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Average: 4.5 (96 ratings)
First goth, best goth: the debut of debonair darklords Bauhaus.
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We Say...
Their debut single, "Bela Lugosi's Dead," remains Bauhaus' most heralded moment; the song, however, was more defining than confining. The band's first full length, In the Flat Field, proved that Bauhaus had more decayed genius up their sleeves and were capable of tackling a variety of sounds and subjects. Opening with the descending guitar gloom and uptempo (for goth) clatter of "Dark Entries," the album elicited varying shades of black, demonstrating the band's mastery of mood and texture. Whether playing scratchy guitars, booming bass lines and slow, rolling drums on "Double Dare" or the lunging, weaving rhythms and spare, insistent beats of "Stigmata Martyr," Bauhaus consistently molded beautifully hopeless sounds into artfully barren landscapes.
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They Say...
Few debut albums ever arrived so nearly perfectly formed; that In the Flat Field practically single-handedly invented what remains for many as the stereotype of goth music -- wracked, at times spindly vocals about despair and desolation of many kinds, sung over mysterious and moody music -- demonstrates the sui generis power of both the band and its work. This said, perhaps the best thing about the album isn't what it's supposed to sound like, but what it actually does -- an awesomely powerful, glam-inspired rock band firing on all fours, capable of restraint and complete overdrive both, fronted by a charismatic, storming frontman. Starting with the challenging angst of "Double Dare," with shattering guitar over a curious but fierce stop-start rhythm while Murphy rages ever more strongly over the top, In the Flat Field contains a wide variety of inspirations and ideas. The astonishingly precise rhythm section of David J and Haskins pulls off a variety of jaw-dropping performances, including the high-paced tension of the title track and the brooding crawl from "Spy in the Cab." Ash, much like his longtime hero Mick Ronson, turns out to be a master of turning relatively simple guitar parts into apocalyptic explosions, from the background fills on "St. Vitus Dance" to the brutal descending chords of "Stigmata Martyr." Murphy, meanwhile, channels as much Iggy Pop as he does Bowie, proving to be no simple copyist of either, able to both maniacally sing-shout and take a somewhat lighter touch throughout. Concluding with the seven-minute "Nerves," an aptly titled piece that alternates between understated energy and unleashed power toward a dramatic ending, In the Flat Field started off Bauhaus' album career with a near-perfect bang.
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You Say...
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| 01. |  |
Dark Entries |
3:53 |  |
| 02. | |
Double Dare |
4:54 | |
| 03. | |
In the Flat Field |
5:00 | |
| 04. | |
God in an Alcove |
4:08 | |
| 05. | |
Dive |
2:13 | |
| 06. | |
Spy in the Cab |
4:32 | |
| 07. | |
Small Talk Stinks |
3:34 | |
| 08. | |
St. Vitus Dance |
3:31 | |
| 09. | |
Stigmata Martyr |
3:46 | |
| 10. | |
Nerves |
7:07 | |
| 11. | |
Telegram Sam |
2:11 | |
| 12. | |
Rosegarden Funeral of Sores |
5:34 | |
| 13. | |
Terror Couple Kill Colonel |
4:21 | |
| 14. | |
Scopes |
1:35 | |
| 15. | |
Untitled |
1:27 | |
| 16. | |
God in an Alcove |
4:10 | |
| 17. | |
Crowds |
3:15 | |
| 18. | |
Terror Couple Kill Colonel (Remix) |
4:32 | |
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Credits
- Bauhaus - Main Performer // Peter Murphy - Vocals // Peter Murphy - ? // Daniel Ash - Guitar // Daniel Ash - ? // David J - Bass // David J - Bass // David J - ? // David J - ? // Kevin Haskins - Drums // Kevin Haskins - ? // Duane Michals - Photography
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