In no particular order some of my favourite music moments. No35 I Can’t Escape Myself by The Sound.
Despite being a massive Joy Division fan – hence the tile of this blog – I’m ashamed to say I’ve only recently discovered The Sound.
Though formed in south London, The Sound clearly shared a musical kinship with their Manchester contemporaries – singer and main songwriter Adrian Borland would even go on to cover Atmosphere and Love Will Tear Us Apart.
Never released as a single, (at least as far as I’m aware), I Can’t Escape Myself appeared on the band’s first album Jeopardy, which came out in November 1980.
Despite an enthusiastic reception, the record did not sell well, setting the tone for subsequent release, as the band continued to be loved by critics, but steadfastly ignored by the vast majority of the record-buying public.
Very much in the vein of JD, with a bit of Bauhaus thrown in, I Can’t Escape is a triumph of barely restrained emotion, which is thrillingly unleashed in the tumultuous two-chord burst of the chorus.
Sadly the fates of Borland and Ian Curtis would be entwined still further, as Borland also committed suicide, by throwing himself in front of a train at Wimbledon Station in 1999.
HIs losing battle with depression adding an eerie postscript to the lyrics of this oft-covered post-punk cult classic.
*Got a Great Musical Moment you’d like to share? Send me your suggestion via the contact form and if I like it, I’ll feature it and give you a mention. Looking forward to hearing from you.
