Penetration - Coming Up For Air

The spiky aspirations of their debut album and first few singles notwithstanding, Penetration were always a more convincing hard rock band than most punks gave them credit for. The glee with which they unveiled a twin-guitar line-up, the faith they placed in songs with titles like "She Is the Slave" and "Shout Above the Noise," and, if hindsight be the guide, the accuracy with which they predicted the entire New Wave of British Heavy Metal outbreak; all these things place Penetration in a very different bag to that they normally wriggle around in. Guitarist Fred Purser went on to form the Tygers of Pan Tang. That should tell you everything. Released in late 1979, their second album, Coming Up for Air, is the sound of the group embracing that destiny. Critically pummelled at the time and often overlooked thereafter, it is a far cry from the scratchy urchins who unleashed "Don't Dictate" a mere year earlier, a rip-roaring, riff-heavy leviathan that places its focus on Purser and Neale Floyd's wailing guitars, then layers Pauline Murray's banshee-bark vocals atop of them. Unfortunately, in ripping apart the punk formbook, Penetration also tore up their song writing manual. Without exception, the eleven songs on the original album are uniformly leaden, while two live bonus tracks merely amplify the band's lumpen metal pretensions. Only "Danger Signs," one of the three bonus tracks and the band's last memorable single, stands proud.

Coming Up for Air (1979) represents a pivotal shift for the English punk band Penetration, moving away from the raw, frantic energy of their debut album, Moving Targets. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, this sophomore release embraces a more polished, atmospheric, and twin-guitar-driven rock sound. The addition of guitarist Fred Purser brought a melodic density that anchored the band's new direction. Frontwoman Pauline Murray delivers a commanding vocal performance across the record, navigating complex arrangements that traded traditional punk aggression for structured, riff-heavy compositions. Track standouts like "Come Into the Open," "Shout Above the Noise," and "Life's a Gamble" showcase this evolution into a sophisticated post-punk style.

At the time of its release, the album received mixed reviews from critics and fans who missed the band's initial scratchy, high-energy punk delivery. This lukewarm reception, combined with internal pressures, led to the band's initial disbandment late in 1979. However, retrospective assessments have been far more generous, recognizing the record as a strong, mature post-punk document ahead of its time. Recent reissues, including a notable double-CD package by Cherry Red Records, have revitalized interest in the album, cementing its legacy as a compelling transition piece of the late-1970s British alternative scene.

Musically, the record is defined by its intricate layering, which sets it apart from the monochromatic power chords of the era's standard punk fare. Lillywhite’s production injects a clean, expansive spatial quality that allows the rhythm section of Robert Blamire and Gary Chaplin to breathe, creating a driving backbone for Purser and Neale Floyd’s interlocking guitar lines. Rather than shouting to be heard over a wall of noise, Murray utilizes a more nuanced, expressive vocal range. This vocal maturity elevates tracks like "Heartlands" and "On Reflection," turning them into moody, texturally rich anthems that anticipated the goth-rock and alternative landscapes of the early 1980s.

Ultimately, Coming Up for Air suffers only when unfairly measured against the lightning-in-a-bottle urgency of the band's early singles. Evaluated on its own merits, it stands as an ambitious and highly successful venture into commercial yet uncompromising alternative rock. The album proves that Penetration was capable of songwriting longevity, choosing artistic growth over repetitive genre constraints. For listeners looking to understand the fertile ground where punk evolved into post-punk and new wave, this final statement from the band's original run remains an essential, deeply rewarding listen.

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Penetration; Coming Up For Air

1.      Shout Above The Noise

2.      She Is The Slave

3.      Last Saving Grace

4.      Killed In The Rush

5.      Challenge

6.      Come Into The Open

7.      What’s Going On

8.      Party’s Over

9.      On Reflection

10.   Lifeline

11.   New Recruit

12.   Danger Signs

13.   Stone Heroes (Live)

14.   Vision (Live)