Jeopardy [CD]

Formed in 1979 and fronted by the temperamental and troubled Adrian Borland (he committed suicide in 1999 after struggling with depression for years), The Sound are perhaps 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 unique and influential contribution to the first wave of English post-punk is just as valid. Borland was fed up with the simplistic structures and routine of punk and wanted to break away from the punk movement.

Much like Magazine's Howard Devoto, who left the Buzzcocks, Borland wanted to create a sound that relied more on atmospherics, tension and instrumental interplay while embracing the urgency of the punk spirit. With the release of Jeopardy, The Sound turned this inspiration into a near-perfect debut. With a raw, edgy production befitting the 800-pound recording budget, the album is a biting romp, full of songs with hooks and emotional impact that never degenerate into mawkishness.

The album's opener begins minimally, until the jittery guitars of the chorus tear the song apart. A promising beginning that only hints at what is to come. Each song that follows builds on the momentum of a complex pop masterpiece. Borland's lyrics also prove that he is one of the few post-punk songwriters whose words are worth analyzing.

The album has received extremely positive reviews: NME, Sounds and Melody Maker all gave it top marks, and influential British DJ John Peel welcomed the band into the studio to record a session. With all the critical praise, it's hard to explain why The Sound never achieved the notoriety of the two bands they were most compared to, but you only have to listen to Jeopardy to hear the perfect combination of Joy Division's dark, tortured angst and Echo & the Bunnymen's accessible glam/art-rock fusion.

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