Blind is the second full-length album by The Sundays. It was released by Parlophone on October 19, 1992 in the UK, then in the US by Geffen the following day, October 20. Often considered the darkest and most experimental of The Sundays' albums, noted for its melancholic lyrics and closer resemblance to the darker dream pop work of artists such as the Cocteau Twins.
Early promos also included "King for a Day", which was eventually released as a B-side to "Late at Night". Reviews in Q and Mojo were based on this configuration; the former stated that there were twelve tracks while the latter mentioned the reference to Dracula in the song lyrics. The only country to include "King for a Day" on the album was Japan, where it was released a week before Britain. The singles "Vivid" and "Late at Night" featured three B-sides between them, namely "Radiation" (an instrumental co-written with Baker), "King for a Day" and "Warning Sign", all of which appeared on the Deluxe edition next to promo versions and previously released remixes.
Twisted Tenderness was co-produced by influential New York club DJ and dance producer Arthur Baker, with whom Sumner had previously worked on New Order's 1983 hit "Confusion", amongst other songs. The writing and recording of the album was a reaction to the protracted sessions of its predecessor Raise the Pressure, which had taken a year and a half to complete. Marr and Sumner remained the only official members of the band, but were joined by Doves frontman Jimi Goodwin on bass and Black Grape drummer Ged Lynch. The sound of the album reflected this back-to-basics approach in terms of the lineup, although subsequent production and mixing incorporated additional beats and samples.
Unlike its predecessor Electronic, Raise the Pressure received mixed reviews and did not perform as well commercially, with the first two singles "Forbidden City" and "For You" charting modestly in the UK Top 20, and the third, "Second Nature", barely making the Top 40. In the US no commercial singles were released, with "Forbidden City" and "Second Nature" issued only as promotional radio-play discs. Four mixes of "Until the End of Time" were released through the Electronic mailing list in October 1997; this item and a maxi single of "Second Nature" remixes are among the most sought-after recordings by the band.
