AMG Review of Natures Mortes - Still Lives

Andy Kellman
All Music Guide

Natures Mortes was initially a vinyl, Japanese-only release. It saw mail-order reissue in 1997, and a few copies crept into record shops. It's certainly a curiosity for any 4AD fan, though this pertains mostly to the label's post-punk/experimental era. Well-known acts such as Bauhaus, the Birthday Party, The The, and Modern English make appearances, as do some lesser-known 4AD bands (Rema Rema, Dif Juz, Sort Sol, Psychotik Tanks, etc.). The real pearls, however, are the two Past Seven Days tracks, apparently the only songs they recorded. Both are masterful slices of angular, atmospheric post-punk in the vein of the Comsat Angels or even Gang of Four.