Search - Sound :: BBC Recordings

Nice alternative versions of most overlooked 80s band

ChrisWN | Santa Cruz, CA | 11/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Sound has to be one of the most overlooked rock bands in the 80s. The reason is from their limited exposure. Not only didn't they receive the major label US contract as did The Psychedelic Furs & U2, they didn't even get an indie label release for any of their records like Joy Division & The Chameleons. The Sound proves that talent, strong song-writing & a good ear for melody don't necessarily translate into success. It's a shame since all of their output, as well as, Adrian Borland's subsequent solo releases are all consistently solid.



It is only because of the dedication of the band & fans that their releases are (finally!) making it to CD from Renascent (check out the website), after over a decade. The release is only out in the UK, but with thanks to the internet & better distribution, more widely available than the LPs were in the 1980s. This 2xCD (one almost 40 min., the other just over an hour) collects all of their BBC radio output. Disc One features a session for Mike Read (1980) & one for John Peel (RIP). The tracks aren't radical rehauls from the originals, but they depart from the album versions enough so that they don't just sound like an alternative take from the album recording session, and would definitely be appreciated by someone who already has the albums & wants more. The 2nd disc combines 2 concerts (1981 & 1985) that were broadcast on air. The sound quality is great & the performances reveal the band's earlier performance days well (perhaps a bit more uneven, but also more raw than on "In The Hothouse").



If you haven't heard much of the band & want a sampling, I would still recommend beginning with the actual albums.......and they're all 4 or 5 stars, so you can't go wrong whichever you pick, depending on your tastes (as with all of the "post Punk" UK bands, earlier releases are more punk, later are more polished...). But if you have all the albums & need something to hold you over until the "Rarities" compilation finally sees the light of day (going on over 2 years now), this will definitely fit the bill.



....oh. almost forgot to mention: If you think the price of this 2xCD collection (on Amazon) is expensive, it is. The label's website sells it for the same price as the single disc releases."

Rescued from obscurity

N. P. Stathoulopoulos | Brooklyn, NY | 11/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's yet another 'post-punk' band rescued from obscurity due to a series of pricey but excellent re-releases. If you like any of the strains of current post-punk, early 80s, new wave, whatever-they're-calling-it-these-days bands, go back and listen to the real thing.



Aside from proving (over and over again) that rock has only so many tricks, this is a great example of a band that could have, should have, would have been bigger. Lead singer Adrian Borland would go on to record on his own before stepping in front of the Tube not long ago, a sad fact that hangs over his sincere lyrics and Ian-Curtis-Jim-Morrison-esque voice.



This is the only Sound album I've picked up thus far and being initially unfamiliar I went straight for the BBC discs. A good call, I think, as BBC or Peel Session discs rarely disappoint. If you like studio-quality sound with a live dynamic and different-enough versions of songs from your favorite bands, they're almost always gems.



This is a treat as we get sessions a few years apart and get to hear some of the same tracks a bit differently, faster, slower, louder, etc. The quality is fantastic, especially on the first disc. Skeletons and Fatal Flaw are especially strong...both could still rock today, years and years later.



Yes, these are pricey, but given this is a 2-disc set, it's a nice value. Nice packaging, too, but on the flimsy side. Dents and dings and tearing are likely unless you're careful.



Hate to do this but...if you like the sound of early U2, or Joy Division, or the Chameleons, say, this is recommended. It's...good rock. It has some young heart in it. Dare I say...honest? Not too gloomy, and rocks as well. Great job surfacing this band to a new generation that was drooling when these guys were rocking the BBC."

More Greatness From Adrian Borland And The Sound

L. Mitchell | Brooklyn, NY, USA | 10/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a wonderful 2-CD collection of some of the best songs by the great forgotten band The Sound. CD number one gives us 8 session recordings of songs from their first two albums. I actually prefer the versions here of Heartland, Unwritten Law, Jeopardy and I Can't Escape Myself, all from the Jeopardy album--the energy level is higher and recording quality crisper. The second CD has two mini-concerts from 1981 and 1985. Listening to them will make you ache for a time machine so you can pop back and really experience the band live. (For some tantalizing samples, check out their clips on YouTube.) Better still, maybe that time machine should be used to bring them here...they'd far outshine the bands of today and be given the recognition they long deserve!"