Photographs as Memories


Photographs as Memories is the debut studio album by English band Eyeless in Gaza. It was released on 30 January 1981, through record label Cherry Red.

Reception

Photographs as Memories received mixed reviews on its release, from “An interesting, invigorating listen” to “Stinkingly awful”. Des Moines in Sounds noted "a lot of flaws" and Martyn Bates' "extremely challenging voice", but acknowledged that "'From A to B’, ‘Speech Rapid Fire’ and ‘No Noise’ are three representations of how Becker and Bates at full flow achieve their thoroughly magic melodies", and that "Becker's uncanny flair for compelling succinct synthesiser hook lines is the conspicuous characteristic, but Bates’ imperiously evocative vocal is a factor just as crucial." While dismissing "John of Patmos" and "In Your Painting" as "rubbish", the reviewer acknowledged that "the highspots of the album are truly staggering".
Retrospectively, AllMusic described the album's "non-style-over-substance sense of work ethic" as "frustrating". Trouser Press described it as a "better-than-decent stab at hook-filled spareness".

Personnel

; Technical