Thunder Up

Last updated

Thunder Up
Thunder Up cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 1987
Recorded1987
StudioElephant Studio, Wapping, London
Genre Post-punk
Length40:14
Label Play It Again Sam
Producer
  • The Sound
  • Nick Robbins
The Sound chronology
Heads and Hearts
(1985)
Thunder Up
(1987)
Propaganda
(1999)
Singles from Thunder Up
  1. "Hand of Love"
    Released: 1987
  2. "Iron Years"
    Released: 1987

Thunder Up is the fifth and final studio album by English post-punk band the Sound, released in 1987 on Belgian record label Play It Again Sam.

Contents

Two singles were released from the album: "Hand of Love" and "Iron Years". The album and its subsequent tour precipitated the band's breakup in early 1988. Like the Sound's previous records, the album was not commercially successful, but the band largely considered it to be their best work.

History

By 1987, the Sound were solid veterans in the music industry; they had, for instance, already passed through two record labels (Korova and Statik), released four studio albums (1980's Jeopardy , 1981's From the Lions Mouth [ sic ], 1982's All Fall Down and 1985's Heads and Hearts ), one EP (1984's Shock of Daylight ) and one live album (1985's In the Hothouse).

Background

Thunder Up was recorded at Elephant Studio in London. [1]

Adam Brent Houghtaling, author of This Will End in Tears, wrote that with Thunder Up, "the aggression evident on [the Sound's] earlier releases had largely calmed into a more polished guitar pop". [2]

Release

Thunder Up was released in 1987 by Play It Again Sam. The album and its subsequent tour precipitated the band's breakup in early 1988. [3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Big Takeover favourable [5]
Trouser Press favourable [6]

The album was well received immediately on release by The Big Takeover , who acknowledged it as a "stunning, moving juggernaut". [7] Critical appraisal from the mainstream press the work has largely been absent, although it was championed by Melody Maker upon release: "The Sound, by refining their despair, simply amplify their magnificence and magnify the intensity of expression". [8]

Thunder Up was a favourite among Sound members. Drummer Michael Dudley named it as one of his favourite Sound albums (along with Propaganda), [9] while Graham Bailey called it the band's "crowning glory". [3] In a 1988 interview, frontman Adrian Borland said, "Ultimately I find Thunder Up the very best album, because it sounds like the band 'live' in the studio and, in a way, it actually was". [10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Adrian Borland, except as noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Acceleration Group" 3:32
2."Hand of Love" 3:18
3."Barria Alta"Borland, Colvin "Max" Mayers, Graham Bailey, Michael Dudley4:47
4."Kinetic" 5:15
5."Iron Years"Borland, Bailey4:11
6."Prove Me Wrong" 2:28
7."Shot Up and Shut Down" 4:19
8."Web of Wicked Ways" 2:56
9."I Give You Pain" 5:05
10."You've Got a Way" 5:29

Note: In some editions, "You've Got a Way" is separated into two tracks, parts "I" and "II", to distinguish the initial piano piece. This brings the total number of tracks on some editions to 11.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limp Bizkit</span> American rap rock band

Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by Durst's angry vocal delivery and Borland's sonic experimentation. Borland's elaborate visual appearance, which includes face and body paint, masks, and uniforms, also plays a large role in Limp Bizkit's live shows. The band has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, sold 40 million records worldwide, and won several other awards. The band has released 26 singles, the most notable of which include "Nookie", "Re-Arranged", "Break Stuff", "Take a Look Around", "Rollin' ", "My Generation", "My Way", "Eat You Alive", and their cover of the Who's 1971 single "Behind Blue Eyes", all of which have charted within the top 20 of the US Alternative Airplay Chart.

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

The Damned are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible, and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976), release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977), and tour the United States. They have nine singles that charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Zombie (band)</span> American heavy metal band

White Zombie was an American heavy metal band that formed in 1985. Based in New York City, they started out as a noise rock band, releasing three EPs and one studio album in that style before changing to a heavy metal-oriented sound that broke them to the mainstream. The albums La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One (1992) and Astro-Creep: 2000 (1995) established them as an influential act in groove metal and industrial metal, respectively. Their best-known songs include "Thunder Kiss '65", "Black Sunshine" and "More Human than Human". The group officially disbanded in 1998. In 2000, White Zombie was included on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, ranking at No. 56.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Borland</span> American musician

Wesley Louden Borland is an American rock musician. He is best known as the guitarist and backing vocalist of the rap metal band Limp Bizkit, the lead vocalist and guitarist of the alternative and industrial rock band Black Light Burns, and the co-founder of experimental metal band Big Dumb Face.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The dB's</span> American rock band

The dB's are an American alternative rock and power pop group, who formed in New York City in 1978 and first came to prominence in the early 1980s. Their debut album, Stands for Decibels, is often acclaimed as one of the greatest "lost" power pop albums of the 1980s.

<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.

<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.

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.

<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 on November 1, 1980 by the record label Korova.

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

From the Lions Mouth [sic] 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>Propaganda</i> (The Sound album) 1999 studio album by The Sound

Propaganda is an album by English post-punk band the Sound. It was recorded in 1979, before they recorded their debut album Jeopardy, and comprises the earliest material that they recorded. It was not released until April 1999 by record label Renascent, more than 10 years after the band broke up. It was viewed by the band as their true first album.

<i>All Fall Down</i> (The Sound album) 1982 studio album by The Sound

All Fall Down is the third studio album by English post-punk band The Sound, recorded from March to August 1982 and released in November 1982 on record label WEA.

<i>The Young Gods</i> (album) 1987 studio album by The Young Gods

The Young Gods is the eponymous debut studio album by the Swiss industrial rock band The Young Gods, released in 1987 by Play It Again Sam, Organik and Wax Trax! Records. The album employs a sample-based approach to rock music: the tracks are composed from samples from metal guitar riffs and classical compositions. The Young Gods was produced by Roli Mosimann, who went on to become a frequent collaborator of the band. It is the band's only record to feature their original drummer, Frank Bagnoud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band</span> British band led by Vivian Stanshall

The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band was created by a group of British art-school students in the 1960s. Combining elements of music hall, trad jazz and psychedelia with surreal humour and avant-garde art, the Bonzos came to public attention through a 1968 ITV comedy show Do Not Adjust Your Set.

<i>Shock of Daylight</i> 1984 EP by The Sound

Shock of Daylight is an EP by English post-punk band the Sound, released in April 1984 on Statik Records in the UK and A&M Records in the US.

<i>Heads and Hearts</i> 1985 studio album by The Sound

Heads and Hearts is the fourth studio album by English post-punk band the Sound, recorded in late 1984 and released in February 1985 by record label Statik.

<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.

<i>Close Up</i> (The Outsiders album) 1978 studio album by The Outsiders

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.

Second Layer were an English post-punk band formed in 1979 by Adrian Borland and Graham Bailey, both members of the Sound.

<i>Alexandria</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Adrian Borland & the Citizens

Alexandria is the debut album by English musician Adrian Borland, credited to Adrian Borland & the Citizens. It was released in 1989 by record label Play It Again Sam.

References

  1. Thunder Up (Media notes). The Sound. Belgium: Play It Again Sam. 1987. Retrieved 24 June 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. Houghtaling, Adam Brent (2012). This Will End in Tears. HarperCollins. ISBN   978-0062098962 . Retrieved 15 July 2013.
  3. 1 2 Reeves, Paul Sutton (March 2002). "[The Sound biography]". Record Collector . Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  4. "Thunder Up – The Sound : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic . AllRovi . Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  5. "[Thunder Up review]". The Big Takeover . 23 December 1987. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  6. Lamey, Charles P.; Rabid, Jack; Ferguson, Scott. "TrouserPress.com :: Sound". TrouserPress.com . Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  7. "The Sound – Thunder Up /Hand of Love/ Iron Years (Play It Again Sam BEL, Nettwerk CAN)". The Big Takeover . 23 December 1987. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  8. Mercer, Mick. "[Thunder Up review]". Melody Maker . Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  9. Clarkson, John. "[Michael Dudley interview]". pennyblackmusic.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  10. "[Adrian Borland interview]". Limit. 1998. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2013.