The Plateau Phase

The Plateau Phase was the first album released by post-punk band Crispy Ambulance. It was released in 1982 and was a departure to the sound of the earlier singles which was considered to be closer to the sound of post-punk contemporaries Joy Division. It reached number 21 on the UK Indie Charts by the months of May and April 1982.^[2] It was also received with harsh criticism, one of them was this review made by Mat Snow in 1980 for the NME magazine:

"This is one of the most pretentious, turgid and tedious LPs I've ever heard. Slavish imitation of Joy Division doth not good music make. All the trade-marks are there -relentless inverted drumming, ominous bass lines, dramatic flanged guitar, bleak synth washes and a lone desperate voice. But whereas Joy Division were sincere and inspired in their depiction of obsession, loss and desolation, Crispy Ambulance are portentous, inane and very, very boring.".^[3]

Original Track Listing

1. Are You Ready? (5:49)
2. Travel Time (3:51)
3. The Force And The Wisdom (4:02)
4. The Wind Season (5:29)
5. Death From Above (3:28)
6. We Move Through The Plateau Phase (5:50)
7. Bardo Plane (3:32)
8. Chill (4:47)
9. Federation (3:44)
10. Simon's Ghost (3:42)

1999 Remaster Track Listing

• The 1999 remaster included the "Live on a Hot August Night" single and the "Sexus" A-Side.

1. Are You Ready? (5:49)
2. Travel Time (3:51)
3. The Force And The Wisdom (4:02)
4. The Wind Season (5:29)
5. Death From Above (3:28)
6. We Move Through The Plateau Phase (5:50)
7. Bardo Plane (3:32)
8. Chill (4:47)
9. Federation (3:44)
10. Simon's Ghost (3:42)
11. The Presence (13:03)
12. Concorde Square (9:08)
13. Sexus (6:11)

References