The Sound: Psysical World E.P 1979 + Propaganda 1979 (1999) + Thunder Up 1987

 

The Sound were formed in London (Wimbledon) in 1979 from the remnants of the punk band the Outsiders. The original lineup of the Sound consisted of Adrian Borland (vocals, guitar) and Graham

Bailey (bass guitar), both ex-Outsiders, along with Mike Dudley (drums) and woodwinds player Bi Marshall (born Benita Biltoo). While not a member, ex-Outsider Adrian Janes would contribute ideas and co-write lyrics to the Sound's music. Borland and Bailey also made up the band Second Layer, formed around the same time as the Sound.
                 

THE SOUND - PSYSICAL WORLD EP 1979
                 

The Sound – Physical World E.P.
Label: Reminder Records – REM 03, Reminder Records – rem 003
Format: Vinyl, 7", EP, Reissue 2020
Country: USA & Canada
Released: 1979
Genre: Rock
Style: Dark Wave, Post-Punk

SIDE A.

          

A1.  Cold Beat    3:23

SIDE B.

                 

B1.  Physical World    2:16
B2.  Unwritten Law    3:40

Flac Size: 74 MB

THE SOUND - PROPAGANDA (RECORDED: 1979 - RELEASED: 1999)

                 

This album was recorde before Jeopardy, between May and June 1979, and is seen by THE SOUND as their true first album. It has never been released before in any form. They had just

changed their name from "The Outsiders". Three of the tracks - Missiles, Night vs day, and Words Fail me - subsequently appeared on Jeopardy in different versions. It is a raw, powerful album, and a fascinating insight into the evolution of one pf the most exciting and influential guitar band of the 80's.
The record has been digitally mixed by the legendary Wally Brill (Producer of Heads Ans hearts).
                    

This record was originally going to be released on April 26th, the day that Adrian took his own

life. He had written the sleevenotes and helped Wally mix it, and was thrilled with the outcome. It is Adrian's parents wish that the record should be released as originally intended so that his music may live on. It is released in his memory - he was a friend and we shall miss him.
                     

The Sound – Propaganda
Label: Renascent – REN CD 3
Format: CD, Album
Country: UK
Released: Apr 26, 1999
Genre: Rock
Style: Dark Wave, Post-Punk

TRAXS

                  

01. No Salvation    3:12
02. Deep Breath    2:41
03. Cost Of Living    3:53
04. Quarter Past Two    3:35
05. Night Vs Day    3:08
06. Physical World    3:27
07. Statik    4:22
08. Music Business    4:56
09. Propaganda    2:50
10. Words Fail Me    3:01
11. One More Escape    3:17
12. Missiles    5:35

Flac Size: 288 MB

THE SOUND - THUNDER UP 1987

                 

The final testament of the tragically underrated (at least in their own time) Wimbledon outfit The

Sound, whose best albums (the first three) would make any admirer of moody-broody Mancunian pop blush with shame for missing out on this band's dark treasures during their short existence. Regarded as their masterpiece by several of the band members, Thunder Up is the rawest account of Borland's inner turmoil in terms of lyrical content while also being the band’s most conventional sounding. It is hard to ignore the gauzy, reverb-drenched late 80s overproduction. The Sound really

benefited from a more minimalist approach when capturing their unique sense of ennui, a feeling of unrest that never fully boils into rage but simmers at a pitch of melancholic contempt. The most obvious detail that distracts the ears, particularly in terms of production, is the use of pre-set synth sounds.
                    

Whereas in earlier Sound albums, they always managed to develop evocatively chilly synth sounds to

match the specific mood of each song (the best example being the palette used in their existential masterpiece "Silent Air" from The Lion's Mouth), most of the keyboard tones used here sound like they were shaped in a Casio factory. Of course, it should be noted that this album is a contemporary of late 80's Cure, a discography replete with ridiculous but effective synthetic horn sections (thinking of "Why

Can't I Be You" in particular). Robert Smith's manic whimsy somehow makes up for those embarrassing synth pre-sets. But if there is one topic that The Sound is not known for exploring, it is manic whimsy. Borland does not take on different characters or experiment with irony; he can only express his own misery from his own point of view, which is why this band is so great, but it also means that their sound can come of as brittle when drenched with glossy production.
                  

But enough about the production. More importantly, the songs on this album are frequently excellent.

Rather than relating this album to the rest of the band’s back-catalogue, if you consider this album solely on its own merits, some true gems will soon worm their way into your mind, such as the idiosyncratic tubular bell-led march of “Barria Alta,” the spirited chorus of “Kinetic,” which sounds like an odd Siouxsie Sioux/The Replacements mash-up (who knew that combination would be so rewarding?), and the fist-pumping sadness of “Prove Me Wrong,” an insanely catchy essay on the

futility of human connection. These three songs are easily on my Sound top ten list. All of this is to say: don’t let the gauzy production and the seeming upbeat tone of the music fool you. After a few listens, the album’s surface level disintegrates in a way that seems intentional, illustrating how the more we try to hide our sadness from one another, the more we become subsumed by the ‘silent air,’ growing thicker and thicker around us everyday.
               

Adrian Kelvin Borland (6 December 1957 – 26 April 1999) was an English singer, songwriter,

guitarist and record producer, best known as the frontman of post-punk band the Sound. Following a substantial musical career spanning numerous groups, as well as a solo career, he died by suicide after jumping in front of a train on 26 April 1999. Some have speculated that his death was caused by his symptoms of schizoaffective disorder.
                         

The Sound – Thunder Up
Label: Play It Again Sam Records – CDBiaS 53
Format: CD, Album
Country: Belgium
Released: 1987
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Dark Wave

TRAXS

                   

01. Acceleration Group   3:34
Written-By – Borland
02. Hand Of Love   3:20
Written-By – Borland
03. Barria Alta   4:50
Written-By – The Sound
04. Kinetic   5:16
Written-By – Borland
05. Iron Years   4:11
Written-By – Borland, Bailey
06. Prove Me Wrong   2:23
Written-By – Borland
07. Shot Up And Shut Down   4:40
Written-By – Borland
08. Web Of Wicked Ways   3:00
Written-By – Borland
09. I Give You Pain   5:08
Written-By – Borland
10. You've Got A Way   5:09
Written-By – Borland

LINE - UP

             

         

Bass Guitar – Graham Bailey
Drums, Percussion – Michael Dudley
Keyboards, Guitar – Colvin "Max" Mayers
Vocals, Guitar, Lyrics By – Adrian Borland

Flac Size: 239 MB

The Sound On Urban Aspirines HERE