Originally released as a specially-priced LP on Christmas Day 1982, PILLOWS AND PRAYERS was an immediate success, topping the U.K. indie chart for nearly five months and selling over 120,000 copies. As such, the 17-track LP introduced an entire generation of indie kids worldwide to the then fairly obscure Cherry Red Records label, and such artists as Everything But the Girl (whose two members also had a solo track each), Felt, Eyeless In Gaza, and the Monochrome Set. 1984's second volume was originally released only in Japan but included equally beloved gems like Jane's "It's A Fine Day," a melancholy two-minute reverie for an unaccompanied female voice that is one of the archetypes of the twee pop aesthetic. In 2007, Cherry Red celebrated the 25th anniversary of PILLOWS AND PRAYERS by combining both volumes, a third disc of rare and obscure tracks by the same artists (including Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn's heartbreaking version of the Monochrome Set's "Goodbye Joe") and a DVD of 10 rare promo videos from the era in a lavishly appointed box with a large and compelling book detailing the story.

Mojo (Publisher) (p.123) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "With such disparate entities as Everything But The Girl, The Misunderstood, Felt and Quentin Crisp contained within, it continues to nail the label's then-ethos perfectly."