4AD (UNCUT 1998)

19-Track retrospective of the now 30-year strong British independent label 4AD.

1. Debaser - Pixies

Released as the opening track  on Pixies' second album Dolittle, Debaser, whilst never released as a single, became an indie dancefloor classic for the next two decades. On the release of band retrospective Death To The Pixies in 1997, Debaser was chosen for release as a single for the first time and hit #23 in the UK chart.

2. Hypocrite - Lush

In 2001, Manic Street Preachers hit the headlines for releasing two singles on the same day. This was reported as an industry first. It wasn't. In May 1994, Lush also did this for much the same reason as the Manics, showcasing two sides to the band's music (though not the first band to do this...) Desire Lines was a 7 and a half minute atmospheric slab of  noise rock; Hypocrite was the first signs of the band shedding their shoegaze roots and heading into a more indie-rock sound they would perfect on their 1996 album Lovelife. Both singles reached the Top 75, Hypocrite being the most successful hitting #52, and comes from the album Split.

3. Go Lady Go - Mojave 3

Formed from the ashes of early 90s shoegazers, Slowdive, Mojave 3  released five albums between 1995 and 2006,  picking up considerable praise from the music weeklies on their way. This track was taken from their most successful single, Some Kinda Angel, which charted at #101 in 1998.

4. Lantern - Tanya Donnelly

As singer and guitarist in three of the most critically acclaimed American indie bands in the 80s/90s, Throwing Muses, The Breeders (for one album) and Belly, Tanya Donelly's future as a cult solo recording star was assured. On the back of this success, Donnelly's first solo album, Lovesongs For Underdogs, featuring this track, hit #37 in the UK. Though sales slowed down over the next few years, Donelly's status as one of the USA's most respected alternative female singer-songwriters is undiminished.

5. Wish I Had A Wishing Ring - His Name Is Alive

Experimental rock from Michigan held together by Warren Defever. A cult concern, the band have released 10 albums and a host of singles in a 20 year career on 4AD. This is taken from the 5th album Fort Lake. A 13 minute version also appears on their single, Can't Always Be Loved.

6. Mania - Throwing Muses

Throwing Muses were one of the most influential American independent bands of their time and were one of the first to deploy two girls at the forefront of the band, the aforementioned Tanya Donelly and Kristin Hersh. Despite Donelly's departure in 1991, Hersh stayed with the band until their split in 1997 and their subsequent reunion. This is taken from their third album in 1989, Hunkpapa, which hit #59 in the UK.

7. You And Your Sister - This Mortal Coil

This Mortal Coil wasn't a band as such - it was more of a collective of 4AD's finest acts brought together by label boss Ivo Watts-Russell. The project spawned three albums, their most well known moment coming in 1984 with the interpretation of Tim Buckley's Song To The Siren featuring Cocteau Twins' Liz Frazer on ethereal vocal duty. This track was featured on their third and final album Blood, featuring Breeders'/Pixies guitarist and singer Kim Deal and, who else, Tanya Donnelly.

8. Shaolin Satellite - Thievery Corporation

Thievery Corporation's mix of lounge, dub and World music has kept them this duo going for 7 albums in a 16 year career. Shaolin Satellite was their first 12" single and was featured on their debut album, Sounds From The Thiery Hi-Fi, in 1997.

9. Barry (Gi Gi Galaxy Remix Edit) - Gus Gus

Icelandic electronic band with eight albums under their belt. Barry was featured on their eponymous debut album released in 1995 under the name Barry (White Pride) and was re-recorded for their breakthrough international album Polydistortion. The full length version of this remix was released as a 12" in 1997.

10. Urban Light 12am - Cuba

Big beat featuring former Chapterhouse drummer Ashley Bates. This is the 12" version of the band's debut single in 1998 (the single version was called Urban Light 7am) Their debut album, Leap Of Faith, was released in 1999 by which time they had changed their name to Air Cuba. Chapterhouse wasn't their only shoegaze connection; other band member Christopher Andrews was married to Slowdive's Rachel Goswell.

11.  Unofficial World Cup Theme - Colourbox

English electronic group active between 1982 and 1987. This track was released in 1986 as a single on the same day as another Colourbox single, their cover of Augustus Pablo's Baby I Love You So, thus beating Lush and the Manics into the record books. Although the track was considered for consideration for the BBC's World Cup coverage for the 1986 Mexico World Cup, it eventually lost out to Aztec Lightning by Heads. Colourbox dissolved after they achieved international success with their collaboration with AR Kane. The names may not be so familiar but the single will be...it was named Pump Up The Volume under the pseudonym M/A/R/R/S....

12. Saints - The Breeders

Pixies and Throwing Muses singer and guitarists Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly (her again) formed The Breeders in 1998 with Deal's sister Kelley. Donelly left after the release of their  debut album, Pod, to concentrate on her next band Belly and success soon followed with their second album Last Splash which hit the Top 5 in the UK. Along with the classic Cannonball, the album featured this track which was released as a single in the US and parts of Europe.

13. Big Jesus Trash Can - The Birthday Party

Early 80s dark, Gothic post-punk fronted by a young Nick Cave who, despite little commercial success, influenced a generation of post punk acts over the next decade.  This was taken from their album, Junkyard, which hit #73 in the UK in 1982.

14. Tomorrowing - Lisa Germano

Critically acclaimed alternative American singer-songwriter who has released ten albums in a career spanning twenty years.  This was taken from her 1998 album, Slide, her last for 4AD. Germano is also a session musician of some repute and has appeared on albums by Simple Minds, Eels, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.

15. New Jersey - Red House Painters

San Franciscan alternative rock group who confusingly released two eponymous albums in 1993. This was taken from the first, widely known as Rollercoaster due to the album's cover art. The second, for the same reasons, is known as Bridge. After six albums, the band called it a day in 2001.

16. Your Ghost - Kristin Hersh

Although still leader of the reunited Throwing Muses, Hersh has had a successful 8 album solo career. This song started it all and was released as the first single from her first album Hips & Makers in 1994. A combination of her Muses background, a vocal contribution from Michael Stipe and an unexpected topless photo shoot in NME helped this become her most successful single in the UK, though just missing the Top 40 at #45

17. American Dreaming - Dead Can Dance

Ethereal, ambient, neo-classical dream pop, or something like that, from Australia. The band released seven albums between 1984 and 1996, this track featuring on their 1994 live album Toward The Within.

18. Sweet Unknown - The Hope Blister

Much like This Mortal Coil, The Hope Blister were formed by 4AD's own Ivo Watts-Russell though this time with a steady line up and focusing on cover versions. This is from their 1998 album ...smile's OK. Sweet Unknown was originally recorded by Cranes on their 1997 album Population 4.

19. Pearly Dewdrops' Drop - Cocteau Twins

The forefathers of the kind of Gothic dream pop that litters this compilation, Cocteau Twins aka Liz Fraser, Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie were together for nearly two decades until their dissolution in 1997. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Cocteau Twins scored 8 chart albums and released a number of charting singles and EPs. This is the 7 inch version of Pearly Dewdrops' Drop taken from their Spangle Maker EP which became the band's highest charting single in 1984. Those unfamiliar with the Twins' output may know Fraser's vocals from the single version of  Future Sound Of London's Lifeforms and, most famously, Massive Attack's Teardrop.