Photographs as Memories is the debut studio album by English band Eyeless in Gaza. It was released on 30 January 1981, through record label Cherry Red.
| Photographs as Memories | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 30 January 1981 | |||
| Recorded | W.M.R.S Leamington SDA | |||
| Studio | Woodbine Street Recording Studios | |||
| Genre | Post-punk | |||
| Label | Cherry Red | |||
| Producer | John Rivers | |||
| Eyeless in Gaza chronology | ||||
| ||||
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Eyeless in Gaza (Pete Becker, Martyn Bates)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Seven Years" | |
| 2. | "Fixation" | |
| 3. | "Looking Daggers" | |
| 4. | "From A. to B." | |
| 5. | "Clear Cut Apparently" | |
| 6. | "Speech Rapid Fire" | |
| 7. | "John of Patmos" |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Knives Replace Air" | |
| 2. | "Faceless" | |
| 3. | "In Your Painting" | |
| 4. | "A Keepsake" | |
| 5. | "Whitewash" | |
| 6. | "No Noise" |
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Melody Maker | favourable[2] |
| NME | unfavourable[2] |
| Record Mirror | unfavourable[2] |
| Sounds | generally favourable[3] |
| Trouser Press | favourable[4] |
Photograps as Memories received mixed reviews on its release, from “An interesting, invigorating listen” (Melody Maker) to “Stinkingly awful” (Record Mirror).[2] Des Moines in Sounds noted "a lot of flaws" and Martyn Bates' "extremely challenging voice", but acknowledged that "'From A to B’, ‘Speech Rapid Fire’ and ‘No Noise’ are three representations of how Becker (£200 Wasp synthesiser, voice, percussion, violin, stylophone, ‘treated tapes’) and Bates (voice, electric guitar, plastic organ, soprano sax) at full flow achieve their thoroughly magic melodies", and that "Becker’s uncanny flair for compelling succinct synthesiser hook lines is the conspicuous characteristic, but Bates’ imperiously evocative vocal is a factor just as crucial." While dismissing "John of Patmos" and "In Your Painting" as "rubbish", the reviewer acknowledged that "the highspots of the album are truly staggering".[5]
Retrospectively, AllMusic described the album's "non-style-over-substance sense of work ethic" as "frustrating".[1] Trouser Press described it as a "better-than-decent stab at hook-filled spareness".[4]
Personnel
edit- Pete Becker – unspecified instrumentation, vocals, production
- Martyn Bates – unspecified instrumentation, vocals, production
- Technical
- John Rivers – engineering
- Jim Jag – sleeve artwork
References
edit- ^ a b Carlson, Dean. "Photographs as Memories – Eyeless in Gaza : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Eyeless in Gaza – Caught in Flux". eyelessingaza.com. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
- ^ Sutherland, Steve (14 February 1981). "Futura Optima". Sounds. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
- ^ a b Carlson, Dean. "trouserpress.com :: Eyeless in Gaza". trouserpress.com. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
- ^ Moines, Des (14 February 1981). "Future Optima". Sounds.
External links
edit- Photographs as Memories at Discogs (list of releases)