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 The Comforts of Madness
Recommended For Listeners Of: Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, Swirlies, My Bloody Valentine, Bethany Curve, Boo Radleys, Lush, Slowdive, Moose, Edria, A Northern Chorus, Catherine Wheel, Galaxie 500, Chapterhouse, Kitchens of Distinction, Swervedriver, The Telescopes, Drop Nineteens, Spacemen 3, Lovesliescrushing, Soundpool, Sciflyer, Mahagony, Skywave, Airiel, Highspire, The High Violets
Release Date: 6th July, 1998
Label / Distributor: 4AD / Vital/THE
Performers: Chris Cooper - Drums, Ian Masters - Bass, Vocals, Graeme Naysmith - Guitar
Production and Engineering: Tim Davis - Assistant Engineer, Gil Norton and John Fryer - Production (separate sessions)
Track Reviews
1. Way the World Is
What a way to start your first full length release. Screeching chaotic melding of instruments and noises. This descends into pounding drums. A clean jangly strumming appears over wobbly bass. A sense of urgency persists throughout. You can actually hear the vocals properly on this track. A trend which is not typical of so many of the shoegazer bands.
2. You Tear the World in Two
Starts with more warping guitars. This songs features some of the best vocal work on this record. Lush sounding vocals joins Ian Masters on this song. The combination is brilliant. The dense rhythm reminds us of the band And Also The Trees.
3. Sea of Sound
A slower track which could be considered an emotionally sad song. The echo laden guitars fill the wall of sound created here.
4. True Coming Dream
Again a sense of urgency. Jangly alternative as any you have heard before. Slightly Wedding Present or Teenage Fanclub. It has it's place on this record but it could be better.
5. Little Hammer
Steely guitars layer bongo sounding drums. A bare bones acoustic number by this records standards.
6. Insubstantial
Probably the best track on this record, just for the highlight guitar riff. An almost britpop riff which is may have been borrowed by bands later on. When this riff is not played, the guitars are jangly beautiful. The songs ends in well timed feedback and noise.
7. A Deep Sleep for Steven
A slow repeating bass starts this song. Chiming guitars overlay which may really be one strum of a chord. The effects doing the rest. The drums sound like they have been put through lots of reverb in the studio. Whiny twangy guitars end the song.
8. Language of Flowers
A dreamy pop classic in shape of Sundays, R.E.M. or The Lilac Time. The drummer does the machine gun drums ever so often. It is executed perfectly as is the running bass patterns. A perfect track that could fit easily on any early 90's alternative mix tape.
9. Fell from the Sun
Another classic quirky alternative classic here. Jingly Jangly pop at it's best. Reminds us of a more melodic Teenage Fanclub. There are actually two guitar solos on this song. The song ends with haunting church choir like vocals.
10. Sight of You
A thematically sad and melodic song. "the sight of you, makes me feel blue" sings Masters. Lyrically it could have been written by post-Smiths Morrissey. He pulls it off well. Chiming guitars and hints of Curish bass also feature prominently on this song. The longest song on this record which ends very stangely as it drops into the bass guitars and drums. It really is the beginning of the last song.
11. Time Thief
The urgency that was shown on many songs was fulfilled on this as it builds to a faster louder track than most of the record. As rock as it gets on this record.
Video: Pale Saints-Time Thief
Overall a fine debut form Pale Saints. A must for any shoegazing/dreampop fan. As stated before this record is meant to be listened to from beginning to end, although there are tracks which can stand on their own. The production could have been better. The wall of sound is not as good as it can be as the record sounds very thin in many respects.
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Brief Artist Biography
Country: United Kingdom
City: Leeds
Year Formed:1987
Pale Saints was started by singer/bassist Ian Masters, guitarist Graeme Naysmith and drummer Chris Cooper. They were part of a new generation of 'shoegazing' groups inspired by My Bloody Valentine,Jesus and Mary Chain and early Primal Scream. The band was signed by 4AD records after their first London show by 4AD chief Ivo Watts-Russell. Their first recording was the three-song EP Barging Into the Presence Of God produced by Gil Norton and John Fryer and released in September 1989.  Pale Saints in concert at l'Ubu de Rennes. April, 1990
Ashley Horner from Edsel Auctioneer (guitar) joined the band in 1989. In 1990 they release their first record The Comforts of Madness. The album was produced separately by both John Fryer and Gil Norton. The record now put them in shoegaze scene along with Lush and My Bloody Valentine.
Meriel Barham joined the band at the end of 1990 to replace Horner. Their second album In Ribbons, produced by Hugh Jones was released in 1992. They also recorded the Throwing Back the Apple EP with Jones again handling production. In Ribbons was another excellent album, though seemingly a bit accessible to pop audiences. Ian Masters left the band in 1993.
Pale Saints continued on without Masters for one more record, 1994's slow buildings again produced by Hugh Jones. Meriel Barham left the band in September of 1995. This lead to the eventual demise the Pale Saints in 1996.
For More Information.
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