Comsat Angels, Sleep No More (side A)

The first Comsat Angels album was the one that I fell in love with. Sleep No More came only a year later, in 1981. If anything, the palette is a bit more refined, with a lot of lush reverb, although it was released before convenient digital technology made these sounds fashionable. The murky reverb makes the vocals seem buried though they're pretty prominent in the mix. The vocal melodies are slightly less catchy than on Waiting for a Miracle, but the songs are just as well constructed. The very top is largely missing, but it's nonetheless a great-sounding master, with the guitar and bass particularly clear. The cover art is a bit impenetrable, fascinating, and tasteful.