512. Associates - Sulk (1982)

















Track Listing

1. Arrogance Gave Him Up
2. No
3. Bap De La Bap
4. Gloomy Sunday
5. Nude Spoons
6. Skipping
7. It's Better This Way
8. Party Fears Two
9. Club Country
10. nothinginsomethingparticular

Review

I should like this album, and intellectually I do, but then it doesn't appeal tremendously at a more basic level. This album brings together sounds similar to three of my favourite bands/artists, there something of the gothyness of Bauhaus, there is clearly a lot of Sparks, particularly in the vocal delivery and there is a peppering of David Bowie.

But there is a spark missing here, it's just that ineffable something that turns the very good into the great, Mozart had it while Haydn lacked it for example. And the Associates lack it sadly, the music is really good, it just isn't great and I cannot for the life of me understand why.

The production work here is really is something, and the album mentions the greatest Portuguese explorer (Vasco da Gama) by name, and that makes it immediately good. One of the problems with the album might be its lack of focus, a slightly more coherent album would have been great, as it is, it is good.

Track Highlights

1. Bap de la Bap
2. Nude Spoons
3. Country Club
4. Party Fears Two

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The are numerous stories about the recording sessions for this album, some of which are true. For instance, Mackenzie allegedly proposed that he and Alan Rankine arrive with fish tied to their lapels, for "creative enhancement"; hired drums were filled with water, destroying them; and the studio was once decorated with helium-filled balloons.


Thank you youtube, Nude Spoons: