4AD - classic all round?

sounds very joy division !

Rema Rema is a must!

The early 4AD 7" by The Past Seven Days is one of the most precious records to me in my entire collection. I still flip over that, to this day.

the worst 4ad album by far is the Paladins one. Piano Magic's second 4ad album is also fairly worthless.

I used to have the Scheer album, don't know what happened to it. "I Wish You Were Dead" was good. Evanescence is a good reference point! But the Scheer vocalist wasn't nearly so bombastic.

does not compute

Not enough Johnny Fever. Thou must experience early Xymox to understand, I think. "Medusa" was just amazing when it first came out. I don't know what I would think of it now...first album was pretty cool too.

I agree with most of that. Even the new Kristin Hersh is only OK by her standards (so far; may well reveal itself over time)

it's still great!

Cuba (or Air Cuba, as they cam to be known stateside)
Tarnation
Liquorice
That Dog (well, Guernica, but basically the same label)

way underrated 4AD releases:

Cass McCombs - A
Insides - Euphoria, Clearskin
Air Miami - Me Me Me
Underground Lovers - Leaves Me Blind
The Late Cord - Lights From The Wheelhouse

in fact, the Guernica offshoot more than deserves it's own thread...don't you think?

insides = classic.

Tarnation"

I disagree. I rather like Tarnation, and am pleased that there is a 2007 release planned for these guys.

But yeah, anyone putting Tarnation on a list of 4AD duds is RETARDED!

I nominate Thievery Corporation be accorded "dud" status, effective immediately...

the hell were they doing on 4AD?

just noticed that 4ad have signed camera obscura.. will be interesting to see how that pairing goes

other new signings broken records i like a lot, the singles so far haven't been amazing but i can see real potential there

there's a new single on itunes, er, My Maudlin Career, but i didn't notice the label when i listened to it.

4A-twee

maybe i wasn't paying attention but it completely passed me by that 4AD signed up ariel pink, tindersticks and serena-maneesh.

...as a supergroup.

oooh

This Mortal. Just that, This Mortal.

Weren't Tindersticks sort of in the same neighborhood as 4AD, anyway, under the Beggars Group umbrella? Or is that just in the US?

they were signed to Constellation in North America as far as I know.

Anyway, I'm just pleased they're still kicking.

i feel like the label is kind of a hodgepodge these days and filled with stuff that doesn't necessarily reflect the 'brand', in fact, it seems much more like beggar's banquet now. but whatever.

and yet they seem to be killin' it in the eoy polls, hmm

yeah all the stuff is good and some of it is exceptional (the mountain goats album is my second favorite album of the year), it just seems more hodgepodge than it has in many many years.

1998 had Kristin Hersh's Strange Angels (better than Hips and Makers), and 1999 had Brendan Perry's Eye of the Hunter... The Hope Blister album WAS disappointing.

disagree on Strange Angels ... and the less I hear Brendan Perry sing the happier I am

2005 was the first year 4AD had zero new releases I cared about or bought

It's amazing to me how many shared experiences Ned and I had in life. Both growing up in Southern California sharing the same love of music for the same type of bands. I do agree with others that Pale Saints is the biggest omission. Pale Saints are one of my biggest loves in the world so of course I would say that. I do understand only 20 spots but they needed to be included. My Clan of Xymox pick would have been the debut as it was a gateway for me and very personal. I love Mojave 3 but my go to album is Out of Tune. Loved that you picked Treasure over Las Vegas. To me 4AD are about This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance.

You are so much more educated than I am in regards to this stuff so thanks for sharing Ned.

Loved what you wrote as well matttkkkk, a lot of stuff to check out.