Coinciding with the album's 30th anniversary, The Comforts of Madness by Pale Saints will be 4AD's first release of the 2020s, as it was the label's first release of the 1990s.



“There’s a restless urgency, particularly when the volume swells and the rhythms intensify. That energy not only keeps (it) vital, it emphasizes Pale Saints’ inventiveness, how they channelled softness and rage into something distinctive.”  Pitchfork

It's been 30 years since Pale Saints released their debut album, The Comforts of Madness, and to celebrate, 4AD have remastered the album and will be reissuing it on January 17th 2020.  As well as a single LP edition on black vinyl, deluxe CD and LP editions are also being released, both of which include a bonus disc of previously unreleased session tracks and the band's only John Peel Session.

+ The Comforts of Madness: 30th Anniversary Remaster is being released across three formats on 4AD - Double CD, LP and Limited Clear Double LP +
+ You can pre-order from the 4AD Store here +
+ You can pre-order from other stores here +



From Leeds, the original Pale Saints line-up were Ian Masters (bass / vocals), Chris Cooper (drums), and Graeme Naysmith (guitar), who having released a clutch of singles since forming in 1987, put out their debut album in January 1990.  Including the tracks 'Sight of You', 'You Tear The World In Two' and a cover of Opal’s 'Fell From the Sun' (the band that once featured 4AD alumna Kendra Smith and later became Mazzy Star), they made an exciting and frenetic entrance with The Comforts of Madness - an album that swam against the tide and even found its way on to the Top 40 of the UK Album Charts.

When appearing in The Times' Guide To The Best Albums of All Time, Pete Paphides likened the record to being "an electrical storm of discovery," saying that them being "pigeonholed as a shoegazing band, doesn’t begin to do them justice.  The Comforts of Madness hits the ground not so much running as charging in all directions.  It’s easy to forget that indie music once saw no contradiction in sounding sweet, savage and esoteric at the same time, but it was a combination that seemed second nature to Pale Saints."

For the album's 30th anniversary, Ian Masters has revisited the band's sessions where they demoed the album at their Woodhouse Studio before heading to the Blackwing Studios in London to record them with John Fryer and Gil Norton.  These album demos plus the band's only John Peel Session (recorded 23rd of July 1989 at Maida Vale studios in London) help to create a bonus disc of material for both the double CD and LP editions.  While the single LP is a faithful repress of the original, the artwork for the deluxe editions has been reworked by Timothy O'Donnell, with the double CD edition coming in a card sleeve and the double gatefold LP being pressed on clear vinyl.  All formats and their tracklisting can be found below.


Limited Double LP (4AD0159LPX)
Gatefold Sleeve, Clear Vinyl

Disc One
A1. Way The World Is
A2. You Tear The World In Two
A3. Sea of Sound
A4. True Coming Dream
A5. Little Hammer

B1. Insubstantial
B2. A Deep Sleep For Steven
B3. Language of Flowers
B4. Fell From The Sun
B5. Sight Of You
B6. Time Thief

Disc Two
C1. Sight Of You (Original Woodhouse Studio Version) *
C2. Way The World Is (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
C3. Language of Flowers (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
C4. You Tear The World In Two (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
C5. Fell From The Sun (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
C6. A Deep Sleep For Steven (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
C7. Time Thief (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *

D1. Sea of Sound (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
D2. Insubstantial (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
D3. Little Hammer (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
D4. True Coming Dream (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
D5. She Rides The Waves (John Peel Show Version) *
D6. You Tear The World In Two (John Peel Show Version) *
D7. Way The World Is (John Peel Show Version) *
D8. Time Thief (John Peel Show Version) *

* Previously unreleased


LP (4AD0159)
Black Vinyl

A1. Way The World Is
A2. You Tear The World In Two
A3. Sea of Sound
A4. True Coming Dream
A5. Little Hammer

B1. Insubstantial
B2. A Deep Sleep For Steven
B3. Language of Flowers
B4. Fell From The Sun
B5. Sight Of You
B6. Time Thief


Double CD (4AD0159CDX)
Card Wallet Sleeve

Disc One
1. Way The World Is
2. You Tear The World In Two
3. Sea of Sound
4. True Coming Dream
5. Little Hammer
6. Insubstantial
7. A Deep Sleep For Steven
8. Language of Flowers
9. Fell From The Sun
10. Sight Of You
11. Time Thief

Disc Two
1. Sight Of You (Original Woodhouse Studio Version) *
2. Way The World Is (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
3. Language of Flowers (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
4. You Tear The World In Two (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
5. Fell From The Sun (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
6. A Deep Sleep For Steven (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
7. Time Thief (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
8. Sea of Sound (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
9. Insubstantial (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
10. Little Hammer (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
11. True Coming Dream (Woodhouse Studio LP Demo) *
12. She Rides The Waves (John Peel Show Version) *
13. You Tear The World In Two (John Peel Show Version) *
14. Way The World Is (John Peel Show Version) *
15. Time Thief (John Peel Show Version) *

* Previously unreleased