One Of 4AD's Finest

 

4AD was always a record label that had it's antennas looking out for new and fresh sounds. In the early 80's they signed The Wolfgang Press a post-punk band inspired by PIL's Metal Box. In their early days they played another post-punk music like many others but during the later years they created from their roots a sound that absorbed funk and dance into their sound. Bird Wood Cage their third album from 1988 was one of those which were at the height of times back then and made it easy for those who could try to step into a new sound experience. Almost three decades ago The Wolfgang Press made a record that is worth to be remembered although the mass didn't recognized them.

The Wolfgang Press - Kansas

The Wolfgang Press - Raintime

In 1991 they made a cover version of Randy Newman's Mama Told Me Not To Come a song about a desert party in Los Angeles in the seventies of the last century in which drugs and whiskey were the basis for extensive orgies. I love this song in almost every versions but the way The Wolfgang Press played them was extremely great.

The Wolfgang Press - Mama Told Me Not To Come (Bad Boy Mix)

Labled

4AD was founded in 1980 by Iv Watts-Russel and Peter Kent as an alternative to their Beggars Banquet label to test something new before they were signed to BB. Kent sold his shares after a year to go his own way. The label started with the release of Bauhaus' In The Flat Fields and I noticed them as another label for new dark wave. During the next years they released bands that are totally different to  their first release and found a distinctive identity of new sounds in music.

Cocteau Twins released their first record on 4AD as well. They burst onto the scene with their debut Garland with their Cure-like sound that could be described as a sum, deep heavy mood verging on doom and gloom. It is as dark as Cure's Pornography and PIL's Metal Box.

Another band riding on the gothic/doom wave came from Australia. Dead Can Dance released their first album on 4AD as well. Thinking about them now I should grab this record out again.

The first American band 4AD signed were the Throwing Muses with one of the best female voices in these days. Kristin Hersh could sing what ever she wanted - it sounded fantastic to me.

I still remember the day back in 1988 when I went to my local record shop checking the new entries I stopped when I saw Surfer Rosa by The Pixies. Some kind of topless Spanish dancer in front of an old wall made me want to listen to this record. After a few songs it was clear for me to buy, not knowing what career they will make.

While the label concentrated on American underground music they had a number one in UK-charts with a collage/sampling by M|A|R|R|S formed by A.R. Kane and Colourbox. They coined the sound of the 90's.

During the 90's I only remember the releases by Red House Painters on 4AD. I liked the sad sound of slwocore, indie and alternative sound they made these days. Especially The Rollercoaster was a record I listened often.

Then our ways didn't cross any more until 4AD released The National's High Violent in 2010. A great record that combines a lot of their early releases and the later released American alternative records.