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View the full session at 4ad.com In September of this year, St Vincent took a giant leap forward with the release of third album, Strange Mercy. This time out Annie Clark was to combine her long-celebrated musical virtuosity with ambitious songwriting that ran a gamut of emotional cadences, all the while underpinned by a colourful sense of melody. Recording these songs live for the first time, St Vincent has performed four tracks from Strange Mercy for the tenth visual installment in the 4AD Session series. Shot at Shangri-La Studios in the heart of the Brooklyn film and photography district in Greenpoint, the session was recorded with Annie's new band, Daniel Mintseris (keys), Toko Yasuda (moog) and Matthew Johnson (drums). Given St Vincent's transgression from the underground to the pop spotlight over the course of three studio albums, it's somewhat fitting that Shangri-La host the session having initially earned its name as a secret spot known only through word of mouth. As with all of the sessions in the series, directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard filmed the four tracks with a clear artistic vision. In this instance, the inspiration came from an unlikely source -- the memory of seeing a 1968 Shirley Bassey performance of 'This is My Life' on Rai Uno for Italian TV. With that reference point in mind, Annie takes centre stage against the backdrop of a projected live-feed, resplendent in glamorous eye make-up and with her always-impressive guitar work brought clearly ...

This upload features a slideshow of Pery Burge's Chronoscape and Aquascape art work, set to an intelligent drum and bass mix session by LTJ Bukem from 04. 02. 2000.

Following the release of Blues Funeral back in February, Mark Lanegan Band have recorded four songs for the thirteenth installment in the 4AD Sessions series. Pull Studios in Manhattan's Hudson Square played understated host to a session that leans heavily on Mark's indelible voice and undeniable presence, as well as the intensity and precision of his band. Filmed during a break in rehearsals for a New York City show that was to herald the release of the album, the session captures a band fully sharpened and itching to hit the road (US dates begin May 10 and are listed below). Tearing through four stand-out tracks from Blues Funeral, the performance ripples with a quiet fury that will be familiar to all those who've followed Mark over a career spanning more than two decades. Backed by a band as skilled as Mark is charismatic, the ambitious range of tracks such as 'Harborview Hospital' sit comfortably beside the barely concealed rage of 'The Gravedigger's Song', reminding once again why Blues Funeral is such a rewarding listen. Unlike other sessions in the series in which a firmly defined visual concept was central to capturing the performance, the intention here was to strip away any studio trickery in order to allow the band to stand-alone. That this simplified approach remains so powerful is testament to the inimitable quality of the music on show and Mark Lanegan's enduring allure. Session directed by Robert Semmer - robertsemmer.com (full credits follow the tour dates ...