4AD: The Best of 4

Ivo Watts-Russell moved to Los Angeles in the mid 90s resulting in the label being largely run from California for the rest of that decade. Ivo sold 4AD in the late 90s to give himself time to further his interests in book publishing. Since then his involvement in 4AD has mostly been on a consultancy level, for catalogue releases. Ivo currently lives near Santa Fe, New Mexico with his dogs.

Here are some of my picks from 4AD up until the exit of Ivo. Let’s start with one he's in...

 

This Mortal Coil - It'll End in Tears, 4AD CAD411, 1984.
all decryption codes in comments

SIDE ONE -    
Kangaroo
Song to the Siren
Holocaust
Fyt
Fond Affections
The Last Ray

SIDE TWO -
Another Day
Waves Become Wings
Barramundi
Dreams Made Flesh
Not Me
A Single Wish

 

 

 

 

Cocteau Twins - Treasure, 4AD CAD412, 1984.

SIDE ONE -
Ivo    
Lorelei
Beatrix    
Persephone    
Pandora (for Cindy)

    
SIDE TWO -
Amelia    
Aloysius    
Cicely    
Otterley    
Donimo

 

 

 

 

 

Dead Can Dance - Spleen & Ideal, 4AD CAD512, 1985.

this side -
De Profundis (Out of the Depths of Sorrow)
Ascension    
Circumradiant Dawn    
The Cardinal Sin
 

over -
Mesmerism    
Enigma of the Absolute    
Advent    
Avatar    
Indoctrination (A Design for Living)

 

 

 

 

 

This Mortal Coil - Filigree & Shadow, 4AD DAD609CD, 1986.

Velvet Belly
The Jeweller
Ivy & Neet
Meniscus
Tears
Tarantula
My Father
Come Here My Love
At First, & Then
Strength of Strings
Morning Glory
Inch-Blue
I Want to Live
Mama K (1)
Filigree & Shadow
Firebrothers
Thaïs (1)
I Must Have Been Blind
A Heart of Glass
Alone
Mama K (2)
The Horizon Bleeds & Sucks its Thumb
Drugs
Red Rain
Thaïs (2)

 

 

 

 

 

Dead Can Dance - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun, 4AD CAD705, 1987.

Side A -        
Anywhere Out of the World    
Windfall    
In the Wake of Adversity    
Xavier

    
Side B -
Dawn of the Iconoclast    
Cantara    
Summoning of the Muse    
Persephone (The Gathering of Flowers)

 

 

 

 

 

Pixies - Surfer Rosa, 4AD CAD803, 1988.

Side One -
Bone Machine    
Break My Body    
Something Against You    
Broken Face    
Gigantic    
River Euphrates

Side Two -
Where is My Mind?    
Cactus    
Tony's Theme    
Oh My Golly!    
Vamos    
I'm Amazed    
Brick is Red

 

 

 

 

 

Pale Saints - The Comfort of Madness, 4AD cad0002cd, 1990.

Way the World Is    
You Tear the World in Two    
Sea of Sound    
True Coming Dream    
Little Hammer    
Insubstantial    
A Deep Sleep for Steven    
Language of Flowers    
Fell from the Sun
Sight of You    
Time Thief

 

 

 

 

 

note: Because of the depth of the 4AD label & the length of time they have been around, I would like readers to chime in with any request they might have for anything I have not shared. If I have it I will share it in a final 4AD Requests post.

Enjoy,
NØ

3AD: Vaughan Oliver's Favorite Cover Art

One of the unique features of the 4AD catalogue was the beautiful cover artwork on their releases. If the 4AD sound was instantlt recognisable, so was the cover art of their line of output. 

 

Many of the best covers were the works of 23 Envelope. This is the name given to the partnership between graphic designer Vaughan Oliver (v23) & photographer/filmmaker Nigel Grierson from 1983-1988 although Vaughan contributed artwork much later. They artistically created a distinct visual identity for the label 4AD through their record sleeve designs for bands on the 4AD roster. 

 

In an article, Vaughan named these as some of his favorites...

 

Clan of Xymox - Clan of Xymox, 4AD CAD503, 1985
all decryption codes in comments

Tracklist Side -
A Day
No Words
Stumble & Fall
Cry in the Wind

Info Side -
Stranger
Equal Ways
7th Time
No Human Can Drown

 

 

 

 

Colourbox - Colourbox, 4AD CAD508, 1985.

Side 1 -
Sleepwalker
Just Give ‘em Whiskey
Say You
The Moon is Blue
Inside Informer

Side 2 -
Punch
Suspicion
Manic
You Keep Me Hanging On
Arena

 

 

 

 

Various - Lonely is an Eyesore, 4AD CAD703, 1987.

Side A -
Hot Doggie - Colourbox
Acid, Bitter, & Sad - This Mortal Coil
Cut the Tree - The Wolfgang Press
Fish - Throwing Muses
Frontier - Dead Can Dance

Side B -
Crushed - Cocteau Twins
No Motion - Dif Juz
Muscoviet Mosquito - Clan of Xymox
The Protagonist - Dead Can Dance

 

 

 

 

Throwing Muses - House Tornado, 4AD CAD802, 1988.

side one -
Colder
Mexican Women
River
Juno
Marriage Tree
Run Letter

side two -
Saving Grace
Drive
Downtown
Giant
Walking in the Dark

 

 

 

 

Ultra Vivid Scene - Ultra Vivid Scene, 4AD CAD809, 1988.

side one -
She Screamed
Crash
You Didn’t Say Please
Lynn-Marie #2
Nausea
Mercy Seat
A Dream of Love

side two -
Lynn-Marie #1
This isn’t Real
The Whore of God
Bloodline
A Kiss & a Slap
How Did it Feel
Hail Mary

 

 

 

 

Pixies - Doolittle, 4AD CAD905, 1989.

Monkey Side -
Debaser
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Dead
Monkey Gone to Heaven

Other Side -
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
Number 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away

note: Because of the depth of the 4AD label & the length of time they have been around, I would like readers to chime in with any request they might have for anything I have not shared. If I have it I will share it in a final 4AD Requests post. 

 

Next up: 3AD part 2

Enjoy,
NØ