The Sound

The Profile

The Sound were an English post-punk/new wave band led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Adrian Borland, frequently described by reviewers as unjustly underrated despite acclaimed early albums such as Jeopardy and From the Lions Mouth.

From the reviews: The Sound are described as a London band formed from members of The Outsiders, active from 1979 to 1988, blending rock ’n’ roll energy with darkwave/post-punk melancholy and pop sensibility. Reviewers repeatedly compare them to Joy Division (and sometimes The Smiths, The Cure, Siouxsie, PIL) while stressing the band’s distinct identity and strong use of keyboards. Multiple reviews state Adrian Borland died by suicide on April 26, 1999, and one notes keyboardist Max Colvin Myers died in 1993. Jeopardy (1980, Korova) is often singled out as their best release; From the Lions Mouth is treated as a stylistic progression; All Fall Down as more uneven; Heads and Hearts as overlooked but beautiful. Public, verifiable info not explicitly relied upon beyond what is consistent with the reviews is omitted.

These reviews portray The Sound as a highly underrated UK post-punk/new wave band led by Adrian Borland. Jeopardy is repeatedly framed as a masterpiece and often their best release, praised for dark-yet-hopeful songwriting, keyboards, and clean production. From the Lions Mouth is described as a stylistic progression with gentler, hypnotic atmospheres and standout tracks like “Winning” and “Silent Air.” All Fall Down is seen as more uneven but still fascinating, while Heads and Hearts is called hauntingly beautiful yet overlooked.