Pale Saints

For new sounds, old sounds and favourite sound discussion...

Moderators: sunny, BzaInSpace, runcible, spzretent

Post Reply
stegraham
Known user
Posts: 353
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Pale Saints

Post by stegraham »

Any Pale Saints fans on here? The Comforts of Madness is one my fav all time albums, so I'm delighted to hear that it's getting a special 30th anniversary release. Original album, demos, unreleased tracks and Peel Session. Really looking forward to this. Hope they do the same with Ultra Vivid Scene next!

https://4ad.com/news/18/11/2019/30thann ... extjanuary

4AD has announced a 30th Anniversary reissue of Pale Saints' - 'The Comforts of Madness' - scheduled for January 17th.

Coinciding with the album's 30th anniversary, The Comforts of Madness by Pale Saints will be 4AD's first release of the 2020s, as it was the label's first release of the 1990s.

It's been 30 years since Pale Saints released their debut album, The Comforts of Madness, and to celebrate, 4AD have remastered the album and will be reissuing it on January 17th 2020. As well as a single LP edition on black vinyl, deluxe CD and LP editions are also being released, both of which include a bonus disc of previously unreleased session tracks and the band's only John Peel Session.

From Leeds, the original Pale Saints line-up were Ian Masters (bass / vocals), Chris Cooper (drums), and Graeme Naysmith (guitar), who having released a clutch of singles since forming in 1987, put out their debut album in January 1990. Including the tracks 'Sight of You', 'You Tear The World In Two' and a cover of Opal’s 'Fell From the Sun' (the band that once featured 4AD alumna Kendra Smith and later became Mazzy Star), they made an exciting and frenetic entrance with The Comforts of Madness - an album that swam against the tide and even found its way on to the Top 40 of the UK Album Charts.

When appearing in The Times' Guide To The Best Albums of All Time, Pete Paphides likened the record to being "an electrical storm of discovery," saying that them being "pigeonholed as a shoegazing band, doesn’t begin to do them justice. The Comforts of Madness hits the ground not so much running as charging in all directions. It’s easy to forget that indie music once saw no contradiction in sounding sweet, savage and esoteric at the same time, but it was a combination that seemed second nature to Pale Saints."

For the album's 30th anniversary, Ian Masters has revisited the band's sessions where they demoed the album at their Woodhouse Studio before heading to the Blackwing Studios in London to record them with John Fryer and Gil Norton. These album demos plus the band's only John Peel Session (recorded 23rd of July 1989 at Maida Vale studios in London) help to create a bonus disc of material for both the double CD and LP editions. While the single LP is a faithful repress of the original, the artwork for the deluxe editions has been reworked by Timothy O'Donnell, with the double CD edition coming in a card sleeve and the double gatefold LP being pressed on clear vinyl.
sm-iom
Known user
Posts: 282
Joined: Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:46 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Re: Pale Saints

Post by sm-iom »

Great stuff. Love The Comforts of Madness, and still listen to regularly. Later stuff didn't quite do it for me.
Was in London one weekend, probably a year or so after The Comforts came out, and stumbled across some sort of pop up record shop selling leftover remainders stock they must have got from record labels. Big box of Comforts vinyl, for 20p each. Bought a load of copies, and handed them off to mates. Don't think I ever convinced anyone unfortunately.
Also love UVS. Fond memories of Birmingham Edwards No 8 where I saw them, Pale Saints and quite a few other 4AD bands in the early 90s.
stegraham
Known user
Posts: 353
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Pale Saints

Post by stegraham »

I never saw the Pale Saints live, I didn't hear Comforts of Madness until 94/95, but fell in love with it straight away. I agree that the later stuff, when Ian Masters left, wasn't as good. I do like the Fine Friend single though (b-sides - great too). The EPs made around the time of the first two albums contain lots of ace material, and I especially like the version of Half-Life (i.e. Half Life Remembered) on the Throwing back the Apple EP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU39Gu4lX_0

Ste
angelsighs
Known user
Posts: 4876
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am

Re: Pale Saints

Post by angelsighs »

wasn't say it was a lost classic, but definitely a hidden gem of sorts in terms of the shoegaze scene.
I first came to them from the (excellent) Ride cover of Sight Of You. it's pretty cool when bands cover songs from their contemporaries I think.
sunray
Known user
Posts: 3131
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:07 pm

Re: Pale Saints

Post by sunray »

Yep, Pale Saints fan here. Like many other bands of that era i discovered them via Snub TV, picked up The Comforts of Madness on tape when it was released. Great album, that also has one of my favourite lp covers. That cat :D
I only saw them once, and that was supporting the Pixies at the National Stadium, Dublin in 1990. Still one of the best gigs i was ever at 8)
Look forward to hearing the bonus material.
Nineteen...Nineteen...Six Five
spzretent
Site Admin
Posts: 5587
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Motor City

Re: Pale Saints

Post by spzretent »

Love Comforts Of Madness. As I recall they had some great b-sides as well.
Saw them at least twice. Once opening for the Boo Radleys at the Astoria. Also at 4AD's 13 Year Itch at the ICA.
Great both times.
http://www.lilmoxie.com
Detroit, Music, Sports and Other Stuff(including Spiritualized, Spacemen 3)
mh
Known user
Posts: 276
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: The corners where the idiot children call

Re: Pale Saints

Post by mh »

A demo of You Tear The World In Two is up on Spotify (and presumably others) now. It sounds fantastic.
sunray
Known user
Posts: 3131
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:07 pm

Re: Pale Saints

Post by sunray »

Does anyone remember The Edsel Auctioneer? Chris Cooper was on drums. Yet another Snub TV find! I bought this pretty good ep upon release: https://www.discogs.com/The-Edsel-Aucti ... se/1905676

Quite surprised to see they've so much other material on their Discogs page. Might investigate further.
Nineteen...Nineteen...Six Five
burningwheel
Known user
Posts: 833
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 1:00 am
Location: Inner Space
Contact:

Re: Pale Saints

Post by burningwheel »

I wasn't crazy about them at the the . Maybe I need to re-access
sunray wrote: Sun Dec 01, 2019 4:50 pm Does anyone remember The Edsel Auctioneer? Chris Cooper was on drums. Yet another Snub TV find! I bought this pretty good ep upon release: https://www.discogs.com/The-Edsel-Aucti ... se/1905676

Quite surprised to see they've so much other material on their Discogs page. Might investigate further.
[url=http://www.loveisforever.org]Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver, Chapterhouse, The Telescopes, Loop, Verve and more![/url]
Post Reply