Various – Facing The Other Way (The Story Of 4·A·D)

OK - I will say something about the music selection. Comparing the volume one CD to two is interesting. And how can you evade the actual music?!

I ire the song choices of volume one as, for the most part, and rather unusually, they seem to have decided to represent the early years of 4AD. The selections are not all easy options. This is critical as the sound is more raw – Dark Entries, Rema-Rema – then some of the more obscure groups (In Camera, Dance Chapter . . . ). There's nothing by Frazier Chorus for instance, shame, but I'd rather the more raw side be accurately represented, the genesis of 4AD. The selection reflects the purpose of the book, to represent 4AD’s history, honestly evoking the essence of what 4AD sprang from – the emergence of post-punk, the vast creativity of many groups unparalleled in sound.

About half of the groups in volume one can be said to be absolutely unique, inspiring whole new movements of sound, whether shoegazing, grunge, sampling. 4AD was a well-spring for new genres. This is what was staggering about 4AD in those early years. Apart from great music, you did not know what you would be getting with 4AD, the bands did not resemble each other, match up*. Credit to 23 Envelope, on walking into a shop, you could instantly recognise a new 4AD album by its intriguing artwork. You wouldn’t necessarily know what the music would be like, you had to trust the label – and I did. I coming across the first Clan of Xymox album, the muddy colours, the weird dolls hanging, the overlayering of images, the strange band name; I couldn’t get any definitive meaning from the cover. I guessed it was 4AD on sight, you could do that, but I had no idea about the music. I was excited, I bought it and I discovered a new band. And people called me a Goth. Really? I’m a Goth?

Whenever something is chosen, something else has to be pushed aside, many diamonds such as Just Another Day have been omitted, but I suppose you had to have Song to the Siren. That said, Pump up the Volume is not present (!!!), 4AD’s most visible (?) single ever released. That’s quite a strong statement, but it does show, 4AD wasn’t necessarily about being popular. Fame and fortune were not the driving force. Instead, again this I respect, they reflect MARRS as the individual groups which constituted it: ie, it’s nice to have the A. R. Kane track, similarly for the other half, Colourbox, they opted for something more typically ‘Colourbox’. And weren’t Colourbox mammoth? Just the trajectory from the first experimental EP to their only eponymous album is remarkable, and all those 12”s besides . . . this is partly why I didn’t want to remark on the music here, there is simply too much rich material to mention, too much gets ignored.

I like the inclusion of the Pieter Nooten track as it gives a totally fresh / almost classical angle on Clan of Xymox.

With the brave choices as made, there is one niggle. Musette and Drums is a beautiful track, but it is Cocteau Twins in transition. Garlands was and is a hammer of sound. Cocteau Twins hit the Indie scene with something seemingly out of this world, perfect in its fusion of raw strength and beauty. Musically, there is nothing else like Garlands. For volume one of this Facing the Other Way CD they could have either started with Garlands the track, or ended with Shallow then Hallow. But perhaps it was better to leave the Garlands album out, in its own awesome world; an album best savoured in its entirety.

I can be more comprehensive with the volume two CD as there is less to say, but still a lot of good. Bearing in mind what I have written, you know I am biased toward the earlier 4AD sound and I write all this mainly in of innovative music. I sort of think Wolfgang press belongs properly on the first CD with a selection from that period, however Queer is a great album (two of the band state it as their favourite). I like the way there is one track from Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins for each of the 2 CDs, showing how they span 4AD, continued to grow and producing unquestionably beautiful music.

Though there are fewer in this decade, there are some stellar performers. Tarnation for me is a breath of fresh air with Paula Frazer’s, lively, lamenting voice and presenting a very new take on country and western music. Starry Smooth Hound!!! Another gem, later taking on his own name, Vinnie Miller. Everything by Vinnie is pure art. For some reason I like to listen to On the Block when I have a hangover.

Lush, wow. His Name Is Alive is one of my favourite groups, I love their home made ethic, they still create their own music, in their own, highly idiosyncratic fashion. They did a project in conjunction with the people running the >>>>> hadron collider <<<<< (what?). Lisa Germano is a wonderfully personal singer. When I saw her perform live I warmed to her intimate chat between songs. I think she had a pint of beer on the piano . . .

* Later on, and distinctly, that is what broke in 4AD, this ability to find groups vast in their musical range, so dissimilar to each other. Later there were certain elements of commonality between many of the 4AD artists. Indeed many groups were offshoots of their previous groups, and offshoots of offshoots. Consider Throwing Muses and the Pixies, the many offshoots and solo artists from these two groups. As well as an ever-increasing similarity of sound between 4AD artists, the American influence started to dominate and take over. (I love the first Throwing Muses and the first two Pixies albums . . . ).

Facing the Other Way, The Story of 4AD 1980-99, is a must-have anthology of 4AD music and its history for those into music in general, the indie scene and 4AD fans. It is seriously worth having in this limited edition of 1,000, signed by the author Martin Aston and designer Vaughan Oliver. This limited edition is a two volume work, one volume for each decade, making the books less cumbersome to hold. You can get the book as a single book, non-limited edition in paperback or hardback, without the CDs.

I won’t say anything here about the music as I have done that elsewhere. This is mainly about the design of the limited edition, because 4AD design was an important aspect of their music.

Lilliput:
https://discogs.sitiodesbloquea.com/release/485356-Various-Lilliput

First to state some relevant background information in 4AD design . . . I should mention Lilliput because it came first, the artwork is beautiful. Some may not like the cardboard aesthetic, I think it works wonderfully, it is brave marrying an ordinary material and transcending it with smart, graceful design. Also the 2 x CDs are a great collection to spread the music of the 4AD label to the world – and that is what this project was mainly for, it is a promo of 3,000. There are some other important books focussing more centrally on 4AD’s, truly exceptional, iconic design: Vaughan Oliver Exhibition / Exposition which I love because it is informative and the most beautiful in my opinion; Vaughan Oliver Visceral Pleasures, great because it is a hardcover with much more information, still beautiful etc.

Finally, Vaughan Oliver This Rimy River, Graphic Works 88-94. This book, actually published by 4AD, is extraordinary in that there were two editions, the ordinary edition, still a work of art in itself and the limited edition of 400, which went all out; some would say too far out, with overprinting which obscured the original artwork of the normal edition (an homage to David Carson’s idea the end of print). Printed and engraved perspex covers which had a dyed-orange calfskin quarter binding housed in a purple crushed velvet slipcase. I guess because purple and orange go so well together. Mine arrived damaged as the glue was not holding the perspex together. This is no wonder as production-wise this limited version was pushing boundaries beyond the extreme. It must have been a nightmare to produce, not meeting deadlines, more costly than the price they were asking. I was 80% aghast and 20% in awe at the ambition and affrontery.

It is worth mentioning this background as it reflects the 4AD effort to experiment, with music, design and packaging. Actually, what it taught me as well is that there are boundaries, yes you have to experiment / test, but then maybe the results won’t work . . . This is something 4AD in its current incarnation WOULD NOT CONTEMPLATE. 4AD now has a different aesthetic and the music is fundamentally different. Time es. Appreciate things while they last.

Facing the Other Way, however, includes a comprehensive and much more personal history of 4AD, including intimate stories of the individuals and bands. Its personal revelations provide key text detailing 4AD’s place in the independent music scene (for me the best years were 1980-85). The hardcover books are beautifully produced on good stock paper, housed in an attractive, metallic ink printed slipcase, with hundreds of pages of info and colour photo sections of band and album artwork.

The music is sublime. I prefer the individual albums - to hear the tracks in proper album context. However, every now and then it is fun to pick one of the many 4AD anthology CDs, for more variation, good for parties etc. I used to avidly collect them. I do still collect them, but not avidly, sadly this one might have been the last 'great' one. It's nice to finally have L'Esclave Endormi on CD and with companions - there was no album, this was one of those rare 4AD singles.

The packaging of the slimmer hardcover for the 2 x CDs fits well in the slipcase alongside the books. Again, characteristic 4AD experimentation, there are some pages in the CD ‘folder’, they are printed on partially transparent paper, with special metallic inks, carefully selected images, mainly detailing the bands’ tracks. As the pages are partially see-thru you see the images of other pages showing through. These 12 pages are sewn as a section beautifully, with each pair of pages uncut, so kind of six pages – this section is not sewn into the binding (!!!) as per tradition, hence breaking tradition, deconstructionist I suppose. The resultant whole is odd of course, a bit baffling, yes beautiful in its own way, intimate, unique. Seeing the stitching (as it is not physically sewn into the book), reveals the manufacturing process, the phyicality of the book and what it is. You certainly wouldn’t want many other printed books like this – the book has evolved as it has for a reason and is one of the most perfect designs in the world (and look! Kindle did not take over!). That said, I like it, kinda neat, personal, fits in with 4AD – but it will alienate a few . . .

This was available for £100 from the Friday Project. I see the price is steadily going up; for those who want to have at least the book there are the cheaper paperback / hardback editions available.