| Mouth by Mouth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 13, 1993 | |||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Dream pop [1] | |||
| Length | 49:11 | |||
| Label | 4AD | |||
| Producer | His Name Is Alive | |||
| His Name Is Alive chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
 The cover for the 4AD vinyl release of Mouth By Mouth. | ||||
Mouth by Mouth is the third studio album by American rock band His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1993.
While Karin Oliver sang lead vocals on nearly all of His Name Is Alive's songs up to this point, Mouth by Mouth used a wide variety of Warren Defever's associates on vocals. The lead vocalists on the album are as follows: Karen Neal sings tracks 1, 2 and 4; Karin Oliver sings tracks 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 and 17; Chelle Marie Ehlers sings tracks 6 and 8; and Denise James sings tracks 11, 13, 14 and 16.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Calgary Herald | B+ [3] |
| Q |  [4] |
| The Village Voice | A− [5] |
Many critics have described Mouth by Mouth as a more conventional effort by His Name Is Alive than their previous albums. [2] [5] [6] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice reviewed the album favorably, describing it as "Big Star's Third as witting aesthetic strategy rather than failed attempt to make the world go away." [5]
In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Heather Phares described Mouth by Mouth as "a high point in His Name Is Alive's career". [2] Richard Fontenoy wrote in The Rough Guide to Rock that the album resembled "a 70s heavy-rock album produced by a hyperactive and easily distracted child with an interest in trying every possible effect, level and mixing technique". [6]
All tracks written by Defever, credited as His Name Is Alive, except 4, 9 and 16, written by Melissa Elliott, and 12, a cover of a Big Star track, written by Alex Chilton, credited here as "LX Chilton."
CD release (CAD3006CD)
"The Dirt Eaters" is a different version than appeared on The Dirt Eaters EP , a rock and roll version replacing the acoustic version that appeared on the EP. The Jack Nicholson sample that appeared on the EP version appears again, although shortened (removing the part where he says "And all the weeds.")
The 4AD vinyl LP release (CAD3006) uses several different samples and mixes for some of the songs, and does not include "The Homesick Waltz," despite having the lyrics for it in the inner sleeve.
The 4AD cassette release (CADC3006) is similar in mixing and sampling to the CD release, but like the LP does not include "The Homesick Waltz."
The 4AD CD version is currently available by 4AD's website, and also on music download services like eMusic and iTunes.
As mentioned above, several samples are missing on this release, in comparison to the 4AD UK release, along with the track "The Homesick Waltz." Different mixes are used for several songs, many with a "hotter" mix, giving it a more "rock" sound to supposedly appeal to the USA grunge fad. Most noticeable is "The Dirt Eaters," which does not include the Jack Nicholson sample, or the ethereal echo on Denise James' vocals. This version is out of print. The UK version is now available in the US as electronic downloads from sites like eMusic or iTunes.
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal, her twin sister Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson (drums).
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His Name Is Alive is an American experimental rock band/project from Livonia, Michigan. After several self-released cassettes, they debuted on 4AD Records in 1990, starting a long run at the label. Throughout the band's long history, leader Warren Defever has been the only constant member, with a variety of musicians and singers contributing over the years.
Warren Defever is a musician and producer, originally from Livonia, Michigan, and now based in Detroit. He is most known for his chameleonic project His Name Is Alive, though he is active in numerous other circles. He produced, engineered, and/or remixed recordings by Iggy and the Stooges, Easy Action, Low, Ida, Michael Hurley, Califone, Yoko Ono, Thurston Moore, the Gories, the Go, Nomo, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Ethan Daniel Davidson, Faruq Z. Bey, the Von Bondies, Reba Fritz, Destroy All Monsters, Jenny Toomey, Slumber Party, John Sinclair, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Lisa Loeb, as well as HNIA offshoot Velour 100.
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Livonia is the debut album by His Name Is Alive. It was originally released by 4AD on June 25, 1990 in the United Kingdom and in 1992 on 4AD/Rykodisc in the United States.
Home Is in Your Head is the second studio album by His Name Is Alive, originally released via 4AD in the UK on September 9, 1991, and on Rykodisc in the United States in 1992.
The Dirt Eaters in an EP by His Name Is Alive, originally released by 4AD in early 1992. It has never been released on its own in the United States, as it was included on the 4AD/Rykodisc US reissue of Home Is in Your Head in 1992.
King of Sweet is a compilation album by His Name Is Alive, originally released in a limited run by the Perdition Plastics label in 1993. Most, if not all, of the songs had previously appeared on the band's many self-released cassettes in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and some of them had appeared in different versions on the band's 4AD releases.
Stars on E.S.P. is an album by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1996.
Nice Day is an EP by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in the UK in 1997.
Ft. Lake is an album by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1998.
Always Stay Sweet is a compilation album by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD on February 23, 1999.
Someday My Blues Will Cover the Earth is an album by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 2001.
Velour 100 was a dream pop / ethereal rock band from Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. The band existed from 1995 to 2000, with most of its music seeing release via Tooth & Nail Records in 1996 & 1997. The band was essentially masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Trey Many of His Name Is Alive and Liquorice. Warren Defever helped with production. The band's 4AD Records-influenced sound often led to comparisons to artists such as Cocteau Twins, Low, and Slowdive.
1983–1991 is a four-CD box set of material by supergroup This Mortal Coil, released on March 30, 1993 on the 4AD label. The box set was released only in the United States, and was distributed by Warner Bros. Records, with whom 4AD maintained a distribution deal at the time. This marked the first domestic American release for most of the band's output, as only the debut album, It'll End in Tears, had been released in the United States previously.
Dead Can Dance is an ambient, world music band which has released nine studio albums so far, two live albums, four compilation albums, one video album, one extended play and nine singles. The band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1981 but relocated to London, United Kingdom in 1982 and signed with 4AD Records where they disbanded in 1998.
Sleeps with the Fishes is the lone collaborative album from Clan of Xymox founding member Pieter Nooten and Canadian guitarist/producer Michael Brook, released by 4AD on 12 October 1987. Intended as Nooten's debut solo album after a brief split from Clan of Xymox, the record turned into a collaboration with Brook after a suggestion from 4AD label founder and boss Ivo Watts-Russell. Though not a huge commercial success, Sleeps with the Fishes was described by AllMusic as "essential listening for fans of 4AD, ambient music, minimalism, experimental electronic music, and morose themes alike... an overlooked masterpiece."
