Aural Sculpture

Studio album by The Stranglers

Released

November 1984

Recorded

Brussels 1983–1984

Genre

New wave, post-punk, punk rock

Length

43:10 (LP)

Label

Epic

Producer

Laurie Latham, The Stranglers

The Stranglers chronology

Feline
(1983)

Aural Sculpture
(1984)

Dreamtime
(1986)

Singles from Aural Sculpture

"Skin Deep"
"No Mercy"
"Let Me Down Easy"

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]

Aural Sculpture is the eighth album recorded by The Stranglers. It was also the name given to a one-sided 7-inch single given free with a limited number of copies of their Feline album in 1983. The "Aural Sculpture Manifesto" on the 7" single was played before The Stranglers appeared on stage during concerts during both the 1983 "Feline" Tour and the 1985 "Aural Sculpture" Tour.

The album featured acoustic guitar as well as a three-piece horn section (trumpet, trombone and saxophone).

Aural Sculpture reached number 14 in the UK Albums Chart in November 1984.^[2] There were three singles released from the album: "Skin Deep" (No. 15 in the UK Singles Chart), "No Mercy" (No. 37 in the UK Singles Chart) and "Let Me Down Easy" (No. 48 in the UK Chart).^[2] All were accompanied by 12" single versions, while "No Mercy" had a further two format releases in picture disc and EP.

Track listing

"Ice Queen" - 4:01
"Skin Deep" - 3:53
"Let Me Down Easy" - 4:10
"No Mercy" - 3:38
"North Winds" - 4:03
"Uptown" - 2:57
"Punch & Judy" - 3:46
"Spain" - 4:13
"Laughing" - 4:12
"Souls" - 2:41
"Mad Hatter" - 4:00

Bonus Tracks on the 2001 CD release:
12. "Here and There" 4:21
13. "In One Door" 2:53
14. "Head on the Line" 3:08
15. "Achilles Heel" 2:54
16. "Hot Club" (Riot Mix) 3:04
17. "Place de Victoires" 4:09
18. "Vladimir and the Beast (part 3)" 3:56
19. "Vladimir Goes to Havana" 5:28

The tape version of the album had a Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer program called Aural Quest at the end of the tape, which could be loaded using the Spectrum's usual tape loading method. The program was an adventure game written using a framework called The Quill. Preceding the program was a short explanation of the following squeal, which was voiced by the band members.

In Popular Culture

The song "Let me Down Easy" was featured as the opening title track for the 2015 action film Hardcore Henry

References

↑ Rabid, Jack. Aural Sculpture at AllMusic
1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 535. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

Aural Sculpture at Discogs (list of releases)

The Stranglers

Jet Black J. J. Burnel Dave Greenfield Baz Warne Hugh Cornwell Hans Wärmling Paul Roberts John Ellis

Studio albums	Rattus Norvegicus No More Heroes Black and White The Raven The Gospel According to the Meninblack La folie Feline Aural Sculpture Dreamtime 10 Stranglers in the Night About Time Written in Red Coup de Grace Norfolk Coast Suite XVI Giants

Live albums	Live at the Hope and Anchor Live (X Cert) All Live and All of the Night Saturday Night, Sunday Morning Access All Areas The Stranglers and Friends – Live in Concert Friday the Thirteenth Live at the Hammersmith Odeon '81 5 Live 01 Live at the Apollo Apollo Revisited Coast to Coast: Live on Tour Live at the Apollo 2010 (DVD & CD)

Compilations	IV The Collection 1977–1982 Off the Beaten Track Rarities (1998) Singles (The UA Years) Greatest Hits 1977–1990 All Twelve Inches The Early Years '74 '75 '76 Rare Live and Unreleased Strangled from Birth and Beyond The Sessions The Hit Men The Best of the Epic Years The Collection Collection Hits Collection The Stranglers The Masters Lies and Deception Peaches: The Very Best of The Stranglers Rarities (2002) Out of the Black Sweet Smell of Success – Best of the Epic Years Live 'n' Sleazy Miss You Gold The Very Best of The Stranglers Decades Apart

Singles	"(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" "Peaches" "Something Better Change" "No More Heroes" "5 Minutes" "Nice 'n' Sleazy" "Walk On By" "Duchess" "Nuclear Device (The Wizard of Aus)" "Bear Cage" "Who Wants The World?" "Thrown Away" "Just Like Nothing On Earth" "Let Me Introduce You to the Family" "Golden Brown" "La Folie" "Strange Little Girl" "European Female" "Skin Deep" "Always The Sun" "All Day and All of the Night" "96 Tears" "Long Black Veil" "Spectre of Love"

Other songs	"Hanging Around" "Tramp"

Special projects	Clubbed to Death

DVD releases	The Collection 1977–1982 Live At Alexandra Palace Friday the Thirteenth Euro Live On Stage on Screen Rattus at the Roundhouse Live at the Apollo 2010 (DVD & CD)

Related	Discography Soulsec Martin Rushent Celia and the Mutations

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