Tell me about the Comsat Angels' bleak classic "Sleep No More"

[Davey]

A few months ago in Uncut there was a brief and not very interesting one page feature story/interview on Interpol that I just got around to reading, and on the facing page with a big band photo there was a little sidebar about some other "bleak classics" you'd enjoy if you were a fan. The usuals like Unknown Pleasures and something from the Cure and one of the Sound records, but also the Comsat Angels. I know there's been talk about these guys before here and also in relation to Interpol, but I don't think I've ever heard them before. Did I miss much? Did they show up on any of the 80s comps we did? Not that it would matter since they are in another state right now, but just for future reference. They aren't on any of the comps in the old comp4trade site. If so, what's the current state of their catalog and the best place to start? Thanks, all you post punk party people.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'd have to refresh myself, and my copy is in storage, so can't, but if memory serves, it'd be the kinda stuff you'd dig -- less Cure-gothy, more indie. Sorry can't be of more help.

[Davey]

I'd have to refresh myself, and my copy is in storage, so can't, but if memory serves, it'd be the kinda stuff you'd dig -- less Cure-gothy, more indie. Sorry can't be of more help.

Thanks for the effort. I'll give you a C+. I guess there aren't very many post punk party people around these here parts anymore. Was that a tumbleweed that just blew by? Did I just see a ghost?



For some reason that ghostown image reminded me of that great song "The Dancer" that closed out PJ Harvey's To Bring You My Love. Must be the sound of the wind that blows through it. Ahh, that should be my song of the day. Or song of the 90s. Love it!

He came riding fast like a phoenix out of fire flames
He came dressed in black with a cross bearing my name
He came bathed in light and the splendor and glory
I can't believe what the lord has finally sent me

He said dance for me, fanciulla gentil
He said laugh a while, I can make your heart feel
He said fly with me, touch the face of the true god
And then cry with joy at the depth of my love

Cause i've prayed days, i've prayed nights
For the lord just to send me home some sign
I've looked long, i've looked far
To bring peace to my black and empty heart

My love will stay till the river bed run dry
And my love lasts long as the sunshine blue sky
I love him longer as each damn day goes
The man is gone and heaven only knows

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Ok, truth be told I don't really have much of substance to add here, but whatthephuk....

I've never actually heard the album you reference, actually, the only Comsat Angels album I have is courtesy of our synth-pop loving friend Jim. I think the disc I have is the follow-up to Sleep No More, Fiction, at least I think so, you see I seem to have lost whatever lit. was included so all I know is that it is a CS album, but perusing allmusic.com using my spidey senses I have deduced that Fiction seems to be what I have. So I just popped in the player, and it's good, kind of Yin to Joy Division's Yang, definitely hear a Cure vibe. Nice drumming, understated, tasteful synth. You'd like it, but I don't think it would rock your world. Allmusic does have some pretty strong hyperbole (pronounced hyper-bowl), like this...

Fiction closes out a trilogy of year-to-year-to-year brilliance, a level previously achieved by Wire through their '77-'79 output and seldom witnessed since, perhaps only by Husker Du's four speed-fueled pearls of '84-'86.

Wow dude, slow down there. This album ain't 154 , granted it's probably only my third or fourth listen as opposed to 3 or 4 thousand listens to 154, and granted I've never heard the first two CS albums, but come on....

Anyhow, judging from the little I've heard, it's good, certainly nothing offensive here, but I don't think it's gonna bring a teardrop to your leg.

Just some drunken Friday-night ramblings, curtesy of a pure malt called Boreale (can't do the accent on the first e, but if I could you'd see that it is pronouncedbow-ray-al), and a lovely Danish Bitter called Gammel Dansk. An intoxicating combination.

Hey.....have you heard? Canada's taking over. Eh!

[Stone]

I did go back and revisit it and I'm relatively new to this (a year or two), so it's not like it's been played 100s of times over the past 20+ years, so take this for what it's worth. It is a slower, "bleak" synth-driven song that's good. It's certainly not a classic in my book, though. The song has kind of swirling synths that are prominent throughout the song and it seems to head in one steady direction and never really seems to go anywhere else. I'd much, much rather hear JD or that era Cure, etc. I'd rather listen to most of the stuff off Waiting For a Miracle than that song, let alone consider it to be a classic of the genre. The next song on that album, "Be Brave," is a really damn good song, but is not as bleak and uses guitars prominently.

My $0.02.

[Jim Clark]

I really like this band a lot but like everyone else don't spend as much time with them compared to whatever my current fascination at the moment is. Gloomy, bleak, sullen are all apt descriptions (probably all mean pretty much the same thing anyway). To me there seems to be an emotional detachment there, especially with "Fiction" that acts to add an impact that in the end is very emotional. If you think that makes no sense, try to get into the mental state where it could actually make sense. Very morose. I dunno, if you like The Sound, I would think that this is a likely candidate for listening. Bet I know where you could discover a copy to do just that.

All told I think I have three of their albums. Fiction, Waiting For A Miracle (bought from Unleash Hell ), and Sleep No More. I can't find Sleep No More to save my soul, but it's around here somewhere. Personally I started in reverse order and it was motivational enough for me to complete the triad. But then again, I'm a junkie for that type of thing in the first place.

jc

[Davey]

I really like this band a lot but like everyone else don't spend as much time with them compared to whatever my current fascination at the moment is. Gloomy, bleak, sullen are all apt descriptions (probably all mean pretty much the same thing anyway). To me there seems to be an emotional detachment there, especially with "Fiction" that acts to add an impact that in the end is very emotional. If you think that makes no sense, try to get into the mental state where it could actually make sense. Very morose. I dunno, if you like The Sound, I would think that this is a likely candidate for listening. Bet I know where you could discover a copy to do just that.

All told I think I have three of their albums. Fiction, Waiting For A Miracle (bought from Unleash Hell ), and Sleep No More. I can't find Sleep No More to save my soul, but it's around here somewhere. Personally I started in reverse order and it was motivational enough for me to complete the triad. But then again, I'm a junkie for that type of thing in the first place.

jc

Thanks for all the info guys. Just looked t the article again this morning and see that I screwed up the topic line, as usual. They listed "Waiting For A Miracle", not "Sleep No More". Goes something like this...

ColdComfort
If you like Interpol, you may also like these bleak classics

Joy Division
Unknown Pleasures 1979
Comsat Angels
Waiting For A Miracle 1980
The Cure
Faith 1981
Echo & The Bunnymen
Heaven Up Here 1981
Psychedelic Furs
Forever Now 1982
The Chameleons
Script of the Bridge 1983

[Jim Clark]

Thanks for all the info guys. Just looked t the article again this morning and see that I screwed up the topic line, as usual. They listed "Waiting For A Miracle", not "Sleep No More". Goes something like this...

ColdComfort
If you like Interpol, you may also like these bleak classics

Joy Division
Unknown Pleasures 1979
Comsat Angels
Waiting For A Miracle 1980
The Cure
Faith 1981
Echo & The Bunnymen
Heaven Up Here 1981
Psychedelic Furs
Forever Now 1982
The Chameleons
Script of the Bridge 1983

yeah, well sorry for the delay.Don't have nearly as much time to post as I have had in the past. I guess I could, but it would come at the expense of listening, and that's a tough call to make.

jc