The Plateau Phase


The Plateau Phase was the first album released by post-punk band Crispy Ambulance. It was released in 1982 and 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 reached number 21 on the UK Indie Charts by the months of May and April 1982.
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

  1. Are You Ready?
  2. Travel Time
  3. The Force And The Wisdom
  4. The Wind Season
  5. Death From Above
  6. We Move Through The Plateau Phase
  7. Bardo Plane
  8. Chill
  9. Federation
  10. Simon's Ghost

    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?
  2. Travel Time
  3. The Force And The Wisdom
  4. The Wind Season
  5. Death From Above
  6. We Move Through The Plateau Phase
  7. Bardo Plane
  8. Chill
  9. Federation
  10. Simon's Ghost
  11. The Presence
  12. Concorde Square
  13. Sexus