Filigree & Shadow

Filigree & Shadow
Filigree & Shadow
Studio album by This Mortal Coil
Released	22 September 1986
Studio	Blackwing Studios, London, England; Palladium Studios, Edinburgh, Scotland;
Genre	Dream pop; art rock;
Length	74:13
Label	4AD
Producer	John Fryer and Ivo Watts-Russell
This Mortal Coil chronology
Singles from Filigree & Shadow
	"Come Here My Love"/"Drugs"; Released: 1 September 1986;

Filigree & Shadow is the second album released by 4AD collective This Mortal Coil, an umbrella title for a loose grouping of guest musicians and vocalists brought together by label boss Ivo Watts-Russell. The supergroup consists primarily of artists attached to the 4AD label, of which Watts-Russell was the co-founder and (at the time) the owner and director. The album was released in September 1986, and entered the UK Independent Music chart on 11 October 1986 and peaked at #2, spending 16 weeks on the chart in total.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
Pitchfork	8.7/10^[4]

Of the 25 tracks, 13 are instrumental, including the title track. This was the first double-LP released on 4AD, and introduced the "DAD" (for double album) prefix into the label's catalogue.^[5] Watts-Russell took careful consideration in shaping the album's four sides so they flowed together as individual wholes. This is lost somewhat on compact disc, as the entire album fits on one CD.

A remastered and repackaged CD edition of Filigree & Shadow was issued with the complete This Mortal Coil recordings in a self-titled box set, released in late November 2011. The CD was released individually shortly thereafter.^[4]

Track listing

Double vinyl LP (DAD 609)

Side 1
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Interpreted by	Length
1.	"Velvet Belly"	Martin McCarrick	Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	1:19
2.	"The Jeweller"	Tom Rapp	Dominic Appleton, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Simon Raymonde, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	3:15
3.	"Ivy and Neet"	Simon Raymonde	Simon Raymonde, Richard Thomas, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	4:48
4.	"Meniscus"	David Curtis	David Curtis	2:28
5.	"Tears"	Simon Raymonde	Martin McCarrick	0:21
6.	"Tarantula"	Martyn Young, Ian Robbins	Dominic Appleton, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Jon Turner, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	4:58

Side 2
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Interpreted by	Length
1.	"My Father"	Judy Collins	Alison Limerick, Simon Raymonde, Jon Turner, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	5:58
2.	"Come Here My Love"	Van Morrison	Jean, Simon Raymonde, Ivo Watts-Russell	3:42
3.	"At First, and Then"	Peter Ulrich	Peter Ulrich	1:58
4.	"Strength of Strings"	Gene Clark	Dominic Appleton, Jon Turner, Keith Mitchell, Nigel K. Hine, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Anne Turner, Les McKeown, Martin McCarrick	4:41
5.	"Morning Glory"	Tim Buckley	Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Jon Turner, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	2:56

Side 3
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Interpreted by	Length
1.	"Inch-Blue"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	1:08
2.	"I Want to Live"	Gary Ogan, Bill Lamb	Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Jon Turner	4:05
3.	"Mama K (1)"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	0:53
4.	"Filigree & Shadow"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	1:19
5.	"Firebrothers"	Gary Duncan	Richenel, Jon Turner, Chris Pye	3:53
6.	"Thaïs (1)"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	1:08
7.	"I Must Have Been Blind"	Tim Buckley	Richenel, Jon Turner	3:30
8.	"A Heart of Glass"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	3:45

Side 4
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Interpreted by	Length
1.	"Alone"	Colin Newman, Graham Lewis	Caroline Seaman, Alison Limerick, Simon Raymonde, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball	4:13
2.	"Mama K (2)"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer, Martin McCarrick	0:34
3.	"The Horizon Bleeds and Sucks Its Thumb"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Alan Curtis, Mark Cox, Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	2:53
4.	"Drugs"	David Byrne, Brian Eno	Alison Limerick, Andrew Gray, Steven Young, Ivo Watts-Russell	3:09
5.	"Red Rain"	Simon Raymonde, Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Caroline Seaman, Simon Raymonde, Tony Waerea	3:52
6.	"Thaïs (2)"	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer	3:13

CD (DAD 609 CD)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Velvet Belly"	M. McCarrick	1:19
2.	"The Jeweller"	T. Rapp	3:15
3.	"Ivy and Neet"	S. Raymonde	4:48
4.	"Meniscus"	D. Curtis	2:28
5.	"Tears"	S. Raymonde	0:21
6.	"Tarantula"	M. Young	4:58
7.	"My Father"	J. Collins	5:58
8.	"Come Here My Love"	V. Morrison	3:42
9.	"At First, and Then"	P. Ulrich	1:58
10.	"Strength of Strings"	G. Clark	4:41
11.	"Morning Glory"	T. Buckley	2:56
12.	"Inch-Blue"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	1:08
13.	"I Want to Live"	G. Ogan, B. Lamb	4:05
14.	"Mama K (1)"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	0:53
15.	"Filigree & Shadow"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	1:19
16.	"Firebrothers"	G. Duncan	3:53
17.	"Thaïs (1)"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	1:08
18.	"I Must Have Been Blind"	T. Buckley	3:30
19.	"A Heart of Glass"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	3:45
20.	"Alone"	C. Newman, G. Lewis	4:13
21.	"Mama K (2)"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	0:34
22.	"The Horizon Bleeds and Sucks Its Thumb"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	2:53
23.	"Drugs"	D. Byrne, B. Eno	3:09
24.	"Red Rain"	S. Raymonde, I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	3:52
25.	"Thaïs (2)"	I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer	3:13

Personnel

Musicians

Dominic Appleton (Breathless) – vocals
Deirdre Rutkowski – vocals
Louise Rutkowski – vocals
Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins) – guitar, bass, keyboards
Richard Thomas (Dif Juz) – saxophone
David Curtis (Dif Juz) – guitar
Jon Turner – keyboards
Alison Limerick – vocals
Jean (recorded as Jeanette on Survival Records) – vocals
Peter Ulrich (Dead Can Dance) – percussion
Keith Mitchell – guitar
Nigel K. Hine – guitar
Anne Turner – background vocals
Les McKeown – background vocals
Martin McCarrick – background vocals
Hubertus "Richenel" Baars – vocals
Chris Pye – guitar
Caroline Seaman (Heavenly Bodies, ex-members of Dead Can Dance) – vocals
Alan Curtis (Dif Juz) – guitar
Mark Cox (The Wolfgang Press) – keyboards
Andrew Gray (The Wolfgang Press) – guitar
Steven Young (Colourbox) – drum programming
Tony Waera – didgeridoo
Gini Ball – violin, viola
John Fryer – programming
Ivo Watts-Russell – music, keyboards

Visual

Concept and art direction by Ivo Watts-Russell and Nigel Grierson
Photography by Nigel Grierson
Design by Vaughan Oliver at v23
Design assistance by Erwin Esen
Cover model: Pallas Citroën

References

^ "4AD - Filigree & Shadow by This Mortal Coil". 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b Mason, Stewart. "Filigree & Shadow – This Mortal Coil". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 6.
^ ^a ^b Raggett, Ned (8 December 2011). "This Mortal Coil: HDCD Box Set". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
^ Ingebrigtsen, Lars Magne. "The eyesore data base - ident: '60'". Retrieved 27 June 2015.

External links

Filigree & Shadow at Discogs

[1] "4AD - Filigree & Shadow by This Mortal Coil". 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2022.

[AMG-2] Mason, Stewart. "Filigree & Shadow – This Mortal Coil". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 June 2015.

[3] "Music Week" (PDF). p. 6.

[PM-4] Raggett, Ned (8 December 2011). "This Mortal Coil: HDCD Box Set". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 June 2015.

[Eyesore-5] Ingebrigtsen, Lars Magne. "The eyesore data base - ident: '60'". Retrieved 27 June 2015.

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