This Mortal Coil
Blood (4AD) (STAR)(STAR) 1/2
Besides founding the now-legendary British label 4AD and signing the likes of the Cocteau Twins, Pixies and Throwing Muses, Ivo Watts-Russell is a pop romantic who can`t resist indulging himself in the studio. This is the third, and reportedly last, project by This Mortal Coil, a loose assemblage of underground all-stars orchestrated and produced by Ivo. He loves to frame brooding female voices-among the better known here are Shellyan Orphan`s Caroline Crawley and Throwing Muses` Kim Deal and Tanya Donnelly-with static, Eno-like keyboards and synthesizers, strings and the faintest hint of percussion. The 21 cuts-including covers of Big Star, Spirit, Syd Barrett and Rain Parade tunes-segue one into another, veering between new-age blandness and lush dreaminess. The best of it has a disturbing undertow reminiscent of Julee Cruise`s work on ”Twin Peaks”: lullaby music for psychotics.
Ratings:
Excellent (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)(STAR)
Good (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)
Fair (STAR)(STAR)
Poor (STAR)
