If you only know The Associates from Sulk and its attendant hits, you’re well advised to seek out its predecessor. On their debut – given a straight vinyl repress here – the duo were still paddling in the pools of post-punk, with Billy MacKenzie’s glorious operatic croon framed by angular guitar and some beguiling arrangements.
Even Dogs In the Wild
adds a touch of Weimar cabaret and the title track could be an outtake from one of Bowie’s Berlin albums. Their finest hour lay ahead, but this is a fascinating staging post en route.