The Sound - Jeopardy
The second in my once-every-three-years series of posts about the SoundThe Sound were a band that did not make it, and possibly could not have made it under any circumstances. They belonged to that group of early 80s post-punkers who aren't referenced very often: Comsat Angels, House of Love, The Chameleons, et al. The Sound owned their sound: all their songs were sharply dressed, exhibiting such sad elan, desperate in their own ways, song to song."Jeopardy" is my favorite song by the Sound. This is the one with which I first felt a connection, and so much of that initial attraction had to do with the bass and the guitar. The first 30 seconds of "Jeopardy" is the fucking louchest music I've ever heard. It's the sonic representation of Matthew McConaughey's character in "Dazed and Confused." It is music that seems like the most masculine male gaze, which doesn't even make sense. But when Adrian Borland's voice comes in, the rough aggression of the song is stripped away, and you are left with something that feels like a pose, all bark and no fight, a studded leather jacket slung over bony shoulders."Jeopardy" is the title track on the Sound's debut album, which is pretty incredible, first track to last. BUY it, before it goes out of print again. (Also, that cover art? It's arresting, to say the least)