Fittingly enough, Borland's motivation to cut ties to the punk movement mirrored that of original Buzzcocks member Howard Devoto, who left his own band after Spiral Scratch. Like Devoto, who had gone on to pioneer yet another field called post-punk with Magazine, Borland looked around, saw all the bands who played straight-ahead chug-chug-chug rock & roll, and decided that the tired blueprint was in need of a little more depth and variation; atmospheres, tensions, and unfamiliar twists on the interplay between the instruments would be needed. Lyrics were another thing. Not content with simply railing against the government or grunting and yelping about trivial matters to merely keep a song moving, Borland became one of the few post-punk songwriters whose lyric sheets were truly worth ingesting and analyzing. Former Outsider Adrian Janes aided the cause, remaining involved with Borland in a behind-the-scenes manner, writing some of the band's lyrics with his former band mate.
The Sound made their first recordings in the living room of the Borland family home, with Adrian's supportive father Bob acting as recording engineer. As demonstrated on Propaganda, a posthumous release from 1999 that collects these sessions, the band was gradually -- not so drastically and suddenly -- leaving the Stooges/Velvets axis and applying touches that would be developed into something all their own. They received their first break of sorts from Stephen Budd, an early supporter since the Outsiders days, who had recorded and released some material by Bailey and Borland's electronically inclined side project, Second Layer. Budd's label, Tortch Records, made a small profit from a Second Layer release, so he opted to put it right back into the Sound's first release. Budd also became the band's manager, booking studio time for them with Nick Robbins in Elephant Studios and finding places for the band to gig.
The first release made a humble impression. Physical World was reviewed positively in the NME by Paul Morley, and DJ John Peel took minor interest, playing it a couple times during his influential BBC program. Though the Sound hadn't the will to pine for a major label deal, the WEA-affiliated Korova label (home of Echo & the Bunnymen) came knocking when they found out the band was going back into the studio to make a full album. Korova heard the rough mixes of the album and a deal was made. Regardless of the label's involvement, Jeopardy was recorded cheaply, and upon its release was reviewed extremely favourably by all the important outlets. Reviews in the NME, Sounds, and Melody Maker gave it five stars. Rightfully likened to the Bunnymen, the Teardrop Explodes, and Joy Division in those reviews, one only needs to hear the weakest song from the record to realize that the Sound -- from the very beginning -- belonged in that high class.
Bi Marshall left the band and was replaced by Max Mayers (aka Colvin Mayers) before the Sound went in to work with master producer Hugh Jones, who had previously worked with the Teardrops and the Bunnymen, for the follow-up. From the Lion's Mouth took full advantage of the band's atmospheric, mind-bending capabilities by coating their songs -- accessible and economical as ever -- with richly layered productions that didn't hide the rock-solid foundation the songs were built on. Another round of positive reviews and another round of general indifference from the public ensued, though a cult following was festering. Korova became a little anxious with the band and wanted some hits. Surely, the next one would break them.
It wouldn't happen. Working again with Nick Robbins, the band was pressured by the label to compromise and play the pop game. Not only that, but the band was shifted to WEA proper, a move that probably had more to do with taxes than music. The heat from the label and the climate it spawned resulted in All Fall Down, one of those historically troubled third albums (i.e., the one that super-diehard fans defend to their grave). The Sound responded to the situation with their least penetrable record by a couple brick walls. And WEA responded to the response with no promotion. Criticized for being too wilfully distant, for cannibalizing the back catalog, and for lacking immediacy (i.e., "tunes"), the record still has much to give the listener. Although it's not the band's best moment by a long shot, it's hardly something the band would feel ashamed of later on. To little surprise, the band wound up without a label and decided to reconsider their direction.
The period of dormancy involved a collective realization that the enthusiasm for making music and playing it, despite being a little drained from their experiences with WEA, had never really waned. Several major labels expressed interest in signing them, but in the end Statik won out; the band decided it would be better to go with the small independent. (Surprisingly enough, the band worked out a short-term deal with A&M to release material in the States, but it was pretty pointless.) Shock of Daylight, a six-song EP, was released in 1984. The time off served them well, resulting in some of the band's most fiery and uplifting material. This carried through to the following year's glassy/classy Heads and Hearts, the band's fourth studio album. Two dates at the Marquee during August were recorded for the double live album In the Hothouse, which was released in 1986.
For their final album, 1987's Thunder Up (released on Play It Again Sam in Belgium and Nettwerk in Canada), the band allowed the darkness from All Fall Down and the shivering, plaintive desolation of Shock of Daylight's "Winter" to creep back in. Few were still paying attention, but the Sound released a swan song that most of the members considered to be their finest work, with plenty of variety that hangs together. Nearly a decade of empty wallets and minor personality clashes had eroded the band's resilience, so the band decided to stop shortly after its release.
Borland continued in music throughout the next two decades, producing other acts and releasing another batch of under-appreciated records as a solo artist and as a member of a couple side projects (the Honolulu Mountain Daffodils, White Rose Transmission). Bailey, Dudley, and Mayers left music for the most part. Mayers passed away in the early '90s, a victim of AIDS. And on April 26, 1999, Borland took his own life. Thanks to the Renascent label's reissuing program in the late '90s and early 2000s, the Sound's discography has been restored and revitalized. "From the Lion's Mouth" is still regarded as a mark in new wave.
Fatal Flaw
The Sound Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been growing away from the light
And I can't come back now
Until I drag myself out of this vice
Sense of distance when you stand next to me
I've made a strange disappearance
One that no-one can see
You can't reach me anymore
We all have weakness
Moments that we can't contain
Right now I'm all weakness
I'll make another retreat again
Sense of distance when you stand close to me
I've made a strange disappearance
One that no-one can see
You can't reach me anymore
Turn to face the fatal flaw
A fatal attraction - fatal flaw
Been growing away from the light - fatal flaw
The Sound's song "Fatal Flaw" depicts the internal struggles of a person who is aware of their flaws and weaknesses but unable to overcome them, leading them to feel disconnected from themselves and others around them. The phrase "fatal attraction" suggests that the person is aware that their flaws are dangerous and self-destructive, yet they continue to be drawn to them. The line "been growing away from the light" signifies that the person is moving towards darkness, away from positivity, and growth.
The singer of the song is aware that they cannot come back from where they are now until they take responsibility and pull themselves out of the negative tendencies that have a strong hold on them. They feel a sense of distance or alienation from other people because of their internal struggle, causing them to make a "strange disappearance" - only visible to themselves.
The chorus reinforces the idea that everyone has a "fatal flaw" or weakness they struggle with, and the singer is currently experiencing their weakness in full force. Their flaw is like an "attraction," pulling them towards self-destruction. The singer acknowledges their problem but is unable to control it.
Overall, "Fatal Flaw" is a sobering song that sheds light on the inner workings of people's minds and the difficult process of overcoming their shortcomings.
Line by Line Meaning
A fatal attraction
An irresistible and dangerous attraction towards something or someone that can lead to one's downfall
Been growing away from the light
Gradually distancing oneself from goodness, morality, or spirituality
And I can't come back now
Unable to return to one's former self or state
Until I drag myself out of this vice
The only way to break free from a bad habit or addiction is to put in the effort on one's own
Sense of distance when you stand next to me
Feeling distant or disconnected from others, even in their physical presence
I've made a strange disappearance
Experiencing a change in personality or behavior that is unexplainable to others
One that no-one can see
Others are unaware of the struggles or inner turmoil being faced
You can't reach me anymore
Emotionally or mentally unavailable to others
Turn to face the fatal flaw
Confronting and acknowledging the destructive pattern or behavior that is causing harm
We all have weakness
Everyone has vulnerabilities or areas of struggle
Moments that we can't contain
Times where it becomes difficult to manage or control one's emotions or impulses
Right now I'm all weakness
Currently feeling overwhelmed and powerless in the face of one's struggles
I'll make another retreat again
Retreating or isolating oneself from others as a way of coping or avoiding confrontation
A fatal attraction - fatal flaw
The dangerous attraction or pull towards whatever is causing harm is the inherent flaw
Been growing away from the light - fatal flaw
The harmful behavior or pattern is the flaw that needs to be confronted and addressed
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADRIAN KELVIN BORLAND, COLVIN MAYERS, GRAHAM JOHN BAILEY, MICHAEL DUDLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind