Filigree & Shadow

Filigree & Shadow
Studio album by
This Mortal Coil
Released22 September 1986 (1986-09-22)[1]
Studio
Genre
Length74:13
Label4AD
ProducerJohn Fryer and Ivo Watts-Russell
This Mortal Coil chronology
It'll End in Tears
(1984) 		Filigree & Shadow
(1986) 		Blood
(1991)
Singles from Filigree & Shadow
  1. "Come Here My Love"/"Drugs"
    Released: 1 September 1986[3]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Pitchfork8.7/10[4]

Filigree & Shadow is the second album released by 4AD collective This Mortal Coil, an umbrella title for a loose grouping of guest musicians and vocalists brought together by label boss Ivo Watts-Russell. The supergroup consists primarily of artists attached to the 4AD label, of which Watts-Russell was the co-founder and (at the time) the owner and director. The album was released in September 1986, and entered the UK Independent Music chart on 11 October 1986 and peaked at #2, spending 16 weeks on the chart in total.

Of the 25 tracks, 13 are instrumental, including the title track. This was the first double-LP released on 4AD, and introduced the "DAD" (for double album) prefix into the label's catalogue.[5] Watts-Russell took careful consideration in shaping the album's four sides so they flowed together as individual wholes. This is lost somewhat on compact disc, as the entire album fits on one CD.

A remastered and repackaged CD edition of Filigree & Shadow was issued with the complete This Mortal Coil recordings in a self-titled box set, released in late November 2011. The CD was released individually shortly thereafter.[4]

Track listing

Double vinyl LP (DAD 609)

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Interpreted byLength
1."Velvet Belly"Martin McCarrickMartin McCarrick, Gini Ball1:19
2."The Jeweller"Tom RappDominic Appleton, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Simon Raymonde, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball3:15
3."Ivy and Neet"Simon RaymondeSimon Raymonde, Richard Thomas, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball4:48
4."Meniscus"David CurtisDavid Curtis2:28
5."Tears"Simon RaymondeMartin McCarrick0:21
6."Tarantula"Martyn Young, Ian RobbinsDominic Appleton, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Jon Turner, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball4:58
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Interpreted byLength
1."My Father"Judy CollinsAlison Limerick, Simon Raymonde, Jon Turner, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball5:58
2."Come Here My Love"Van MorrisonJean, Simon Raymonde, Ivo Watts-Russell3:42
3."At First, and Then"Peter UlrichPeter Ulrich1:58
4."Strength of Strings"Gene ClarkDominic Appleton, Jon Turner, Keith Mitchell, Nigel K. Hine, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Anne Turner, Les McKeown, Martin McCarrick4:41
5."Morning Glory"Tim BuckleyDeirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Jon Turner, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball2:56
Side 3
No.TitleWriter(s)Interpreted byLength
1."Inch-Blue"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer1:08
2."I Want to Live"Gary Ogan, Bill LambDeirdre and Louise Rutkowski, Jon Turner4:05
3."Mama K (1)"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer0:53
4."Filigree & Shadow"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer1:19
5."Firebrothers"Gary DuncanRichenel, Jon Turner, Chris Pye3:53
6."Thaïs (1)"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer1:08
7."I Must Have Been Blind"Tim BuckleyRichenel, Jon Turner3:30
8."A Heart of Glass"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer3:45
Side 4
No.TitleWriter(s)Interpreted byLength
1."Alone"Colin Newman, Graham LewisCaroline Seaman, Alison Limerick, Simon Raymonde, Martin McCarrick, Gini Ball4:13
2."Mama K (2)"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer, Martin McCarrick0:34
3."The Horizon Bleeds and Sucks Its Thumb"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerAlan Curtis, Mark Cox, Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer2:53
4."Drugs"David Byrne, Brian EnoAlison Limerick, Andrew Gray, Steven Young, Ivo Watts-Russell3:09
5."Red Rain"Simon Raymonde, Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerCaroline Seaman, Simon Raymonde, Tony Waerea3:52
6."Thaïs (2)"Ivo Watts-Russell, John FryerIvo Watts-Russell, John Fryer3:13

CD (DAD 609 CD)

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Velvet Belly"M. McCarrick1:19
2."The Jeweller"T. Rapp3:15
3."Ivy and Neet"S. Raymonde4:48
4."Meniscus"D. Curtis2:28
5."Tears"S. Raymonde0:21
6."Tarantula"M. Young4:58
7."My Father"J. Collins5:58
8."Come Here My Love"V. Morrison3:42
9."At First, and Then"P. Ulrich1:58
10."Strength of Strings"G. Clark4:41
11."Morning Glory"T. Buckley2:56
12."Inch-Blue"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer1:08
13."I Want to Live"G. Ogan, B. Lamb4:05
14."Mama K (1)"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer0:53
15."Filigree & Shadow"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer1:19
16."Firebrothers"G. Duncan3:53
17."Thaïs (1)"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer1:08
18."I Must Have Been Blind"T. Buckley3:30
19."A Heart of Glass"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer3:45
20."Alone"C. Newman, G. Lewis4:13
21."Mama K (2)"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer0:34
22."The Horizon Bleeds and Sucks Its Thumb"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer2:53
23."Drugs"D. Byrne, B. Eno3:09
24."Red Rain"S. Raymonde, I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer3:52
25."Thaïs (2)"I. Watts-Russell, J. Fryer3:13

Personnel

Musicians
Visual
  • Concept and art direction by Ivo Watts-Russell and Nigel Grierson
  • Photography by Nigel Grierson
  • Design by Vaughan Oliver at v23
  • Design assistance by Erwin Esen
  • Cover model: Pallas Citroën

References

  1. ^ "4AD - Filigree & Shadow by This Mortal Coil". 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b Mason, Stewart. "Filigree & Shadow – This Mortal Coil". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 6.
  4. ^ a b Raggett, Ned (8 December 2011). "This Mortal Coil: HDCD Box Set". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  5. ^ Ingebrigtsen, Lars Magne. "The eyesore data base - ident: '60'". Retrieved 27 June 2015.