A Head Full of Wishes is a site for Galaxie 500, Luna, Damon & Naomi, Dean & Britta and Dean Wareham. With news, articles and lists of releases and past and future shows.
My record collection
[204] Various artists - Celebrate Yourself!
A couple of months back the wonderful London indie hit its 20th anniversary and this lovely four CD collection has been released today to celebrate “the label that celebrates itself”.
Dean Wareham has been tied up with Sonic Cathedral off/on over the years… here are a few of those knots off the top of my head:
- On Dean & Britta’s first visit to the UK in 2007 they played a Sonic Cathedral show at the Legion
- Dean & Britta’s cover of White Horses was released as part of the Sonic Cathedral singles club in 2007
- Nat (for he is Sonic Cathedral) has promoted quite a few of Dean & Britta’s London shows, and even if he’s not promoting he’s probably playing the records before the show.
- Sonic Cathedral released Dean’s Emancipated Hearts (2013) and Dean Wareham (2014) LPs
- Sonic Cathedral have also long championed Cheval Sombre and Dean has of course been turning up on those releases too
- In 2013 Sonic Cathedral put on two fantastic Dean Wareham shows at St Pancras Old Church…
- … and recorded them…
- … and released them on cassette…
- … and then as a lovely 1.5xLP edition.
- Sonic Cathedral released Luna’s cover of Something in the Air for their 2019 singles club…
- … and had a launch party for it, and screened Tell Me Do You Miss Me
- there are undoubtedly many more
This box set is in four parts, a disc each of: ‘classics’, remixes, live recordings, and seasonal/christmas tracks and Dean’s appearance is on the third disc, “Reverberate Yourself” and is his cover of Galaxie 500’s “When Will You Come Home” from the St Pancras Old Church album. The sleeve claims that it is the track’s first appearance on CD but, as you’ll find out later in this series, that is not entirely true!
As part of Sonic Cathedral’s birthday celebrations there was also, separately released, a “Celebrating Ourselves!” booklet which has some nice live pics of Dean & Britta:
As well as all the Dean Wareham associated releases Sonic Cathedral have been pumping out lots of other brilliant music - you pretty much can’t go wrong buying anything from the catalogue - which makes this compilation astounding value for money and a perfect Sonic Cathedral intro/catch-up if you’re not already worshipping!
As well as Dean Wareham you will find Cheval Sombre, twice, once live with Sonic Boom, Slowdive, Lorelle Meets the Obsolete, Maps, Dot Allison, Andy Bell, and so much more I’m not sure why I’ve bothered starting a list - you can see the tracklisting here. It’s sold out on Bandcamp but you can still buy copies from record stores (Rough Trade, Norman Records, Picadilly Records, etc.)
Thanks Nat/Sonic Cathedral for being amazing for 20 years, and here’s to the next 20!
- Catalogue Number: AHFOW 10/172
- Artist: Various artists
- Title: Celebrate Yourself! The Sonic Cathedral Story 2004–2024
- Notes: Sonic Cathedral 20th anniversary box set
- Packaging: Box, with four CDs
- Format: 4xCD
- Bought from Sonic Cathedral’s Bandcamp for £30