Close Up (The Outsiders album)

Last updated

Close Up
Close Up (The Outsiders album) cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released1978
Recorded1978 at Spaceward, Cambridge, England
Genre Punk rock
Label Raw Edge
The Outsiders chronology
One to Infinity
(1977)
Close Up
(1978)

Close Up is the second and final studio album by English punk band the Outsiders, which would later evolve into the Sound. It was released in 1978 by record label Raw Edge.

Contents

Background

In the liner notes of the 2012 reissue of the album, the musical style of Close Up was described: "Gone were the acoustic guitars and lengthy solos, replaced by urgency, stabbing riffs and a full-on, hard-edged punk/new wave sound". [1]

Track listing

Side A
  1. "Vital Hours"
  2. "Observations"
  3. "Fixed Up"
  4. "Touch and Go"
  5. "White Debt"
  6. "Count for Something"
Side B
  1. "Out of Place"
  2. "Keep the Pain Inside"
  3. "Face to Face"
  4. "Semi-Detached Life"
  5. "Conspiracy of War"

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
NME generally favourable [3]
Record Mirror unfavourable [4]

Close Up received a lukewarm response from critics, who were more enthusiastic about it than the band's previous album, Calling on Youth . NME reviewer John Hamblett assessed the album as "patchy, but promising", calling the Outsiders "a band with a future". [3]

Personnel

Technical

Related Research Articles

<i>The Offspring</i> (album) 1989 studio album by the Offspring

The Offspring is the debut studio album by American rock band the Offspring, released on June 15, 1989, by Nemesis Records. After being out of print for years, the album was re-released by Nitro and Epitaph Records in 1995 with a different album cover. Both the re-releases on the two respective labels are nearly identical. The Offspring has rarely played any songs from this album live since the Ignition tour finished in 1994.

<i>War</i> (U2 album) 1983 studio album by U2

War is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Steve Lillywhite, and was released on 28 February 1983 on Island Records. The album is regarded as U2's first overtly political album, in part because of songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", as well as the title, which stems from the band's perception of the world at the time; lead vocalist Bono stated that "war seemed to be the motif for 1982."

<i>Machine Gun Etiquette</i> 1979 studio album by the Damned

Machine Gun Etiquette is the third studio album by English punk rock band the Damned, released on 9 November 1979 by Chiswick Records. The album peaked at No. 31 on the UK Charts

<i>Sonic Youth</i> (EP) 1982 EP by Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth is the debut EP by American rock band Sonic Youth. It was recorded between December 1981 and January 1982 and released in March 1982 by Glenn Branca's Neutral label. It is the only recording featuring the early Sonic Youth lineup with Richard Edson on drums. Sonic Youth differs stylistically from the band's later work in its greater incorporation of clean guitars, standard tuning, crisp production and a post-punk style.

<i>Slates</i> (EP) 1981 EP by The Fall

Slates is an EP by the Fall, released on 27 April 1981 by Rough Trade Records. It was one of singer Mark E. Smith's favourite Fall releases, and he claimed it was aimed at "people who didn't buy records".

<i>Live</i> (X Cert) 1979 live album by the Stranglers

Live (X Cert) is the first live album by the Stranglers, released in February 1979 by United Artists. It contains tracks recorded at The Roundhouse in June and November 1977 and at Battersea Park in September 1978.

<i>Heaven Up Here</i> 1981 studio album by Echo & the Bunnymen

Heaven Up Here is the second album by the English post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen, released on 29 May 1981. In June 1981, Heaven Up Here became Echo & the Bunnymen's first Top 10 release when it reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. It was also the band's first entry into the United States album charts when it reached number 184 of the Billboard 200. The songs "A Promise" and "Over the Wall" were released as singles.

<i>Chairs Missing</i> 1978 studio album by Wire

Chairs Missing is the second studio album by the English rock band Wire. It was released on 8 September 1978 through Harvest Records. The album peaked at number 48 in the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sound (band)</span> English post-punk band

The Sound were an English post-punk band, formed in South London in 1979 and dissolved in 1988. They were fronted by Adrian Borland, and evolved from his previous band, the Outsiders.

<i>Join Hands</i> 1979 studio album by Siouxsie and the Banshees

Join Hands is the second studio album by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 7 September 1979 by Polydor Records. Upon its release, it was praised by the British press, including Melody Maker, Sounds, NME and Record Mirror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Borland</span> English singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer

Adrian Kelvin Borland was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer, best known as the frontman of post-punk band The Sound.

<i>Boogadaboogadaboogada!</i> 1988 studio album by Screeching Weasel

Boogadaboogadaboogada! is the second studio album by the Chicago-based punk rock band Screeching Weasel. The album was originally released on vinyl in December 1988 through Roadkill Records. It was the group's only album to feature Fish on bass and the last with Steve Cheese on drums, both leaving the band shortly after the album's release. Although still influenced by hardcore punk, the album also shows hints of the band's later Ramones-inspired sound.

The Outsiders were an English punk rock group, formed in 1975 in Wimbledon, England and consisting of singer-guitarist Adrian Borland, bass guitarist Bob Lawrence and drummer Adrian "Jan" Janes. In 1978 Graham "Green" Bailey replaced Lawrence at the bass and then he and Borland would go on to form the critically successful post-punk band the Sound. However, in sharp contrast with them, The Outsiders’ music received generally negative reviews regarding the context of their music.

<i>Jeopardy</i> (album) 1980 studio album by The Sound

Jeopardy is the debut studio album by English post-punk band the Sound. It was released in November 1980 through the record label Korova.

<i>From the Lions Mouth</i> 1981 studio album by the Sound

From the Lions Mouth is the second studio album by English post-punk band the Sound, released in November 1981 on record label Korova. Following the release of their previous album Jeopardy, keyboardist Belinda "Bi" Marshall left the group and was replaced by Colvin "Max" Mayers. For their new album, the Sound worked with producer Hugh Jones, as well as co-producing the album themselves. The album's sound was more polished than previous efforts.

<i>A Day Late and a Dollar Short</i> 1996 compilation album by The Queers

A Day Late and a Dollar Short is a compilation album by the American punk rock band the Queers, released in January 1996 by Lookout! Records. It collects material recorded between 1982 and 1994, most of it with original member Wimpy Rutherford. It includes the band's first two EPs, 1982's Love Me and 1984's Kicked Out of the Webelos, several demo tracks recorded in 1991, 16 tracks recorded during a January 1993 reunion with Rutherford, and a complete set of early songs recorded live on radio station WFMU in 1994 with Rutherford on lead vocals.

<i>Surf Goddess</i> 1995 EP by The Queers

Surf Goddess is an EP by the American punk rock band the Queers, released in February 1995 by Lookout! Records. It marked the return of longtime drummer Hugh O'Neill to the band, after a forced leave of absence to deal with heroin addiction. Former Screeching Weasel member Dan Vapid, who had been a member of the Queers in 1994, played on the EP as a guest guitarist. Surf Goddess was the result of band leader Joe King and Lookout! head Larry Livermore being dissatisfied with the production techniques on the band's prior album, 1994's Beat Off, which producer Ben Weasel had insisted on keeping basic. King and Livermore wanted to incorporate overdubbing and other effects which Livermore felt were essential to the Queers' sound. In addition to the title track, which was co-written by Weasel, and the Queers original "Quit Talkin'", the EP includes cover versions of Tommy James and the Shondells's "Mirage" and the Undertones' "Get Over You".

<i>Calling Card</i> 1976 studio album by Rory Gallagher

Calling Card is the sixth studio album and eighth album overall by Irish singer/guitarist Rory Gallagher. A 1976 release, it was his second of four albums released on Chrysalis Records in the 1970s. Deep Purple/Rainbow bass guitarist Roger Glover co-produced with Gallagher: it was the first time that Gallagher worked with a "name" producer and the only successful such collaboration. It was also the last album Gallagher would do with Rod de'Ath (drums) and Lou Martin (keyboards). After the Tour to Calling Card, Gallagher retained only his long-time bass guitarist Gerry McAvoy and hired Ted McKenna on drums. This revised power trio was Gallagher's line up from early 1978 until 1980.

<i>Calling on Youth</i> 1977 studio album by The Outsiders

Calling on Youth is the debut studio album by English punk rock band the Outsiders, led by vocalist/guitarist Adrian Borland, who would go on to form the Sound. It was released in May 1977 by record label Raw Edge.

Between 1993 and 2000, a series of Ramones covers albums were released by Selfless Records, an independent record label based in Garland, Texas specializing in punk rock, on which bands influenced by seminal punk group the Ramones performed cover versions of entire Ramones albums. Under the Selfless label, Screeching Weasel, the Queers, and the Vindictives respectively covered the first three Ramones albums: Ramones (1976), Rocket to Russia (1977), and Leave Home (1977). Selfless then became Clearview Records and continued the series, with Boris the Sprinkler, the Parasites, the Mr. T Experience, the Beatnik Termites, and the McRackins respectively covering End of the Century (1980), It's Alive (1979), Road to Ruin (1978), Pleasant Dreams (1981), and Too Tough to Die (1984).

References

  1. 2012 reissue liner notes.
  2. Deming, Mark. "Close Up – The Sound : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic . AllRovi . Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  3. 1 2 Hamblett, John (7 April 1979). "[NME review]". NME . Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  4. Hall, Phillip (April 1979). "[Record Mirror review]". Record Mirror . Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.