Product Description

The UK-based 4AD label was responsible for some of the 1980s' most cutting edge alternative music. This Mortal Coil is something of a label pet project, an ever-shifting, collaborative outfit that includes members of such 4AD bands as the Cocteau Twins, Modern English, Dead Can Dance, Colourbox andWolfgang Press. True to the label's aesthetic, the music ofThis Mortal Coil is ethereal, abstract, dreamlike and sometimes spooky.
Most of the outfit's records focused primarily on covers of songs by seminal alternative rock artists, and IT'LL END IN TEARS is no exception. Included here are TimBuckley's "Song to the Siren", sung by Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser, Alex Chilton's "Holocaust", sung by Howard Devoto, and a startlingly poppy rendition of Wire's "Not Me". The track list is also sprinkled with originals, most notably the work of Lisa Gerard and Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance on cinematic tracks such as "Dreams Made Flesh". Alternatelymesmerising, disconcerting, and charming, the debut effort from these talented label mates is well worth the attention of 4AD fans.

Track Listing

1. Kangaroo
2. Song To The Siren
3. Holocaust
4. Fyt
5. Fond Affections
6. Last Ray
7. Waves Become Wings
8. Another Day
9. Barramundi
10. Dreams Made Flesh
11. Not Me
12. Single Wish

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1624 in Music
• Released on: 1993-12-31
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The debut release by this superstar-Goth outfit shined (and still does) in all its glorious misery and despair. Just how can it be so beautiful? the listener wonders. For one thing, when the project is conceptualized by 4AD Records brain-man Ivo Watts-Russell and includes artists from groundbreaking U.K. bands such as Cocteau Twins, Magazine, and Dead Can Dance, and when a chunk of the material is from musical heavyweights such as Tim Buckley (the haunting "Song to the Siren"), Alex Chilton of Big Star (the devastating "Holocaust" and the heartbreakingly lovely "Kangaroo"), and Colin Newman of Wire (the rockin' "Not Me"), you're bound to come up with something that will be remembered and revered by old-school Goths everywhere. This is lush, hypnotic, astonishingly beautiful. --Lorry Fleming

Customer Reviews

Let those tears flow
If only the heads of all record labels had the imagination and good taste of Ivo Watts-Russell ( Not to mention the cool name) Watts Russell the head of 4AD wanted to record songs by artists he loved using not only bands on the 4AD label at the time. but other up-coming artists. The idea for This Mortal Coil-named after a poetic expression from Shakespeare's Hamlet-came after 4AD band Modern English had refused to re-record two songs they usually closer their concerts with. Watts-Russell decided to do it himself with Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and Gordon Sharp Of Cindytalk providing the vocals. One of the intended b-sides was the cover of Tim Buckley's "Song To The Siren " with Liz Fraser on vocals. The result of this was deemed so spectacular that the project took off -though it must be said that Robin Guthrie of The Cocteau Twins became virulently scathing about the version- though it must also be said he tends to do that about most of his back catalogue.
The first album by This Mortal Coil released in 1984 came after an EP -"Sixteen Days Gathering Dust" and as well as featuring the aforementioned artists also had contributions from Simon Raymonde(Cocteau Twins) Steven and Martyn Young ( Colourbox) Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) Mark Cox ( The Wolfgang Press) Robbie Grey (Modern English) and Howard Devoto. The album interspersed the cover versions with original compositions- usually instrumentals.
It,s really the choice of songs that makes It,ll End In Tears so special. As well as "Song To The Siren" Liz Fraser sings Roy Harpers "Another Day" quite beautifully over stately strings.Big Star,s "Kangaroo" pinions Gordon Sharps emphatic vocals round thunking bass and groaning cello while the other Big Star track "Holocaust" also from the album "Sister/Lovers", drapes Howard Devoto,s slightly aloof vocal to piano notes so liquid they could be made of the album titles tears."Fond Affections" is almost impossibly even more bereft than "Holocaust"-"There,s no light at the end of it all / Let,s all sit down and cry". The caustic guitars of Wires "Not Me" and Robbie Greys Colin Newman like vocal comes as something of a shock after the gorgeous melancholy that has gone before. The two Lisa Gerrrard tracks "Waves Become Wings" and "Dreams Made Flesh" are exotically compelling while the eerie ambient shifts of "Fyt" actually pre-dated a lot of the ambient /dance crossover music of the 1990,s.
This Mortal Coil went to record two more albums -"Filligree & Shadow"amd "Blood" before Watts-Russell pulled the plug on the project( Though he did soemthing similar with The Hope Blister in 1998.Good as those albums are the only one that has the feel of a resonant complete project is "It,ll End In Tears" .Right down to the gorgeous sepia toned sleeve by "Envelope 23" this is a work of art. Misery has never been so compelling or beautiful. Let those tears flow.

An overlooked classic.
I first heard this back in the 1980's, a decade that wasn't my favourite musically; very little stands out for me in that decade, but this was one of the rare quality moments.
It's one of those very rare albums where each track compliments both the last and the next track, and together complete an entire album of haunting, introspective (but not gloomy) thinking person's music.
My personal favourites are 'Kangaroo' and the cover of folk singer Roy Harper's 'Another Day'.
I'm listening to my vinyl copy as I write this (yes, I'd rather listen to the vinyl than my CD copy - my age I suppose!!!!) but I haven't played it for years and what a pleasure it is to hear it all again.

Touches Your Soul!!!

I've had this in my collection since the first LP release. It's a haunting album with some unexpected shifts of mood that blends together beautifully into a coherant whole.

The longterm standout tracks for me are the sublime "Waves Become Wings," the truly wonderful "Barramundi" and "Dreams made Flesh." These three tracks run into each other and still send healing shivers down my spine. Once heard, they're never forgotten.....

4AD released some superb work during the eighties. I'd urge anyone interested to buy this and immerse yourself in its beauty...

RECOMMENDED!

P.S. if you like this, give Ulrich Schnauss a try, especially the CD "Goodbye."