The official NMA board
General Category => Everything Else => Topic started by: Guillaume on March 01, 2021, 12:25:18 PM
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I'm listening to this band for a few weeks now and i find some of their songs quite incredible...touching, moving haunting, beautiful..
WINNING, fantastic song, and just incredibly electrifying when they played it live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUmF8xuSyoA&ab_channel=CaseyStrange
TOTAL RECALL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6FnXF6omsI&ab_channel=JohanneBlanco
WINTER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7DzrBLyajI&ab_channel=crispyfiverblue
WHERE THE LOVE IS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6a0pBLFqeU&ab_channel=ABorlandFan
Are there here some fans of this band and his singer songwriter Adrian Borland?
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I'm listening to this band for a few weeks now and i find some of their songs quite incredible...touching, moving haunting, beautiful..
WINNING, fantastic song, and just incredibly electrifying when they played it live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUmF8xuSyoA&ab_channel=CaseyStrange
TOTAL RECALL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6FnXF6omsI&ab_channel=JohanneBlanco
WINTER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7DzrBLyajI&ab_channel=crispyfiverblue
WHERE THE LOVE IS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6a0pBLFqeU&ab_channel=ABorlandFan
Are there here some fans of this band and his singer songwriter Adrian Borland?
Such an underrated artist. I love a lot of his stuff, be it with The Sound, solo or with White Rose Transmissions.
He did a beautiful version of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj_f_vKlZm0
Even more touching knowing his own sad story.
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Such an underrated artist. I love a lot of his stuff, be it with The Sound, solo or with White Rose Transmissions.
Which albums do you recommend from Adrian Borland's solo career and with White Rose Transmissions?
Have you seen the documentary about him "Walking in the opposite direction"?
I've read that the band was a bit cult in Holland in the 80's but wasn't famous in the UK despite some good reviews from the critics.
Also some critics compared them to early U2, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure but if i enjoy some of these bands i think that Borland's songrwriting was more visceral powerful and piognant, at least it moves me more than the works of these bands!
First time i've listened to "Winning" on the great live album IN THE HOUTHOUSE i had like a musical and emotional "electroshock", you can really feel the despair and hope in Adrian's voice...i also think that "Total recall" is an awesome song, so moving the way Adrian sings it, again, on the studio version or on the live album, his voice was very beautiful.
Others great songs in my opinion:
"I can't escape myself";
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ad2ujW5Sl8&ab_channel=MyLittleUndergroundTVMyLittleUndergroundTV
"New dark age"...awesome!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWoNSADanoA&ab_channel=MyLittleUndergroundTVMyLittleUndergroundTV
"Under you":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ec64bOGl3Y&list=OLAK5uy_lWBmk9COv-P6KFMwY37mMXwoEfkLJoeyg&ab_channel=DemonMusicGroupDemonMusicGroup
the beautiful "Monument":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga8D9rtimPc&list=OLAK5uy_nit8-jp7LmXNQugvnu5r4_SVdfKIVBZJk&ab_channel=TheSoundTheSound
"Missiles":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-XinpbEsz8&ab_channel=AlexWaltonAlexWalton
Which are your favourite songs from Adrian Borland Johnz?
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Which albums do you recommend from Adrian Borland's solo career and with White Rose Transmissions?
Have you seen the documentary about him "Walking in the opposite direction"?
I've read that the band was a bit cult in Holland in the 80's but wasn't famous in the UK despite some good reviews from the critics.
Also some critics compared them to early U2, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure but if i enjoy some of these bands i think that Borland's songrwriting was more visceral powerful and piognant, at least it moves me more than the works of these bands!
First time i've listened to "Winning" on the great live album IN THE HOUTHOUSE i had like a musical and emotional "electroshock", you can really feel the despair and hope in Adrian's voice...i also think that "Total recall" is an awesome song, so moving the way Adrian sings it, again, on the studio version or on the live album, his voice was very beautiful.
Which are your favourite songs from Adrian Borland Johnz?
The early Sound stuff is my favourite; From The Lions Mouth is a great album. I also love Shock of Daylight. Songs like Winning, Total Recall, Counting the Days are fantastic and were ahead of their time. His solo stuff is more patchy but there are lots of great songs in there. I love the White Rose Transmission version of Walking in Opposite Direction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROsW3gfiLa0&list=PLMcOIuAwqp9DOHTBWMu5AA_9yggrbWyrP&index=6
It's from the album 700 Miles of Desert which AB wrote all the music for.
This is a nice write up of his solo stuff with video links:
https://www.toppermost.co.uk/adrian-borland/
I really like 5am: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO81I3LrmeA&t=571s
There is still a lot of his stuff that I don't have. Some of it is hard to get and some of it doesn't really do much for me. But there are usually a few good songs on all his releases. So please let me know if you find stuff that you like. I haven't watched Walking In The Opposite Direction. Thanks for reminding me.
I grew up in Germany. They were never big there but they were known in indie circles. I remember buying Shock Of Daylight when it came out. I haven't kept up with all the releases. There have been quite a few after AB's passing. They are often compared to The Chameleons and I can see why. Another underrated band that made three beautiful albums.
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The early Sound stuff is my favourite; From The Lions Mouth is a great album. I also love Shock of Daylight. Songs like Winning, Total Recall, Counting the Days are fantastic and were ahead of their time.
All these songs you said are great, i LOVE "Total Recall", just incredible his voice, the bass, the lyrics, the guitar, wow! Also i love "Under you" and "Whirlpool" from this HEADS AND HEARTS album.
I agree about FROM THE LION'S MOUTH being great (just for "Winning" and "New Dark age", fantastic opening and ending songs!!) , on SHOCK OF DAYLIGHT i also like "Golden soldiers" and i LOVE "Winter"!
ALL FALL DOWN is a very good album also (my fav: "Where the love is", i never tire of this song!!) with various styles and tracks.
The only one album a bit disappointing is THUNDER UP, but i've listened to it only once..
So please let me know if you find stuff that you like.
Yes, i will update this thread in the weeks/months to come when i will dig further in Adrian's career, to share the tracks i like from his solo career.
They are often compared to The Chameleons and I can see why. Another underrated band that made three beautiful albums.
Here's a Mark Burgess song about/to Adrian...beautiful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEVpSaL4hhA&ab_channel=bokart77bokart77
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ALL FALL DOWN is a very good album also (my fav: "Where the love is", i never tire of this song!!) with various styles and tracks.
The only one album a bit disappointing is THUNDER UP, but i've listened to it only once..
Yes, All Fall Down is great. I didn't like Thunder Up much at the time but it has grown on me over the years. I Give You Pain is a great song although you can clearly here AB's love of The Doors here. You've Got A Way is lovely, too.
Yes, i will update this thread in the weeks/months to come when i will dig further in Adrian's career, to share the tracks i like from his solo career.
Awesome thanks. Looking forward to it. This is a great solo concert with awesome sound quality (and a crowd of 40 people!): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvhtFJLy0g8s3pDLT17wMFPlGuAuXJHcC
Here's a Mark Burgess song about/to Adrian...beautiful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEVpSaL4hhA&ab_channel=bokart77bokart77
I love that song. Love The Chameleons and used to follow Mark's work closely. He does sing on one of the White Rose Transmission tracks, too called Digging For Water. I wish he would do more original stuff rather than Chameleons nostalgia shows (as great as they were). He has done some great stuff by himself. Do you have the Invincible album called Venus that he did with Yves Altana? It's got some good songs on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g0YkaHtp_8
Some of the Black Swan Lane stuff is good, too but I haven't kept up with all their releases.
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I didn't like Thunder Up much at the time but it has grown on me over the years. I Give You Pain is a great song although you can clearly here AB's love of The Doors here. You've Got A Way is lovely, too.
I wiil give it another chance sooner or later!
I forgot the PROPAGANDA album which is pretty good.
I love that song.
Yes it's beautiful...it feels nostalgic, ethereal, heavenly..
Do you have the Invincible album called Venus that he did with Yves Altana?
No, from Burgess/The Chameleons i've only listened so far to the "Script of the bridge" album, and the "Swamp thing" song.
This is a great solo concert with awesome sound quality (and a crowd of 40 people!): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvhtFJLy0g8s3pDLT17wMFPlGuAuXJHcC
Thanks for the link!!
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No, from Burgess/The Chameleons i've only listened so far to the "Script of the bridge" album, and the "Swamp thing" song.
Oh lots more to be discovered. I think the first three albums are all wonderful.
Try Tears from Strange Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLwtnH2nhII
Perfume Garden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueYEPOBzfU
Intrigue in Tangiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkGns3eCZw0
Both from What Does Anything Mean, Basically.
Ok, back to The Sound now.
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I Give You Pain is a great song although you can clearly here AB's love of The Doors here. You've Got A Way is lovely, too.
i've just listened again to these songs thanks to your recommendation and yes both are fine!
my favourite of the two is "You've got a way", very good i think...as usual with The Sound Adrian's voice is fantastic and the atmosphere is quite haunting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFe_lBG77FQ&ab_channel=PabloBorbar%C3%A1nPabloBorbar%C3%A1n
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i've just listened again to these songs thanks to your recommendation and yes both are fine!
my favourite of the two is "You've got a way", very good i think...as usual with The Sound Adrian's voice is fantastic and the atmosphere is quite haunting.
Glad you like them. Do you like Song and Dance from ALL Fall Down? Always loved that song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18pCkDhkVrA&list=RDMM&index=5
Shock of Daylight is my favourite release of theirs but that's probably because it was the album that got me into them at the time. Counting the Days and A New Way of Life and Winter are among my favourites.
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i've just listened again to these songs thanks to your recommendation and yes both are fine!
my favourite of the two is "You've got a way", very good i think...as usual with The Sound Adrian's voice is fantastic and the atmosphere is quite haunting.
Glad you like them. Do you like Song and Dance from ALL Fall Down? Always loved that song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18pCkDhkVrA&list=RDMM&index=5
Not my favourite but yes i like it!
On this album i also like the opening "All fall down", "Party of the mind", "Calling the new tune", "In suspense", but my favourite are "Where the love is" and "Monument".
Shock of Daylight is my favourite release of theirs but that's probably because it was the album that got me into them at the time. Counting the Days and A New Way of Life and Winter are among my favourites.
Yes all these ones are fine "Winter" is my favourite among them, so haunting, and very different from NMA"s "Winter"!!
On SHOCK OF DAYLIGHT i also like "Longest days", "Golden soldiers"...well the 6 tracks on this EP are good!
Don't you think that at times The Sound's music and Adrian's voice have a bit of feel of early Simple Minds?
Like for NMA i dig the cool bass lines but like for NMA i think the band's greatest strength is the incredible expressive voice of his singer/guitar player.
Here are my 10 fav songs from The Sound..:
1: Winning/Total recall...ex aequo because "Winning" is incredibly powerful and its lyrics deliver an important "message" when you have the feeling at times to struggle in life, but on the same time...i think that "Total recall" is incredibly heartbreaking too, i never tire of both of these songs!
3: Under you
4: Where the love is
5: New dark age
6: Winter
7: Monument
8: I can't escape myself
9: Missiles
10: All fall down/Longest days/Counting the days/Whirlpool/One thousand reasons...
All of them great songs. It's always a bitter feeling when you have a great, musical "shock" find/discovery, and that you find that the band is gone for years, and worse, than the leader singer is not anymore with us :'( :'(...
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Don't you think that at times The Sound's music and Adrian's voice have a bit of feel of early Simple Minds?
Like for NMA i dig the cool bass lines but like for NMA i think the band's greatest strength is the incredible expressive voice of his singer/guitar player.
I can hear bits of several other bands in their sound. A bit of early U2, Sad Lovers and Giants, The Doors/Stranglers. I think they influenced a lot of other bands. I know that Adrian was sometimes bitter about other bands' success. I remember an interview where he claimed that Bono had stolen all his ideas. I don't know how true that is but Adrian's songwriting was certainly influential and different.
Here are my 10 fav songs from The Sound..:
1: Winning/Total recall...ex aequo because "Winning" is incredibly powerful and its lyrics deliver an important "message" when you have the feeling at times to struggle in life, but on the same time...i think that "Total recall" is incredibly heartbreaking too, i never tire of both of these songs!
3: Under you
4: Where the love is
5: New dark age
6: Winter
7: Monument
8: I can't escape myself
9: Missiles
10: All fall down/Longest days/Counting the days/Whirlpool/One thousand reasons...
All of them great songs. It's always a bitter feeling when you have a great, musical "shock" find/discovery, and that you find that the band is gone for years, and worse, than the leader singer is not anymore with us :'( :'(...
All great songs. I agree, Winning/Total Recall are their two biggest tunes. I think In the Hothouse has almost a perfect setlist. Great versions of many of the songs like Red Paint. It's a great live album. It was very sad to learn of Adrian's death at the time. I never realized that he was that troubled. Many of his lyrics took on a new depth after his death. I've always liked The Sound but didn't follow them as closely as some other bands like NMA. He never gave many interviews either. Their music really stood the test of time though. I still listen to it regularly. Temperature Drop is another one of my favourites that doesn't get mentioned very often.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOI9pPfYaPY
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Their music really stood the test of time though. I still listen to it regularly. Temperature Drop is another one of my favourites that doesn't get mentioned very often.
I have yet to listen to many of their songs (and also Adrian's solo career ;)) , to digest the whole of all their albums but i think that the band should have been as huge or praised as U2, The Cure and Joy Division. Like Justin and NMA should have won a more massive success..
It's a bit sad that Adrian's works are more praised, the band receiving at last accolades, new beautiful releases on CD's...years and years after his passing... but like you write the band has stood the test of time 35 years after the release of their last album, and so many new young people can find now about the beauty of Adrian's voice, lyrics and music.
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"You've got a way" has grown and grown deeply on me and i now think that it is really one of Adrian's best songs ever ex aequo with "Total recall" and "Winning"!! :o :o
Also "Contact the fact" and "Sense of purpose" are great.
Here's The Guardian nice tribute to the band:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/mar/29/cult-heroes-the-sound-critics-favourites-crowded-out-by-joy-division
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"You've got a way" has grown and grown deeply on me and i now think that it is really one of Adrian's best songs ever ex aequo with "Total recall" and "Winning"!! :o :o
Also "Contact the fact" and "Sense of purpose" are great.
Here's The Guardian nice tribute to the band:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/mar/29/cult-heroes-the-sound-critics-favourites-crowded-out-by-joy-division
Great write-up. You've Got a Way is a great song!
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Today i had a good news on my Facebook page!:
there's a project of a french book about three bands: The Chameleons, The Opposition and The Sound!
The writer loves these bands and thinks they are underrated so his book will be a kind of tribute to their works.
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From “Stichting Opposite Direction” on the Adrian Borland WALKING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION documentary page on Facebook:
Now that all the hard work has been done - sourcing the original tapes, digitising and processing them to get the best possible sound quality, designing the packaging and setting the release date, we are proud to announce the last OFFICIAL (double) album by The Sound to be released on the label of Sounds Haarlem Likes Vinyl
Featuring the final studio recordings of previously unreleased material and live performances of known and less well known songs, all expertly mastered for this event by Stefan Bornhorst of IN2THESOUND , the results will be dropped in November of this year.
On both vinyl and CD., the release features specially commissioned photography and sponsored artwork plus extensive and informative liner notes from drummer MIke Dudley
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Jean-Paul van Mierlo / Mike Dudley.
8) 8) 8)
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From “Stichting Opposite Direction” on the Adrian Borland WALKING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION documentary page on Facebook:
Now that all the hard work has been done - sourcing the original tapes, digitising and processing them to get the best possible sound quality, designing the packaging and setting the release date, we are proud to announce the last OFFICIAL (double) album by The Sound to be released on the label of Sounds Haarlem Likes Vinyl
Featuring the final studio recordings of previously unreleased material and live performances of known and less well known songs, all expertly mastered for this event by Stefan Bornhorst of IN2THESOUND , the results will be dropped in November of this year.
On both vinyl and CD., the release features specially commissioned photography and sponsored artwork plus extensive and informative liner notes from drummer MIke Dudley
WATCH THIS SPACE!
Oh that sounds good. I have to look out for that. It's a shame that Adrian Borland didn't live to see the appreciation that The Sound are finally getting.
Jean-Paul van Mierlo / Mike Dudley.
8) 8) 8)
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If only they could release blu ray/dvds of The Sound's concerts, and why not the famous IN THE HOTHOUSE...but i'm not sure that this concert was filmed/shot in 1985, unfortunately.
It's a shame that Adrian Borland didn't live to see the appreciation that The Sound are finally getting.
Yes it's terrible...
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His solo stuff is more patchy but there are lots of great songs in there.
I really like that one, "Darkest heart":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJlEddgesLo&ab_channel=AdrianBorland-Topic
It makes me think of Jim Kerry/Simple Minds!
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I remember an interview where he claimed that Bono had stolen all his ideas.
They're talking about it in the "Walking in the opposite direction" documentary. Very good documentary, by the way. I was very moved when we hear during the end credits the sensational live version of "Winning"...after this nuanced and moving portrait/picture of who Adrian was according to his family and friends, this last song really hits hard in the heart and soul!
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The Sound – Will And Testament
CD and Vinyl record can now be ordered in presale by sending an email to SoundsHaarlem: soundshaarlem@gmail.com
The CD will be shipped the week of November 26, Black Friday.
Due to lack of raw materials, the vinyl record cannot be delivered until later this year or early next year.
Price: 2CD: Euro 24.99
Price: 2LP: Euro 34.99
The Opposite Direction Foundation and Sounds Haarlem Like Vinyl proudly present a 'new' album by the legendary British post-punk band The Sound. The double album Will And Testament contains live and demo recordings from the later period of the band that was active from London during most of the 1980s. The live recordings - including private recordings of a concert in Amsterdam's Paradiso in December 1987 and considered by the band members themselves to be one of their best and most intense performances – differ completely from the only official live album In The Hothouse (1985) and even contain two unknown songs. The demo recordings consist of four unreleased songs, released as bonus cd 'Starlight' and as side 4 'Starlight' on the vinyl album. Will And Testament was compiled by The Sound drummer Mike Dudley who also wrote the liner notes and supervised the superior mastering of the recordings that sometimes needed a quite some polishing. After The Sound's most famous album From The Lions Mouth (1981), the double LP and CD again received a painting by Briton Rivière on the cover.
(https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/252469308_284528676968421_5849190826852219611_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=mwa7RwidIw8AX_V2Htc&_nc_ht=scontent-cdg2-1.xx&oh=d53df0cac47e8d5a130cd2aec25b6c11&oe=61AAE006)
(https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/252779241_284528826968406_3613136966010142422_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=XC2zrfZx60UAX9j1QYb&_nc_ht=scontent-cdg2-1.xx&oh=a496fd902bff805eaa58facef5744648&oe=61AC0363)
Adrian Borland – 2 Meter Sessions 1987 – 1995
CD and Vinyl record can now be ordered in presale by sending an email to SoundsHaarlem: soundshaarlem@gmail.com
The CD will be shipped the week of November 26, Black Friday.
Due to lack of raw materials, the vinyl record cannot be delivered until later this year or early next year.
Price: CD: Euro 19.99
Price: 2LP: Euro 34.99
The recordings made by British artist and songwriter Adrian Borland for the Dutch radio and television program 2 Meter de Lucht In have an almost legendary status. With acoustic guitar, surrounded by small ensembles and under the admiring eye of radio and television maker and presenter Jan Douwe Kroeske, the magic was often not tangible during intimate performances of The Sounds songs such as Silent Air and Winning and the repertoire of his albums. after The Sound broke up in 1988.
The double album 2 Meter Sessions 1987 – 1995 brings together the complete recordings, which span about eight years between the last The Sound's album Thunder Up (1987) and Borland's album Cinematic (1996), for the first time on vinyl and CD, released by Stichting Opposite Direction in collaboration with Sounds Haarlem Likes Vinyl.
(https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/252525657_284538770300745_8949471567624249786_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=RIypvFjLw-cAX_waokp&_nc_ht=scontent-cdg2-1.xx&oh=c9574b62ec5964b81448e47e38ea91bd&oe=61AC7250)
(https://scontent-cdt1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/252624796_284538826967406_7636526930848134949_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=OjTNNevSoJ0AX8hSntz&_nc_ht=scontent-cdt1-1.xx&oh=05cfbb2a7d64102f1631f40ba90a2e0f&oe=61AC69A7)
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Nice! All of that stuff is available on the internet but it will be nice to get good recordings of those songs. Things were definitely getting a bit more patchy towards the end but still lot of great songs.
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The early Sound stuff is my favourite; From The Lions Mouth is a great album. I also love Shock of Daylight.
Last days i was listening again and again to "Silent air", what a song, the voice is incredible, so moving..also "Judgement" (the keyboard in that final part!) and "A new way of life" (the guitar solo at the end!!) on SHOCK OF DAYLIGHT are both brillant. On ALL FALL DOWN and HEADS AND HEARTS i also forgot to add that i really like "Love is not a ghost" and "We could go far"...HEADS AND HEARTS is less raw, less edgy than THe Sound's early albums but still a very good 80's album i think.
I'm registered on "the Sound & Second layer" Facebook page created by Graham Bailey the bass player of The Sound and he said on this page that ALL FALL DOWN was his favourite album from the band.
Oh lots more to be discovered. I think the first three albums are all wonderful.
Try Tears from Strange Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLwtnH2nhII
Perfume Garden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KueYEPOBzfU
Intrigue in Tangiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkGns3eCZw0
Both from What Does Anything Mean, Basically.
I'm a big "fan" now of the song "Soul in isolation"...like Adrian Borland's songs i think that it is painful and poignant to listen to, but it's still beautiful, and epic...like for Borland i had/have a kind of teary eyed emotional reaction when i listened/listen to this kind of songs!
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Last days i was listening again and again to "Silent air", what a song, the voice is incredible, so moving..also "Judgement" (the keyboard in that final part!) and "A new way of life" (the guitar solo at the end!!) on SHOCK OF DAYLIGHT are both brillant. On ALL FALL DOWN and HEADS AND HEARTS i also forgot to add that i really like "Love is not a ghost" and "We could go far"...HEADS AND HEARTS is less raw, less edgy than THe Sound's early albums but still a very good 80's album i think.
I'm registered on "the Sound & Second layer" Facebook page created by Graham Bailey the bass player of The Sound and he said on this page that ALL FALL DOWN was his favourite album from the band.
Silent Air is a great song. I love the acoustic version from the 2 Meter Sessions too. I also love We Could Go Far. One of their best base lines, I think. All Fall Down may be my favourite album, too. But there is something about Shock of Daylight that makes it stand out for me. Heads and Hearts is not as immediate but also has plenty of great songs on it. I always loved Temperature Drop which was never a fan favourite despite being a single at teh time.
I'm a big "fan" now of the song "Soul in isolation"...like Adrian Borland's songs i think that it is painful and poignant to listen to, but it's still beautiful, and epic...like for Borland i had/have a kind of teary eyed emotional reaction when i listened/listen to this kind of songs!
Soul in Isolation is great. I adore the Chameleons. Script of the Bridge is one of my all-time favourite albums and Second Skin is one of my all-time favourite songs. It usually tops most fans' list. Their songs are often not immediate so gibe it a few more listens.
Second Skin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldLk0rQORHY
Monkeyland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcEK6uTAezs
Home is Where the Heart is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-3v2rtWgCM
I will go and check out that Sound Facebook page.
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But there is something about Shock of Daylight that makes it stand out for me. Heads and Hearts is not as immediate but also has plenty of great songs on it. I always loved Temperature Drop which was never a fan favourite despite being a single at teh time.
On "Shock of daylight" i never tire of "Longest days", wonderful song with its "sensual" great bass line, guitar, voice and melodies. And i forgot "Temperature Drop", another very good song. Graham Bailey said on his Facebook page about "The Sound and 2nd Layer" that The Sound wasn't a "singles" band, they were more focused on releasing albums on the whole than focus on singles here and there. But like NMA, because of the bands great catchy melodies and fine lyrics, many of their songs could have been major hits in the charts!
The major company releasing "From the lion's mouth" and "All fall down" was also more focused on promoting/marketing Echo & The Bunnymen, at the time.
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Just got Adrian Borland's Lovefield: Neon and Stone. I didn't realize that it's a completely different album from Lovefield. I'm a bit confused by this but I really like it.
You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06_g0Wv_AkE&list=OLAK5uy_mqAWBe4_CFRqTL-LCd_ydfWGKHQBnPCJ4&index=7
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Just got Adrian Borland's Lovefield: Neon and Stone. I didn't realize that it's a completely different album from Lovefield. I'm a bit confused by this but I really like it.
You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06_g0Wv_AkE&list=OLAK5uy_mqAWBe4_CFRqTL-LCd_ydfWGKHQBnPCJ4&index=7
Thanks for the link. "Summer road" is pretty good. Adrian's voice for me was a mix of Jim Kerr, Bono and Jim Morrisson!
Since my last post a few months ago, others songs of The Sound i really enjoyed to listen endlessly are "Judgement" and "A new way of life" but i think that my big favourites will always be "Winning", "Total recall", "You've got a way", "Silent air", "Longest days", "Under you" and "Where the love is". They were really a great underrated band. I like them much more than Echo & the Bunnymen for example but it's funny how the fantastic "Total recall" sounds a bit like their "Killing moon"!
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The Sound ten best songs!:
https://medium.com/@nikolajandersen_42369/the-ten-best-songs-of-the-sound-5019f8874ce8
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Yep great songs. "Winning" would be my number 1
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"Winning" would be my number 1
It's just an incredible song, so moving, so evocative, so emotional...a masterpiece, unforgettable.
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His solo stuff is more patchy but there are lots of great songs in there. There is still a lot of his stuff that I don't have. Some of it is hard to get and some of it doesn't really do much for me. But there are usually a few good songs on all his releases. So please let me know if you find stuff that you like.
There are some good songs on the CINEMATIC album and i especially like this one, sad and haunting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV3Oz42cycA&ab_channel=Fractured%2FImage
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Rare Adrian Borland interview from 1985:
https://headsandheartsblog.wordpress.com/an-interview-with-adrian-borland/
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Just got Adrian Borland's Lovefield: Neon and Stone. I didn't realize that it's a completely different album from Lovefield. I'm a bit confused by this but I really like it.
You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06_g0Wv_AkE&list=OLAK5uy_mqAWBe4_CFRqTL-LCd_ydfWGKHQBnPCJ4&index=7
Re-releases of JEOPARDY, ALL FALL DOWN and FROM THE LION'S MOUTH next September on vinyl record/LP!!:
https://www.roughtrade.com/en-gb/artist/the-sound
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Ronker. Belgian band. Saw them for the third time yesterday at their release show for their first album. It was a party!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUJ3Zf06fx4&ab_channel=LABELMAN
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The first 3 albums of The Sound have now been re-released on vinyl, and in January 10th of 2025 on cds...here are the memories of the excellent bass player Graham Bailey and the drummer Mike Dudley:
https://www.thisisdig.com/feature/the-sound-graham-bailey-mike-dudley-warner-albums-interview/
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Which albums do you recommend from Adrian Borland's solo career and with White Rose Transmissions?
Have you seen the documentary about him "Walking in the opposite direction"?
I've read that the band was a bit cult in Holland in the 80's but wasn't famous in the UK despite some good reviews from the critics.
Also some critics compared them to early U2, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure but if i enjoy some of these bands i think that Borland's songrwriting was more visceral powerful and piognant, at least it moves me more than the works of these bands!
First time i've listened to "Winning" on the great live album IN THE HOUTHOUSE i had like a musical and emotional "electroshock", you can really feel the despair and hope in Adrian's voice...i also think that "Total recall" is an awesome song, so moving the way Adrian sings it, again, on the studio version or on the live album, his voice was very beautiful.
Which are your favourite songs from Adrian Borland Johnz?
The early Sound stuff is my favourite; From The Lions Mouth is a great album. I also love Shock of Daylight. Songs like Winning, Total Recall, Counting the Days are fantastic and were ahead of their time. His solo stuff is more patchy but there are lots of great songs in there. I love the White Rose Transmission version of Walking in Opposite Direction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROsW3gfiLa0&list=PLMcOIuAwqp9DOHTBWMu5AA_9yggrbWyrP&index=6
It's from the album 700 Miles of Desert which AB wrote all the music for.
This is a nice write up of his solo stuff with video links:
https://www.toppermost.co.uk/adrian-borland/
I really like 5am: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO81I3LrmeA&t=571s
There is still a lot of his stuff that I don't have. Some of it is hard to get and some of it doesn't really do much for me. But there are usually a few good songs on all his releases. So please let me know if you find stuff that you like. I haven't watched Walking In The Opposite Direction. Thanks for reminding me.
I grew up in Germany. They were never big there but they were known in indie circles. I remember buying Shock Of Daylight when it came out. I haven't kept up with all the releases. There have been quite a few after AB's passing. They are often compared to The Chameleons and I can see why. Another underrated band that made three beautiful albums.
JohnZ, i don't know if you will be in France in June but there"s an italian tribute band of THE SOUND which will play in Paris:
https://fr.ulule.com/thesoundtribute/
The band is named Total Recall and their covers are pretty good i think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH9IKIjWyTs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHwub1BecDM&t=3s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxhB-OFf9X0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCdMT4sx0cA