Sulk

The absolute worst that the UK has to offer. Histrionic, tortured vocals on top of bland, homogeneous instrumentals indistinguishable from any other Britpop LP out there. Getting real tired of these, feels like there’s at least two a week when many other albums from the era deserve to be on the list.

Music God #1: I have a genius idea. Music God #2: Lay it on me, bro. Music God #1: Now stick with me. Some day this will lead us to eargasmic electronica. Music God #2: Uh huh. What? Music God #1: OK. We need an album with some out there experimental sound exploration anchored with some sick keyboards. Music God #2: Experimental you say. Tell me more. Music God #1: Yeah. They are going to fill guitars with urine. Make a drum set with all different types of snares. Music God #2: I’m not so sure. Music God #1: Look, we’ll pair it with some cabaret falsetto vocals. They will complement each other nicely. Music God #2: Are you worried the music will sound like a soundtrack to a cheesy, low budget 80s horror movie spoof. Music God #1: You mean 80s cult classic. Music God #2: No I mean the kind of movie that is so bad it’s making fun of itself. Music God #1: Whatever. Eventually other bands will make fantastic music and this will be a loose step in the right direction to get there. Music God #2: I don’t like the sounds of this and neither will anyone else. I’m using my veto. Music God #1: I’m using my lone veto veto. It’s happening. Music God #2: Fuck.

if this album was consistent it would be up there with some of the best of the '80s. Sadly, it's all over the place but the high points are incredible. Is there a more exciting intro to a pop record than the jangle piano on Party Fears Two? A more entertaining vocal performance than on Club Country? Why aren't bands ambitious like this any more? Refrigeration keeps you young, I'm told

I used to work at a video store and we had a section of non-Disney animated features like Simba the King Lion: The Final Battle, stuff to make grandparents stock up on garbage so their grandkids can have lousy sleepovers. Anyway, crank this up and enjoy some Zaggy Moondust and the Arachnids from the Milky Way.

There is a reason you have heard of Human League, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, David Bowie, Heaven 17, Depeche Mode, ABC, XTC, Thompson Twins, Flock of Seagulls, OMD, Ultravox, Erasure, etc etc - and NEVER heard of these guys.

Like if Morrissey joined Devo

I love you, David Bowie, but you inspired some truly bad music.

Meh, the synthy new wave stuff on the list has been pretty hit or miss for me.

This has GOT to be a joke. One'est one out of five I've ever given and I hope the creator of this list has a really shitty day today. You simply can't seriously justify putting something this shit on a list like this. 522 albums in, it makes me want to stop because its a waste of time. I could have gone my whole life never hearing it. When my worst enemy goes to hell, I hope this is what they have to listen to on repeat. Matter of fact, whoever made this list should listen to this album on repeat if they think it's so fucking great. Maybe then they'll think twice about replacing it with something different, preferably not from the 80s

The machine chucked an unfamiliar multitude at me today: this record is really very good, and I wish I had more time to listen to it. It's sui generis, and I'm scrambling for references to anchor it - at times, it reminded me of early Sonic Youth, This Heat, Kraftwerk, and acid house, but it's really its own thing. The vocals grated at first, but on the second listen they seemed appropriate, a choice based on the material and what Mackenzie had available to him. Really tempted to give it five stars, though I've barely made it through twice.

If you’ve ever wondered what it would sound like if David Bowie were half as talented and twice as pretentious, well, wonder no more.

This pick was so 80s it hurt me a little bit… I wasn’t a huge fan but I could see my mom jamming out to this!

I really don't understand what there is to like about this. This guy's voice is insufferable. The music sounds terrible. The only reason it's not a half star or zero stars is because it occasionally vaguely resembles music. 1/5

Not a fan. It's got beeps and boops like some old videogame music. Very 80's. It does transition to boring old snth music and the singing is just annoying. Maybe this was significant when it was made, but it's straight up not enjoyable now.

I knew of The Associates from Party Fears Two, but hadn't explored any of the rest of their ouvre. The music video for Party Fears Two includes Martha Ladly on the keys, formerly of Martha and the Muffins. She's wearing a suit and a hat, and looks exactly as bored as she needs to for the song. It's bizarre, because she's also got the tiniest of beguiling smiles. And that sums up the song perfectly. It is tuneful, poppy and also, 100% entirely unnerving and discordant. The vocals are perfect - slightly Bowie-ish, but in the good way. I genuinely hated it the first time I heard it. It made no sense. It was dissonant. And then the Divine Comedy covered it. If Neil Hannon likes it, I should probably pay more attention to it... but no. Its still nonsensical, dissonant and unnerving. Several years later, with the song appearing in my life from time to time, I find it has changed from being a messy, awkward track to being possibly one of my very favorites from the 1980s. Given it was written in the late 70s, it rather cements The Associates as people to listen to more of. Which I finally got around to doing with this album. Which is excellent. It is both genre-defining, and genre-defiant. It is both a product and a producer of 1980s syth, new romantic and pop. I love it, and think I will continue to love it for quite some time.

A certified freaky album. And by that I mean 70% 𝕱𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖞, and 30% 𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂.

Painful. Just painful.

A combination of beautiful, melodic and…..”interesting” but 5 stars for that voice. Sorely missed.

I was so pleasantly surprised to see this record on the 1001. This album was too weird for my friends back in the early 1980s when we were in high school. We listened to some pretty weird stuff at times, Tones on Tail, Liquid Liquid, but The Associates were too weird for most of the folks I hung out with. Listening to it now I'm impressed with it, honestly, it's coherent and yet very very strange, particularly given the time. It's probably one of the more "effected" sounding records I can think of, unusual for the early 1980s. I'd put in in the same category as Soft Cell. Disconnected odd music for outcasts. Lovely. It's totally fine if you don't like the style or the sound, but for some of us, this is great precisely because it's unique. Bonus points for the "Love Hangover" cover!

I feel a bit sad how much of a rough time this album is getting on here. For me it represents more than anything an early 80s post punk optimism that music could be reinvented with new sounds and shapes and still be pop.

This is the opposite of U2. I don't think these guys are as good as I feel they are but I'm digging this. You can feel see Scary Monsters by Bowie on a few of the songs and their instrumental stuff is fun but all over the map. Despite all that I have to say I do dig the singer. He has some moxie and good range. Fast pace and good energy. I also have to say that cover is something bold. ... So I just did a Wikipedia dive after listening and a cited fan and person who was inspired by this bad was... Bono from U2. He said they tried to rip them off because they like them so much. That is such a miss on the attempt. I could see myself relistening to this album. I know I'm rating this either a 3 or 4, if I end up picking 3 that's me voting for the quality more than my enjoyment, 4 is the flip. More and more I'm wondering if my ranking is trying to vote for something more objective in quality or how much I dig what I'm hearing.

Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: 🦩🪴🛌 Production: 🫢🔊❗️ Music: 🎹🌌🎤😖 Rating: 🪴/5

My favourite quirky album

Post punk is a genre which my group and I have had a rough time with (here's looking at you, Metal Box), so it's definitely good to say that this record is actually pretty damn good if you're big into things like 80's synths, which I definitely am. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

hidden gem goth Sparks freakout hell yeah 10/10

electro-meh

One of these perfect and highly influential 80s albums that sound very catchy and experimental at the same time. There is a lot going on musically and (apart from the big single) it may take severals listens like all their work, so it is also one of these albums that are not so suitable for the 1-album-per-day 1001 format.. score:10/10

Aldri hørt The Associates før, men da va overraskande nice (vanskelig å hørra når folk snakke så masse rundt meg). Ohh siste sang va gøy

A very weird record for me… only after one listening I can tell this is special, you can hear the 80s and Bowie’s influence here. Not 5 stars cos it is not my style though

I love how gloriously and unashamedly over the top everything about ‘Sulk’ is. The vocals, the production, everything about it is ridiculous. Sure, not everything works, example: ‘Bap De La Bap’ which is the low point of the record is just…shit, but when everything clicks it soars, and the albums highs: ‘No’, ‘Party Fears Two’, ‘Skipping’ and ‘Country Club’ are about as good as 80s synth pop/art rock/dance music gets.

This walks a fine line between the synth pop sound of its time and real experimentation. So many odd details throughout, but nothing that's off-putting or alienating. Just makes you feel a bit woozy. The tales of their decadence and playful insanity while recording the album are as entertaining as the resulting work itself.

This is probably the most 80s album I've had to date. It seems set up to grate, falsetto singing, synth pop, experimental sounds. However, I ended up really enjoying it. I knew the two "hits" which I guess are literally all I had ever heard from this band before. I had a dim recollection of when they first charted that was dredged up from the sludge in my head from the early 80s. This one is extremely hard to score fairly. I feel it's somewhere between a 3 and a 4. It's definitely not a bad album, but it's not a great one either, and I feel I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again. I was also horrified to see Spotify stick an extra 50-60 minutes of demos and alternate versions that I wasn't prepared to listen to. I think I'm going to be generous and go for a 4, purely because I love some of the weird instruments I can hear, particularly the jangling piano in "Party Fears Two".

This was a pretty challenging and interesting listen. It has a theatrical energy, with a style mix that seems to blend David Bowie-Roxy Music-Depeche Mode-Simple Minds vibes. There are some less successful tracks that get a bit irritating (Bap De La Bap, Nude Spoons), but others that deliver a good emotion and energy (It's Better This Way, Gloomy Sunday). Their use of electronic synth sound is definitely trapped in the 80's, but isn't too tragic.

6/10. Post-punk and pop is an interesting mix here, and it works on a couple songs. But not all of them.

Just not interesting to me. Wasn’t bad music, just very bland and uninspiring. 2/5 Won’t listen again

A bit noisy in places

Bland.

Having outlived everything that was bad about the 80's, I consider myself immune to the worst of it. This album reminds me that I might need a booster shot.

From doing this project I firmly discovered that I really don’t care for this genre of music and this album is no different. Awful shitty music.

I was actually pretty close to giving this a 1 but after a while, I kind of started to respect the bands decision to make annoying, vocally grating new wave music. I think this might have been another case of "you had to be there", in which case I was certainly not.

A coke fueled product of its time. If you like synths and whining, you'll love this.

Don't know anything about this but we love a good 80s album, right? Is that tin foil just flapping in the wind?? Oh, that's an interesting sound. Okay, yeah maybe this ins't for me.

Seems like something I should like. Turns out it's offensively bad haha. Like actually unlistenable.

Well at least they named themselves correctly

the best parts of this are inoffensive new wave. the worst parts are melodramatic bowie impressions over very dated and dull synth tracks. this, my 636th album, might be the album that pushes me over to finally just skip tracks i am not finding anything enjoyable in after the first half.

This is how mentally ill people hear voices in their heads.

Sucks ass

gave me a headache maybe remasters fault

In their best moments, this band sounds like Talking Heads in their worst moments. Those glimpses did not last long enough for me to term any of this “good.” In fact, it sort of made the whole listening experience all the more irritating.

Incredible

Isuse bože!!!! Najbolje otkriće dosad. Uopće nisam bila u moodu kad sam pustila prvu pjesmu i samo me povuklo. Koji kurac, zakaj ne znam za ovo???? HUSHEJEHSHSNSJSBSUSBS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

jebeno! malo pederski al je super. što kasnija pjesma to bolja

Florid, louche, and maximalist - epic in scope and sound and massively overwrought. I adore it.

oh my god yes

Classic early-80s production, no mistaking Billy McKenzie's voice ! Really enjoyed this album, full of great songs

Caveat: I was a teenager during the '80s During the period when The Associates were creating their music, I was in the midst of a musical transition from Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life) to Prince (Purple Rain), and most of what we called New Wave was overlooked by me until the end of that decade... I've listened to the album 3 times in the past 18 hours, and I will listen to it at least 1 more time, not because it is worth 5*, but because this old man is enjoying the momories of highschool parties, weird hair cuts, and monochromatic clothes that abounded those lovely years! Future me again, editing… This album has been a goto when I need to be active, when I need to concentrate, or when I just need to wonder… To think that this album is on the bottom ranking list overall… I am gladly given them 5*

This is one of those albums that polarise opinion. And I'm one of those who do love this album. It's wildly over the top - Billy Mackenzie's soaring vocals and the extreme 1980s production values see to that. I absolutely love it.

This is such a great, undervalued band with their greatest moment. I loved this album and still do- Billy was a tremendous character with such a great voice. Brings back great memories.

An absolute classic. Sounds like lots of other artists (Bowie, natch) and yet also sounds very original. Mackenzie's voice is something else too. The singles are the standouts here, but pretty much the whole album is a masterpiece of early 80s British dance pop while also sounding timeless.

cool

Amazing

Woke up and listened to this, and honestly feel like my day is going to rule because of it.

Cool guitar

Oh my, this has been a great surprise! I was sure that I was going to dislike it because of the title, cover, and genre, but it surprised me positively. What we have here is an 80s post-punk, new wave, or whatever-you-want-to-call-it album. But instead of being too dark or mellow, this is kind of freaky. Super inspired by David Bowie, with a twisted, ultra-synthetic drum sound and patterns. I really enjoyed it, although maybe it lacked some choruses or singles.

The link between Duran Duran and The Smiths. Great stuff.

It’s probably sacrilege to say this but I always found Billy McKenzie’s vocals a bit much - he seems to be frantically over-singing everything, to my ears at least. Perhaps that was the point. I like the music though - extraordinary as his voice was, it’s the music on this album that stands out for me. Aside from Party Fears Two of course, where the two come together brilliantly.

This shit rules

Day486 - the way it started i thought it was an instrumental album but then it got very goth-y and cool

Took a couple of tracks to get into it's groove but loved most of this, always interesting. Another reminder why the reviews here are a total disaster - the top review states "indistinguishable from any other Britpop LP out there": this absolutely does not sound like britpop - do you have ears? Do you even know what words mean?

Oh bi dem lange Album het da Basil gar kei Spass! Wer aber sehr Spass dran gha het: ICH! Und was für e Spass! Gueti 80er Post-Punky Energy mit es bizli Ähnlichkeite mit mim Bruder David Bowie und au sust stimmt sehr vieles bi de Partner! Da dörfs au wider e (Noah zitiere) "The [insert random ass word]"-Band sii. Grad e Handvoll neui Lieder entdeckt wo mer ih minere oldie playliste wiiteri freud bringe werdet. Dasmal gits ehrlich-gmeinti 4 abgschläckti Briefmarke - bi dem gester bini mit mine müede äugli so früeh am morge abgrutscht. wäri es guet gmeints 3 gsi, sicher keis 4i. Da defür ehner es abgrundets 4i. Und Hot sinds auno dezue Spassspassspass

Überraschend und erfrischend chömed die biz alternativeri und sympatherischi version vo de finance bros ine. Zwüscheziitlich heds mi fast us de schueh grüehrt und kurz na denkt was wer wenn dass e 5er überraschig a la fever ray wär. Aber doch zwenig gnüsslich für mini ohre. Aber wenn das album e chässorte wer, denn frischkäse. Club country die inoffiziel anthem vu eusem grüppli. „Alive and kicking at the country club“. Ironisch mit me gegeteil köntry song am inekicke Ez isch d frag, eich seid de buch biz 4 puntos. Aber wie oft wirdi einzelni tracks na lose, realistisch gseh, zwenig für es 4er album. Schwo schwa schwirig. Fühlmi aber grosszügig

Despite the colorful album cover, Sulk tells you what's needed to be known about The Associates. One of the plenty of bands in the U.K. that went under the radar, the duo came up with some of the most poppiest yet abstract pop of the time period. While us listeners were not expecting this to be a farewell for the original incarnation of the duo, Sulk also showcases them at their very best. Never judge a book by its cover. Favorites: Arrogance Gave Him Up, No, Gloomy Sunday, Nude Spoons, Skipping, Party Fears Two, Club Country, 18 Carat Love Affair, Love Hangover, And Then I Read a Book, Australia, Me, Myself and the Tragic Story.

4/5

This is weird as hell and I love it. Might actually regret not rating it higher once I give it more listens.

The album cover alone made this hard to ignore. It gives a pretty good idea what sort of music you're about to hear. It is however over an hour, so I'll see how I do. It's interesting, all the hallmarks of 80s synthpop with an over-layered soundscape, making it echo in an eerie sort of way. Obviously the post-punk aspects reflect traditional goth music from the 70s combined with the more modern sound. It's honestly a super solid album of the sound of this time, I just don't know how well I could discern the songs.

On paper, a mix of post-punk and 80's pop should be my anathema. But you know what, I'm actually kind of digging it. It's really weird, but quite daring and different. Some of the tracks are moody, others are kind of awkward and unsettling, with harsh synths pushing through, and weird drum beats. There's an overall manic energy to this, again, something I've historically not got on with, but it works here. I really like the synths and soundscapes in general. They make for such an interesting backdrop. A bit of a weird outlier this one, but I respect it and I'm very positively surprised by it. 3.5 rounded up.

Listened to this on a fitting day where the world didn't quite feel real so the off-kilter vibes actually hit. some parts later in the album still a little monotonous but I respect the weird forever and always. thanks for coming with me on a crowded rainy bus trip

Hadn’t heard this since I first listened five years ago, and yeah the weirdo goth vibes are still immaculate

4 stars. V good but idk if this is smth I would loop often.

Never heard of them. It's good, but too dramatic. I understand the hate in the reviews. I also understand why it's on the list. It's a more sophisticated Spandau Ballet or Duran Duran. The 2000 remaster sounds HUGE. Favorite song: arrogance gave him up.

A bit overfilled but very fine and for its time advanced wave/proto-dark-wave

Knew the name and that they were Scottish but never heard them before. This was bizarre, really enjoyed the vocals, I'm going to give them more of a listen so it's a 4

David Bowie if he peaked in the 80s

I was annoyed at it being 1 hour 30 but then I ended up listening to all of it! So I guess I quite liked it

While walking at lake johnson

Quite liked this, Cure vibes

I didn't love it, but always enjoy a new-to-me New Wave experience

A deeply underrated post-punk albumin never heard of it or a single song off it, some genuinely masterpiece songs on this thing. Lacks consistency though and I found it pretty front loaded 8/10 Fav tracks - No, Bap De La Bap, Gloomy Sunday, Nude Spoons, It's better this way, Club Country, Love Hangover, Club Country 12" version, Party Fears Two - Instrumental, Australia - John Leckie Recording, Grecian 2000

Sorti en 1982, le 3eme album de The Associates "Sulk" est une oeuvre unique dans leur discographie. Avec cet album, The Associates délaissent les guitares post-punk pour les claviers new-wave. La première moitié de l'album penche vers les sensibilités pop des années 80, tandis que la seconde moitié passe à un ton plus sombre et plus dramatique, illustré par des morceaux comme "No", une pièce gothique avec des voix intenses et un travail au piano. Mention spéciale à la reprise "Gloomy Sunday" qui reste un choix audacieux compte tenu de son histoire et de son association avec les suicides. Le suicide tragique du chanteur en 1997 ajoute un poids supplémentaire à ce choix. Un album à découvrir et un gros 4/5.

I like it. Quite enjoyable to listen to the sounds of it. The syth sound is completely not out dated which is impressive. Not the type of music I would repeat day after day but it's beautiful and attractive. At least a 4/5, can be higher.

This is actually a really good record. Never even heard of them. Favourite tracks: Arrogance Gave Him Up, No, It's Better This Way, Parts Fears Two, Club Country, nothinginsomethingparticular, The Room We Sat in Before.

Totally get that this is an acquired taste - for most of my listening life I wouldn't have given this the time of day. Sitting down today with Simon Reynolds' Rip it Up and Start Again while listening to this on repeat did the trick for me. Get the feeling I might come back to this in a few years and give it a 5.

Billy could sing and Alan could play! A terrific album. May they both rest in peace.

Still fresh in a strange way.

The top review for this record currently has this to say: "bland, homogeneous instrumentals indistinguishable from any other Britpop LP" This is one of the most baffling comments I've read on this website. And there have been a few, you can trust me, I'm on album #954. Maybe the person didn't have ears. Maybe Britpop sounded completely different on their planet. Maybe they skipped over Bap De La Bap, and Party Fears Two, and...etc. Maybe they'd just smashed another cup. Maybe the alcohol has turned them blue. Maybe the remark makes no sense and turns to shark. I can completely understand someone not liking this, and Billy Mackenzie's voice is absolutely divisive. But bland? Personally I only know Party Fears Two and I heard that first via the Divine Comedy cover. I love that song, because it's insane and beautiful and manic. The rest of this record is utterly manic and insane, and not quite as good. But an invigorating listen, that's for sure. Ears pricked up during Bap, Nude Spoons I'm off to watch that YouTube of The Associates appearing on lunchtime magazine show Pebble Mill.

Liked this one. It's got a lot of interesting parts. Sounds like unhinged Bowie or sometimes Talking Heads. 3.5/5

Je ne comprends vraiment pas pourquoi cet album s'est retrouvé dans les plus détesté de cette liste. Oui j'ai bien aimé, mais c'est surtout qu'il y a tellement pire que ça (ex : Korn). Une version beaucoup plus avant-garde du son new-wave/post punk des débuts 80s. Pas le meilleur album de ce genre mais définitivement plus aimé que la majorité de ses contemporains de cette liste. 8/10

I think this should be listened to a few different times and in different moods. Absolutely serves a punk vibe and fuck you attitude towards music culture but set to an 80's electro-pop base

I swear I’ve heard the Club Country 12” Version sampled somewhere. Otherwise this was completely new to me. But based on the art and year, it was exactly what I was expecting and it kinda ruled

If the album was a bit more condensed and focused this would've been a 5