In the Flat Field
| In the Flat Field | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Bauhaus | ||||
| Released | 3 November 1980 | |||
| Studio | BBC Maida Vale Studios and Southern Studios, London, England | |||
| Genre | Post-punk, gothic rock | |||
| Length | 38:45 | |||
| Label | 4AD | |||
| Producer | Bauhaus | |||
| Bauhaus chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Drowned in Sound | 9/10 |
| NME | negative |
| Pitchfork | 9.2/10 |
| Sounds | negative |
| Trouser Press | generally positive |
In the Flat Field is the debut studio album by English rock band Bauhaus. It was recorded between December 1979 and July 1980, and was released on 3 November 1980 by record label 4AD, the first full-length release on that label.
The album is considered one of the first gothic rock records.
Following a 30-date tour, Bauhaus set out to Southern Studios in London to record their first album. As the band had a clear conception of what they wanted the record to sound like, they opted to produce it themselves. While most of the album was completed with the planned release date of September 1980, the group found it difficult to record a version of "Double Dare" as good as the one they performed on disc jockey John Peel's BBC Radio 1 programme. Bauhaus applied to the BBC to use the Peel sessions version, but due to obstructions from the Musicians Union, the process took over a month.
For journalist Andy Gill, the dark atmosphere of the record was likened to previous works of groups like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Adam and the Ants, and Joy Division. In his AllMusic review, music historian Ned Raggett described Bauhaus as a "glam-inspired rock band", said that singer Peter Murphy channeled both Iggy Pop and David Bowie, and compared Daniel Ash's guitar playing to Mick Ronson's. Raggett noted that the album concluded with "a dramatic ending" with the song "Nerves".
In the Flat Field was released on 3 November 1980 by record label 4AD. It was met with a negative response from critics, but topped the independent charts and made the UK Albums Chart for one week, peaking at number 72.
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