The Sound

THE DARE – Electro Punk Artist Covers THE SOUND’s Emotional 1980 Gem ‘I CAN’T ESCAPE MYSELF’

Posted on by JL

Daily noise that works faster than a stream of caffeine

12 May 2025


Press photo

L.A.-based electro rock artist Harrison Patrick Smith aka THE DARE who easily could be
LCD Soundsystem main man James Murphy‘s sonic twin brother launched his career 10 years ago as Turtlenecked, released several LPs and then became The Dare scoring a huge hit with Girls in 2022. His debut LP What’s Wrong With New York? came out last year.

Smith now dropped a cover of a song by the The Sound, the popular post-punk band from London (1979-1988) fronted by Adrian Borland who took his own life after years of heavy problems with depression.

Smith‘s take on I CAN’T ESCAPE MYSELF works surprisingly well,
capturing the desperation and mental pain of the original 1980 gem.

THE DARE

THE SOUND

Instagram – Linktree

Louisville Rockers WHITE REAPER Cover 80s British Underrated Indies THE SOUND

Posted on by JL

6 March 2024

Last year Louisville‘s scathing garage noiseniks WHITE REAPER released their
4th LP Asking For A Ride and promote on the road as support act to Weezer.

They now join the long queue of artists doing covers.

They picked I CAN’T HELP MYSELF. The opener of the1980 debut longplayer
Jeopardy by British post-punk indies THE SOUND fronted by the unfortunate
Adrian Boland who took his own life in 1999, aged 41.

Esposito (guitarist) : ““We wanted to put something out and we didn’t have an album
yet so we covered a song that we love. We’ve done this before and we’ll probably do it
again. The Sound is a really great band and you should check them out if you’re unfamiliar.”

The White Reaper‘s version is a respectful tribute
to one of the most underrated indie bands ever.

Original


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Gone But Not Forgotten! THE SOUND 1979-1988

Posted on by JL

One-two-three remarkable moments from remarkable bands from the past

26 February 2023

British post-punk band THE SOUND was formed by its singer-songwriter
ADRIAN BORLAND in 1979 after he called it a day with his previous band
The Outsiders. They emerged amidst a flood of post-punk bands like Joy
Division, The Cure, Gang Of Four, Teardrop Explodes, Bauhaus, Echo &
The Bunnymen, Magazine, and many more.

Tough competition if you want to shine. Probably one of the reasons they
operated much of their time in the shadows of the giants. But also the lack
of much-deserved support from the press and record industry, plus drug
problems and a not caring entourage turned them into one of the most
underrated bands ever.

The group broke up in 1998, leaving five albums behind. The immensely
sensible, vulnerable, and psychologically troubled Adrian Borland who
suffered from schizoaffective disorder started a solo career with more
downs than ups. Slowly but surely he sank into a deep black hole. He
took his own life in 1999, only 41. R.I.P.

1-2-3 memorable The Sound moments…

– NEW DARK AGE –
(Momentous live version)

– I CAN’T ESCAPE MYSELF –

I’m sick and I’m tired
Of reasoning;
Just want to break out,
Shake off this skin
I can’t escape myself…

– TOTAL RECALL –

THE SOUND: History – All Albums

British Post-Punks THE SOUND Released Their Debut LP ‘JEOPARDY’ 40 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

2 November 2020

Band: THE SOUND (South-London)
Fronted by the late songwriter/guitarist Adrian Borland who passed
away in 1999, only 41. He committed suicide following a long battle
with severe depressions.
Album: JEOPARDY
Released: 1 November 1980 – 40 years ago

Melody Maker wrote at the time: “Jeopardy is one of those records that makes
me want to throw all the windows open, crank it up to full volume and blast it out
to the world. It clears my head of boredom, strips away the gloom and single-handedly
restores my belief in the power of pop to make people stop, think and question. Jeopardy
has got more spirit, more soul and more downright honesty about it than any other
record I’ve heard this year.” 5/5. NME and SOUNDS also gave the LP a 5/5 score.

Single: Heyday

Full album…

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THE SOUND: All Albums


In 2001 a tribute album with various artists came out.

TODAY’S YESTERDAY ALBUM – ‘Thunder Up’ – THE SOUND

Posted on by JL

Remarkable longplayers from the past

‘Thunder Up’
THE SOUND
Released: 28 Dec 1987
Fifth and final album

PENNY BLACK MUSIC wrote: “Released on the Dutch label ‘Play It Again Sam’ (PIAS)
after Statik went into liquidation, ‘Thunder Up’ is the most diverse of all The Sound’s
albums and strikes a middle balance between the pumped-up adrenalin rock of
‘Jeopardy’ and ‘From the Lion’s Mouth’, and the more subdued, bleak experimentations
of ‘All Fall Down’. The musicianship is never less than impressive. It is, however, Borland’s
lyrics that are the real tour-de-force. As The Sound’s fortunes had begun to wane and they played to increasingly diminishing audiences, the always sensitive Borland had started to display symptoms of manic depression. In 1986 he was diagnosed as having a schizoid
affective disorder. ‘Thunder Up’ was essentially about a man clawing his way back from the edge, desperately trying to make sense of his life in all its confusion and to save the band that he loved. It is especially poignant as Borland, Mayers and the Sound were all not to survive. Thunder Up’ despite all its rich complexities, remains the band’s unsung masterpiece.”

TURN UP THE VOLUME‘s fav track: immensely beautiful… HAND OF LOVE

Album in full…

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THE SOUND: Biography – Discography


Magic and tragedy…