Listen to 4AD 1995 on Spotify.
I think perhaps it makes sense to regard 1995 as the end of the iconic, classic version of 4AD. 4AD’s ends their association with The Wolfgang Press here, and that’s a group of people that had been with them (in various permutations) since 1980: The very first “proper” 4AD release was by Rema-Rema, which is half the people in The Wolfgang Press or something.
And there are none of the 80s “big hitters” in 1995. Cocteau Twins had left a few years earlier, of course, and This Mortal Coil had wound down, and Dead Can Dance released nothing this year. This leaves Throwing Muses as the only other band from the 80s to release something on 4AD this year. And it’s a wonderful album: University is up there with the very best of what they’ve done, and what they’ve done is very good indeed.
But as for the rest… oy vey.
This is the worst year in 4AD’s history.
SO FAR!
OK, the album by Red House Painters isn’t bad, but it’s not as good as any of their previous work. And newcomers Tarnation are excellent: I didn’t know I liked that kind of music until I heard that album, so it was a gateway drug of sorts. Thanks! And the Liquorice album is really good.
But… Mojave 3? Scheer? The Amps? Kendra Smith? The Lisa Gerrard solo album?
Of the 18 things 4AD released this year, three or four are essential.
4AD was by now not anything resembling cohesive, and had turned into just another indie label: Some good, some bad, and it no longer made any sense to buy everything they released because you knew that you’d love it all.
There’s still some good music to come over the next few years, though.
1995
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   The Wolfgang Press — Funky Little Demons Going South, 11 Years, Blood Satisfaction, Chains, Christianity, Derek The Confessor, So Long Dead, Executioner, She’s So Soft, New Glass, Fallen Not Broken, People Say |
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   The Wolfgang Press — Going South Going South (7″ version), Going South (Country style), Going South (@440 mix), Chains (Wobble mix), 11 Years (Sabres Main Mix 2) |
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Throwing Muses — University Bright Yellow Gun, Start, Hazing, Shimmer, Calm Down, Calm Down, Crabtown, No Way In Hell, Surf Cowboy, That’s All You Wanted, Teller, University, Snakeface, Flood, Fever Few |
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Belly — Now They’ll Sleep Now They’ll Sleep, Thief, Baby’s Arm, John Dark |
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Belly — King Puberty, Seal My Fate, Red, Silverfish, Super-Connected, The Bees, King, Now They’ll Sleep, Untitled and Unsung, L’il Ennio, Judas My Heart |
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Red House Painters — Ocean Beach Cabezon, Summer Dress, San Geronimo, Shadows, Over My Head, Red Carpet, Brockwell Park, Moments, Drop, Brockwell Part pt. 2*, Long Distance Runaround* |
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Belly — Super-Connected Super-Connected, Spaceman, Diamond Rib Cage, Think About Your Troubles |
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Kendra Smith — Five Ways of Disappearing Aurelia, Bohemian Zebulon, Temporarily Lucy, In Your Head, Space Unadorned, Maggots, Drunken Boat, interlude, Dirigible, Valley of the Morning Sun, Judge Not, Get There, interlude, Saturn, Bold Marauder |
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Belly — Seal My Fate Seal My Fate (US radio mix), Broken, Judas My Heart (live)* |
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Belly — Seal My Fate Seal My Fate, Spaceman, Diamond Rib Cage, Think About Your Troubles |
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Belly — Seal My Fate Seal My Fate (live), White Belly (live), Untitled and Unsung (live), The Bees (live) |
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12″BELLY 2 Belly — Seal My Fate Seal My Fate (US Radio Mix), Judas Mon Coeur (rerecorded) |
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Liquorice — Listening Cap Trump Suit, Team Player, Keeping the Weekend Free, Drive Around, Cheap Cuts, Trump Suit Edit, Jill of All Trades, No Excuses, Breaking the Ice, Blew It |
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Lisa Gerrard — The Mirror Pool Violina (The Last Embrace, La Bas (Song of the Damned), Persian Love Song (The Silver Gun)|=Persian Love Song, Sanvean (I am your Shadow), The Rite, Ajhon, Glorafin, Majhnavea’s Music Box, Largo, Werd, Laurelei, Celon, Venteles, Swans, Nilleshna, Gloradin |
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Tarnation — Gentle Creatures Game of Broken Hearts, Halfaway to Madness, The Well, Big O Motel, Tell Me It’s Not So, Two Wrongs Won’t Make Things Right, Lonely Lights, Gentle Creatures, Listen To The Wind, The Hand, Do You Fancy Me, Yellow Birds, Burn Again, Stranger in the Mirror, It’s Not Easy |
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Air Miami — Me. Me. Me. I Hate Milk, World Cup Fever, Seabird, Special Angel, Afternoon Train, Dolphin Expressway, Sweet As A Candy Bar, You Sweet Little Heartbreaker, Neely, Bubble Shield, The Event Horizon, Definitely Beachy, Reprise |
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Scheer — Schism Sometimes, You Said, Baby Size (version), Take You Anywhere, Unlisted track |
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Mojave 3 — Ask Me Tomorrow Love Songs On The Radio, Sarah, Tomorrow’S Taken, Candle Song 3, You’Re Beautiful, Where Is The Love, After All, Pictures, Mercy |
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Air Miami — Fuck You, Tiger I Hate Milk (fyt), Warm Miami May, Afternoon Train (Remix #3), See-Through Plastic |
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The Amps — Tipp City Tipp City, Just Like A Briar, Empty Glasses (Kim’s Basement 4-track Version) |
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FTWW1 Various — Facing The Wrong Way Scheer / Take You Anywhere, Throwing Muses / Snakeface, Red House Painters / Summer Dress, Tarnation / The Well, Air Miami / You Sweet Little Heartbreaker, Mojave 3 / Love Songs on the Radio, Belly / Super-Connected, The Wolfgang Press / Christianity (Wicked Man Remix), Heidi Berry / Miracle (new version), Sanvean (I am your Shadow), Liquorice / Cheap Cuts, Kendra Smith / Valley of the Morning Sun, The Amps / Empty Glasses (Kim’s Basement 4 track version) |
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The Amps — Pacer Pacer, Tipp City, I Am Decided, Mom’s Drunk, Bragging Party, Hoverin’ (rerecorded), First Revival, Full on Idle, Breaking the Split Screen Barrier, Empty Glasses, She’s a Girl, Dedicated |
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TAD CD5017 Kristin Hersh — The Holy Single Jesus Christ, Amazing Grace (rerecorded), Sinkhole (rerecorded), Can The Circle Be Unbroken |
This post is part of the chronological look at all 4AD releases, year by year.
*) Missing from Spotify.