4ad is an English indie record label split off from Beggars Banquet in the '80s, which published and helped launch some truly outstanding, genre-defining bands. Who also all mingled and played in various editions of the label’s house band, This Mortal Coil.
Along with Factory Records, it’s one of the labels that mostly defined the soundtrack of my youth
Some notable examples:
Pixies
Lush
Cocteau Twins
Bauhaus
Modern English
Dead Can Dance
Ultra Vivid Scene
Xymox
M.A.R.R.S.
Throwing Muses
Breeders
OK, I’ll try to put on a slight “counterpoint” here… Pat Metheny’s hauntingly beautiful “Every day (I thank you)”. I am not a religious person, and I don’t have any intention to make fun of religious people, but I do get touched by such beautiful music in an almost spiritual way and, especially, by Michael Brecker’s performance. His control of the harmonies and the sax (phrasing, upper register, …) is just unbelievable. This is way I love jazz… these guys pour ALL of their souls into these performances.
It is just a pity it cuts out in the middle of Pat’s solo…
I’m still sticking with the “Friday means the whole weekend” principle (if our politicians can make up the rules as they go, so can we).
Stumbled upon this today and I’ve always been a sucker for music from space: Ian Anderson even made the effort to look like an alien for this duet with the ISS.
Considering he was self taught and only chose the flute because it was the only instrument in the shop that he hadn’t seen anybody else playing, quite impressive that he got as good as he did.
My sister-in-law is a classically trained professional flautist and she likes listening to him; apparently he has a very strong & distinctive style, even within her circles.
@PeteP you inspired me to rewatch this 1982 live performance of Locomotive Breath, my favorite Jethro Tull song. Not only was Ian an great flautist, he was quite the showman as well.
I wasn’t going to post anything else today, but then I started tracking through the Scary Pockets back catalogue of covers and discovered a fine demonstration of being taken over by the funk and some sublime nerdy bass-face. These guys do some wonderful stuff, and the ensemble of musicians are inspiring.
I was thinking of adding Mute (for the obvious reason) and Nettwerk. I used to be very, very in to some Nettwerk bands, back when Nettwerk was basically Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly. These days they are mainstream pop though.
