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Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD by Martin Aston

After reading a 600 page history of some independent record labels I recently read Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD by Martin Aston, a 600 page history of one record label. 4AD is the only label I’ve ever been really into, and so probably the only one I’d want to read about at such length.

I’ve also made a very long Spotify playlist of music mentioned. More about that, including a full track listing, below.

Notes

Cover of the book

It was a good read. Obviously, it’s more detailed than many people would require but most of it was fascinating to me. Although I loved 4AD from the late-80s to sometime in the mid-90s there was so much I didn’t know. Partly, I guess, because this was before I was online, so anything I learned about the label would be through occasional readings of the music press. That’s it. Unless you were enough of a superfan to track down a fanzine, there wasn’t much more you could know. Even finding out about new releases could be hit and miss. So much was opaque back then, for better or worse.

Some of what I didn’t know was from the early-80s, before I knew of the label: Bauhaus, Modern English, the Birthday Party, et al. It was only in 1988, when I was at sixth form, that my friend Darren introduced me to Throwing Muses’ album House Tornado that I was aware of 4AD. I was interested enough to keep my eye open for other artists on this particular label, something I hadn’t done before, helped along by 4AD’s Lonely is an Eyesore compilation.

Reading the book was a nice reminder of all the 4AD artists I love, which have meant so much to me, many of which I haven’t listened to for ages: Throwing Muses, Cocteau Twins, The Wolfgang Press, This Mortal Coil, Pixies, Lush, The Breeders, His Name is Alive, Heidi Berry, Belly, Bettie Serveert (briefly) and, my favourite, Red House Painters. And then there were other favourite bands that came close to signing with the label but, for various reasons, didn’t, like PJ Harvey, That Dog and The Sundays.

At some point during the mid-90s my interest faded. I realise now how much was changing behind the scenes, as Ivo Watts-Russell, the owner, slowly burned out, escaped to LA for much of the time, and eventually, in 1999, sold his share to Beggars Group. A big chunk of the book recounts this period, with the staff, back in London, struggling to run a label while the owner, whose taste was so entwined with the musical choices, was having a tough time. It’s amazing they got through it, but what emerged was definitely different, with different tastes and values. It’s sad to see this happen and, once the Ivo years are completely done, the book whizzes through the 21st century in much less detail, justifiably.

Ivo, as he says, wanted to run a record label, but not necessarily a record company. He had a desire to have albums made and released, and that was it – that was the work of art. Whether an album is a success or not in the market is almost irrelevant. And releasing singles, commissioning remixes, making videos; all these are distractions.

As Lisa Germano puts it when she first heard some of 4AD’s music, before working with them (p.434):

“This atmospheric, weird stuff was much more about music than hits.”

The music is the important thing, which I’m sure many people say but it sounds like Ivo believed this more fundamentally than most; which is admirable in many ways, but not always a good thing for someone running a company.

This conflict was most noticeable when releasing music in the US, with American companies involved. Marc Geiger is quoted explaining the issue with Ivo’s ideals (pp.412-3):

“When you don’t need to make your bands big, and you can let them be, there’s no measurement of whether anything works or not, there’s just great music. Ivo fostered the organic aesthetic of people coming to music instead of hitting you over the head with it. But in America, you needed to amp it up, because things had become more about promotion-driven marketing.”

But early on, when things were smaller, it’s clear how important Ivo’s focus was, alongside that of Vaughan Oliver creating the artwork that did so much to create 4AD’s image (I was such a fan of his work). It not only took a while for people to recognise the label as interesting, but for Ivo to know what it was too (p.110):

“It took a few years for me to find my focus, and my confidence, and to get a feel for what the label might become,” he recalls. “And to be absolutely happy to not have many releases. The less, the better, I thought!”

That early drive to create something cohesive and consistent and excellent is so impressive. And I can only imagine the effort it takes. I empathise with Ivo’s eventual desire to escape to a tiny town far away and care for foster dogs, and I haven’t don’t anything remotely like what he did, in terms of effort or achievement.

It’s interesting how in some senses the label did have an identifiable sound and image, and yet, in other ways not — some people would think of it as being quite “Goth” while plenty of the music couldn’t be described as such (e.g. Colourbox and M/A/R/R/S, and The Wolfgang Press). And once the American bands were involved it became still more varied. I guess the variety is because it was built around Ivo’s taste and, while he was rigorous about sticking to it, he, like anyone, liked different kinds of music. But this makes it harder for anyone else to help, when the entire enterprise is build on the taste of a single person.

As with any record label story, there are so many struggles over so many things with so many people. Recording and producing records usually sounds like a nightmare due to conflicting personalities or artistic ideas or drugs. Reading about what was happening before, during and after the recording of an album is fascinating, given that until now I knew little of the origins or struggles of each work.

Many people fall out over the course of the book. The Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie and Elizabeth Fraser, for example, eventually fall out with each other and Ivo; he has a habit of signing bands formed by male/female couples that later separate. But there’s a lovely bit early on when Guthrie talks about trying to get 4AD interested and get airplay, in 1982 (pp.90-1):

“We only had one microphone and one cassette recorder, so we had to record the songs twice, once for a tape to give to Ivo, the other to John Peel when we met him. We had no phone so I wrote down the number of the phone box down the road and ‘call between five and six’ on the cassette box, and I’d wait outside every night for a call! There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that they’d both ring.”

I loved reading Facing the Other Way and, all over again, feeling a kind of awe about the label and what Ivo achieved. That awe’s now altered, but not lessened, by knowing how difficult it was to achieve the results.

The Playlist

Here’s the playlist on Spotify. If that’s too unwieldy for you, there are a couple of Facing the Other Way albums which are more concise summaries: 1980 and 1990.

Below is the full track list, 556 tracks, including the 20 or so that aren’t on Spotify. Some notes:

  • This is in the order in which tracks and albums are mentioned in the book. Most of the first bunch are those that influenced Ivo in the past.

  • If the book only mentions an album or EP, but no specific track from it, I’ve chosen the most-listened-to track as shown on Last.fm. In this case the track is marked with an *.

  • Often several tracks from one album are discussed in the book. I’ve generally tried to stick to a limit of four tracks per album, with the This Mortal Coil albums being notable exceptions.

  • If a track or album isn’t on Spotify, it’s indicated in the list below with a †.

That’s the notes. Here’s the full playlist:

  1. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren
  2. Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe
  3. Pink Floyd - Apples and Oranges
  4. Spirit - Uncle Jack
  5. The Mothers of Invention - Concentration Moon* (from We’re Only in it for the Money)
  6. Dave Mason - Only You Know And I Know* (from Alone Together)
  7. Emmylou Harris - Boulder to Birmingham* (from Pieces of the Sky)
  8. Tim Buckley - Dolphins* (from Sefronia)
  9. Bill Lamb and Gary Ogan - (from Portland†)
  10. Spirit - I Got a Line On You* (from The Family That Plays Together)
  11. Steve Miller Band - Roll With It* (from Children of the Future)
  12. The Lurkers - Shadow
  13. Tubeway Army - Are “Friends” Electric?
  14. Gary Numan - Cars* (from The Pleasure Principle)
  15. The Fast Set - Junction One
  16. Bearz - She’s My Girl
  17. Shox - No Turning Back
  18. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi’s Dead
  19. Bauhaus - Dark Entries
  20. Models - Freeze
  21. Rema-Rema - Rema-Rema (from Wheel in the Roses)
  22. Modern English - Drowning Man†
  23. Modern English - Swans on Glass
  24. Bauhaus - Terror Couple Kill Colonel
  25. In Camera - Die Laughing
  26. In Camera - Final Achievement
  27. Cupol - Like This for Ages
  28. The The - Controversial Subject
  29. Modern English - Home
  30. C.V.O. - Sargasso Sea
  31. Last Dance - Malignant Love
  32. Spasmodic Caress - Hit the Dead
  33. Psychotik Tanks - Let’s Have a Party†
  34. Red Atkins - Hunk of a Punk
  35. The Birthday Party - Mr Clarinet
  36. The Birthday Party - The Friend Catcher
  37. Bauhaus - Double Dare (from In the Flat Field)
  38. Mass - You and I
  39. Modern English - Gathering Dust
  40. B.C. Gilbert and G. Lewis - Barge Calm (from 3R4)
  41. Bauhaus - Telegram Sam
  42. Dance Chapter - Anonymity
  43. Dance Chapter - New Dance
  44. In Camera - The Conversation (from IV Songs EP)
  45. Sort Sol - Marble Station
  46. Past Seven Days - Raindance
  47. My Captains - Fall (from My Captains EP)
  48. The Birthday Party - King Ink (from Prayers on Fire)
  49. Modern English - Grief (from Mesh & Lace)
  50. Modern English - Sixteen Days (from Mesh & Lace)
  51. Modern English - Move in Light (from Mesh & Lace)
  52. B.C. Gilbert and G. Lewis - End With the Sea
  53. Mass - Mass (from Labour of Love)
  54. Colin Newman - Fish 3* (from Provisionally Entitled the Singing Fish)
  55. Dif Juz - Hu (from Dif Juz EP)
  56. Dif Juz - Soarn* (from Vibrating Air)
  57. Modern English - Smiles and Laughter
  58. The Birthday Party - Release the Bats
  59. René Halkett and David J - Amour
  60. René Halkett and David J - Nothing
  61. The The - Red Cinders in the Sand (from Burning Blue Soul)
  62. The The - Like a Sun Rising Through My Garden (from Burning Blue Soul)
  63. Dance Chapter - Attitudes (from Chapter II EP)
  64. Cocteau Twins - Speak No Evil†
  65. Cocteau Twins - Perhaps Some Other Aeon†
  66. The Happy Family - Puritans
  67. The Happy Family - Innermost Thoughts (from The Man on Your Street)
  68. Colin Newman - Don’t Bring Reminders* (from Not To)
  69. Lydia Lunch - The Agony is the Ecstasy†
  70. Tones on Tail - Instrumental* (from Tones on Tail EP)
  71. In Camera - Fatal Day (from Fin)
  72. Modern English - Dawn Chorus (from After the Snow)
  73. The Birthday Party - She’s Hit* (from Junkyard)
  74. Modern English - Life in the Gladhouse (from After the Snow)
  75. Lydia Lunch and Rowland S. Howard - Some Velvet Morning
  76. Lydia Lunch and Rowland S. Howard - I Fell in Love with a Ghost
  77. Colin Newman - We Means We Starts†
  78. Cocteau Twins - Grail Overfloweth (from Garlands)
  79. Cocteau Twins - Blind Dumb Deaf (from Garlands)
  80. Cocteau Twins - Garlands (from Garlands)
  81. Cocteau Twins - Feathers Oar-Blades* (from Lullabies EP)
  82. Modern English - I Melt With You (from After the Snow)
  83. Colourbox - Breakdown
  84. Colourbox - Tarantula
  85. The Birthday Party - Deep in the Woods (from The Bad Seed EP)
  86. The Birthday Party - Sonny’s Burning (from The Bad Seed EP)
  87. Xmal Deutschland - Incubus Succubus
  88. Xmal Deutschland - Orient (from Fetisch)
  89. Xmal Deutschland - Qual (12″ remix)
  90. Cocteau Twins - Peppermint Pig
  91. The Wolfgang Press - Prostitute I (from The Burden of Mules)
  92. The Wolfgang Press - Complete and Utter (from The Burden of Mules)
  93. Modern English - Someone’s Calling (from After the Snow)
  94. This Mortal Coil - Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust
  95. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren
  96. Cocteau Twins - When Mama was Moth (from Head Over Heels)
  97. Cocteau Twins - Sugar Hiccup (from Sunburst and Snowblind EP)
  98. Cocteau Twins - Hitherto (Peel session; only standard version on Spotify)
  99. Colourbox - Keep on Pushing (from Colourbox EP)
  100. Modern English - Chapter 12 (from Ricochet Days)
  101. Modern English - Breaking Away (from Ricochet Days)
  102. Colourbox - Say You
  103. Colourbox - Punch
  104. Dead Can Dance - The Fatal Impact (from Dead Can Dance)
  105. Dead Can Dance - Frontier (from Dead Can Dance)
  106. Dead Can Dance - Carnival of Lights (from Garden of the Arcane Delights EP)
  107. Dead Can Dance - In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated (from Garden of the Arcane Delights EP)
  108. Cocteau Twins - Millimillenary
  109. Cocteau Twins - Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drop
  110. Cocteau Twins - The Spangle Maker
  111. Xmal Deutschland - Mondlicht* (from Tocsin)
  112. The Wolfgang Press - Ecstasy (from Scarecrow EP)
  113. The Wolfgang Press - Deserve (from Scarecrow EP)
  114. The Wolfgang Press - Respect (from Scarecrow EP)
  115. This Mortal Coil - Waves Become Wings (from It’ll End in Tears)
  116. This Mortal Coil - A Single Wish (from It’ll End in Tears)
  117. This Mortal Coil - The Last Ray (from It’ll End in Tears)
  118. This Mortal Coil - Fyt (from It’ll End in Tears)
  119. This Mortal Coil - Fond Affections (from It’ll End in Tears)
  120. This Mortal Coil - Not Me (from It’ll End in Tears)
  121. This Mortal Coil - Another Day (from It’ll End in Tears)
  122. This Mortal Coil - Holocaust (from It’ll End in Tears)
  123. This Mortal Coil - Kangaroo (from It’ll End in Tears)
  124. Cocteau Twins - Lorelei (from Treasure)
  125. Cocteau Twins - Beatrix (from Treasure)
  126. Cocteau Twins - Persephone (from Treasure)
  127. Cocteau Twins - Quisquose (from Aikea-Guinea)
  128. The Wolfgang Press - Tremble (My Girl Doesn’t) (from Water)
  129. The Wolfgang Press - Fire Eater (from Water)
  130. Clan of Xymox - Stranger* (from Subsequent Pleasures EP)
  131. Clan of Xymox - Equal Ways (from Clan of Xymox)
  132. Clan of Xymox - A Day
  133. Clan of Xymox - Regarding Stranger (from A Day 12″ single)
  134. Clan of Xymox - 7th Time (from Clan of Xymox)
  135. This Mortal Coil - Red Rain (from Filigree & Shadow)
  136. This Mortal Coil - A Heart of Glass (from Filigree & Shadow)
  137. Dif Juz - Love Insane (from Extractions)
  138. Colourbox - The Moon is Blue
  139. Colourbox - Just Give ‘Em Whisky (from Colourbox)
  140. Cocteau Twins - Pale Clouded White (from Tiny Dynamite)
  141. Cocteau Twins - Eggs and Their Shells (from Tiny Dynamite)
  142. Dead Can Dance - De Profundis (Out of the Depths of Sorrow) (from Spleen and Ideal)
  143. Dead Can Dance - Enigma of the Absolute (from Spleen and Ideal)
  144. Richenel - L’Esclave Endormi
  145. Breathless - Pride (from Two Days of Eden EP)
  146. This Mortal Coil - Firebrothers (from Filigree and Shadow)
  147. This Mortal Coil - Strength of Strings (from Filigree and Shadow)
  148. This Mortal Coil - Morning Glory (from Filigree and Shadow)
  149. This Mortal Coil - Come Here My Love (from Filigree and Shadow)
  150. This Mortal Coil - Drugs (from Filigree and Shadow)
  151. This Mortal Coil - Alone (from Filigree and Shadow)
  152. The Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir - Prïtourïtze Planinata (from Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares Vol.1)
  153. Cocteau Twins - The Thinner the Air (from Victorialand)
  154. Colourbox - Baby I Love You So
  155. Colourbox - Looks Like We’re Shy One Horse/Shoot Out
  156. Colourbox - The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme
  157. Colourbox - Philip Glass
  158. The Wolfgang Press - Hammer the Halo (from Standing Up Straight)
  159. The Wolfgang Press - Rotten (from Standing Up Straight)
  160. The Wolfgang Press - I am the Crime (from Standing Up Straight)
  161. Throwing Muses - Hate My Way
  162. Throwing Muses - Cowboy†
  163. Throwing Muses - Delicate Cutters (from Throwing Muses (1986))
  164. Throwing Muses - Soul Soldier (from Throwing Muses (1986))
  165. Throwing Muses - Fish
  166. Cocteau Twins - Love’s Easy Tears (from Love’s Easy Tears EP)
  167. Elizabeth Fraser, Harold Budd, Robin Guthrie, and Simon Raymonde - Sea, Swallow Me (from The Moon and the Melodies)
  168. Elizabeth Fraser, Harold Budd, Robin Guthrie, and Simon Raymonde - She Will Destroy You (from The Moon and the Melodies)
  169. Clan of Xymox - After the Call (from Medusa)
  170. Clan of Xymox - Back Door (from Medusa)
  171. Clan of Xymox - Masquerade (from Medusa)
  172. Throwing Muses - Snail Head (from Chains Changed EP)
  173. Throwing Muses - Cry Baby Cry (from Chains Changed EP)
  174. The Wolfgang Press - The Wedding* (from Big Sex EP)
  175. Dif Juz - No Motion (from Lonely is an Eyesore compilation)
  176. Colourbox - Hot Doggie (from Lonely is an Eyesore compilation)
  177. This Mortal Coil - Acid, Bitter and Sad (from Lonely is an Eyesore compilation)
  178. Cocteau Twins - Crushed (from Lonely is an Eyesore compilation)
  179. A.R. Kane - When You’re Sad
  180. A.R. Kane - Sado-Masochism is a Must (from Lollita EP)
  181. A.R. Kane - Anitina
  182. M/A/R/R/S - Pump Up the Volume
  183. Dead Can Dance - Anywhere Out of the World (from Within the Realm of a Dying Sun)
  184. Dead Can Dance - Dawn of the Iconoclast (from Within the Realm of a Dying Sun)
  185. Dead Can Dance - The Summoning of the Muse (from Within the Realm of a Dying Sun)
  186. Dead Can Dance - In the Wake of Diversity (from Within the Realm of a Dying Sun)
  187. Throwing Muses - And a She-Wolf After the War (from The Fat Skier)
  188. Frazier Chorus - Sloppy Heart
  189. Pixies - Caribou* (from Come on Pilgrim)
  190. Michael Brook and Pieter Nooten - Several Times I* (from Sleeps With the Fishes)
  191. Xymox - Blind Hearts* (from Blind Hearts)
  192. Bulgarian State Television Female Choir - Kaval Sviri* (from Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares Vol.2)
  193. Throwing Muses - Colder (from House Tornado)
  194. Throwing Muses - River (from House Tornado)
  195. Pixies - Where is My Mind? (from Surfer Rosa)
  196. Pixies - Vamos (from Surfer Rosa)
  197. Pixies - Gigantic (from Surfer Rosa)
  198. Pixies - In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)
  199. The Wolfgang Press - King of Soul (from Bird Wood Cage)
  200. The Wolfgang Press - Kansas (from Bird Wood Cage)
  201. The Wolfgang Press - Hang on Me (from Bird Wood Cage)
  202. Ultra Vivid Scene - The Mercy Seat
  203. Ultra Vivid Scene - She Screamed
  204. Ultra Vivid Scene - The Whore of God (from Ultra Vivid Scene)
  205. Cocteau Twins - Carolyn’s Fingers (from Blue Bell Knoll)
  206. Cocteau Twins - Cico Buff (from Blue Bell Knoll)
  207. Cocteau Twins - Sucking the Mender (from Blue Bell Knoll)
  208. Cocteau Twins - For Phoebe Still a Baby (from Blue Bell Knoll)
  209. Dead Can Dance - The Host of the Seraphim (from The Serpent’s Egg)
  210. Dead Can Dance - Song of Sophia (from The Serpent’s Egg)
  211. Dead Can Dance - The Writing on My Father’s Hand (from The Serpent’s Egg)
  212. Dead Can Dance - Severance (from The Serpent’s Egg)
  213. Throwing Muses - Mania (Live at the Town and Country Club, 1988)
  214. Throwing Muses - Dizzy (from Hunkpapa)
  215. Throwing Muses - Angel (from Hunkpapa)
  216. The Wolfgang Press - Raintime (single version, ideally)
  217. Pixies - Monkey’s Gone to Heaven (from Doolittle)
  218. Pixies - Debaser (from Doolittle)
  219. Pixies - Wave of Mutilation (from Doolittle)
  220. Pixies - Here Comes Your Man (from Doolittle)
  221. Pixies - Silver (from Doolittle)
  222. Pixies - La La Love You (from Doolittle)
  223. Ultra Vivid Scene - Something to Eat†
  224. Pale Saints - Sight of You
  225. Pale Saints - She Rides the Waves
  226. Pale Saints - Mother Night
  227. Lush - Thoughtforms
  228. Lush - Scarlet
  229. Lush - Etheriel
  230. Pale Saints - Fell From the Sun (from The Comforts of Madness)
  231. Lush - Hey Hey Helen (Peel session, ideally)
  232. Lush - Deluxe (from Mad Love EP)
  233. Ultra Vivid Scene - Staring at the Sun (from Joy 1967-1990)
  234. Ultra Vivid Scene - Special One (from Joy 1967-1990)
  235. The Breeders - Oh! (from Pod)
  236. The Breeders - Only in 3’s (from Pod)
  237. The Breeders - Hellbound (from Pod)
  238. The Breeders - Happiness is a Warm Gun (from Pod)
  239. Dead Can Dance - The Arrival and the Reunion (from Aion)
  240. Dead Can Dance - Black Sun (from Aion)
  241. Dead Can Dance - Radharc (from Aion)
  242. Dead Can Dance - Song of the Sybil (from Aion)
  243. His Name is Alive - Fossil* (from Livonia)
  244. Pixies - Velouria (from Bossanova)
  245. Pixies - Cecilia Ann (from Bossanova)
  246. Pixies - Rock Music (from Bossanova)
  247. Pixies - The Happening (from Bossanova)
  248. Pixies - Dig for Fire (from Bossanova)
  249. Cocteau Twins - Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires (from Heaven or Las Vegas)
  250. Cocteau Twins - Cherry Coloured Funk (from Heaven or Las Vegas)
  251. Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck (from Heaven or Las Vegas)
  252. Lush - Sweetness and Light
  253. Pale Saints - Babymaker* (from Half-Life EP)
  254. Throwing Muses - Red Shoes (from The Real Ramona)
  255. Throwing Muses - Counting Backwards (from The Real Ramona)
  256. Throwing Muses - Not Too Soon (from The Real Ramona)
  257. The Wolfgang Press - Fakes and Liars (from Queer)
  258. The Wolfgang Press - Honey Tree (from Queer)
  259. The Wolfgang Press - Question of Time (from Queer)
  260. The Wolfgang Press - Mama Told Me Not to Come (from Queer)
  261. Spirea X - Spirea Rising
  262. Spirea X - Chlorine Dream (from Fireblade Skies)
  263. This Mortal Coil - Ruddy and Wretched (from Blood)
  264. This Mortal Coil - Loose Joints (from Blood)
  265. This Mortal Coil - D.D. and E (from Blood)
  266. This Mortal Coil - Bitter (from Blood)
  267. This Mortal Coil - Dreams are Like Water (from Blood)
  268. This Mortal Coil - (Nothing But) Blood (from Blood)
  269. This Mortal Coil - I Come and Stand at Every Door (from Blood)
  270. This Mortal Coil - Several Times (from Blood)
  271. This Mortal Coil - Late Night (from Blood)
  272. This Mortal Coil - Help Me Lift You Up (from Blood)
  273. This Mortal Coil - The Lacemaker (from Blood)
  274. This Mortal Coil - Till I Gain Control Again (from Blood)
  275. This Mortal Coil - You and Your Sister (from Blood)
  276. This Mortal Coil - I Am the Cosmos (from Blood)
  277. Pixies - Planet of Sound (from Trompe Le Monde)
  278. Pixies - U-Mass (from Trompe Le Monde)
  279. Pale Saints - Hunted (from Flesh Balloon EP)
  280. Pale Saints - Kinky Love (from Flesh Balloon EP)
  281. Heidi Berry - Up in the Air (from Love)
  282. His Name is Alive - Tempe (from Home is in Your Head)
  283. His Name is Alive - Dreams Are of the Body (from Home is in Your Head)
  284. Lush - Monochrome (from Black Spring EP)
  285. Lush - Fallin’ in Love (from Black Spring EP)
  286. Lush - For Love (from For Love EP)
  287. Dead Can Dance - Spirit (from A Passage in Time)
  288. Lush - Nothing Natural (from Spooky)
  289. Lush - Superblast (from Spooky)
  290. Lush - Untogether (from Spooky)
  291. Lush - Laura (from Spooky)
  292. Pale Saints - Throwing Back the Apple (from In Ribbons)
  293. Pale Saints - Blue Flower
  294. Pale Saints - Hunted (from In Ribbons)
  295. Pale Saints - Neverending Night (from In Ribbons)
  296. The Breeders - Do You Love Me Now? (from Safari EP)
  297. The Breeders - So Sad About Us (from Safari EP)
  298. Belly - Slow Dog* (from Slow Dust EP)
  299. Belly - Gepetto
  300. His Name is Alive - Are We Still Married? (Ivo/Fryer remix)
  301. The Wolfgang Press - A Girl Like You
  302. Michael Brook - Ultramarine* (from Cobalt Blue)
  303. Michael Brook - Andean* (from Live at the Aquarium)
  304. Swallow - Tastes Like Honey* (from Blow)
  305. Swallow - Sugar Your Mind* (from Blowback)
  306. Throwing Muses - Firepile (from Red Heaven)
  307. Throwing Muses - Manic Depression
  308. Throwing Muses - Furious (from Red Heaven)
  309. Throwing Muses - Dio (from Red Heaven)
  310. Throwing Muses - Pearl (from Red Heaven)
  311. Unrest - Suki* (from Imperial f.f.r.r.)
  312. Underground Lovers - I Was RIght* (from Leaves Me Blind)
  313. Bettie Serveert - Tom Boy* (from Palomine)
  314. Red House Painters - 24 (from Down Colorful Hill)
  315. Red House Painters - Medicine Bottle (from Down Colorful Hill)
  316. Red House Painters - Michael (from Down Colorful Hill)
  317. Ultra Vivid Scene - The Portion of Delight (from Rev)
  318. Ultra Vivid Scene - Blood and Thunder (from Rev)
  319. Belly - Untogether (from Star)
  320. Belly - Feed the Tree (from Star)
  321. Belly - It’s Not Unusual
  322. Belly - Hot Burrito #1
  323. The Breeders - Cannonball
  324. The Breeders - Flipside
  325. Frank Black - Fu Manchu (from Frank Black)
  326. Frank Black - Hang on to Your Ego (from Frank Black)
  327. Frank Black - Los Angeles (from Frank Black)
  328. His Name is Alive - Can’t Go Wrong Without You (from Mouth by Mouth)
  329. His Name is Alive - Sort Of (from Mouth by Mouth)
  330. His Name is Alive - Torso (from Mouth by Mouth)
  331. His Name is Alive - Blue Moon (from Mouth by Mouth)
  332. His Name is Alive - Lord Make Me a Channel of Your Peace (from Mouth by Mouth)
  333. Unrest - Isabel
  334. Unrest - Make Out Club* (from Perfect Teeth)
  335. Unrest - Cath Carroll
  336. Red House Painters - Rollercoaster (from Red House Painters (Rollercoaster))
  337. Red House Painters - Katy Song (from Red House Painters (Rollercoaster))
  338. Red House Painters - Mistress (from Red House Painters (Rollercoaster))
  339. Red House Painters - Take Me Out (from Red House Painters (Rollercoaster))
  340. Heidi Berry - Little Fox (from Heidi Berry)
  341. Heidi Berry - Heart Like a Wheel (from Heidi Berry)
  342. Heidi Berry - The Moon and the Sun (from Heidi Berry)
  343. Kristin Hersh - Your Ghost (from The 13 Year Itch compilation)
  344. Brendan Perry - Happy Time (from The 13 Year Itch compilation)
  345. The Breeders - Divine Hammer (from The Last Splash)
  346. The Breeders - Saints (from The Last Splash)
  347. The Breeders - Roi (from The Last Splash)
  348. The Breeders - Drivin’ on 9 (from The Last Splash)
  349. Dead Can Dance - The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove (from Into the Labyrinth)
  350. Dead Can Dance - The Carnival is Over (from Into the Labyrinth)
  351. Dead Can Dance - The Wind That Shakes the Barley (from Into the Labyrinth)
  352. Dead Can Dance - Yulunga (Spirit Dance) (from Into the Labyrinth)
  353. Red House Painters - I am a Rock (from Red House Painters (Bridge))
  354. Red House Painters - The Star-Spangled Banner (from Red House Painters (Bridge))
  355. Spoonfed Hybrid - Naturally Occurring Anchors* (from Spoonfed Hybrid)
  356. Insides - Darling Effect* (from Euphoria)
  357. That Dog - Old Timer* (from That Dog)
  358. Kristin Hersh - Your Ghost (from Hips and Makers)
  359. Kristin Hersh - Sundrops (from Hips and Makers)
  360. Kristin Hersh - Me and My Charms* (from Strings EP)
  361. The Glee Club - Remember a Day (from Mine)
  362. Lisa Germano - (Late Night) Dresses† (from Inconsiderate Bitch EP)
  363. Lisa Germano - The Darkest Night of All (from Happiness)
  364. Lisa Germano - Destroy the Flower (from Happiness)
  365. Lisa Germano - The Earth (from Happiness)
  366. Lisa Germano - A psychopath (from Geek the Girl)
  367. Red House Painters - Shock Me (from Shock Me EP)
  368. Frank Black - The Hostess with the Mostest (from Teenager of the Year)
  369. Frank Black - Headache (from Teenager of the Year)
  370. Frank Black - Big Red (from Teenager of the Year)
  371. Frank Black - Two Reelers (from Teenager of the Year)
  372. The Breeders - Head to Toe† (from Head to Toe EP)
  373. Lush - Hypocrite (from Split)
  374. Lush - Desire Lines (from Split)
  375. Lush - When I Die (from Split)
  376. Pale Saints - Henry (from Slow Building)
  377. Pale Saints - Fine Friend (from Fine Friend EP)
  378. Pale Saints - Jersey Girl† (from Step Right Up compilation)
  379. Throwing Muses - Bright Yellow Gun
  380. The Wolfgang Press - Goin’ South (from Funky Little Demons)
  381. The Wolfgang Press - 11 Years (from Funky Little Demons)
  382. The Wolfgang Press - Derek the Confessor (from Funky Little Demons)
  383. The Wolfgang Press - So Long Dead (from Funky Little Demons)
  384. Throwing Muses - No Way in Hell (from University)
  385. Throwing Muses - Calm Down, Come Down (from University)
  386. Throwing Muses - Crabtown (from University)
  387. Belly - Now They’ll Sleep (from King)
  388. Red House Painters - Cabezon (from Ocean Beach)
  389. Red House Painters - Shadows (from Ocean Beach)
  390. Red House Painters - Drop (from Ocean Beach)
  391. Kendra Smith - In Your Head (from Five Ways of Disappearing)
  392. Kendra Smith - Maggots (from Five Ways of Disappearing)
  393. Kendra Smith - Aurelia (from Five Ways of Disappearing)
  394. Kendra Smith - Bold Marauder (from Five Ways of Disappearing)
  395. Slowdive - Dagger
  396. Lisa Germano - Round and Round†
  397. Liquorice - Blew It (from Listening Cap)
  398. Lisa Gerrard - Sanvean: I am Your Shadow (from The Mirror Pool)
  399. Lisa Gerrard - Persian Love Song (from The Mirror Pool)
  400. Lisa Gerrard - Largo (from The Mirror Pool)
  401. Lisa Gerrard - La Bas: Song of the Drowned (from The Mirror Pool)
  402. Tarnation - Game of Broken Hearts
  403. Tarnation - Big O Motel (from Gentle Creatures)
  404. Air Miami - I Hate Milk (from Me Me Me)
  405. Air Miami - Afternoon Train (from Me Me Me)
  406. Scheer - Take You Anywhere* (from Schism EP)
  407. Scheer - Demon
  408. Mojave 3 - Love Songs on the Radio (from Ask Me Tomorrow)
  409. Mojave 3 - Candle Song 3 (from Ask Me Tomorrow)
  410. Mojave 3 - Mercy (from Ask Me Tomorrow)
  411. The Amps - Tipp City (from Pacer)
  412. The Amps - Empty Glasses (from Pacer)
  413. Kristin Hersh - Jesus Christ
  414. Lush - Ladykillers (from Lovelife)
  415. Lush - Single Girl (from Lovelife)
  416. Lush - Last Night (from Lovelife)
  417. Lush - Ciao! (from Lovelife)
  418. Scheer - Shéa (from Infliction)
  419. Scheer - Wish You Were Dead (from Infliction)
  420. Scheer - Howling Boy (from Infliction)
  421. Scheer - Goodbye (from Infliction)
  422. The Paladins - Big Mary (from Million Mile Club)
  423. The Paladins - One Step (from Million Mile Club)
  424. Lisa Germano - I Love a Snot (from Excerpts from a Love Circus)
  425. Lisa Germano - Small Heads (from Excerpts from a Love Circus)
  426. Lisa Germano - Lovesick (from Excerpts from a Love Circus)
  427. Lisa Germano - We Suck (from Excerpts from a Love Circus)
  428. His Name is Alive - Universal Frequencies (from Stars on ESP)
  429. His Name is Alive - I Can’t Live in This World Anymore (from Stars on ESP)
  430. His Name is Alive - Last One (from Stars on ESP)
  431. His Name is Alive - Across the Street (from Stars on ESP)
  432. Dead Can Dance - Song of the Stars (from Spiritchaser)
  433. Dead Can Dance - Indus (from Spiritchaser)
  434. Heidi Berry - Only Human (from Miracle)
  435. Heidi Berry - Northern Country (from Miracle)
  436. Heidi Berry - Darkness, Darkness (from Miracle)
  437. GusGus - Polyesterday
  438. GusGus - Chocolate†
  439. Throwing Muses - Shark (from Limbo)
  440. Throwing Muses - Ruthie’s Knocking (from Limbo)
  441. Throwing Muses - Serene (from Limbo)
  442. Lush - 500 (Shake Baby Shake)
  443. Tanya Donnelly - Bum (from Sliding & Diving EP)†
  444. Tanya Donnelly - Restless (from Sliding & Diving EP)†
  445. Michael Brook - Ill Wind (from Albino Alligator)
  446. Tarnation - You’ll Understand (from Mirador)
  447. Tarnation - Like a Ghost (from Mirador)
  448. Tarnation - Idly (from Mirador)
  449. GusGus - Believe (from Polydistortion)
  450. Tanya Donnelly - Pretty Deep (from Lovesongs for Underdogs)
  451. Tanya Donnelly - Bright Light (from Lovesongs for Underdogs)
  452. Tanya Donnelly - Mysteries of the Unexplained (from Lovesongs for Underdogs)
  453. The Hope Blister - Let the Happiness In (from smiles’s ok)
  454. The Hope Blister - Only Human (from smiles’s ok)
  455. The Hope Blister - Sweet Unknown (from smiles’s ok)
  456. The Hope Blister - Dagger (from smiles’s ok)
  457. The Hope Blister - The Outer Skin (from smiles’s ok)
  458. His Name is Alive - Nice Day* (from Nice Day EP)
  459. His Name is Alive - Ain’t No Lie (from Anakin)
  460. Scheer - Say What You Came to Say (from Anakin)
  461. Mojave 3 - To Whom Should I Write (from Anakin)
  462. GusGus - Blue Mug (from Anakin)
  463. starry smooth hound - Dreamt U in a Dream (from Anakin)
  464. Thievery Corporation - The Foundation (from Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi)
  465. Cuba - Havana (from Anakin)
  466. Kristin Hersh - Gazebo Tree (from Strange Angels)
  467. Kristin Hersh - Like You (from Strange Angels)
  468. Kristin Hersh - Home (from Strange Angels)
  469. Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - Forest Veil (from Duality)
  470. Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - Sacrifice (from Duality)
  471. Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - Tempest (from The Insider soundtrack)
  472. His Name is Alive - Wish I Had a Wishing Ring (from Ft. Lake)
  473. His Name is Alive - Can’t Always Be Loved (from Ft. Lake)
  474. Thievery Corporation - .38.45 (A Thievery Number) (from Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi)
  475. Thievery Corporation - Lebanese Blonde
  476. Cuba - Fiery Cross
  477. Cuba - Cross the Line
  478. Mojave 3 - Some Kind of Angels (from Out of Tune)
  479. Mojave 3 - Who Do You Love? (from Out of Tune)
  480. Lisa Germano - Reptile* (from Slide)
  481. Kristin Hersh - (from Murder, Misery and Then Goodnight†)
  482. GusGus - Teenage Sensation (from This is Normal)
  483. GusGus - Bambi (from This is Normal)
  484. GusGus - Ladyshave (from This is Normal)
  485. GusGus - Starlovers (from This is Normal)
  486. GusGus - VIP (from This is Normal)
  487. Kristin Hersh - Echo (from Sky Motel)
  488. Cuba - Black Island (from Leap of Faith)
  489. Lakuna - So Happy (from Castle of Crime)
  490. Brendan Perry - I Must Have Been Blind (from Toward the Within)
  491. Cuba - Starshine
  492. The Hope Blister - White on White (from Underarms)
  493. Kristin Hersh - A Cleaner Light (from Sky Motel)
  494. GusGus - Anthem* (from GusGus vs. T-World)
  495. Mojave 3 - Bringin’ Me Home (from Excuses for Travellers)
  496. Thievery Corporation - Sound File 001†
  497. Thievery Corporation - Shadows of Ourselves (from The Mirror Conspiracy)
  498. Magnétophone - Oh Darlin’ (from I Guess Sometimes I Need To Be Reminded Of How Much You Love Me)
  499. Piano Magic - Part I* (from Son de Mar soundtrack)
  500. Piano Magic - (from Writers Without Homes)
  501. His Name is Alive - Are We Still Married?* (from Someday My Blues Will Cover the Earth)
  502. His Name is Alive - Deep* (from Last Night)
  503. Kristin Hersh - Trouble* (from Sunny Border Blue)
  504. Kristin Hersh - Sno Cat* (from The Grotto)
  505. Throwing Muses - Mercury* (from Throwing Muses (2003))
  506. 50 Foot Wave - Clara Bow* (from 50 Foot Wave)
  507. 50 Foot Wave - Long Painting* (from Golden Ocean)
  508. Tanya Donnelly - The Night That Saved My Life (from Beautysleep)
  509. Tanya Donnelly - Whiskey Tango (from Whiskey Tango Ghosts)
  510. The Breeders - Collage (Mod Squad soundtrack)†
  511. The Breeders - Off You (from Title TK)
  512. Sybarite - Secropia* (from Nonument)
  513. The Mountain Goats - No Children* (from Tallahassee)
  514. Cass McCombs - Not the Way* (from Not the Way)
  515. Cass McCombs - When the Bible Was Wrote* (from A)
  516. Cass McCombs - Sacred Heart (from PREfection)
  517. Vinny Miller - Breaking Out of Your Arms* (from On The Block)
  518. Lisa Gerrard - Go Forward* (from Whale Rider soundtrack)
  519. Lisa Gerrard & Patrick Cassidy - Elegy* (from Immortal Memory)
  520. Blonde Redhead - Equus (from Misery is a Butterfly)
  521. Neil Halstead - Two Stones in My Pocket (from Sleeping on Roads)
  522. Mojave 3 - Bluebird of Happiness* (from Spoon and Rafter)
  523. Rachel Goswell - Coastline* (from Waves Are Universal)
  524. Mojave 3 - Breaking the Ice* (from Puzzles Like You)
  525. Magnétophone - Kel’s Vintage Thought (from The Man Who Ate the Man)
  526. The Late Cord - My Most Meaningful Relationships Are With Dead People (from Lights From the Wheelhouse)
  527. Jóhann Jóhannsson - Part 1: IBM 1401 Processing Unit* (from IBM 1401, A User’s Manual)
  528. Jóhann Jóhannsson - The Rocket Builder (Io Pan!)* (from Fordlândia)
  529. Minotaur Shock - Muesli* (from Maritime)
  530. Minotaur Shock - My Burr* (from Amateur Dramatics)
  531. M. Ward - Chinese Translation* (from Post-War)
  532. M. Ward - For Beginners* (from Hold Time)
  533. Wolf & Cub - This Mess* (from Vessels)
  534. Emma Pollock - Acid Test* (from Watch the Fireworks)
  535. Scott Walker - Cossacks Are* (from The Drift)
  536. Beirut - Postcards From Italy* (from Gulag Orkestar)
  537. Beirut - Nantes* (from The Flying Club Cup)
  538. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me* (from Return to Cookie Mountain)
  539. The Breeders - Bang On* (from Mountain Battles)
  540. Bon Iver - Skinny Love (from For Emma, Forever Ago)
  541. Imogen Heap - Glittering Clouds (Locusts)* (from Plague Songs compilation)
  542. Grimes - Oblivion (from Visions)
  543. SpaceGhostPurrp - The Black God* (from Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp)
  544. Scott Walker - ‘See You Don’t Bump His Head’* (from Bish Bosch)
  545. Deerhunter - Agoraphobia* (from Microcastle)
  546. Deerhunter - Revival* (from Halcyon Digest)
  547. Deerhunter - Neon Junkyard* (from Monomania)
  548. Ariel Pink - Round and Round* (from Before Today)
  549. Ariel Pink - Only in My Dreams* (from Mature Themes)
  550. Blonde Redhead - 23* (from 23)
  551. Blonde Redhead - Here Sometimes* (from Penny Sparkle)
  552. The Big Pink - Dominoes* (from A Brief History of Love)
  553. The Big Pink - Hit the Ground (Superman)* (from Future This)
  554. Iron and Wine - Tree by the River (from Kiss Each Other Clean)
  555. Kristin Hersh - In Shock* (from Learn to Sing Like a Star)
  556. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren