Customer Reviews

Propaganda

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The only other album I own by the Sound is Jeopardy and based on that album I always thought they deserved far better than they got. I recently purchased Propaganda and was amazed how good they were even before Jeopardy. For those of you who don't know, this was supposed to be their first album, but for one reason or another, it was never released until 2002. One or two songs (Music Business and Propaganda) are a little dated, but are still enjoyable.
This is a very raw album, in the best sense. Three songs, Missiles, Words Fail Me, and Night and Day were re-recorded for Jeopardy.
For those into the post-punk scene, The Sound is well-worth checking into. They were later lumped in with Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division, and the Cure, and while they shared some similarities with these groups, they definitely had their own style.

Recorded in 1979 and capturing the era perfectly. Had this album been released upon it's completion, I have no doubt that instead of being one of best kept secrets, The Sound would have taken their rightful place alongside Gang Of Four, Magazine, The Fall, The Comsat Angels, Echo and the Bunnymen and countless other now classic acts that welcomed the 80's. I would describe Propaganda as a mix of the first Damned album morphed with 'Black and White' by the Stanglers. The abrasive bar chord mayhem and glam rock inspired solos mixed with a unashamed use of a synth make this a must have for anyone into a cleanly produced, well thought out post-punk masterpiece.

What a blast to finally be able to hear these early Sound recordings, given the usual loving treatment from Renascent. As with many early recordings from bands that had a decent run, these are somewhat rough and low-fi, even though Renascent surely did some remastering, to the extent possible. If you're a Sound fan, this is a must. If you are wondering who or what The Sound is, this is not the place to start. Try _From the Lion's Mouth_ or _Jeopardy_ (or better yet, both) for an introduction to the band. As with all Renascent releases, the all-cardboard package nicely re-creates the old vinyl feel, and the liner notes are fantastic.