Record Rebound: Pale Saints reissue their 1992 album ‘In Ribbons’
Setting out with their debut album, The Comforts of Madness, in 1990, the Leeds group Pale Saints headed up 4AD’s shoegaze roster, rivalling those on Alan McGee’s iconic label, Creation Records, including My Bloody Valentine and Ride. With a sound prescient of the inbound Britpop wave married with the dreamy scapes pioneered by their labelmates Cocteau Twins, Pale Saints may feel they deserved a wider fanbase during their active decade between 1987 and ‘96.
Unless you’re part of the band’s modern cult following, you may only be aware of Pale Saints’ biggest hits, most of which hail from the debut album. Buoyed by popular tracks like ‘Sight of You’ and ‘Language of Flowers’, The Comforts of Madness reached the UK top 40 shortly after release, but any commercial success began to taper thereafter.
In Ribbons, the second of Pale Saints’ three studio albums, is seen by many as the band’s most consummate work. Balanced and complex, the 1992 album served as a pleasing extension or natural progression on the neopsychedelic ventures of The Comforts of Madness. In some moments, the album will have your mind drifting out the window on a pillow of clouds and in others, it’ll give you a violent shake with some heavy, effects-ridden guitar textures.
With 12 tracks spanning just over 50 minutes, In Ribbons allows itself plenty of space for manoeuvre: many a twist and turn to the tone, both musically and thematically. Kicking off on an inarguable highlight, yet by no means a crucial lynchpin, the album’s only single ‘Throwing Back the Apple’ injects proceedings with due impetus. Enthusiastically poised to introduce the rest of the album, the lead single exudes confidence with a mirage of jangly guitars and elusive advisory lyrics.
Although In Ribbons is oft eclipsed by The Comforts of Madness, a notable improvement in musicianship is further enhanced by the vocal talent of Meriel Barham, formerly a member of Lush. After joining the band in late 1990, Barham offered a touch of vocal diversity, complimenting Ian Masters’ characteristically meek lead, which prevailed monolithic throughout the debut album.
Barnham’s first and most memorable vocal contribution is heard on ‘Thread of Light’, a dynamic track representative of the album as a whole with its melodic, dreamy chapters punctuated by intense drum fills and thrashing rhythm guitar. Barnham’s vocals shine brightly once more in ‘Liquid’, where she harmonises with Masters in the chorus.
Accompanying dynamic and upbeat songs are more downtempo, subdued tracks, offering a third dimension of ruminative escape. The notably sparse 40-second track, ‘There Is No Day’, is not only punctuational but curiously poses some of the most coherent lyrics on the album: “There is no day until you come back to me.” Perhaps a guiding concept is one of unrequited love or loss.
With absorbing soundscapes aplenty, the listener’s attention is suspended in a pleasant ether between musical complexity and lyrical focus. The fragmented and kaleidoscopic lyrics complement the music despite not offering a tangible narrative. Alas, even listeners who enjoy meaningful songs can find compelling interpretations between reveries.
Needless to say, Pale Saints’ In Ribbons is a great record for the turntable. The versatile vibrations swagger between upbeat rock and ambient haze almost simultaneously, making it the perfect album for a Sunday morning, Friday night, and practically anything in between.
This underappreciated gem of the shoegaze era is set to be reissued on October 6th via the original label 4AD. The album is either available in a 1LP reissue with all the original tracks or as a 2CD or 2LP set with two sides of 12 bonus tracks, mostly comprising demos of tracks on the album and contemporary singles, including the popular hit ‘Kinky Love’.
You can see the full tracklist and pre-order the 2LP set here for £17.99.
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