The Affectionate Punch

The Affectionate Punch
Studio album by The Associates
Released August 1, 1980
Genre Post-punk
Label Fiction Records
Producer Mike Hedges, Chris Parry
The Associates chronology
The Affectionate Punch
(1980)
Fourth Drawer Down
(1981)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

The Affectionate Punch is the first album by Scottish Post-Punk group, Associates. It was released in August 1980.

Contents

Style

The album is markedly different from both the Associates darker, more experimental recordings and their later watery dense production style as made famous on Sulk and Fourth Drawer Down. The album has an angular guitar sound and gated drums very similar to other late 70's/early 80's Post-punk records. However Alan Rankine's expansive musical arrangements and Billy Mackenzie's multiple octave voice seen on those later recordings are in place.

Remix

The album was remixed and re-released 1982 by order of the Associates new record company Warners. The remixed record retained all the old tracks but were given typical 80's production values such as new synthesizers and Billy Mackenzie re-recorded some vocals. Both Mackenzie and Rankine expressed distaste with the results. For years this was the only version available on compact disc as the master tapes for the original had been lost. However a duplicate was found and the album was reissued by Virgin in 2005.

Tracklist

Original Album

  1. The Affectionate Punch - 3.30
  2. Amused As Always - 4.20
  3. Logan Time - 4.12
  4. Paper House - 4.54
  5. Transport to Central - 5.02
  6. A Matter of Gender - 4.30
  7. Even Dogs in the Wild - 3.23
  8. Would I... Bounce Back - 3.59
  9. Deeply Concerned - 3.38
  10. A - 3.57

The 2005 reissue contains the following bonus tracks

  1. You Were Young - 4.04
  2. Janice - 2.35
  3. Boys Keep Swinging (Mono) - 3.40
  4. Mona Property Girl - 3.27

Remixed Version

  1. Amused As Always - 4.20
  2. The Affectionate Punch - 4.18
  3. A Matter of Gender - 4.27
  4. Would I... Bounce Back - 3.57
  5. A - 3.49
  6. Logan Time - 4.13
  7. Paper House - 4.54
  8. Deeply Concerned - 4.03
  9. Even Dogs in the Wild - 3.09
  10. Transport To Central - 4.34

"The Affectionate Punch" and "Would I... Bounce Back" were released as singles to little commercial success. The remixed versions of "A Matter of Gender" and "A" were also released as singles in 1982.

Personnel

The Associates:

Michael Dempsey and John Murphy featured in promotional shots and the accompanying tour but did not perform on the record. Alan Rankine provided bass as well as guitar and keyboards and session musician Nigel Glocker provided drums.

Other Personnel:

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review