Sore Throat - Sooner Than You Think

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Review by Pavel Ungr

Sooner Than You Think by Sore Throat: A Raw, Unfiltered Blast from 1980 Let’s cut the crap—Sore Throat’s Sooner Than You Think is not your polished, radio-friendly pop album. This sucker punches you in the face with its raw energy and doesn’t let go till the last track fades out. Released in 1980 across Sweden, the UK, Netherlands, and Germany under labels like Lotus Records and Hurricane Records, this thing screams New Wave, Punk, Hardcore Punk—you name it. It’s messy, chaotic, and absolutely unforgettable. First off, can we talk about “Wonder Drug”? Holy hell, this tune hits like a freight train. The bassline from Dan Flowers rattles your bones while Justin Ward's vocals feel like he’s yelling right into your skull. There’s no sugarcoating here—it’s gritty as fuck, but that’s what makes it stick. The lyrics? They’re kinda cryptic, but they hit hard if you’ve ever felt stuck in life or numbed by society. By the time Greg Mason’s saxophone kicks in, you realize this isn’t just punk; it’s a full-on assault of sounds that shouldn’t work together—but somehow do. And then there’s “Crackdown.” Oh man, this one stays with you because of how relentless it feels. Clive Kirby’s drumming is like machine-gun fire, and Reid Savage’s guitar riffs are sharp enough to slice through steel. If you don’t headbang to this, I question whether you even have a pulse. The production might sound rough around the edges (thanks Julian Mendlesohn and Pete James for keeping it real), but that imperfection gives it character. It’s angry, loud, and unapologetic—a perfect snapshot of punk’s DIY ethos. The rest of the tracks aren’t slouches either. “Routine Patrol” has this eerie vibe that creeps up on you, and “British Subject” throws some serious attitude your way. But honestly, the whole album feels like a middle finger to conformity. And yeah, maybe the mix could’ve been cleaner, but who cares? That’s part of its charm. Here’s the kicker though—what really gets me thinking is the cover art by Boyd & Evans. Those surreal visuals match the music perfectly, like someone took all the chaos inside their heads and splattered it onto canvas. David Dragon’s typography adds another layer of weirdness too. It’s almost like the band knew they were making something unconventional and leaned into it hard. So, yeah, Sooner Than You Think isn’t gonna win any Grammys, and it probably wasn’t meant to. But damn if it doesn’t leave a mark. Listening to it feels like stepping back in time to an era when music had guts, balls, and zero fucks to give. And honestly? We need more of that today. Final thought: If aliens landed tomorrow and asked for proof of human creativity, I’d hand them this album—and hope they didn’t judge us too harshly.

Table of Contents

Download

Filename: sore-throat-sooner-than-you-think.zip
  • MP3 size: 43 mb
  • FLAC size: 422 mb

Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
British Subject6:00
Flak Jacket4:20
Sooner Than You Think3:52
Diggin A Dream3:11
Mr Right
Routine Patrol6:18
Off The Hook3:15
Crackdown4:15
Wonder Drug4:58
7th Heaven4:08

Video

Sore Throat - Wonder Drug (1979)
Flak Jacket by the original Sore Throat
Sore Throat - Sooner Than You Think (1979)

Images

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Catalog Numbers

  • FLAK 101
  • 55.018
  • 6.24335
  • LS 4087

Labels

  • Hurricane Records
  • Dureco
  • Lotus Records , Hurricane Records

Listen online

  • lyssna på nätet
  • kuunnella verkossa
  • lytte på nettet
  • online luisteren
  • escuchar en línea
  • écouter en ligne
  • online anhören
  • ouvir online
  • ascolta in linea

Formats

  • Vinyl
  • LP
  • Album
  • Test Pressing
  • White Label

Companies

RoleCompany
Phonographic Copyright (p)Hurricane Records
Recorded AtAbbey Road Studios

Credits

RoleCredit
BassDan Flowers
CoverBoyd & Evans
Photography ByBoyd & Evans
DrumsClive Kirby
EngineerJulian Mendlesohn, Pete James
GuitarReid Savage
KeyboardsMatt Flowers
ProducerNeil Harrison
SaxophoneGreg Mason
TypographyDavid Dragon
VocalsJustin Ward
Alto SaxophoneGreg Mason
Written-BySore Throat

Notes

  • Recorded at Abbey Road and Sarm Studios. ℗ Hurricane Records 1979.
  • White label test pressing with hand-written band name on Side B label. Includes picture sleeve and printed inner sleeve.
  • Includes printed inner sleeve.
  • Recorded at Abbey Road and Sarm Studios.
  • ℗ 1979 Hurricane Records
  • (C) 1980 K-tel Records
  • Made in Sweden

Barcodes

  • Matrix / Runout (Label A): FLAK 101-A
  • Matrix / Runout (Label B): FLAK 101-B
  • Matrix / Runout (Runout A, etched): FLAK+101+A DI
  • Matrix / Runout (Runout B, etched): FLAK+101+B D k
  • Rights Society: STEMRA
  • Rights Society: n©b

About Sore Throat

New-wave punk power-pop band from London, UK, 1975 - 1981. Sore Throat was Matthew Flowers on keyboards, Danny Flowers on bass, Reid Savage on guitar, Greg Mason on sax, and Robin Knapp on drums. Soon Justin Ward joined on lead vocals and manic frontperson personality, then Robin was replaced by Clive Kirby from Landslide. They played a residency at the Stapleton in Stroud Green and also the Pindar Of Wakefield in Kings Cross.

Name Vars

  • Throat

Members

  • Will Flisk
  • Greg Mason
  • Reid Savage
  • Matthew Flowers
  • Dan Flowers
  • Justin Ward

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: The album *Sooner Than You Think* by Sore Throat is like a musical passport. It was released in 1980 across four countries—Sweden, the UK, Netherlands, and Germany. With its mix of punk, new wave, and hardcore punk vibes, it brought together diverse sounds and styles. Fun fact: Greg Mason played both saxophone and alto saxophone, adding a sharp edge to tracks like "Wonder Drug" and "Crackdown." Plus, the cover art was crafted by Boyd & Evans, giving the album that striking visual punch. Not bad for an underground rock gem!

Comments

jefferson96
2025-03-12
Saxophone – Greg Mason
writermarissa
2025-03-12
'Tis done. Not the studio version tho. I seem to remember that being utterly dreadful.
zecomodia
2025-03-11
@jokingman Thanks! It does stand up, don't it.
maju106
2025-03-11
Pleased to do it! was you in this band ? Chatted with the keyboard player Matt one night and was there the night they recorded live at the Moonlight club using the Decca studios link next door. Have you "Complex" or sooner than you think" ? they were great songs!!
take1sthiro
2025-03-11
That's me with the waistcoat. I'm thinking about posting acoustic versions of some of the songs - and found a rollicking version of 'Come On Bus' in some old tapes the other day. 'Complex' was Matt's song, on the B-side of 'Diggin' a Dream'. I'll dig it out:o)
juliethceg
2025-03-11
i first saw the band on the old grey whistle test i think, or another similar programme and went and bought the album straight away. came across the album again about 5 years later and bought it again as i played the first copy to death.
not played my records for over 20 years and only started to last week. still fantastic album.
sasakoker
2025-03-10
Thanks! You've made an old farts' day!
jimlwutzke
2025-03-10
What memorys ,I use to see this band regular at places like the Moonlight Club and Music Machine even see Madness support them at the Nashville rooms ! Still got my singles and one album ,really wished they had made it ,they should have Great band !