In the Flat Field is the debut album by British gothic rock band Bauhaus, released in October 1980 on 4AD. In the Flat Field topped the independent charts, and peaked on the UK Albums Chart at number 72.
Following a 30-date tour, Bauhaus set out to Southern Studios in London to record their first album. As the band had a clear conception of what they wanted the record to sound like, they opted to produce it themselves.
Review
Few debut albums ever arrived so nearly perfectly formed; that In the Flat
Field practically single-handedly invented what remains for many as the
stereotype of goth music – wracked, at times spindly vocals about despair and
desolation of many kinds, sung over mysterious and moody music – demonstrates
the sui generis power of both the band and its work. This said, perhaps the best
thing about the album isn't what it's supposed to sound like, but what it
actually does – an awesomely powerful, glam-inspired rock band firing on all
fours, capable of restraint and complete overdrive both, fronted by a
charismatic, storming frontman. Starting with the challenging angst of “Double
Dare,” with shattering guitar over a curious but fierce stop-start rhythm
while Murphy rages ever more strongly over the top, In the Flat Field contains a
wide variety of inspirations and ideas. The astonishingly precise rhythm section
of David J and Haskins pulls off a variety of jaw-dropping performances,
including the high-paced tension of the title track and the brooding crawl from
“Spy in the Cab.” Ash, much like his longtime hero Mick Ronson, turns out to
be a master of turning relatively simple guitar parts into apocalyptic
explosions, from the background fills on “St. Vitus Dance” to the brutal
descending chords of “Stigmata Martyr.” Murphy, meanwhile, channels as much
Iggy Pop as he does Bowie, proving to be no simple copyist of either, able to
both maniacally sing-shout and take a somewhat lighter touch throughout.
Concluding with the seven-minute “Nerves,” an aptly titled piece that
alternates between understated energy and unleashed power toward a dramatic
ending, In the Flat Field started off Bauhaus' album career with a near-perfect
bang. Ned Raggett – AllMusic