No Songs Tomorrow - Darkwave, Ethereal Rock And Coldwave 1981-1990 (Clamshell Box)

No Songs Tomorrow: Darkwave, Ethereal Rock and Coldwave 1981-1990 gathers four discs worth of dark, atmospheric alternative music, ranging from Batcave staples and early 4AD signees to goth club anthems and neo-classical dream pop. Earlier Cherry Red box set Silhouettes & Statues focused more squarely on classic post-punk gothic rock, mainly from the U.K., Europe, and Australia, while this compilation charts the goth scenes influence throughout various styles and subgenres over the course of a decade, particularly as the culture spread throughout North America. The release starts with "The Funeral Party," a gorgeous deep cut from the Cures Faith, but avoids many of the other larger-than-life stars of the goth world like Siouxsie and the Banshees or Bauhaus, instead moving closer to the lush, brooding, and otherworldly sounds of Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and Black Tape for a Blue Girl, all of whom appear early in the track listing. Other highlights of the first disc include the swaying beauty of Rise and Fall of a Decades "Nothing to Say, Easy to Answer," the martial drama of In the Nurserys "Lost Prayer," and the stunning coldwave pop of Kas Products "Tina Town." Disc two curiously includes a simmering cut from Soft Cells second album, then meets the intersection of goth/industrial and dream pop with bands like Cranes, Beautiful Pea Green Boat, and Autumnfair. Section 25s "Looking from a Hilltop" anticipates the alternative dance crossovers during the rave era, while the Essences "Only for You" is as unabashedly exuberant as the Cure at their poppiest. The third disc concentrates on more DJ-friendly cuts, including Clan of Xymoxs goth-pop gem "Louise" and Italian group Neons incredible "Dark Age," along with material from dark discotheque favorites like Die Form and Kirlian Camera, as well as lesser-known projects like SS-Say. The final disc is much moodier, bookended by ambient selections from Attrition and Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook, while even Alien Sex Fiend seem far gloomier than usual on "In and Out of My Mind." Collection dArnell-Andrea and Bel Canto represent the more haunting, operatic end of darkwave, the Arms of Someone New graft dirty guitars onto skeletal drum machines, and No Mores "Suicide Commando" is clubby minimal synth at its catchiest. Unlike many of Cherry Reds other deep dives, there arent any major crossover singles or foundational tracks of the genre on No Songs Tomorrow. Instead, acknowledging that "darkwave" means different things to different audiences, the compilers approach it from multiple angles and go for less obvious selections, resulting in a fascinating variety of unearthed obscurities and in-the-know treasures. ~ Paul Simpson