The Sound's first "proper" album is JEOPARDY, even though Adrian Borland always considered PROPAGANDA as their first effort and sought to have it released as a Sound record many years later. Recorded throughout the autumn of 1979 and released in the first half of 1980, JEOPARDY introduces the band's melancholic new wave and Adrian Borland's skills in particular. Another tragic figure in the new wave universe, Adrian was not only a talented lyricist and composer, but also a gifted, passionate performer. Despite it's beginner's inexperience and the naturally flawed output in places, JEOPARDY shows a great deal of all that made the Sound a great but sadly underestimated band.

The opener, "Can't escape myself", needs no description. Especially here in Greece it seems to be the de facto "calling card" of the group, a start-stop anthemic composition with stabbing drums and bass, acid keyboards and the guitar howling in the chorus and in between the verses, the claustrophobic nature of the lyrics taking its time to develop, leaving a clear stain on the listener's heart...no escape, eventually for Borland as well, as he committed suicide in April of 1998. "Heartland" however rushes in right afterwards, its fast tempo, with a clever and catchy combination of keyboards and guitars, and Adrian now paints his voice with a shade of optimism, even if it is all in vain, because the "Hour of need" takes everything down again, the haunting synth lines in the background and the slow rhythm section drowning everything in waves of loneliness and sorrow. With three songs in a row, the Sound manage to present their solitary vision and put a spell on the listener's senses.

From there on, "Words fail me" carries the art-punk angst of the Outsiders, and naturally, since its an older composition, featured in a slightly altered version in the PROPAGANDA sessions. The anguish and the anger here climbs up to the surface, musically and lyrically, only to choke back into the bottom..."Missiles" is a slow, droning and self-drowning masterpiece that spins around the end of the first side of the album and actually hints at the doomy soundscapes of "New Dark Age", albeit at a more primitive and raw, but always magical, approach.

"Heyday" and the title track speed it up again, using once more brilliant keyboards above the tension of the classic rock lineup--- fast pacing drums, lurking bass and nervous guitars. Adrian seems more self-confident in these faster songs, which are closer to the past of the Outsiders, and naturally, since this is still a transitional period. It would take one more album before the Sound's atmospheric sculpture is clearly formed and visualized, even by the band members themselves.

"Night versus day" and "Unwritten law" are two such fine testaments, and their slow, eerie scent is untouched by time. The production actually is not as good as the band might want (and certainly not as good as it would get on the next albums) but the mood is here-- and it certainly works!

"Resistance" is possibly the album's most popular song, along with the opener, and features prominently in setlists even twenty years later--- a blend of art punk, rebellion and futile angst altogether, as in real life! No wonder it's such a diamond. The album ends suitably with "Desire", leaving us certainly wanting more, but thankfully, this was a really productive set of musicians, releasing more albums as the 80s progressed, however unjust was the lack of attention they received.

Despite its more restrained production, the few samples of inexperience and the fact that the music was still in flux balance, and therefore not quite as perfect as in ALL FALL DOWN or FROM THE LION'S MOUTH, JEOPARDY is by all means an important record. It's eerie compositions, slow washes of melancholy among bursts of futile anger, will follow your for a long time...actually, it never really ends, does it?