From the Lions Mouth

From the Lions Mouth [sic] is the second studio album by English post-punk[1] 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.

From the Lions Mouth
Studio album by The Sound
Released	November 1981
Recorded	1981
Studio	Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, Wales
Genre	Post-punk
Length	41:59
Label	Korova
Producer	The Sound Hugh Jones
The Sound chronology
Jeopardy (1980) From the Lions Mouth (1981) All Fall Down (1982)
Singles from From the Lions Mouth
"Sense of Purpose (What Are We Going to Do)" Released: 20 September 1981

Like Jeopardy, From the Lions Mouth was critically acclaimed but failed to capture the attention of the public, with the band's fanbase limited to a cult following. One single, "Sense of Purpose (What Are We Going to Do)", was released.

Content

The album cover artwork was taken from the 1872 painting Daniel in the Lions Den [sic] by Briton Rivière.[2]

NME compared the album's bleak nature to Joy Division's Closer.[3] Despite The Sound being posited as a gloomy band, AllMusic wrote, "snake-charming opener 'Winning' is like a dash of cold water in the faces of all the bands that were wallowing and withering away at the weeping well [...] The Sound were not mopes. They had their problems with life, but rather than just vent or escape from them, they confront them and ask questions and attempt to sort it all out."[1]

Release

One single, "Sense of Purpose (What Are We Going to Do)", was released in promotion for the album, on 20 September 1981. From the Lions Mouth was released in November by record label Korova.

The album was remastered and re-released in 2002 by Renascent, a record label formed specifically for the task of reissuing The Sound's records.[4] This release included the 1982 single "Hothouse", despite frontman Adrian Borland's wishes that the album should have the same track listing as the original.[5] The song was not included as a separate track, but as a continuation of "New Dark Age".

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Big Takeover	very favourable[6]
Melody Maker	favourable[7]
NME	favourable[8]
Record Mirror	[9]
Smash Hits	5/10[10]
Trouser Press	favourable[11]
Uncut	very favourable[12]

From the Lions Mouth was well received by critics upon its release. Mike Nicholls of Record Mirror wrote, "The Sound seem set to take up where Joy Division left off and become the saviors of the adolescent grim brigade".[9] Melody Maker's Steve Sutherland commented on the album's lighter, more commercial tone than that of Jeopardy, calling it "Jeopardy-as-palatable-product".[7]

In its retrospective article "Unspun Heroes", NME praised the album as "underrated" and a "ferocious, vital document".[3] Uncut described it as "a monumental work of rock 'n' roll angst" and The Sound's greatest album,[12] while Trouser Press cited it as the group's best work.[11]

Borland described the album as "the most polished and probably our most commercial album, with some of the greatest songs".[5]

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Winning"	Adrian Borland, Max Mayers, Graham Green, Michael Dudley	4:18
2.	"Sense of Purpose"	Borland, Mayers, Green, Dudley	3:52
3.	"Contact the Fact"	Borland, Mayers, Green	4:21
4.	"Skeletons"	Borland, Benita Biltoo, Green, Dudley	3:27
5.	"Judgement"	Borland, Mayers, Green	5:03

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Fatal Flaw"	Borland, Mayers, Green, Dudley	4:36
2.	"Possession"	Borland, Adrian Janes	3:25
3.	"The Fire"	Borland, Mayers, Green, Dudley	2:53
4.	"Silent Air"	Borland	4:14
5.	"New Dark Age"	Borland	5:49

Personnel

The Sound

• Adrian Borland – vocals, guitar, production
• Michael Dudley – drums, percussion, production
• Graham Green – bass guitar, production
• Max Mayers – keyboards, production

Technical

• Hugh Jones – production, engineering
• Briton Rivière – album cover artwork
• Howard Hughes – album cover concept
• Julian Mendelsohn – engineering
• Simon Fowler – sleeve liner photo photography

References

1. Kellman, Andy. "From the Lion's Mouth – The Sound : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. AllRovi. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
2. "Art UK – Daniel in the Lion's Den". Art UK. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
3. Garrett, Jonathan (30 June 2011). "Unspun Heroes – The Sound, 'From the Lions Mouth' – Reviews – nme.com – The World's Fastest Music News Service, Music Videos, Interviews, Photos and More". NME. Archived from the original on 10 December 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
4. "The Sound Microsite". renascent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
5. Reeves, Paul Sutton (March 2002). "[The Sound biography]". Record Collector. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
6. Rabid, Jack (June 2002). "[From the Lions Mouth review]". The Big Takeover (50). Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
7. Sutherland, Steve (24 October 1981). "[From the Lions Mouth review]". Melody Maker. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
8. Gill, Andy (31 October 1981). "[From the Lions Mouth review]". NME. Archived from the original on 10 December 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
9. Nicholls, Mike (21 October 1981). "Sound Roar". Record Mirror. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
10. Cranna, Ian. "Albums". Smash Hits (12-25 November 1981): 25.
11. Lamey, Charles P.; Rabid, Jack; Ferguson, Scott. "TrouserPress.com :: Sound". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
12. Roberts, Chris. "[From the Lions Mouth review]". Uncut. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.

External links

• From the Lions Mouth at Discogs (list of releases)