The Undertones – Positive Touch

The Undertones – Positive Touch

Positive Touch is the third studio album from legendary Derry punk band The Undertones, originally released in 1981. Arriving after the raw energy of their self-titled debut and Hypnotised, the album marked a noticeable expansion of the band's sound, retaining their melodic punk roots while introducing more varied arrangements, richer instrumentation and a greater emphasis on songwriting.

Recorded in January 1981 at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands, Positive Touch captures The Undertones at an interesting point in their development. Rather than simply repeating the short, fast punk formula of their earliest material, the band broadened their musical palette with elements of pop, soul, blues and new wave. Piano and keyboards from Paul Carrack, alongside brass and other additional textures, give the album a noticeably fuller sound while Feargal Sharkey's distinctive vocals retain the nervous energy and character associated with the band.

The album gets off to a brisk start with Fascination, before the beautiful and surprisingly restrained Julie Ocean demonstrates just how far The Undertones had developed beyond their early punk sound. Life's Too Easy and Crisis Of Mine bring back the band's trademark urgency, while You're Welcome and His Goodlooking Girlfriend demonstrate their growing interest in more sophisticated arrangements.

The title track, The Positive Touch, is particularly representative of the album's adventurous approach. Its unusual combination of guitar, Caribbean-influenced percussion and bluesy touches creates something quite different from the straightforward punk of Teenage Kicks, while still retaining the band's knack for concise, memorable songwriting.

Side B opens with When Saturday Comes, followed by It's Going To Happen!, one of the album's standout tracks and a song that became a single in 1981. The track combines the band's punchy guitar sound with a more rhythmic arrangement and socially observant lyrics.

Sigh & Explode, I Don't Know, Hannah Doot and Boy Wonder continue the album's mixture of punk energy and melodic pop, while Forever Paradise brings proceedings to a more reflective close. The result is a record that demonstrates why The Undertones were much more than simply the band behind Teenage Kicks.

Released on 5 May 1981 through the band's Ardeck imprint via EMI, Positive Touch represents an important chapter in The Undertones' evolution from Derry punk pioneers into a more musically adventurous alternative rock band.

An essential addition for fans of The Undertones, Teenage Kicks, Northern Irish punk, post-punk, new wave and melodic guitar music, Positive Touch is particularly appealing to collectors looking for the band's more sophisticated early-1980s material. It combines the immediacy of punk with clever songwriting and an increasingly broad musical palette.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Fascination – 2:23
2. Julie Ocean – 1:47
3. Life's Too Easy – 2:31
4. Crisis Of Mine – 2:27
5. You're Welcome – 2:48
6. His Goodlooking Girlfriend – 3:08
7. The Positive Touch – 2:21

Side B

1. When Saturday Comes – 2:56
2. It's Going To Happen! – 3:39
3. Sigh & Explode – 2:46
4. I Don't Know – 2:44
5. Hannah Doot – 2:50
6. Boy Wonder – 2:08
7. Forever Paradise – 3:11