1996 saw a 4AD package tour barnstorming across the United States. Cryptically dubbed Shaving The Pavement, it brought Lush, Mojave 3 and Scheer together for a string of 25 shows.
Lush were playing in support of Lovelife (CAD 6004), their last and their most successful album. Drawing inspiration from the then-current Britpop scene -exemplified on the album by "Ciao!," a Nancy & Lee-style duet between Miki Berenyi and Pulp's Jarvis Cocker - Lovelife was by far the catchiest and most song-oriented record of the group's career. The album spawned a trio of exemplary singles - "Single Girl" (BAD 6001), "Ladykillers" (BAD 6002) and "500 (Shake Baby Shake)" (BAD 6009) - all of which were Top 25 hits in the UK. The album proved a success with American audiences, as well; the band played to sold-out crowds while topping the bill on the Shaving The Pavement tour. Tragically, what should have been Lush's finest year ended in tragedy when drummer Chris Acland committed suicide in October. Unwilling to continue after the loss of their friend, Lush chose to split up.
Scheer released their debut album Infliction (CAD 6006), matching one of Vaughan Oliver's most in-your-face sleeve designs with equally forceful music. Two singles from the album were also issued: "Shéa" (CAD 6003) and "Wish You Were Dead" (CAD 6005).
His Name Is Alive made a triumphant return with Stars On ESP (CAD 6010), a wildly eclectic avant-pop record that found Warren Defever drawing inspiration from such diverse influences as Phil Spector, ska and early reggae, Woody Guthrie, 60s cult label ESP (hence the album title), and almost forgotten albums made by the actor David McCallum. The album's centerpiece was the jaw-dropping single "Universal Frequencies" (BAD 6007) - which was nothing less than Defever's amazingly successful attempt to reinvent "Good Vibrations". In an appropriately Spectorian touch, Defever created a special mono mix of Stars On ESP, which was available only on vinyl.
Throwing Muses released Limbo (CAD 6014), which saw them in peak form. Perhaps their most fully-realized work, it perfectly captured the electric side of Kristin Hersh's music, while proving yet again that the latter-day Muses lineup ranked as one of the great rock trios of the decade. Two singles were extracted from the album: "Shark" (BAD 6016) and "Ruthie's Knocking" (TAD 6017), a limited edition one-song 7-inch with an etching on the B-side.
Although it wasn't intended as such, Dead Can Dance's Spiritchaser (CAD 6008) proved to be the group's recorded swansong. Their most rhythmically-driven work, the album brought elements of African, Caribbean and Australian aboriginal music into the mix. Filled with long, mantric tracks that spiral ecstatically towards completion, Spiritchaser's material truly came to life in the summer of 1996 on Dead Can Dance's extraordinary final tour. Lisa and Brendan finally split up in late 1998, during the recording of what would have been their ninth album.
Heidi Berry's Miracle (CAD 6011) was her third (and sadly, last) album for 4AD. An exquisitely folky collection of new songs (and a Jesse Colin Young cover) given life by Heidi's voice and the masterful production of Hugh Jones, the album possesses the same timeless quality as all of her work.