the Outsiders, via the ground breaking Chemical Brothers-sampled electro-industrial Second Layer, The Sound burst onto the scene with their thrilling, adrenaline-fuelled 1980 debut, “Jeopardy”, now reissued on white vinyl. The music press was universally ecstatic heralding a powerful new force, but maybe Brendan Perry of the legendary Dead Can Dance summed it up best when years later he described “Jeopardy” as an, “Existentialist post-punk jewel.”
In November of 1980, post-punk legends The Sound released their debut album “Jeopardy”, a critically acclaimed yet often overlooked record compared to other releases in the musical soundscape of the early 80s. Highlight, “I Can’t Escape Myself” currently stands at 6.7 million YouTube plays and counting.
“From The Lions Mouth” followed a year later and is arguably their magnum opus. Masterfully produced by Hugh Jones it delivered on the ambition of their debut in fine style. “From the Lions Mouth” is the second studio album by English post-punk band The Sound, released in November 1981 on record label Korova. Following the release of their previous album “Jeopardy”, keyboardist Belinda Marshall left the group and was replaced by Colvin Mayers. For their new album, The Sound worked with producer Hugh Jones, as well as co-producing the album themselves.
Here reissued on orange vinyl, “From The Lions Mouth” was greeted once more with almost universal praise from the press, with Melody Maker’s Steve Sutherland concluding it could be the end of the line for him and rock records, “It’s that good”.
The final part of this reissue collection is the band’s defiant and expectation defying third album, “All Fall Down”. Available now on blue vinyl, it was a record that confounded some critics but is one that has only grown in stature over time. The band as ever refusing to take the easy option, instead drawing the Warner era to a close with a bang and preparing the stage for the next phase of the band.
Not a trilogy but simply three pieces of a fascinating jigsaw puzzle; all essential purchases for any post-punk connoisseur. Tough call to opt for ‘From the Lion’s Mouth’; ahead of “Jeopardy” – to be fair, you can’t go wrong with either. The Sound are regarded by many as one of the greatest little discovered bands of the 1980’s – record label stable-mates with Echo & The Bunnymen, the marketing team at Korova placed the lion’s share of their budget with the latter and consequently, The Sound never got a fair rub of the green.
order now from https://rhino.lnk.to/Thesound-2024
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