Mouth by Mouth

Mouth by Mouth
Studio album by His Name Is Alive
Released April 13, 1993
Recorded 1992
Genre Rock
Length 49:11
Label 4AD Records
Producer His Name Is Alive
His Name Is Alive chronology

The Dirt Eaters EP
(1992)		 Mouth by Mouth
(1993)		 King of Sweet
(1993)
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Allmusic

Mouth by Mouth is an album by His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1993.

History

After two moderately successful LPs and one EP, His Name Is Alive leader Warren Defever was in a position to vastly improve his home recording studio, and spent the fall of 1992 recording his most polished album yet, Mouth by Mouth. Featuring a wider variety of singers than on previous releases, along with a newly polished sound, the album sounded considerably different from previous releases, although it continued in the vein of This Mortal Coil-inspired gothic/folk/progressive rock and ambient soundscapes. The album appeared in May 1993, in three different versions (explained below).

This was the first HNIA release to come out after 4AD's distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records in the USA, so that all 4AD albums would see release in the USA. While ostensibly this would be a good deal for Defever and HNIA, with wider distribution, Warner Brothers balked at the many samples that appear throughout the 4AD UK version of the album, for fear of being sued. Therefore, the USA release was considerably compromised, omitting several samples, using different mixes for some songs, and leaving off the final track, "The Homesick Waltz." Ironically, the musical backing for "Can't Go Wrong Without You" is made up of entirely of samples from Prince's Purple Rain LP, and Warner Brothers failed to notice this.

In 2006, Defever made the UK version available for sale through his Silver Mountain Media group, from copies 4AD found "in the back of a warehouse." This marked the first time US buyers could buy the full version without paying for a pricey import. The CD quickly sold out from the website. In 2008, 4AD made this version finally officially available in the USA, by way of electronic downloads on sites like eMusic or iTunes.

Track listing

4AD releases

CD release (CAD3006CD)

  1. "Baby Fish Mouth" - 2:32
  2. "Lip" - 2:57
  3. "Cornfield" - 3:15
  4. "In Every Ford" - 3:43
  5. "Lord, Make Me a Channel of Your Peace" - 2:17
  6. "Drink, Dress and Ink" - 2:30
  7. "Where Knock Is Open Wide" - 2:46
  8. "Can't Go Wrong Without You" - 3:14
  9. "Jack Rabbits" - 1:50
  10. "Sort Of" - 1:03
  11. "Sick" - 3:50
  12. "Blue Moon" - 2:15
  13. "Ear" - 2:02
  14. "Lemon Ocean" - 2:47
  15. "The Torso" - 3:23
  16. "The Dirt Eaters" - 4:47
  17. "The Homesick Waltz" - 4:00

"The Dirt Eaters" is a different version than appeared on the 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 cover for the 4AD vinyl release of Mouth By Mouth.

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.

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."

4AD/Warner Brothers USA release

  1. "Baby Fish Mouth" - 2:32
  2. "Lip" - 2:57
  3. "Cornfield" - 3:15
  4. "In Every Ford" - 3:43
  5. "Lord, Make Me a Channel of Your Peace" - 2:17
  6. "Drink, Dress and Ink" - 2:30
  7. "Where Knock Is Open Wide" - 2:46
  8. "Can't Go Wrong Without You" - 3:14
  9. "Jack Rabbits" - 1:50
  10. "Sort Of" - 1:03
  11. "Sick" - 3:50
  12. "Blue Moon" - 2:15
  13. "Ear" - 2:02
  14. "Lemon Ocean" - 2:47
  15. "The Torso" - 3:14
  16. "The Dirt Eaters" - 4:24

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.

Singers

While Karin Oliver sang nearly all of HNIA's songs up this point, Mouth By Mouth used a wide variety of Defever's associates on vocals. The lead vocals on the album are: Karen Neal sings 1, 2 and 4; Karin Oliver sings 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 and 17; Chelle Marie Ehlers sings 6 and 8; Denise James sings 11, 13, 14 and 16.

Personnel