SOUND, THE - Jeopardy

Formed in 1979 and fronted by the mercurial and troubled Adrian Borland (he would commit suicide in 1999 after years of battling depression), The Sound are one of the most unjustly neglected band of the '80s. They may not be as well-known as their contemporaries Echo & the Bunnymen or Joy Division, but their contributions to the first wave of English post-punk are equally unique and influential. Featuring rough-edged production fitting its £800 recording budget, Jeopardy is a caustic rush, full of songs with hooks and emotional impact that never resort to histrionics. The album's opener starts off minimally, until the nervy guitars of the chorus rip through the tension. This auspicious beginning only hints at what's to come. Every song that follows builds on the momentum of a complex pop masterpiece. Borland's lyrics also prove him to be one of the few post-punk songwriters whose words areworth poring over and analyzing. For The Sound's sophomore LP, the group decided to work with producer Hugh Jones (Echo & the Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, Bauhaus). A relatively restrained but vital follow-up to the charged and ragged Jeopardy, From the Lions Mouth proves that The Sound's critical stature among the post-punk elite was no fluke. A more robust recording budget allows them to explore a fuller, more cohesive sound, while Adrian Borland's lyrics are even more introspective. Tracks like "Sense of Purpose" and "Contact the Fact" still feature a sweeping urgency and highlight the tension between Borland's grim worldview and his knack for a hook. Record Label: 1972 Style: Indie Rock