I find Big Star's Sister Lovers, and Richard and Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights extremely bleak. And neither sound even remotely like Joy Division. Which is always a plus.

Lou Reed's Berlin is bleak, but it's perhaps a bit too self-consciously so for me. Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue is all the more harrowing simply because it shows someone trying to put on a smile to cover up the fact that they're clearly in a deep hole.

demonrail - hello again, sir! Hope you're keeping well! I just bought "Pacific Ocean Blue" on Monday. Might listen to a bit of it tonight, or if not, definitely tomorrow.

PS. Maria (ex-UEL person) says a big hello too (saw her and her man last Friday up North London way).

Throbbing Gristle has always epitomized bleakness for me; their early material specifically.

It's a beautiful album, it really is. Better than any of Brian's solo efforts I'd say. I'd be interested to know what you think of it. Some people think it's a bit too schmaltzy (and some of the production is way over the top) but give it a few listens before drawing any conclusions. It took me a while to 'get' it, so to speak.

More importantly, you must get Sister Lovers. It makes every other so-called 'depressing' album sound like Sister Sledge.

that is a pretty bleak album

but a very good one

Will do, indeed (your vote for R & L Thompson was spot on).

Talking of "depressing", I was try to find an old Patty Waters CD to check out "Black Is the Colour Of My True Love's Hair" again, but can't find the friggin thing. Ah well, thank gawd for Soulseek - am currently DL-ing said album this tune is from.

While I'm boosting Big Star, may I take this oportunity to encourage anyone who hasn't already done so to listen to Chris Bell's solo album I am the Cosmos as soon as possible. Bleak doesn't even begin to describe it.




I now promise not to mention Big Star for at least fifteen minutes.

Again, the album I mentioned in my first post is basically the sound of heroin.

He even shoots up heroin in this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=213mmXUjOlw

Pink Floyd's the Wall should be considered.
Not all of it is downright bleak in the quiet, cold sense, but when it is it's epically bleak.
And definitely Joy Division's Closer and Unknown Pleasures.

I don't find The Wall to be bleak; I find it quite funny, actually. The whole storyline seems fucking ridiculous to me these days to find it bleak. There are a few parts of the movie that I find really bleak, though, especially when young Pink is going through all the battlegrounds and sees all the dead bodies piled up. Some of the animated bits are really bleak too. =\

Hood- Cold House
I haven't listened to it in years, but what I remember of it )I don't own it either, unfortunately) was just incredibly devastating... I mean, it's called Cold House for chrissakes. That sums it up.

does bleak mean boring or simply just depressing?
Is it supposed to be negative?
Cold House is Hood"s best LP by miles/ It IS very depressing muzak

This was the first thing that came to mind for me.
Alternatively I'd suggest Spiderland.