September 30, 2024 by A.S. Van Dorston

The last of the secret history of 1981 atmospheric post-punk albums to rediscover? RIYL The Sound, The Comsat Angels, The Cure, Killing Joke, Modern Eon, The Chameleons.

Between the The Musical Guides to Modern Eon & The Comsat Angels by Andrew Keeling (2022), Cherry Red’s reissue of Modern Eon’s Fiction Tales (1981), and Simon Heavisides’ recent Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland (2024) and the upcoming Nov 29 Rhino reissues of the first three albums by The Sound, there’s been a growing interest in the secret history of post-punk.

Like Joy Division’s first efforts as Warsaw and The Outsiders evolving into The Sound, Opposition, who formed in London’s southern suburbs in 1979, were initially playing a hybrid of 2 Tone, The Ruts and The Police as heard on the impressively fully formed 1980 single “This Year/Punishment of Luxury.” Sessions were later released in 2005 as the fascinating Lost Album. Like many contemporaries, they took a turn toward the heavier vibes of Joy Division by the time they released their first official album, Breaking the Silence (1981, AZ International).

Taking a page from Andy Summers’ deceptively simple guitar technique like an impressionist painter’s brushstrokes, Mark Long’s shimmering guitar sound left trails of reverb and decay like the tail of a comet. Bands like The Chameleons seemed to take keen notice of the title track, “Black And White” and the eight-minute plus “Very Little Glory.” U2’s The Edge didn’t evolve into a remarkably similar direction until 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire. On the driving, bottom-heavy “War Games,” Marcus Bell’s menacing bass and Long’s emphatic vocals bring to mind Killing Joke. Amidst a rainstorm, the guitar and bass sound to be submerged in water in “A Thirst,” something The Cure were starting to experiment with at the time. The fierce, angry power of “In My Eyes” should appeal to fans of Comsat Angels.

And yet while isolated elements can be compared to their contemporaries, their first four albums represent a consistently distinctive body of work that fans of atmospheric post-punk and coldwave shoul feel compelled to investigate. Ironically, while they signed to Charisma records and released a string of equally strong albums — Intimacy (1982), Promises (1984) and Empire Days (1985), they drew even less attention than the independent debut. Just as a strong cult following in France and the Netherlands was not enough to sustain The Sound, the band went on hiatus in 1987. Bell and Long recorded some dance pop in a side project called SO, achieving a minor 1988 hit, “Are You Sure.” They released two albums in the 90s, and several more in the 21st century, though some were released by Long without Bell’s participation or blessing. Sadly, vocalist/guitarist Mark Long died in 2022.

1981 Post-Punk

The Sound – From The Lions Mouth (Korova) | UK
The Comsat Angels – Sleep No More (Polydor) | UK
Echo & the Bunnymen – Heaven Up Here (Sire) | UK
The Raincoats – Ody Shape (Rough Trade) | UK | Bandcamp
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Juju (Geffen) | UK
The Cure – Faith (Elektra) | UK
The Au Pairs – Playing With A Different Sex (Human) | UK
The Birthday Party – Prayers On Fire (4AD) | Australia | Bandcamp
The Gun Club – Fire Of Love (Ruby) | USA
Opposition – Breaking The Silence (Double Vision) | UK | Buy
Simple Minds – Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call (Virgin) | UK
Modern Eon – Fiction Tales (Dindisc) | UK | Buy
Martha & The Muffins – This Is The Ice Age (Dindisc) | Canada
Crass – Penis Envy (Crass) | UK | Bandcamp
The Method Actors – Little Figures (Press) | USA
Wipers – Youth Of America (Restless) | USA | Bandcamp
The Psychedelic Furs – Talk Talk Talk (Columbia) | UK | Bandcamp
Killing Joke – What’s THIS for . . . ! (Virgin) | UK
The Passage – For All And None (Virgin) | UK
Marquis de Sade – Rue de Siam (Pathé) | France
The Passions – Thirty Thousand Feet Over China (Polydor) | UK
Scars – Author! Author! (Pre) | UK
TV21 – A Thin Red Line (Deram) | UK
The Associates – Fourth Drawer Down (V2) | UK
The Church – Of Skins And Hearts (Arista ) | Australia
The Teardrop Explodes – Wilder (Mercury) | UK
This Heat – Deceit (Rough Trade) | UK | Bandcamp
Gang of Four – Solid Gold (WB) | UK
Mission Of Burma – Signals, Calls And Marches EP (Ace Of Hearts) | USA
Bauhaus – Mask (Beggars Banquet) | UK
The Slits – Return Of The Giant Slits (Epic) | UK
Public Image Ltd. – The Flowers Of Romance (WB) | UK
New Order – Movement (Factory) | UK
The Undertones – Positive Touch (Sire) | UK
The Fall – Slates EP (Castle) | UK
Tuxedomoon – Desire (Ralph) | USA | Bandcamp
Tom Verlaine – Dreamtime (WB) | USA
Wall Of Voodoo – Dark Continent (I.R.S.) | USA
Empire – Expensive Sound (Dinosaur/Poorly Packaged) | UK
David Byrne – The Catherine Wheel (Sire) | USA
Wah! Heat – Nah=Poo, The Art Of Bluff (Eternal/Castle ) | UK
U2 – October (Island) | Ireland
Lizzy Mercier Descloux – Mambo Nassau (Ze) | USA
MX-80 Sound – Crowd Control (Ralph ) | USA | Bandcamp
Television Personalities – And Don’t The Kids Just Love It (Rough Trade) | UK | Bandcamp
The Sleepers – Painless Nights (Adolescent/Superior Viaduct) | USA | Bandcamp
Fischer-Z – Red Skies Over Paradise (Liberty) | UK | Bandcamp
Sunnyboys – Sunnyboys (Mushroom/Festival) | Australia
Modern English – Mesh & Lace (4AD) | UK | Bandcamp
Monitor – Monitor (World Imitation/Superior Viaduct) | USA | Bandcamp