The song, New Dark Age, was released on The Sound’s 1981 release From the Lion’s Mouth. An unbelievably powerful group, they never achieved the kind of commercial success that they deserved. Fronted by singer/songwriter Adrian Borland they released five full-length albums and almost two dozen of singles, EPs and live albums between 1980 – 1987. Their sound featured profound, sometimes bleak lyrics, angular post-punk guitars, driving percussion and neo-pop styling. This is one of our favorite songs here on Strawberry Tongue…and seemingly appropriate for bleak times.
New Dark Age
In the darkest times
Darkest fears are heard
And from the safest places
Some make a quiet life
To keep this
Scared old world at bay
The dogs are howling on the street outside
So they close the curtains, hope they go away
And it’s pressure from all sides
Coming down around our ears
Stuck in this room without a door
Scratched away at the walls for years
All we’ve got to show is the dust on the floor
And here it comes, a new dark age
I catch your eyes
Before they fall to the ground
We’re running out of time, breath and steam
We’re running down
They’re burning witches
Up on punishment hill
Dying proof in the power of autority
To exact it’s will
And we’ve broken our fingers
Broken our faith
Broken our hearts so many times
They can’t be broken anymore
Scratched away at the walls for years
All we’ve got to show is the dust on the floor
And here it comes, a new dark age
Here it comes….