Heidi Berry

[b]Heidi Berry[/b] cut a stark contrast to the prevailing musical mentality of the early '90s — despite releasing records on both [l=Creation Records] and [l=4AD], together the leading lights of the shoegazing and dream pop movements, her haunting, luminous folk-inspired sound instead harked back to the work of Sandy Denny and [a=Nick Drake], complete with an earnestness and raw honesty far removed from her irony-drenched times. [b]Heidi Berry[/b] was born in 1958 and raised in Boston, MA, the child of an American actor father and a French-Canadian jazz-singing mother. In 1973, her mother remarried and the family relocated to London, where [b]Heidi Berry[/b] began writing songs in the mold of heroines like [a=Marianne Faithfull] and [a=Chrissie Hynde]; in 1985, while studying painting and printmaking at Middlesex Polytechnic, she recorded a private demo tape that then-boyfriend [a=Peter Astor] (later of the Loft, Weather Prophets, and [a=Wisdom Of Harry] fame) suggested she shop around. [b]Heidi Berry[/b] declined the offer, but a copy of the tape still made its way to Creation honcho Alan McGee, who tracked her down and offered a record deal. She accepted, and issued her six-song debut [i]Firefly[/i] in 1987; owing far more to Linda Thompson than Creation labelmates like the Jesus & Mary Chain, it was followed two years later by [i]Below the Waves[/i], a stark, poignant effort highlighted by the fan favorite "North Shore Train." [b]Heidi Berry[/b]'s relationship with Creation grew strained, however, and while opening for Felt and [a=Lush], she was spotted by 4AD founder Ivo Watts-Russell, who asked her to record a cover of Emmylou Harris' "'Til I Gain Control Again" for 1991's [i]Blood[/i], the third LP by his rotating musical collective [a=This Mortal Coil]. [b]Heidi Berry[/b] signed to 4AD to release her next solo effort, 1991's [i]Love[/i], recorded with producer [a=Pete Walsh] and an ace backing group including Levitation guitarist [a=Terry Bickers] and bassist [a=Laurence O'Keefe], in addition to avant-garde saxophonist Lol Coxhill. Her self-titled masterpiece followed in 1993, notching a minor hit with the lovely "The Sun and the Moon" and yielding an American tour alongside fellow [l=4AD] act [a=Red House Painters]. However, despite continued critical acclaim, 1995's [i]Miracle[/i] failed to make waves behind [b]Heidi Berry[/b]'s cult audience and she was released from her contract. With the exception of the 1999 single "Needle's Eye" — recorded with former [a=Kitchens Of Distinction] frontman [a=Patrick Fitzgerald] under the name Lost Girls — she remained silent in the years to follow. The compilation [i]Pomegranate[/i] appeared on [l=4AD] in 2000.