''Thunder Up'' is the fifth and final studio album by English

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

band the Sound, released in 1987 on

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record label Play It Again Sam. Two singles were released from the album: "Hand of Love" and "Iron Years". The album and its subsequent tour precipitated the band's breakup in early 1988. Like the Sound's previous records, the album was not commercially successful, but the band largely considered it to be their best work.

History

By 1987, the Sound were solid veterans in the music industry; they had, for instance, already passed through two record labels ( Korova and Statik), released four studio albums (1980's ''

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'', 1981's ''

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Background

''Thunder Up'' was recorded at Elephant Studio in London. Adam Brent Houghtaling, author of ''This Will End in Tears'', wrote that with ''Thunder Up'', "the aggression evident on he Sound'searlier releases had largely calmed into a more polished guitar pop".

Release

''Thunder Up'' was released in 1987 by Play It Again Sam. The album and its subsequent tour precipitated the band's breakup in early 1988.

Reception

The album was well received immediately on release by ''

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'', who acknowledged it as a "stunning, moving juggernaut". Critical appraisal from the mainstream press the work has largely been absent, although it was championed by ''

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'' upon release: "The Sound, by refining their despair, simply amplify their magnificence and magnify the intensity of expression". ''Thunder Up'' was a favourite among Sound members. Drummer Michael Dudley named it as one of his favourite Sound albums (along with ''Propaganda''), while Graham Bailey called it the band's "crowning glory". In a 1988 interview, frontman

Adrian Borland Adrian Kelvin Borland (6 December 1957 – 26 April 1999) was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer, best known as the frontman of post-punk band the Sound. Following a substantial musical career spanning numerous group ...

said, "Ultimately I find ''Thunder Up'' the very best album, because it sounds like the band 'live' in the studio and, in a way, it actually was".

Track listing

Note: In some editions, "You've Got a Way" is separated into two tracks, parts "I" and "II", to distinguish the initial piano piece. This brings the total number of tracks on some editions to 11.

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1987 albums The Sound (band) albums Alternative rock albums by English artists