Sky's Gone Out is the best Bauhaus album

Rosie · 11-28-2007, 04:57 PM

I didn't much like it at first. It only had a few of my favourite songs I'd heard before getting specific albums. And one of the versions of one of those songs, was just kind of weird compared to the version I was used to (Spirit). And one of the songs just sounded a bit "too" detuned(Swing the Heartache). Plus, you had that big long pretentious prog-goth thing in the middle. There are only so many tracks on an album man! There are only a couple of "Proper" Bauhaus songs here!

Now I love it more than any other Bauhaus album. As soon as I hear the Bassline at the start of the Brian Eno cover, Third Uncle, I just HAVE to listen to the whole album. It's a fantastic high energy song, and that bass is just so dark and sucks you in. Silent Hedge's guitar sound - whatever he does to get it(I know it involves a 12 string acoustic) it sends shivers down my spine. "In the night" has that funky, slightly off feeling, that jumps into that really high energy section that gets me going. Great stuff.

Swing the Heartache - man is that a lot of Chorus! But the more you listen, the more it makes sense. It takes you to a place that it could never do if it were any more easy listening. The guitar tone is beautiful after all.
Spirit, it's basically a gothier version of the later one that became more popular. I really learned to love it! I love the use of the rising Pentatonic in the chorus, it really makes it feel like it's building up even if it's not really. And again, the great unique acoustic guitar sound. It has a kind of power that the later version doesn't have.

The Three Shadows is FANTASTIC! Now that I got into it, it has a real feel. Part I is way to drawn out though - but again, it takes you somewhere. It's the kind of sound I'll always remember. The song itsself is great; it progresses from this sort of dark, apocalyptic, stylish men gathered in a room discussing the fate of the world sort of feel, I can't describe it, to the more vulgar, piercing, part 3. The lyrics seem to be about the corruption of religion, and contradictions of those who claim to be religious but have no regard for their followers. There's something so haunting about Part 3's violin sound, especially when Pete starts with the "Are you thirsty now?"

All we ever wanted was Everything - the fretless Bass on this is amazing. Captures the drowsy feeling perfectly.

Exquisite Corpse, I love, because it feels like the album is building up to it. I LOVE the way it progresses. When you have the guitar really building up, when Daniel(I believe) says "His eyes lit up." and then it really builds up; into the "The SKY's gone out" shouting. For some reason I love albums where the last track screams the album's name. It makes it seem all prog. The dub section is hilariously uncalled for, and the last bit is kind of creepy.

This is a great album. From the track listings, I actually thought that Burning from the Inside would be my favourite, despite controversy, since it has the Sanity Assassin, She's in Parties, Slice of Life, and the title track.

But I think this is definitely my favourite Bauhaus album.

I find it interesting that the songs that mainly get passed around on Youtube and put on the compilations like Crackle are often ones that weren't originally found on an album(like Bela) and are actually quite different to the impression of the band I get from listening to Sky's Gone Out. That one time I saw them live makes more sense now.

I've yet to try Mask, though. Flat Field was disappointing - so many of the tracks on it were done better later or live. Not bad for a first album of what was a very expiremental band for the time.

NachtSorcier · 11-28-2007, 06:55 PM

I wouldn't go so far as to say that "The Sky's Gone Out" is their best album, but it is great. "Third Uncle," "In the Night," "The Three Shadows," "All We Ever Wanted," and "Exquisite Corpse" are awesome songs, but I have to say that I actually prefer the later version of "Spirit".

As for "In the Flat Field," I do agree that a lot of the songs on that album had better versions, but it is one of my favorites so far, if only for the inclusion of "St. Vitus Dance" and "Dive".

I'd have to say that my favorite of Bauhaus' compilations, although not an actual album, is "Crackle". When they say "the best of Bauhaus," they mean it.

Green.Lady · 11-28-2007, 07:03 PM

I like "Mask" best because I like 'catchiness,' though I do enjoy all of their albums. The funk influences are a fun contrast to their original style.

Rosie · 11-28-2007, 07:07 PM

I disagree with Crackle being the best. It leaves out a few of their best and most recognisable songs, and gives a very compressed view of the band. It was my first Bauhaus Album and I loved it when I had it, obviously, but there's just so much more to Bauhaus than it.

If anything - Gotham is better as a "Best of".

Green.Lady · 11-28-2007, 07:15 PM

Gotham - the live album? I hate live CDs. >.< The two 1979-1983 albums are the best if you want compilations, in my opinion...

spoon! · 11-28-2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green.Lady

Gotham - the live album? I hate live CDs. >.< The two 1979-1983 albums are the best if you want compilations, in my opinion...

Done right, some live albums can be pretty cool. I dunno, I like the vibe of hearing fans screaming in the background as the band plays on, especially when you're right between the two in your headphones.

viscus · 11-28-2007, 07:34 PM

I've got this one in pretty heavy rotation. "Third Uncle" and "Swing the Heartache" are a couple of my favorite Bauhaus tracks, and there are several other really good songs on the album as well.

Draconysius · 11-28-2007, 08:13 PM

I'd say Burning From the Inside is my favorite album from Bauhaus. There's just so many great songs on there, and so much variety.

Bete Noire · 11-29-2007, 12:21 AM

Burning from the Inside's my favourite. I love Who Killed Mr. Moonlight? and The Sanity Assassin. And pretty much every track on the album.

Rosie · 11-29-2007, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green.Lady

Gotham - the live album? I hate live CDs. >.< The two 1979-1983 albums are the best if you want compilations, in my opinion...

Some of the stuff is just played better though. Daniel Ash has this amazing tone.

Draconysius · 11-29-2007, 09:36 PM

For those of you that don't know, "Third Uncle" is a Brian Eno cover. Just had to make sure.

gothicusmaximus · 11-30-2007, 12:18 AM

Upon consideration I'd say I like The Sky's Gone Out and Mask equally, for dramatically different reasons. I prefer Sky's Gone Out musically for the experimentation within the album, its atmosphere and the sheer breadth of creative territory it covers in comparison to the band's other efforts, but Mask is the perfection of the prototypical Bauhaus formula- their 'proper' sound, as Rosie said.

Rosie · 11-30-2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draconysius

For those of you that don't know, "Third Uncle" is a Brian Eno cover. Just had to make sure.

Quote:

Now I love it more than any other Bauhaus album. As soon as I hear the Bassline at the start of the Brian Eno cover, Third Uncle,

:P:P:P:P:P

viscus · 11-30-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draconysius

For those of you that don't know, "Third Uncle" is a Brian Eno cover. Just had to make sure.

Yeah, but I think Bauhaus did it better. No offense to the genius that is Eno.

NachtSorcier · 11-30-2007, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draconysius

For those of you that don't know, "Third Uncle" is a Brian Eno cover. Just had to make sure.

I actually think that most of Bauhaus' covers were better than the original - "Third Uncle," "Ziggy Stardust," and "Telegram Sam" were better in my opinion.

CountSixstring · 12-02-2007, 04:18 PM

I believe that music wise, the best album is between Burning From the Inside and In the Flat Field.

Rosie · 12-04-2007, 06:53 PM

I gave Mask a listen and I have some serious issues with it. Daniel is too low in the mix in almost all the songs. All the life is sucked out of "In Fear of Fear", "Kick in the Eye" compared to later versions. To me, Mask also almost seems out of place, the rest of the album is much quirkier. They should have built up to it, and had it as the last track.

Was there a redone version of Mask that had better production?

TBH it made me appreciate In the Flat Field all the more. Sky's Gone Out and Burning from the Inside are definitely the best albums, IMO