Containe

Containe emerged as the introspective indie-pop endeavor of Versus bassist Fontaine Toups and Connie Lovatt, who had previously performed with Alkaline and the Pacific Ocean. The pair came together in September 1993 after Versus canceled a show honoring the Chickfactor fanzine; Toups had briefly weighed a solo appearance but instead recruited Lovatt, which gave rise to the project. They first called the act Contain to form a discreet blend of their names, yet Chickfactor co-publisher and Enchante label head Gail O'Hara accidentally inserted an “e” while designing a promotional flier. Enchante released the duo’s excellent debut I Want It All in 1994, a somberly lovely EP that showcased their gentle melodies and celestial harmonies. Early 1997 saw the arrival of Only Cowards Walk Like Cowards, a fuller-length album with a stronger rock bent that included drumming from Versus member Edward Baluyut.