4AD - classic all round?

what's the timeframe?

I'd certainly put this on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlIb34ElJ4A

No particular time-frame although I do have an idea that there are bands that have been on 4ad that I don't regard as 4ad bands, Tindersticks being the obvious one. I'd include Bing & Ruth, though.

Mostly the comps have been permutations of Air Miami, Breeders, Cocteaus, DCD, Lisa Germano, GusGus, HNIA, Mojave 3, Pale Saints, Pixies, Red House Painters, Tarnation, Throwing Muses and Ultra Vivid Scene ... and outliers from compilations.

Was hoping someone would (by coincidence) suggest a (great) track that I owned but had dismissed.

Insides? Spirea X? TMC? Lush? Belly?

Was that a repress of a Cocteaus LP I just saw in rough trade?

Yeah, was head over heels

https://thevinylfactory.com/news/two-cocteau-twins-lps-reissued-vinyl/

Though I included a That Dog song on Vol 3, I tend to think of the Guernica stuff as slightly separate (possibly because the Insides and Spoonfed Hybrid albums are two of my favourite *ever*.)

I don't own much This Mortal Coil (going to buy some of the re-issues), not keen on Belly and only like the odd Lush track (particularly "Desire Lines") though I'm open to the idea that I have just heard the wrong tracks.

Any thoughts on current 4ad? Anything worth exploring?

I think that between Aldous Harding, Holly Herndon, Big Thief, and The National they've had a pretty stellar year so far.

There's no longer a "4AD sound". It's just curatorial imprimatur that someone on staff found the artists, if not the current release, excellent. My fandoms moved on to other curiously similar brands (A24:film::4AD:80s rock), but I'll at least give every 4AD artist a listen.

I like the new Holly Herndon, though it doesn't flow so well as an album (or collection of avant compositions). Its closer to where I expected music to be now (30 years ago) than most music.

Had a massive 4ad "rediscovery" over the last year or so which has probably helped me to find Harding and Herndon (both would fit on "the curated 4ad", I'd guess).

https://www.mixcloud.com/camp_fr/arcane-delights-28th-november-2020/

Glen Johnson's Arcane Delights - a 4AD special.

I quite like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PuqlOTyJt0

(Dry Cleaning)

Genuine 4AD rejection letter. 1980. pic.twitter.com/HMs9SACgc5

— Steve @ Pressing Matters. (@HarbingerSound) April 16, 2022

“TRY VIRGIN”

So I did a little guide for the first two decades

https://theshfl.com/guide/pre-millennial-4ad

The absence of Xmal Deutschland is because I essentially ran out of room. The absence of the Red House Painters is incredibly intentional.

> Kurt Ralske’s final album as Ultra Vivid Scene was also that artistic guise’s creative high point

so wrong about this... 8)

and i can't find page 2 where you obviously talk at length about pale saints.

Pale Saints were also on the 'where can I squeeze them in' list, believe me. (But Comforts of Madness is in my shoegaze guide over there.)

As for the UVS claim, DJP agrees with me -- as does, famously from on here, Kurt Ralske himself!

Ultra Vivid Scene (and anything else Kurt Ralske's done) -- C/D?

Joy 1967 - 1990 or whatever it's called is one of my all time favorite albums.

Great little primer Ned. Each of those albums is a classic. The omission of Pale Saints is almost unforgivable though!

It was a hard call, but the limit was 20 and I'd reached the point where I wouldn't forgive myself if I left out the solo Kristin or Lisa Germano in particular.

Well, that's fair. It really is an impossible task to pick just 20 from such a fertile period in the label's history!

You made up for it by leading your list with House Tornado, though. Absolutely the best Muses album imo and seriously underrated to this day. Mexican Women still slays me.

Much as I respect your views Ned I can't help but wonder at citing licenses and ring-ins like Unrest and Lisa Germano as core 4AD - even Mojave 3 were Creation refugees. For a 20-from-20-years I'd be tempted to do one per year. 1980 is tough - Gilbert/Lewis 3R4 is probably best but violates my own ring-in rule. 1981: Matt Johnson Burning Blue Soul. 1982: Cocteau Twins Garlands. 1983: Xmal Deutschland Fetisch. 1984: This Mortal Coil It'll End in Tears. 1985: DCD Spleen and Ideal. 1986: Cocteau Twins Victorialand. 1987: Lonely is an Eyesore with a regretful nod to Sleeps With the Fishes. 1988: Throwing Muses House Tornado (regrets to Surfer Rosa). 1989: Pixies Doolittle. 1990: Breeders Pod + Pale Saints Comforts of Madness (regrets to Heaven or Las Vegas). 1991: The Wolfgang Press Queer (past peak but so much fun). 1992: The Birthday Party Hits (OK, cheating, but Spooky is lousy, sorry, and In Ribbons is caught between aesthetics. OK, UVS Rev, I'll agree there). 1993: I guess I can't deny Breeders Last Splash but I prefer Spoonfed Hybrid. 1994: Hersh Hips and Makers with regrets to Clear Skin and Lush Split. 1995: Kendra Smith Five Ways of Disappearing or if she's a label refugee, The Amps' Pacer; I like the Tarnation album too but it's not 4AD for me. 1996: His Name is Alive Stars on E.S.P. (their perfect record). 1997: uhhhh I will skip. 1998: really lost interest here, the Hope Blister record was awful. 1999: not much for me here either.
After such intense fandom I was done by the millennium. Since then I've been pleasantly surprised when new music I like is on 4AD, feels like catching up with a friend. Dry Cleaning, Deerhunter, Holly Herndon, Grimes, nice ones.
(by the way I was guided by this very nice site for the year by year releases: http://4ad20.themysteryparade.com)

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.