It's been a long time since a band has captured my attention and held it there, the way The Sound has. How they managed to fly under my radar for so long, I don't know. But I am so glad to have finally found them. And because they remain relatively unknown to other, well-versed post-punk and 80's alternative aficionados like me, I want to take some time to introduce them to more potential fans.
My introduction to their perfectly-crafted post-punk was a song called "Skeletons" off 1981's, From the Lions Mouth. Not many lyrics to it, but a simple yet thoughtful point to be made- "we're living like skeletons". A metaphor for being depressed, perhaps, to the point where you're going through your days like you're already dead. Or at least you feel so empty inside, you may as well be just bones with nothing but the wind flowing through your hollow shell. That last detail was purposely over-the-top dramatic and goth, because that is the vibe the song gives off. But, the Sound are much more than goth camp.
*TW: mention of s*icide.
To give some background, the Sound formed in 1979 in South London, and disbanded in 1988. They never reached mainstream success, like many post-punk bands of the time. However, they were even more obscure than their genre contemporaries, and still really only have a cult following today. Their frontman, principal songwriter, and lead guitarist was Adrian Borland. Borland was the creative force behind what gave the Sound, well... their sound. Those who knew him even in his early teenage years recall his creative nature and natural ability. He notably played guitar left-handed. Along with all his talents, unfortunately, Borland also suffered from multiple different mental disorders. His whole life he dealt with schizoaffective disorder, as well as depression and alcoholism in his later years. He attempted suicide at least three times, according to himself and his family, before sadly succeeding in it, on April 26th, 1999, by jumping in front of a train. Heartbreaking as it may be, there is a reason I didn't spare you the details of the dark side of Adrian Borland's life. It is necessary to understand the chillingly beautiful depth of his music.
The next song I heard from the Sound, is not from "the Lions Mouth", but is still absolutely worth talking about. From their first album, Jeopardy, I found "I Can't Escape Myself". A poignant callback to Borland's mental struggles, the title really says it all. A simple post-punk rocker, that drifts from quiet murmured verses, to shouted, angry choruses, that help convey the frustration of living with mental illness. "So many feelings, pent up in here. Left alone I'm with, the one I most fear", the opening lines warn. Even if you are neurotypical, and don't live with mental illness, I'm sure you're still able to understand that feeling of not wanting to be alone with yourself, at least one point in your life. For some people, that feeling isn't something that ever goes away. Listen to it for yourself, below.
One more song I would like to mention before I let you all go off to enjoy this band for yourself, is "Winning". The gorgeous yet haunting opening to From the Lions Mouth, this has become my favorite song by the Sound. It has so many different feelings to it, depending on where you're at in life when you hear it. The title sounds like it's going to be about success, and overall a positive message. But with our knowledge of Borland's life, there is surely more to it than that. I think it can be taken either as a declaration of determination to fight back against whatever is plaguing you in life, or a reminder of the futility of fighting yourself (or both at the same time). The guitar starts off droning on dreamily, but towards the end of the song, turns to incessant wailing, almost as if to remind you that the struggle is never really over- you won a battle, not the war. But that is a lot of what mental health / mental illness struggles are. It is winning the daily battles, trying to keep a leg up in the war, but in many cases, never really winning it, always just living around it. But hey, that in itself is something to be proud of.
Dismal as a lot of the Sound's music and Adrian Borland's writing may seem after reading this, I promise that listening to it should ultimately uplift you, rather than bring you down. I find comfort in knowing a creative soul out there like Borland has put a lot of things I have felt into relatable, beautiful post-punk anthems. While the Sound never got the critical acclaim and fame that they rightfully deserve, they still have a devoted cult following I am proud to call myself a part of, and soon maybe you will too!
I just wanted to sign off by saying, thank you all so much for reading. I am sorry for such a long absence since I last wrote, but I hope you'll continue to hang on with me, through future creative lapses. Knowing someone's still with me, makes all the difference. Now, go out there and start "winning", whatever that means for you!
