The Plateau Phase


The Plateau Phase is the debut studio album by the English post-punk band Crispy Ambulance, released in March 1982 by Factory Benelux. It was a departure to the sound of the earlier singles which was considered to be closer to the sound of post-punk contemporaries Joy Division. It peaked at No. 21 on the UK Independent [Singles and Albums Charts|UK Indie Charts] by the months of May and April 1982.

Critical reception

It received harsh criticism at the time, a typical example being this review by Mat Snow for NME:
Retrospective criticism was more positive, e.g. Ned Raggett, AllMusic:

Original track listing

Side one
  1. "Are You Ready?" - 5:49
  2. "Travel Time" - 3:51
  3. "The Force and the Wisdom" - 4:02
  4. "The Wind Season" - 5:29
  5. "Death from Above" - 3:28
Side two
  2. "We Move Through the Plateau Phase" - 5:50
  3. "Bardo Plane" - 3:32
  4. "Chill" - 4:47
  5. "Federation" -3:44
  6. "Simon's Ghost" -3:42

CD reissue

The CD, first issued as Comprising : The Plateau Phase, Live On A Hot August Night, Sexus, includes the Live on a Hot August Night single and the "Sexus" A-Side. It was issued on Factory Benelux in 1990 and LTM in 1999. The sleeve design is based on the sleeve of Live on a Hot August Night.
It was reissued again on Factory Benelux in 2012 with the original sleeve and title.
  1. "Are You Ready?" - 5:49
  2. "Travel Time" - 3:51
  3. "The Force and the Wisdom" - 4:02
  4. "The Wind Season" - 5:29
  5. "Death from Above" - 3:28
  6. "We Move Through the Plateau Phase" - 5:50
  7. "Bardo Plane" - 3:32
  8. "Chill" - 4:47
  9. "Federation" - 3:44
  10. "Simon's Ghost" - 3:42
  11. "The Presence" - 13:03
  12. "Concorde Square" - 9:08
  13. "Sexus" - 6:11