This Mortal Coil: 4 CD Box Set 2011

This Mortal Coil was a 4AD "supergroup" of sorts that recorded three albums and a few other tracks

between 1983 and 1991. The only official members of the project were 4AD label head Ivo Watts-Russell and well-known producer John Fryer, but many vocalists and musicians from 4AD (and non-4AD) groups such as Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Dif Juz, Colourbox, The Wolfgang Press, Cindytalk, Breathless and more were involved at various points in the project's lifespan.
                                                                                  

While the project was retired following the 1991 album "Blood", the concept was revisited by Ivo in

1998 with a similar collective called The Hope Blister. The name This Mortal Coil is taken from the Monty Python's Flying Circus "Dead Parrot sketch", which in turn is a quote from William Shakespeare's Hamlet ("... what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil...").
                                                             

4AD founder Ivo Watts-Russell's This Mortal Coil-- a band that never toured, that never really was a band at all-- is the subject of this comprehensive box set, one that offers remastered versions of their three LPs along with a fourth disc consisting of non-album tracks.
                                                                   

For a while in the 1980s, and to some degree into the following decade, many listeners assumed the

London-based 4AD record label was defined by arty goth rock. Bauhaus' slashing, poised aggression may have helped kickstart the label, and Modern English created a new wave hit for the ages with "I Melt With You", but after a few years acts like the gauzy Cocteau Twins and the medieval-Europe-gone-global-instruments of Dead Can Dance ended up being the big sellers, especially among those inclined toward pale and interesting looks matched with black clothing. Right next to these acts on 4AD, meanwhile, was something even more cryptic, a band that never toured, that never really was a band at all: This Mortal Coil.
                                                     

This Mortal Coil, the subject of a new comprehensive box set, was in the public eye an encapsulation of

4AD's sound and style spread out over three albums and associated singles and one-offs. And though founder Ivo Watts-Russell didn't want This Mortal Coil to be seen as a label vanity project, there was nothing more classically "4AD" from a listener's point of view. Despite the presence of so many performers not signed to the label and the fact that nothing else on 4AD actually sounded like This Mortal Coil, nothing else spoke more to the idea of what the label seemed to be.
                                                                 

The band's identity came not from a specific individual person or group of people but from a sprawling

series of studio efforts, packaged in moody cover designs courtesy of photographer Nigel Grierson and designer Vaughn Oliver and always featuring model Pallas Citroen, a kind of monolithic, black-and-white take on Roxy Music's own remarkable run of covers over an earlier decade.
                                                      

Producer/engineer John Fryer, Watts-Russell's key collaborator across the releases, helped maintain a

mood of poised, shadowy romanticism, part dark ambient grind and part late-night string-laden recital. This approach to production was combined with Watts-Russell's desire to celebrate obscure songs both old and more recent and transform them into something new and stunning.
                                                               

The project offered a mix of familiar and unknown voices and songs, performers sometimes appearing

only for a single song, even simply an instrumental (such as Dead Can Dance associate Peter Ulrich, taking a bow on Filigree & Shadow with the percussion piece "At First, and Then", never to reappear).

                                                        

Label: 4AD – TMCBOX1
Format: Box Set, Compilation, Limited Edition
CD, HDCD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
CD, HDCD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
CD, HDCD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
CD, HDCD, Compilation
Country: UK, Europe & US
Released: Nov 9, 2011
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Modern Classical, Ethereal

                                                                  

IT'LL END IN TEARS  1 OCTOBER 1984  TIME 44:18

                                                   

01. Kangaroo   3:29
Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer [Dx7] – Simon Raymonde
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Vocals – Gordon Sharp
Written-By – A.Chilton
02. Song To The Siren   3:31
Guitar – Robin Guthrie
Vocals – Elizabeth Fraser
Written-By – L.Beckett, T.Buckley
03. Holocaust   3:38
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Piano – Steven Young
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals – Howard Devoto
Written-By – A.Chilton
04. Fyt   4:24
Organ – Mark Cox
Synthesizer – Martyn Young
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
05. Fond Affections   4:25
Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer – Martyn Young
Synthesizer [Dx7] – Mark Cox
Vocals – Gordon Sharp
Written-By – Rema-Rema
06. The Last Ray   3:35
Bass – Simon Raymonde
Electric Guitar [6 String], Twelve-String Guitar [12-String Electric Guitar], E-Bow, Acoustic Guitar – Robin Guthrie
Keyboards – Ivo Watts-Russell
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, R.Guthrie, S.Raymonde
07. Another Day   2:54
Cello, Arranged By [Strings] – Martin McCarrick
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals – Elizabeth Fraser
Written-By – R.Harper
08. Waves Become Wings   4:27  
Accordion, Vocals – Lisa Gerrard
Written-By – L.Gerrard
09. Barramundi   3:55
Accordion [Looped] – Lisa Gerrard
Guitar, Synthesizer [Dx7] – Simon Raymonde
Written-By – S.Raymonde
10. Dreams Made Flesh   3:48
Percussion [Bass Drone], Drums [Drum] – Brendan Perry
Vocals, Yang T'Chin – Lisa Gerrard
Written-By – L.Gerrard
11. Not Me   3:45
Bass – Simon Raymonde
Guitar – Manuela Rickers, Robin Guthrie
Vocals – Robbie Grey
Written-By – C.Newman
12. A Single Wish   2:27
Piano – Steven Young
Synthesizer [Dx7], Effects [Gizmo] – Simon Raymonde
Vocals – Gordon Sharp
Written-By – G.Sharp, S.Raymonde, S.Young

MP3 @ 320 Size: 104 MB
Flac  Size: 255 MB

FILIGREE AND SHADOW  11 OCTOBER 1986    TIME 1:14:05

                                                        

01. Velvet Belly   1:20
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Written-By – M.McCarrick
02. The Jeweller   3:16
Backing Vocals – Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Piano – Simon Raymonde
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals [Vocal] – Dominic Appleton
Written-By – T.Rapp
03. Ivy And Neet   4:49
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Piano, Keyboards, Guitar, Bass – Simon Raymonde
Saxophone – Richard Thomas
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Written-By – S.Raymonde
04. Meniscus   2:28
Guitar – Dave Curtis
Written-By – D.Curtis
05. Tears   0:22
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Written-By – S.Raymonde
06. Tarantula   4:59
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals – Deirdre Rutkowski, Dominic Appleton, Louise Rutkowski
Written-By – M.Young
07. My Father   5:58
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Piano – Simon Raymonde
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals [Vocal] – Alison Limerick
Written-By – J. Collins
08. Come Here My Love   3:43
Keyboards – Ivo Watts-Russell, Simon Raymonde
Vocals – Jean
Written-By – V.Morrison
09. At First, And Then   1:59
Percussion – Peter Ulrich
Recorded By [Original 8 Track Recording] – Robert Lee
Written-By – P. Ulrich
10. Strength Of Strings   4:41
Cello [Electric] – Martin McCarrick
Choir – Anne Turner, Deirdre Rutkowski, Les McKuen, Louise Rutkowski, Martin McCarrick
Guitar – Keith Mitchell, Nigel K. Hine
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Vocals [Vocal] – Dominic Appleton
Written-By – G.Clark
11. Morning Glory   2:58
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals – Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski
Written-By – L.Beckett, T.Buckley
12. Inch Blue   1:08
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
13. I Want To Live   4:05
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Vocals – Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski
Written-By – W.Lamb, G.Ogan
14. Mama K (I)   0:53
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
15. Filigree And Shadow   1:19
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
16. Firebrothers   3:55
Guitar – Chris Pye
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Vocals [Vocal] – Richenel
Written-By – G.Duncan
17. Thaïs (I)   1:08
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
18. I Must Have Been Blind   3:31
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Vocals [Vocal] – Richenel
Written-By – T.Buckley
19. A Heart Of Glass   3:46
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
20. Alone   4:13
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards – Simon Raymonde
Violin, Viola – Gini Ball
Vocals [Vocal] – Alison Limerick, Caroline Seaman
Written-By – C.Newman, G.Lewis
21. Mama K (II)   0:35
Cello – John Fryer
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – Martin McCarrick
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
22. The Horizon Bleeds And Sucks Its Thumb   2:53
Guitar – Alan Curtis
Keyboards – Ivo Watts-Russell, Mark Cox
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
23. Drugs   3:09
Drum Programming – Steven Young
Guitar – Andrew Gray
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Vocals [Vocal] – Alison Limerick
Written-By – B.Eno, D.Byrne
24. Red Rain   3:54
Didgeridoo – Tony Waerea
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards – Simon Raymonde
Vocals [Vocal] – Caroline Seaman
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer, S.Raymonde
25. Thaïs (II)   3:14
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer

MP3 @ 320 Size: 172 MB
Flac  Size: 372 MB

BLOOD    22 APRIL 1991  TIME 1:16:19

                                                                   

01. The Lacemaker   4:07
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Voice – Caroline Crawley, Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer, M.McCarrick
02. Mr. Somewhere   2:53
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Musician [Music By] – Jon Turner
Voice – Caroline Crawley
Written-By – P.M.Walsh
03. Andialu   3:05
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Voice – Alison Limerick
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
04. With Tomorrow   2:41
Musician [Music By] – Jon Turner
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – G.Clark, J.Davis
05. Loose Joints   2:26
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer, M.McCarrick
06. You And Your Sister   3:14
Musician [Music By] – Jon Turner
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Voice [Voices] – Kim Deal, Tanya Donelly
Written-By – C.Bell
07. Nature's Way   3:18
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Voice – Alison Limerick, Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – R.California
08. I Come And Stand At Every Door   3:56
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Violin – Gini Ball
Voice – Tim Freeman
Voice [Voices] – Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski
Written-By – J.H.Waters, N.Hikmet
09. Bitter   6:27
Guitar – Jim Williams
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney*
Voice – Alison Limerick, Deirdre Rutkowski, Ikuko Kozu
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
10. Baby Ray Baby   2:14
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
11. Several Times   3:12
Musician [Music By] – Pieter Nooten
Programmed By – John Fryer
Violin – Gini Ball
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – P.Nooten
12. The Lacemaker II   1:24
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer, M.McCarrick
13. Late Night   3:03
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell, Jon Turner
Voice – Caroline Crawley
Written-By – S.Barrett
14. Ruddy And Wretched   3:16
Guitar – Jim Williams
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Voice – Anne Garrigues
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
15. Help Me Lift You Up   5:06
Musician [Music By], Programmed By – Jon Turner
Voice – Caroline Crawley, Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – M.M.O'Hara
16. Carolyn's Song   3:48
Drums – Rain Parade
Guitar – Jim Williams
Piano – Jon Turner*
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – D.Roback
17. D.D. And E.   0:48
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
18. 'Til I Gain Control Again   4:43
Piano – Jon Turner*
Strings – Jocelyn Pook, Martin McCarrick, Sally Herbert, Sonia Slaney
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski, Heidi Berry, Louise Rutkowski
Written-By – R. Crowell
19. Dreams Are Like Water   8:37
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
20. I Am The Cosmos   4:06
Guitar – Jim Williams
Musician [Music By], Programmed By – Jon Turner
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski, Dominic Appleton
Written-By – C.Bell
21. (Nothing But) Blood   4:05
Music By – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Voice – Deirdre Rutkowski
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer

MP3 @ 320 Size: 177 MB
Flac  Size: 410 MB

        

DUST AND GUITARS  1983 - 1992  TIME 44:06

                                                            

01. Sixteen Days / Gathering Dust   9:10
Bass – Michael Conroy
Guitar – Gary McDowell
Keyboards – Martyn Young
Voice – Elizabeth Fraser, Gordon Sharp
Written-By – G.McDowell, M.Conroy, R.Brown, R.Grey, S.Walker
02. Song To The Siren   3:32
Guitar – Robin Guthrie
Vocals – Elizabeth Fraser
Written-By – L.Beckett, T.Buckley
03. Sixteen Days (Reprise)   4:13
Bass – Michael Conroy
Guitar – Gary McDowell
Keyboards – Martyn Young
Written-By – G.McDowell, M.Conroy, R.Brown, R.Grey, S.Walker
04. Kangaroo   3:30
Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Synthesizer [Dx7] – Simon Raymonde
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Vocals – Gordon Sharp
Written-By – A.Chilton
05. It'll End In Tears   2:50
Piano – Steve Young
Synthesizer [Dx7], Effects [Gizmo] – Simon Raymonde
Written-By – S.Raymonde, S.Young
06. Come Here My Love   3:34
Keyboards – Ivo Watts-Russell, Simon Raymonde
Vocals – Jean
Written-By – V.Morrison
07. Drugs   3:14
Drum Programming – Steven Young
Guitar – Andrew Gray
Keyboards – Ivo Watts-Russell
Vocals – Alison Limerick
Written-By – B.Eno, D.Byrne
08. Acid, Bitter & Sad   5:30
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Vocals – Alison Limerick
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer
09. We Never Danced   3:53
Backing Vocals – Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski
Cello – Martin McCarrick
Keyboards – Jon Turner
Vocals – Alison Limerick
Written-By – N.Young
10. Thaïs (Bird Of Paradise)   4:44
Musician [Music By] – Ivo Watts-Russell
Programmed By – John Fryer
Written-By – I.Watts-Russell, J.Fryer

MP3 @ 320 Size: 103 MB
Flac  Size: 248 MB

NOTES

                                                                 

The initial release is exclusively in a box set which is a worldwide limited edition of 1.500.
This box set contains all 3 albums + a 4th album with all the singles and unreleased extras.
Dedicated to Gina Watts-Russell.
                                       

                                           
IT'LL END IN TEARS
Originally released as CAD 411.
Featured song lyrics for "Song To The Siren".
Quote on spine "Every day take figuring out, all over again how to live".
"Fond Affections" now ends the first 35 seconds originally on "The Last Ray".
This edition is dedicated to Nigel Grierson and Vaughn Oliver.
Recorded and mixed at Blackwing Studios, London.
Enormous love and gratitude to: Gina Ball, Mark Cox, Howard Devoto, John Fryer, Lisa Gerrard, Robbie Grey, Robin Guthrie, Martin McCarrick, Brendon Perry, Simon Raymonde, Manuala Rickers, Gordon Sharp, Martyn Young and Steve Young. Impossible to quantify is my gratitude to Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau twins) for helping me realize a dream I didn't even know was in me.
                                           

FILIGREE AND SHADOW
Originally released as DAD 609 in 1986.
Featured song lyrics for "The Jeweller".
Quote on spine "You know that I don't like riddles, you know that thinking makes me ill".
This edition is dedicated to Deborah Edgley.
Recorded at Blackwing Studios, London and Palladium Studios, Edinburgh. Mixed at Blackwing.
Enormous love and gratitude to: Dominic Appleton, Gini Ball, Alan Curtis, Dave Curtis, John Fryer, Andrew Gray, Nigel Hine, Jeanette, Alison Limerick, Martin McCarrick, Les McKuen, Keith Mitchell, Chris Pye, Simon Raymonde, Richenel, Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski, Caroline Seaman, Richard Thomas, Anne Turner, Jon Turner, Peter Ulrich, Toney Waerea, Steven Young.
                                              

BLOOD
Originally released as DAD 1005 in 1991.
Featured song lyrics for "Late Night".

Quote on spine "But life is not a succession of urgent "nows", it's a listless trickle of "why should I?"s".
This edition is dedicated to John Fryer.
Recorded at Blackwing Studios, London and Palladium Studios, Edinburgh. Mixed at Blackwing.
Enormous love and gratitude to: Gini Ball, Heidi Berry, Caroline Crawley, kim Deal, Tanya Donelly, Tim Freeman, John Fryer, Anne Garrigues, Sally Herbert, Ikuko Kozu, Alison Limerick, Martin McCarrick, Pieter Nooten, Jocelyn Pook, Deirdre Rutkowski, Louise Rutkowski, Sonia Slaney, Jon Turner, Jim Williams.
                                                   

DUST AND GUITARS
Tracks 1, 2, 3 originally released in 1983 as BAD 310.
Tracks 4 and 5 originally released in 1984 as AD 410.
Tracks 6 and 7 originally released in 1986 as BAD 608.
Track 8 Originally released in 1987 on the compilation album "Lonely Is An Eyesore" CAD 703.
Tracks 9 and 10 originally intended for release in 1992 as part of the Rough Trade singles club but withdrawn.
"It'll End In Tears" is an alternate version of the track "A Single Wish" that appears on the album.
This edition is dedicated to Pallas Citroën.
Recorded and mixed at Blackwing Studios, London.
                                       

4AD released this boxset of all three This Mortal Coil albums. Each record has been re-mastered

from the original analogue studio tapes by John Dent at Loud Mastering in 2010, to achieve the best digital sound available today.
Additionally there is a fourth album, Dust & Guitars, that compiles all the singles, including an unreleased one that was to have been part of the Rough Trade Singles Club and features the otherwise unavailable recording of Neil Young's 'We Never Danced'.
                                     

The official three albums have re-designed sleeves by Ivo Watts-Russell and Vaughan Oliver, 4AD's long time visual partner, which cater to the reduced size, feature gatefold sleeves, and remain inspired by the originals. The fourth album, which won't be available to general retail outside the box set, incorporates unseen images of the model Pallas Citroën, the 'face' of This Mortal Coil.