It was all whirlwind, heat, and flash…
Layers of guitar, whirling puzzles of melodies, tonal bliss, subdued vocals, alteration after alteration of effects… I love shoegaze… and how could you not? With the ever-droning riffs, and the non-stop wall of sound smashing against your body, and mesmerizing your mind! I’ve never felt more encompassed by a sound then when listening to powerful shoegaze.
Of course, watching them play live is usually as fun as watching bread rise, but I honestly believe that that’s not why you go to watch them. You’re not going to watch, you’re going to feel, and experience the creation of slab of sound that’s going to ram into your body like a 400 pound undulating mass of human flesh running towards some Cheesies.
It really is a shame that they never got the exposure they deserved… but really, I can see why… have you ever watched an interview with Kevin Shields?
Shoegaze came about sometime in the early 1980’s around the Great Britain area. Unfortunately, because it really was a scene the celebrated itself, shoegaze basically died in the England area. At that time Brit-pop started to become increasingly popular, and basically built criticisms towards shoegaze. Because Brit-pop soon became the dominant music structure in the England area, there was not much else the shoegazers could do but remain under radar, and eventual fall to its death. Just to clear up any confusion, they were labeled as shoegazer bands, because for most of the show they were huddled over their effects pedals and playing with enormous passion…
I’ve heard many of my friends say that at concerts such as Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky, they’ve been so moved by the experience that they will go as far as to compare it to a religious experience…. Shoegaze would provide mine…
So, to end off my post for today, I’m going to allow you to indulge in some shoegaze sweetness…
The Telescopes – Flying – Off of their album “# Untitled Second”
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Just like Honey – Off their 1985 release “Psycho Candy”
My Bloody Valentine – You made me Realize – From their 1988 Ep “You made me Realize”
My Bloody Valentine – Feed me with your Kiss – Quintessential shoegaze! Off their 1988 LP “Isn’t Anything
Ride – Leave them All Behind – From their 1992 LP “Going Blank Again”
Others you may want to check out: Chapterhouse, Lush, Slowdive, Swervedriver, The Swirlies, Spaceman 3, the Cocteau Twins, Even early Dinosaur Jr.,
February 7, 2008 at 10:25 am
Great song choices! I guess some people are calling new bands trying to do the shoegaze thing “Nu-Gaze”, if you haven’t already, make sure you check it out! Thanks for the post!
February 7, 2008 at 3:25 pm
swirlies. woo! no boo radleys?
February 8, 2008 at 4:38 am
what about curve? Dean Garcia has a new band called SPC ECO and theyre heavier than Curve and more shoegaze. check em out. theyre getting alot of attention..
February 9, 2008 at 3:11 am
To continue your religious experience you may want to to check out Bleach’s mighty “Wipe it Away” if you can track it down and for the ultimate in depression the sadly ignored torch singer AC Marias “Don’t Talk”. I don’t think shoegaze ever got better than Ride’s Nowhere. I’m old enough to have seen them live and it still is one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen.
February 9, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Rad post, have you heard about “A Place to Bury Strangers”? There is an article about them in Beatroute, and they are so fucking noisy. I heard them and instantly thought “Is this MBV?”.
They are opening for Holy Fuck at the HiFi in a few weeks, it should be really really noisy.