Dark clothes. Dark eyeliner. Dark lips. Dark thoughts. And dark music. That's goth. A scene as much as a music genre. The music style ranged from synth-pop, though post-punk to heavy metal and industrial metal, but tended to be dark and brooding and atmospheric. Though there are antecedents to the, predominantly 80s, goth music movement, such as Nico, The Doors, and Leonard Cohen, the movement essentially began as a development out of the post-punk scene in the late 70s through acts such Siouxsie and the Banshees with their 1978 album The Scream, and Joy Division with their 1979 album Unknown Pleasures, then in 1980 The Psychedelic Furs, Bauhaus, and Killing Joke with their albums The Psychedelic Furs, In The Flat Field, and Killing Joke, expanded the field of goth, with The Cure becoming the leading act with their 1982 album Pornography. Sisters of Mercy added a rock element to goth in 1984 with their first album, First and Last and Always, though the drum machine and synth sounds also associated the band with the 80s synth-pop genre. Other bands picked up on the goth rock sound, such as The Cult and The Mission (who were made up of musicians from Sisters of Mercy). I particularly remember The Cult both because I loved their second album, 1985's Love, but also because I was an insurance agent for Prudential at the time, and one of my customers was a rock photographer who was very excited about the band, and followed them on their world tour. I insured his equipment.
Sisters of Mercy was formed by Andrew Eldritch in Leeds in 1980, and Eldritch has remained the only constant - him and his drum machine, Doktor Avalanche. Though many consider the band's debut. 1985's First and Last and Always, as the band's most significant album because of the rock element, it is their second album, 1987's Floodland, with less of a rock sound, though retaining a combination of goth and synth-pop, that is generally most liked and most respected.
Wikipedia:
The debut album is considered by some to be interesting because it brings a more rock attitude to the goth scene.
Wikipedia:
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band formed in Leeds in 1980.[6] After achieving early underground fame there, the band had their commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new records in protest against their record company, WEA. Currently, the band are a touring outfit only.
The group has released three original studio albums: First and Last and Always (1985), Floodland (1987), and Vision Thing (1990). Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer-songwriter Andrew Eldritch and the drum machine called Doktor Avalanche are the only points of continuity throughout. Eldritch and Avalanche were also involved in the Sisterhood, a side project connected with Eldritch's dispute with former members.
The Sisters of Mercy ceased recording activity in the early 1990s, when they went on strike against East West Records, who they accused of incompetence and withholding royalties, and had pressured the group to release at least two more studio albums; instead, the label released the album Go Figure under the moniker SSV in 1997. Although the Sisters of Mercy were eventually released from their contract with East West, they have never been signed to another label nor released any new material. They have continued to perform new songs live.
Former members of the group established the bands Ghost Dance and the Mission.
 |
| First and Last and Always (1985) |
The debut album is considered by some to be interesting because it brings a more rock attitude to the goth scene.
| Released | 11 March 1985 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | June–November 1984 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | Gothic rock |
| Length | 45:37 |
| Label | Merciful Release |
| Producer | David M. Allen |
All lyrics are written by Andrew Eldritch.
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Black Planet" | Wayne Hussey | 4:26 |
| 2. | "Walk Away" | Hussey | 3:24 |
| 3. | "No Time to Cry" |
| 4:03 |
| 4. | "A Rock and a Hard Place" | Hussey | 3:34 |
| 5. | "Marian (Version)" | Hussey | 5:44 |
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "First and Last and Always" | Marx | 4:02 |
| 7. | "Possession" |
| 4:39 |
| 8. | "Nine While Nine" | Marx | 4:12 |
| 9. | "Amphetamine Logic" | Marx | 4:54 |
| 10. | "Some Kind of Stranger" | Marx | 7:20 |
- Andrew Eldritch – vocals, sleeve design, mixing
- Craig Adams – bass guitar
- Wayne Hussey – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Gary Marx – guitar
- Doktor Avalanche (drum machine) – drums
AllMusic:
Score:
Considered to be the band's most interesting album. Moody.
Wikipedia
 |
| Floodland (1987) |
Considered to be the band's most interesting album. Moody.
| Released | 16 November 1987 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 1987 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | |
| Length | 45:27 |
| Label | Merciful Release |
| Producer |
|
All tracks are written by Andrew Eldritch.
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dominion" / "Mother Russia" | Larry Alexander, Eldritch, Jim Steinman | 7:00 |
| 2. | "Flood I" | Alexander, Eldritch | 6:22 |
| 3. | "Lucretia My Reflection" | Alexander, Eldritch | 4:57 |
| 4. | "1959" | Alexander, Eldritch | 4:09 |
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Corrosion" | Steinman | 9:16 |
| 2. | "Flood II" | Alexander, Eldritch | 6:19 |
| 3. | "Driven Like the Snow" | Alexander, Eldritch | 4:39 |
| 4. | "Never Land" (a fragment) | Alexander, Eldritch | 2:46 |
- Andrew Eldritch – vocals, composing, keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, bass guitar, drum machine programming
- Patricia Morrison – bass guitar, backing vocals
- "Doktor Avalanche" – drum machine
Wikipedia
AllMusic:
Score:
The band's third album, Vision Thing, is a return to the rock sound of the band's debut album, though tending to be heavier, harsher, more uncompromising, yet simultaneously aiming for (though perhaps not quite making it) a more commercial sound. Eldritch had used Jim Steinman (of Bat Out of Hell and Faster Than The Speed of Light fame) successfully on two tracks on Floodland, and used him again on this album for one track, "More", which is generally considered to be the best track on the album.
When this album was announced as the Classic Rock Album of The Week I was a little surprised. While Sisters of Mercy have a fairly prominent association with goth music, particularly the rockier end of the spectrum, they are not generally considered one of the prime or more interesting acts - that would be the Banshees, the Cure, and Bauhaus. And of the three albums they released, pretty much everyone would regard Vision Thing as the least of them. I'm pretty sure I'd not heard the album, though I'd probably heard the singles "More" and "Jeep", both shorter, less demanding versions of the album tracks. "More" has elements of Billy Idol's 1983 "Rebel Yell", so I might not have paid it much attention.
On playing the album, my first instinct was to skip the whole thing, and not do a review. I found it harsh, repetitive, sometimes derivative, and generally lacking in appeal. The drum machine in particular I found very off-putting. The more interesting bits I tended to link to other artists, and dismissed the album as being not genuinely creative, relying too much on the creative work of others. But, I persevered. I played the album as I did other things - not really focusing on it, or looking at the lyrics, just letting myself become familiar with it. I couldn't quite shake off echoes of Depeche Mode, Billy Idol, Tom Waits, The Cult, etc, but by the end of the week I had become more accepting of its sound and approach, and was ready to listen more seriously.
There is a power and a drive to the opening title track, "Vision Thing", and while its straight ahead simplicity (I almost wrote stupidity) is irritating, it can also be compelling. Thudding drum machine, repeated guitar riffs, and a snarling lyric which hovers around authority, power, money, and has an engaging chorus of "Another motherfucker in a motorcade". Yeah, it's crude, simple, and somehow manages to be annoying and boring at the same time, but it's also melodically punk. Not a great track, but there's something about it that attracts interest. The next track "Ribbons" is initially too closed in to have much appeal, and the lyrics are mostly odd rather than interesting, but toward the end there is a repeated shout of "Incoming", which is suggestive of the song being about a war situation blended with a love song, which makes me reflect back on "Flowers on the razor wire", "She looked good in ribbons", "Love is a many splintered thing", which makes for some disturbing imagery. The album continues with songs that could almost be good, lyrics that have potential but are never quite realised, until we get to the two main tracks, the intensely irritating "Jeep" which is just too self-indulgent to crack open, but somehow gets inside your head. It's one of the most attention seeking tracks on the album, along with "Vision Thing" and "More". It's quite draining. It's a track that borders on hallucinatory - you can see it as part of a soundtrack to a scene in a film where characters are wasted - either through exhaustion, fear, or drugs (or a mix of everything) and are unable to find a way out. It's a track that sucks you in and doesn't want to let you go. "More" is the most accomplished, ambitious, and structured track on the album. The first thing to note is that the drum machine is more sparingly used, which immediately gives relief. But ultimately it doesn't go anywhere, and pushes the listener away rather than engaging, especially when the drum machine is allowed to get into its monotonous groove. The album finishes with an almost pop song, which is initially a pleasant surprise after all the industrial noise, but the album's negative simplistic goth themes win over the potential lightness and melody of the music.
The album ended up being somehow more attractive, more interesting, and more compelling than I had first thought it would be. But it's still a trivial, rough album which feels unfinished and uncared for. I suppose, ultimately, part of the charm is that the album is such a rough and unloved diamond (or should that be rhinestone), and it feels like that is what Eldritch contrarily wanted it to be. It's almost a sort of "Fuck you and fuck off" album from a somewhat grumpy and troubled individual.
 |
| Vision Thing (1990) |
The band's third album, Vision Thing, is a return to the rock sound of the band's debut album, though tending to be heavier, harsher, more uncompromising, yet simultaneously aiming for (though perhaps not quite making it) a more commercial sound. Eldritch had used Jim Steinman (of Bat Out of Hell and Faster Than The Speed of Light fame) successfully on two tracks on Floodland, and used him again on this album for one track, "More", which is generally considered to be the best track on the album.
When this album was announced as the Classic Rock Album of The Week I was a little surprised. While Sisters of Mercy have a fairly prominent association with goth music, particularly the rockier end of the spectrum, they are not generally considered one of the prime or more interesting acts - that would be the Banshees, the Cure, and Bauhaus. And of the three albums they released, pretty much everyone would regard Vision Thing as the least of them. I'm pretty sure I'd not heard the album, though I'd probably heard the singles "More" and "Jeep", both shorter, less demanding versions of the album tracks. "More" has elements of Billy Idol's 1983 "Rebel Yell", so I might not have paid it much attention.
On playing the album, my first instinct was to skip the whole thing, and not do a review. I found it harsh, repetitive, sometimes derivative, and generally lacking in appeal. The drum machine in particular I found very off-putting. The more interesting bits I tended to link to other artists, and dismissed the album as being not genuinely creative, relying too much on the creative work of others. But, I persevered. I played the album as I did other things - not really focusing on it, or looking at the lyrics, just letting myself become familiar with it. I couldn't quite shake off echoes of Depeche Mode, Billy Idol, Tom Waits, The Cult, etc, but by the end of the week I had become more accepting of its sound and approach, and was ready to listen more seriously.
There is a power and a drive to the opening title track, "Vision Thing", and while its straight ahead simplicity (I almost wrote stupidity) is irritating, it can also be compelling. Thudding drum machine, repeated guitar riffs, and a snarling lyric which hovers around authority, power, money, and has an engaging chorus of "Another motherfucker in a motorcade". Yeah, it's crude, simple, and somehow manages to be annoying and boring at the same time, but it's also melodically punk. Not a great track, but there's something about it that attracts interest. The next track "Ribbons" is initially too closed in to have much appeal, and the lyrics are mostly odd rather than interesting, but toward the end there is a repeated shout of "Incoming", which is suggestive of the song being about a war situation blended with a love song, which makes me reflect back on "Flowers on the razor wire", "She looked good in ribbons", "Love is a many splintered thing", which makes for some disturbing imagery. The album continues with songs that could almost be good, lyrics that have potential but are never quite realised, until we get to the two main tracks, the intensely irritating "Jeep" which is just too self-indulgent to crack open, but somehow gets inside your head. It's one of the most attention seeking tracks on the album, along with "Vision Thing" and "More". It's quite draining. It's a track that borders on hallucinatory - you can see it as part of a soundtrack to a scene in a film where characters are wasted - either through exhaustion, fear, or drugs (or a mix of everything) and are unable to find a way out. It's a track that sucks you in and doesn't want to let you go. "More" is the most accomplished, ambitious, and structured track on the album. The first thing to note is that the drum machine is more sparingly used, which immediately gives relief. But ultimately it doesn't go anywhere, and pushes the listener away rather than engaging, especially when the drum machine is allowed to get into its monotonous groove. The album finishes with an almost pop song, which is initially a pleasant surprise after all the industrial noise, but the album's negative simplistic goth themes win over the potential lightness and melody of the music.
The album ended up being somehow more attractive, more interesting, and more compelling than I had first thought it would be. But it's still a trivial, rough album which feels unfinished and uncared for. I suppose, ultimately, part of the charm is that the album is such a rough and unloved diamond (or should that be rhinestone), and it feels like that is what Eldritch contrarily wanted it to be. It's almost a sort of "Fuck you and fuck off" album from a somewhat grumpy and troubled individual.
Classic Rock Album of The Week;
| Released | 22 October 1990 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 1990 |
| Studio | Puk Recording Studios (Gjerlev, Denmark) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 42:35 |
| Label | |
| Producer |
All songs produced by Eldritch, except "More", produced by Eldritch and Jim Steinman, and "When You Don't See Me", produced by Chris Tsangarides.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Vision Thing" | Andrew Eldritch | Eldritch | 4:35 |
| 2. | "Ribbons" | Eldritch | Eldritch | 5:25 |
| 3. | "Detonation Boulevard" | Andreas Bruhn, Eldritch | Bruhn, Eldritch | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Something Fast" | Eldritch | Eldritch | 4:36 |
| 5. | "When You Don't See Me" | Eldritch | Bruhn, Eldritch | 4:47 |
| 6. | "Doctor Jeep" | Eldritch | Bruhn, Eldritch | 4:41 |
| 7. | "More" | Eldritch, Jim Steinman | Eldritch, Steinman | 8:21 |
| 8. | "I Was Wrong" | Eldritch | Eldritch | 6:03 |
| Total length: | 42:35 | |||
- Andrew Eldritch – vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Tim Bricheno – guitars
- Andreas Bruhn – guitars
- Tony James – bass
- Doktor Avalanche (drum machine) – drums
AllMusic:
Score: 4
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