Birthday Party: Mr. Clarinet (1980/AD 114)

    While released initially in 1980 in Australia, this single released in the UK on 4AD contains two of my favorite Birthday Party tracks. The A-side Mr. Clarinet features the gnarliest farfisa organ sound I've ever heard. It snarls, I'm serious. The song itself has some of the menace that the band would be known for latter, but here contains some of that bouncy punk sound that would be gone by their album Junkyard. The bass here is also very springy which adds to the bounce, making this a very messed up dance song.
      The B-side is Happy Birthday, with the goofiest lyrics i think Cave has ever written. It's about a kid's birthday party, him getting a samurai sword as a present, and a dogchair, whatever that is. The music itself is much in the vein of the Hee-Haw EP released in 1979, being fairly skeletal in arrangment, and not fairly dramatic or frenzied. The track still kicks ass though and Cave can really whoop.

Rating: 4.5/5

In Camera: IV Songs (1980/BAD 19)

     The last official 4AD release of 1980 (I still need to cover the reissue of Birthday Party's Mr. Clarinet), and the last studio release by In Camera. IV Songs sees the band move in a sparser direction, which their Peel session around the same time of this would also show (it was later released as Fin in early 1982). The first track actually begins the ep on the right foot. The Conversation is an effective piano piece with some percussion; eerie but not cheesy. The Attic, is a better PIL rip-off than Mass could have attempted. Fragments of Fear is my favorite track here, with a lurching bass-line and a very gothic atmosphere (actually this fits at home with the second side of the Banshees Juju). Legion sounds like an attempt by the guitarist to out-Rowland S Howard Rowland S Howard. It's not bad at all, and shows a melodic side while retaining the atmospheric metallic wall of noise guitar. I quite like this EP and it shows a strong step up from their single earlier in the year. If this had better production, I can only imagine how frightening this truly could be.

Rating: 3.5/5

Dance Chapter: Anonymity (1980/AD 18)

         Here we have the band, that was supposed to be Joy Division's successor. Not quite. This December 1980 single is by the group Dance Chapter, who in the scheme of things is probably the most forgettable group 4AD ever signed in the 80's. That doesn't mean it's bad, it's just their total output here is two releases, that never featured anything beyond ok. The A-Side Anonymity is ok, swinging back and forth between good and really bad lyrics ("his night light is nearly extinct"?). They actually are decent musicians, and have a slight dance-punk feel that only a few bands had at this time.
       The B-Side is New Dance. For something, I really don't like the main chord progression here, it's too major key. The chorus is decent though and starting around the 1:30 minute mark, the song picks up, with the vocals double tracked, the guitar getting more power and everything getting frenzied. Overall an ok single, but not essential.

Rating: 2.5/5

Bauhaus: Telegram Sam (1980/AD 17)

        Released in December 1980, Bauhaus's 4th and best single on 4ad consists of two covers and one original. Their cover to Telegram Sam is fairly different from the T. Rex original, being faster in pace, more punky, and overall full of energy and catchy as hell. It's fantastic and I prefer it to the original. The second track, Crowds. is the odd one out here, I can't say I love it, with the piano being too clink-clanky, and Murphy's vocals to melodramatic. This is also too dry for my tastes, I would say a little reverb would have been better.
      The final track, their cover of John Cale's Rosegarden Funeral of Sores, might just be my favorite Bauhaus track throughout their discography. The bass line is just so dark and provactive, the guitar tones by Ash are fantastic and totally suit the atmosphere, and Murphy's melodrama perfectly fitting the disturbed nature of the lyrics. Also the "chorus", with the two chord guitar chug, is fucking fantastic. It's really a testament to both Cale's songwriting skills and Bauhaus ability to make that their own. Aside from Crowds, an Amazing single and the best single by the label so far.

Rating: 4.5/5

Gilbert and Lewis: 3R4 (1980/CAD 16)

         The second album released on 4AD, in October 1980, was by the former Wire Members, Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis, this time under the their own names instead of Cupol. This four track album features two long drone, instrumentals, called 3.4 and R respectively, separated by two short tracks called Barge Calm.
         The album, itself is fairly similar to Eno's Ambient 4 in intentions, creating a mood without a melody or chords. While this album isn't as amazing as that record, it does succeed in taking me somewhere, which in this case is some rainy new england coast seaside. The short Barge Calm tracks are practically identical consisting of metallic shaker type instruments. 3.4 begins with a two note ostinato with some added metallic sounds throughout the track. Around 7 minutes, the sounds lessen and a bass guitar with a fog horn sounding synth takes over. Then marimba like percussion followed by ambient guitar sounds are added. The whole track has somewhat of a menacing feel to it, but a rather subtle menace, behind a cloudy surface.
             The Track R is abit longer and makes me think of a nearby industrial ship ward, with hard guitar scratches, a vocal synth drone, some low metallic sounds. Around 8 minutes, with additional vocal synths and low bass sounds, reaches the climax of the album, this synth choir continues till the end with towards 18 minutes some introduced distant wooden percussion. It's a beautiful ending to a drifting, atmospheric album that while not that memorable, is decent while listening to nonetheless.

Rating: 3/5

Modern English: Gathering Dust (1980/AD 15)

        Modern English are back and it seems they discovered Hawkwind. This single was released in November of '80. The sound here, while still post-punk, is heavier, features more spacey electronics, and has the best production yet of any 4AD release. The track itself, Gathering Dust, is fantastic. It begins with just hi-hat, and the guitars, and slowly more is added to mix, until the chorus, where the dynamics, let loose. It's a very dramatic track.
       The B-Side is called Tranquility of a Summer Movement. It begins with some bird sounds, some guitar sounds that sound like a dog moaning, and backward vocals. Around half-way the rest of band joins in and the pace slowly picks up until the end when everyone is double speed. While not a horrible track, it lacks an real memorability and aside from the dynamic shifts, doesn't have much direction. Notably this is the first release with artwork by Vaughan Oliver who would become famous for his record sleeves with 4AD.

Rating: 4/5

Mass: You and I (1980/AD 14)

          After Rema-Rema disintegrated, 3/5 members plus a new drummer, created Mass, and boy are the results underwhelming. Peel said something along the lines of "the most consciously morose music I have ever heard" upon listening to this song. All of the spring from Rema-Rema is gone and bleakness for bleakness's sake has taken over. The A-side consists of some child wailing in the background with very simple organ/bass lines and the singer mostly reciting the title of the song. The end of the song has a cool chime ring but that's it.
          The B-side called Cabbage is a better track featuring the ugliest (in a good way) bass tone I have ever heard and a really sludgy sound. This song tries to establish a similar feel to This Heat's Deceit but the musicians aren't good enough to do so. It's an ok track.

Rating: 1.5/5

Bauhaus: In the Flat Field (1980/CAD 13)

          And here we have the first album released on 4AD. Coming off fresh from their third single, Bauhaus gathered together to do their first album with the decision they would produce it themselves. And the results are good, but uneven. The first track Double Dare is fantastic; a doom-laden fuzz bass line carries the track, with tribal toms, scratchy guitars, and Peter Murphy's most frightening vocal performance yet. It really sets the tone for the album. Apparently this track was recorded for the Peel Session earlier in the year due to unsatisfactory attempts to record it for the album. The title track keeps the same mood, but this time cranks up the tempo and looses the fuzz bass. In the flat Field features some great work by the guitarist Daniel Ash. God in an Alcove, quiets the whole affair down, and is the first song to really be chord based, Ash doesn't let his guitar roar here, preferring to strum it.  The song is a bit awkward overall, with Murphy's vocals being more hammy and dramatic than the instrumental. Dive is a fun track, featuring some sax blurts, punk guitar, a lot of hi-hat, and some goofy singing from Murphy. Spy in the Cab is a dud, showing some more of their dub influence, but the atmosphere isn't there and the songwriting isn't either, the pace of it is also dirgish. Small Talk Stinks is a strange track, the lyrics are goofy, but wouldn't describe this track as gothic in any way.  This is more like some loungy new-wave track. The way Murphy says "With flowers!" always cracks me up. I don't know, sometimes I like this track for how different it is, but other times I hate it. With St. Vitus Dance, the album picks up, being like a cross between Dive and In the Flat Field, but featuring a potential obnoxious sound that sounds like some one strumming a rubber band. The lyrics though seem to be about someone's photography skills. The best dub influenced track is Stigmata Martyr which is the best song in the second half, with the guitars roaring again, and Murphy melodrama fitting the music, he even screams some latin phrases towards the end of the song. The last track once again hams up the affair. Nerves is a psuedo-tango post-punk track, with a plunky piano part, and once again more tom tom heavy drumming. It's sort of cheesy and is the longest track here. Overall 2/5ths of these songs are rather goofy and I don't think fit the mood of what Bauhaus were going for, but the other 3/5ths is fantastic and worth checking out.

Released October 1, 1980

Track Listing:
1. Double Dare
2. In the Flat Field
3. God In An Alcove
4. Dive
5. Spy in the Cab
6. Small Talk Stinks
7. St. Vitus Dance
8. Stigmata Martyr
9. Nerves

Rating: 3.5/5

The Birthday Party: Friend Catcher (1980/AD 12)

Released in October 1980, the first Birthday Party single for 4AD, consists of three tracks that would later appear on their Australia-only album "The Birthday Party" a month later. The Birthday Party began, in Melbourne, as The Boys Next Door and released their first album Door, Door and their last EP Hee Haw under that name in 1979. Upon their arrival in the UK right after Hee Haw came out, they changed their name with this single. Ivo signed them to 4AD after seeing them perform the track Mr. Clarinet with a farfisa organ (which would later be a single).
        As for this release, the aside features one of the first blossomings of Rowland Howard's Metallic Noise Guitar. The song consists of many passages of screeching wall of guitar sounds that would go on to influence Robin  Guthrie of Cocteau Twins. Besides the impressive instrumental nature of this track, the song is not very melodic. Waving My Arms is probably my favorite track, being a fast paced, frantic punk romp, with one of my favorite sing-along chorus ever. "We won't get to sleep for a thousand years, and we won't get to sleep for maybe five minutes." The guitar playing is very choppy and vaguely psycobilly-esque, reflecting their Cramps influence. Following that is the track Catman, which is like a less energetic version of the last track. It has some cool dueling guitar lines going on, fantastic militaristic drumming, and  Cave's best vocal performance on the single. After Presage, the label needed something fantastic and they got it

Rating: 4/5

Presages(s): (1980/BAD 11)

             Not a suprise that a year that saw the beginning of 4AD, would field material of questionable quality along with some classics. Here we have an experiment by Ivo and Peter and releasing an EP of some demo tracks by mostly unsigned bands as some type of compilation. Overall all the bands here, except Modern English, aren't very good really, and some of the songs are just plain terrible. 

The Tracklisting is:

1. CVO: Sargaso Sea

2. Psychotic Tanks: Let's Have a Party

3. Psychotic Tanks: Security Idiots

4. Modern English: Home

5. The Last Dance: Malignant Love
6. Spasmodic Caress: Hit the Dead

7. Red Atkins: Hunk of a Punk

CVO's Sargaso Sea is a strange, electronic track featuring rather primitive keyboard tones, bad singing and a simple drum machine pattern. The track itself is ok, building on itself musically as the song goes, swaying along like a body of water. Psychotic Tanks' Let's Have a Party sounds like a half-hearted attempt at doing indie-funk, with some noise guitar, monotone vocals and some synth sound effects. Security Idiots is far more punkier and resembles an actual song, but is less interesting then Let's Have a Party. Modern English's Home is similar in many ways to their track Incident in it involves someone being killed lyrically, this time it's even goofier, bordering hammy. The music however is better with it largely being a textural  piece with no one really playing any chords, just strumming notes in a key to a continuous cymbal pitter-patter behind the singer. Last Dance's Malignant Love is just a mess of a piece, trying to do more than the band is capable. The production is weak (well it is a demo recording) but the keyboard tones are bad, the bass is murky, the drums soaked with to much reverb, and the singer sounding out of place with ever thing else. If it had better production it possibly could have sounded like a Siouxsie and the Banshees track but here its just not good. The most new wave track on Presage(s) would be Hit the Dead by Spasmodic Caress which besides Sargaso Sea is probably the best track. It's short, features a good delivery and a catchy melody/chorus. It also has a cool echo thing on the vocals in the chorus. Not bad. Sounds vaguely like Wire too, or at least Colin Newman. The last track is a joke track by Peter, at Ivo's chugrin. Red Atkins himself isn't a singer or an artist, and his track Hunk of a Punk is more like a surreal sing-a-long than an actual song. Overall Presage(s) is probably the worst thing the 4AD ever put out, things only got better from here.

Rating: 1/5

                             

The The: Controversial Subject (1980/AD 10)

The The is for most part the musical alias of one Matt Johnson, and here is the debut release by him. Released in the August of 1980, the music here is quite different of what he would be doing in a few years such as his most well known song Uncertain Smile. Controversial subject is much more electronic, featuring a constant drum machine part with some prominent synth passages. It also has an interesting neo-psychedelic sound with multiple vocal overdubs as well some panning fun. The lyrics itself are rather good and one of the main hold overs that he took when changed labels. The production is probably the weakest part of the release with the guitar being very trebily, and the balance being very odd.
       The b-side, Black and White has an even worse time with balance between instruments with a really obnoxious melody featuring over very simple and maudlin keyboard lines, and a more percussive back beat. I would not be surprised if Matt was the only performer on the second track considering how simple all the music is. So overall, while I would say the a-side is catchy and lyrically good, this release overall is nothing special.

Rating: 2.5/5

Cupol: Like This for Ages (1980/BAD 9)

        2 members of Wire, Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis, start recording under the moniker Dome in 1980 after Wire went on hiatus. Cupol here is the same members and that name only exists for this release, of which afterwords their releases on 4AD would be under their own names. While not too radically different from their music under Dome, I would say the duo's 4AD work is more drone based. Like This for Ages was released in July 1980. The A-side is an odd sampler based percussive track, that along with the slightly oriental feel and the drone, makes a very strange track overall. The lyrics claim "I've been eating trees; it's been like this for ages". It's a little mesmerizing when listening to, but forgettable afterwerds.
       The B-side is a 20-minute long track called Kluba Cupol, played at 33 rpm, that begins with bell like drone and slowly builds adding percussion until around 12 minutes in some industrial synths are added in, and after that point some percussion instruments are removed and the focus begins on the industrial sounds which caries the cacophony  until the end of the track. It's an ok mood piece but doesn't really put the listener in a trance which I'm guess was the purpose of the track.

Rating: 2/5

In Camera: Final Achievement (1980/AD 8)

      Released in June 1980, In Camera's debut single, Final Achievement bears some similarity to Public Image Ltd, circa Metal Box. In Camera, along with Dance Chapter, for the most part represented the lesser faction of early 4ad, not very interesting for the most part live or on recording (with the excpetion of the EP Fin for In Camera). With the A-side Final Achievement, the song development itself is very minimalist with two chords in total and the same guitar and bass line throughout. That wouldn't be a problem if they weren't so repetitious and in the case of the guitar line a unconvincing descending single note line. The disco drums top of the Pil similarities, and towards the end of the song there is some noise guitar overdubs but it overall doesn't do much to make it better.
                    The B-side is slightly better. Die Laughing features a munch more frenzied pace that sounds like the band is about to lose tempo throughout. It's painfully obvious that the drummer is the most talented member here with the rest of the band knowing how to play probably a total 10 notes. The guitar this time does some trashing reverberated chords, which is a little more interesting, however the vocalist is much more prominent here and in some places his singing becomes obnoxious. Towards the last 30 seconds however the song hits its final stride with the band actually channeling some real emotion and the guitar, bass, drums and vocals succeeding in creating a claustrophobic dynamic ending.

Rating: 2/5

Bauhaus: Terror Couple Kill Colonel (1980/AD7)

      Released in June 1980, Terror Couple Kill Colonel would be the 2nd release by Bauhaus on 4AD. This release here features the title track and a b-side called scopes. The dub element that was somewhat there on 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' is much more apparent here with the thicker bass and a more spaced-out production. Out of the 4AD singles, this is my least favorite of the three by the band. The A-side is decent enough with the panned percussion part being cool. The lyrics tell of a military man regretting his decision to not become a doctor moments before his demise (turns out the song is indeed about the death of Paul Bloomquist by a Red Army Faction bomb).  It's not too melodic of a song and really while features some cool effects throughout the song, it isn't as memorable as their other singles.
       The b-side here though continues the tradition of Dark Entries by being entirely silly and non-essential. The track is called Scopes and guess what? It's all about scopes. The lyrics consists of various types of said devices, such as stethoscope and kaleidoscope, and features a repeated angular riff as its backing. Once again it is short, but it runs the risk of being annoying.

Modern English: Swans on Glass (1980/AD6)

     One of the first bands to be signed to 4AD, Modern English began very much in the vein of groups like Joy Division and Wire, favoring simple chord progressions with interesting textures. They also were the one of the first, if not the first, band to approach Ivo and Peter with a demo and were in consideration for signing to Beggars until 4AD was established. Their first proper single, not counting '79's self-released "Drowning Man" is "Swans on Glass"(released in May 1980) which is a fairly good textural post-punk song. It features icy guitars, throbbing bass and tribal drums, and has a very effective build up to the guitar driven chorus. The keyboards here, while not overly complex, help maintain the atmosphere and are fitting addition.

    The B-side is a sub par track called "Incident" which is about an old man being killed by some nameless thug. Lyrically it's presented in a way to suggest disdain for the needless violence of the late 70's of some youth culture, but it comes off a sort of silly. The music isn't particularly interesting sounding like a less-inspired version of the a-side.

Rema Rema: Wheel in the Roses (1980/BAD 5)

       The first official release under the 4AD moniker, Wheel in the Roses by Rema Rema is itself a hard to classify release genre-wise. Rema Rema, the band, had ceased to exist by the point of this EP release in April 1980. Guitarist Marco Pirroni (formally of the first incarnation of Siouxsie and the banshees) was on his way to join the new Adam and the Ants. The band beforehand approached the Beggars Banquet store to release their sole output, this EP, and after talking Ivo, succeeded in releasing the first proper 4AD release. Ivo, himself, saw Rema Rema's EP as an excellent collection of songs that justifies the beginning of the new label.
       Wheel in the Roses begins off with the aptly titled Feedback Song, a track that features a bouncing bass line, cut-time snare hits, and layers of guitar feedback. It's probably the weakest song here, but is successful at establishing the manic atmosphere that would continue throughout the EP. The second song, Rema Rema, is an excellent example of a noise rock romp. The vocals here are mostly composed of the bands name shouted gleefully followed by laughing. Its a swirling piece of dance-punk that features subtle industrial influences and was even later covered by Big Black. The second half are live recordings from a concert and are arguably the best songs on the EP. The first is Instrumental which is a fantastic synth-driven track that doubles the industrial influence and feedback, and is also not instrumental. And finally is the majestic Fond Affections, that features a crawling industrial rhythm section a forlorn descending base line and lyrics that straddle the line between melodrama and sarcasm. This is one of the few releases of early 4AD that had a no wave/space rock influence and along with an atmosphere that is not necessarily bleak or dark but more intense and relentless. 3/5ths of Rema would form the group Mass and would have a few releases on 4AD as well.

Bauhaus: Dark Entries (1980/AXIS 3|BEG37)

         While technically not the first 4AD release, being not the first cataloged release under that moniker; due to its release in the AXIS name in January 1980 and its later release by 4AD that same year, this is the first release that I will review. Bauhaus A the only bandsof the AXIS four to have recorded before and the only one to continue making music after this single. This single of course is Dark Entries and was originally released on January 16th. Bauhaus around this time were becoming quite a famous name after their debut single ("Bela Lugosi's Dead") HAD last year attracted much radioplay and sales. That single was released on Small Wonder and is considered, by popular lore, to have kicked off the Goth movement. With having success but lacking a proper label, they approached Beggars Banquet with a tape, of which Peter Kent managed to receive and eventually sign the band to AXIS.
         The track Dark Entries is a rollicking, thunderous track that is continuously spiraling downward, with chords after chords seeming to get lower in tone after each other. It is quite a theatrical track that rushes towards the end with  dynamics building and Peter Murphy's singing becoming more increasingly chant like. It's a fairly decent A-Side which I think, while not maintaining the same level of excellence of their last single, is something intense and concentrated enough to warrant a few listenings. The funny thing with Bauhaus and their B-Sides is that most of the time they are at best throw-away tracks. Here the B-Side is Untitled, which consists of a minimalist guitar riff, some whisperings by Murphy about tissue and other none sense, and nothing else. Luckily it goes on for a abouts 2 minutes max. Because of its brevity and how different in mood it is from Dark Entries, I find Untitled actually fairly funny even though I doubt Bauhaus even considers it a real song. Overall it is a good single and if you wanted to own it on CD it can be found on the reissue of their album In the Flat Field.

4AD (1980-1993): An Introduction (Re-posting)

      

            With the release of the excellent "Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD" by Martin Aston, along with a thirst for some project to bide my time with, I've decided to take a stab at reviewing all the releases from 1980-1990 of one of my favorite record labels of all time. To describe 4AD in this period, one could use the words ethereal, dark, contemplative, introverted. This was really only one facet of the 4AD sound which could swing from electronic dance to alternative funk to American college rock to straight up goth.

            The main connection all the groups had under this time is a similar overall aesthetic as well as  guidance from Ivo Watts-Russell, a co-founder and the head of the label in this era. "Facing the Other Way" goes into good detail on Ivo's life, however where I begin is with the English music scene in the late 70's.  By 1979 the initial punk scene had came and went leavimg behind the beginnings of what would be a promising indie label society. Labels such as Rough Trade and Factory, initially inspired by the punk DIY ethos, had started around '78 signing bands like the Swell Maps and the Raincoats and Joy Division and A Certain Ratio respectively that were to represent the beginnings of the new post-punk era.
           The start of 4AD began with Ivo and Peter Kent while they were working for the Beggars Banquet record store. They had been listening to demos bands sent for the label division of Beggars  and decided after a discussion with the Beggars Banquet label, to create a sub label for groups that they were interested in. They initially called the label Axis.
              In early 1980 Axis released its first and only 4 releases, all of which were singles. Three out of the four weren't much to talk about; they overall were very different from what 4AD would represent. Bearz's She's My Girl was a bit of new wave that was accessible but floated along with subpar melody and a vaguely catchy handclap chorus. Fast Set's Junction One is a decent piece of minimal synth that wasn't too far from what Kraftwerk were doing three years before. The B side is a rather maudlin cover of a T Rex track that sounds to have been produced from someone's Super Nintendo MIDI card. The third single was Shox's No Turning Back which was a bouncy up-beat early synth pop track that was largely forgettable. The fourth single I will cover in the first official review as it was the only Axis single reissued on 4AD. That was Bauhaus's Dark Entries.
              As Ivo and Peter were preparing to release the singles, a foreign label also called Axis had caught wind that they were using that name to start a label and mailed them a letter asking to change their name, while conveniently allowing them to sell off their first and only axis issues. After this 4AD was created after a quick glance at a poster (Neither Pete or Ivo can remember who came up with the name though) with 1984 AD written on it. And thus the proper beginning of the label begin.