The 13 Year Itch festival that took place in London in 1993 spawned an American sequel in 1994. All Virgos Are Mad - as it was dubbed - was a multi-night 4AD extravaganza staged in Los Angeles at the Troubadour and McCabe's Guitar Shop in late September and early October. A limited edition CD was issued for these shows as well (45789; it was also briefly available in shops).
According to Ivo, Kristin Hersh's first solo album, Hips And Makers (CAD 4002; a limited edition CD digipak was available as CADD 4002)), is "one of the best records we've ever put out". Produced by Lenny Kaye, and featuring only Kristin's voice, her acoustic guitar and an occasional cello, the album is a breathtaking collection, by turns ravishingly beautiful and frighteningly cathartic. Its single, the hypnotic "Your Ghost", (BAD 4001) was a duet with REM's Michael Stipe. On the companion-piece Strings EP (BAD 4006), Kristin re-recorded four songs from Hips And Makers accompanied by a six-piece string section.
Like Kristin Hersh or Mark Kozelek, Lisa Germano was a fiercely original singer/songwriter whose songs ventured unswervingly into the darkest corners of her psyche. Ivo first encountered her when she was signed to Capitol Records in the United States. Her 4AD debut, the limited edition Inconsiderate Bitch EP (TAD 4003) - featuring several Ivo / John Fryer mixes of songs from her album Happiness - had been intended as a one-off, but Lisa's deal with Capitol crumbled and 4AD leapt into the breach, swiftly issuing a revised version of Happiness (CAD 4005).
Later in the year, Lisa issued a second album, Geek The Girl (CAD 4017). One of the most harrowing albums of the 90s, it can take its place on the "devastating masterpiece" shelf alongside the likes of Big Star's Third / Sister Lovers and Lou Reed's Berlin. Most of the songs on the album were actually recorded as home demos; it was decided that the material was perfect as it was, and it was released untouched.
Mark Kozelek's nearly unrecognizable, slow-motion arrangement of Ace Frehley's "Shock Me" was among the most memorable of the odd array of classic rock cover versions Red House Painters were in the habit of performing live. It was immortalized for posterity on the Shock Me EP (BAD 4004), which coupled two versions of the song with two Kozelek originals.
Ivo had first taken note of vocalist Joanne Loughman and guitarist / violinist Hugh O'Carrol - the nucleus of The Glee Club - when he heard their previous band, the Swinging Swine, on a Nick Drake tribute album, and was impressed by Joanne's voice. The Glee Club's music ranged from folky lullabies to more straightforward electric rock songs. The Setanta label issued the group's album Mine (45496) in the UK, while 4AD released it only in the United States.
Frank Black's final album for 4AD was Teenager Of The Year (CAD 4009), a sprawling 22-song double album that continued to explore the territory mapped out by his debut. And if the record initial seemed to be a work of sprawling ambition perhaps lacking in focus, time has been very kind to it; connoisseurs now rate Teenager Of The Year - and the fine single "Headache" (BAD 4007) - alongside the best of the Pixies.
Lush's second album found the band in sharp form, toughened up by their experiences on the previous year's Lollapalooza tour. Split (CAD 4011), as its title implied, explored the dichotomies in the band's music, finding them equally adept at concise, pop-oriented material like "Hypocrite" (BAD 4008, the album's first single) as well as lengthy epics like "Never Never" and "Desire Lines" (BAD 4010).