Joan Of Arc - 1984Over their 20 odd year discography, Joan of Arcs astute, endlessly probing musical experimentation has been chorused by a barrage of voices, mostly from the singular larynx of mainstay Tim Kinsella. Richard Brautigan, Mark Twain, Elizabeth Taylor, and Assata Shakur might visit his lyrics, but its the band itself that contains multitudes. Ever since Joan of Arc's most recent lineup Kinsella, Theo Katsaounis, Melina Ausikaitis, Bobby Burg, and Jeremy

Most groups would kill to have one talented songwriter in their ranks

the track titles

interlock and switch angle of attack with a logic that‰۪s nearindecipherable as a listener unable to see visually how they unfold

‰ÛÏImmersion in a vortex of muted colour

" On January 10th

åÊThe Frail

Alice Clark‰۪s cult classic Never Did I Stop Loving You features here alongside many gems uncovered for the first time

A rough and rugged collection of Numero Group classics that have inspired swarms of killer beats

åÊperformance art

Music can be performed as much as it can be recorded

sweat and shouting Slaves have managed to bulldoze their way into British life

'As If' is their most consummate collection of songs yet