Adrian Borland – Beautiful Ammunition (1994)

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Adrian Kelvin Borland (6 December 1957 – 26 April 1999) was an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer, best known as the frontman of post-punk band the Sound.

In 1994, Borland returned to the UK to record his third album, Beautiful Ammunition, at the Acton Survival Studios on Resolve Records.
Whether because of meager investment or because of his desire to explore a more acoustic sound, the new album displayed a simpler format, largely devoid of any discernible concept: “Beautiful Ammunition” is very simply put together, only acoustic guitar, synthesiser and a few drum machines. Everything is very basic, which I like”, Borland said later.

With each solo LP, Adrian Borland takes another small step away from his body of work with the Sound (1979-1987).
This third outing, his first since leaving the Play It Again Sam label, is much like Alexandria and Brittle Heaven in that it often strays into a too-genteel, almost adult contemporary feel (though it never is as ossified as most VH1 fodder; Borland does have real soul to his guitar pop).
His music as a solo artist is still too light and airy compared to the true spark of the three talents who backed him all those years in the Sound, and is too glossy compared to what might work better with this material, a lo-fi, more dirty, home demo approach, which would better bring out what Borland excels at: natural-beauty songwriting and his familiar voice.
For that’s what saves him; though as per his other solo records, nothing here ever comes close to competing with such late-period Sound classics as “Temperature Drop” or “Iron Years,” the material is always finely honed and pleasant, especially “Someone Will Love You Today,” three-quarters of the way through.

 

Track listing

  1. Re-United States Of Love (Backing Vocals [B.Vox]) – 4:30
  2. Open Door – 4:27
  3. Rocket Backing (Vocals [B.Vox]) – 2:27
  4. Stranger In The Soul – 4:41
  5. Break My Fall – 4:31
  6. Station Of The Cross – 4:47
  7. Simple Little Love (Backing Vocals [B.Vox]) – 3:10
  8. White Room (Bass – Neil Rickerby) – 5:38
  9. Past Full Of Shadows – 3:42
  10. Ordinary Angel (Backing Vocals [B.Vox], Bass – Neil Rickerby) – 4:45
  11. Lonely Late-Nighter – 3:40
  12. Someone Will Love You Today (Backing Vocals [B.Vox]) – 3:28
  13. Forgiveness – 1:44
  14. Rootless (Backing Vocals [B.Vox]) – 3:40
  15. In Passing – 1:16
  16. Shoreline (Backing Vocals [B.Vox]) – 3:45

 

Companies, etc.

Credits

  • Photography By – Emily Hine
  • Producer, Drum Programming, Percussion [Hand Percussion] – Mark Hunziker
  • Producer, Engineer, Programmed By [Keyboard Programming] – Mark Kelser
  • Producer, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, E-Bow, Effects [Treatments], Bass, Music By, Lyrics By – Adrian Borland

Notes
Released: 1994
Recorded and mixed: in 99 hours at Survival Studios, Acton.
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Post-punk, new wave
Length: 2:41:17

Label – Resolve Records

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