Sad Lovers And Giants - Feed the Flames

by Anthony Strutt

published: 27 / 8 / 2009

In our 'Re: View' column, in which our writers look back at albums from the past, Anthony Strutt examines Watford-based post-punk band Sad Lovers and Giants' recently reissued 1983 second album, 'Feeding the Flame'

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‘Feeding the Flame’ was the second album of the Watford-based post-punk band, Sad Lovers and Giants. Recently reissued on the Cherry Red label, it originally came out in 1983. While Sad Lovers and Giants have since gone through various reincarnations and still exist today, it was the final release by the band in its original line-up of Garce (vocals), Tristan Garel-Funk (guitar), David Wood (keyboards, saxophone), Chris Silver (bass) and Nigel Pollard (drums) before it split up in 1984. ‘Imagination’ opens‘Feeding the Flame'.It is jangly guitar heaven with haunting keyboards, and has a lovely Chameleons glow to it.‘Cowboys’ has elements of several of the Northern bands of the early 80s such as the Teardrop Explodes, Echo and the Bunnymen and once more the Chameleons. It has a string, romantic lead vocal from Garce, while the keyboards add smoothness and the guitars jangle like the early Icicle Works. ‘Big Tracks, Little Tracks’ is even more dramatic with its eccentric jazz-like brass, and sounds a little like the early Cure in its drive and strangeness. ‘On Another Day’ has the dreamy pop sound of several of the Liverpudlian bands of that era, while ‘Sleep (Is For Everyone)’ has the haunting sound of the Cure and more recently White Lies. ‘Vendetta’ is a slow moody number with a powerful jangle to it. while ‘Man of Straw’ has the dark sound of Bauhaus and Joy Division. ‘Close to the Sea’ is jangly and lush, the sort of song that White Lies would kill to write. ‘Strange Orchard’ and ‘Burning Beaches’ again both have the class of the early Cure, while ‘Your Skin and Mine’ sounds like one of the soundtracks which the Italian prog rock band Goblin recorded in the 70s for Dario Argento’s films of that period. ‘In Flux’ has haunting vocals from Grace, while its guitars jangle away beautifully. Sad Lovers and Giants are a band to fall in love with.