Sanctuary

by The Passions

Overview

Having hovered around the U.K. Top 100 with 1981's 30000 Feet Over China LP, the Passions attempted one last stab at the independent market which had, so far, eluded them with their swan song release, Sanctuary. Keeping the focus on the smooth guitar and mood melodies they'd adopted in place of the annoying jangle-quirk that drove their earliest material, the band rebounded with an album that may have been commercially and critically overlooked, but actually allowed the band to shine. "The Letter" utilizes effective indie guitar licks, repeated again on the closer, "Cars Driven Fast." Elsewhere, synthesizers propel the action on both the wonderfully atmospheric "Into the Night" and the overdone "White Lies." Barbara Gogan had also found her vocal style, scaling down her delivery an octave or two and only occasionally ripping out with the indie-girl-scale bounding so beloved by the likes of Lene Lovich, Danielle Dax, and Terri Nunn. Both the title track and "Jump for Joy" were pulled off the LP for single releases; unfortunately, neither did anything and by the fall of 1982 the band had split. ~ Amy Hanson

Product Details

Release Date:	11/15/2019
Label:	Polydor / Rubellan Remasters
UPC:	0746160509105
Rank:	48646

Tracks

1. Jump for Joy
2. Letter
3. Into Night
4. Small Talk
5. White Lies
6. Sanctuary
7. Love Is Essential
8. Your Friend
9. Hold On, Don't Go
10. Cars Driven Fast
11. Africa Mine
12. I Feel Cheap
13. The Story
14. Tempting Fate
15. Stop That Man
16. The Square [Live]
17. Why Me [Live]
18. Snow [Live]
19. I'm in Love With a German Film Star [Live]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Passions   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
Barbara Gogan   Vocals
Kevin Armstrong   Vocals,Guitar
Richard Williams   Drums
Jeff Smith   Synthesizer
David Agar   Vocals,Guitar,Bass

Technical Credits

Clive Timperley   Composer
Kevin Armstrong   Composer
Mick Shepherd   Live Sound
Gary Keene   Direction
Chris Hopper   Photography
David Agar Wardill   Composer
Scott Davies   Reissue Producer,Package Design,Remastering,Liner Notes
The Passions   Composer
Richard Williams   Composer
Colin Leggett   Assistant Engineer
Corrine Simcock   Assistant Engineer
Barbara Gogan   Composer
Mick Glossop   Engineer,Producer