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I figured that the best way for me to review My Bloody Valentines classic 'Loveless' would be for me to put in in the CD player and just let the words flow. Hang on a sec though, there seems to be a problem with the volume, it isn't loud enough, or should I say it CAN'T be loud enough. Let me go and grab my headphones and try and do this properly.
OK, thats better, headphones on head and MBV cranked up as loud as it can go without killing me. Kevin Shields (the main man behing MBV) released 'Loveless' in 1991, although I had to check the album sleeve to find that out, as in 1991 I was FAR too busy listening to Northern Soul and Acid Jazz to pay attention to anything current. My friend was a fan though, and told me about them. 'Great name', thought I, and promptly forgot about them for 7 years.
Fast forward to 1998, when I had my leaving present handed to me by an employer who I really couldn't see myself hanging around to claim the company '5 year clock' with. So with a skip and a grin I walked out of that place with my little voucher, and all I could think about was music, and what I was going to buy on my way home. Scouring HMV's shelves, there it sat, 'Creation Priceless' sticker stuck on the top right hand corner of it, an album of total legend, MBV's 'Loveless'. It seemed so apt to spend my voucher on this, so that's what I did.
Now it's hardly EVER that I hear a record that makes me feel as though all my efforts as a musician will be forever redundant, but this record just really gets other peoples output into perspective. Four years in the making, this is a record that almost didn't get released. According to those in the know, Shields caned SO much money making this record that Alan McGee found himself having to borrow 15 grand from his dad to save Creation Records from going under. Several studios hijacked MBV's tapes as more and more studio bills got left unpaid, and when Kevin finally presented the LP to McGee, McGee said he felt physically sick when he saw the title. Kevin left the label, signed to Island Records for quarter of a million, and went off and scratched his arse for the next 6 years without hardly recording a note of music.
Anyway, I'm supposed to be talking about music right? I guess that in the loosest possible sense this is a rock / indie record. That's a bit like saying that loosely speaking lobster is fish. Sure, but not all fish are the same, and this is THE indie rock record, "all feeling, no surface", as a certain bunch of tacky herberts would say.
There aren't especially any standout tracks on this LP, although 'Only Shallow' is such a brilliant opener, and the fact that you can barely even make out the lyrics on this record make it even MORE sexy. It's the musical equivalent of being in a warm car whilst the torrential rain pelts all over your roof and windscreen, you can't really see, you just feel, I don't know, safe? This CD is like, a fiver in HMV by the way if they have a sale on, do you really NEED any other records? 'Sometimes' is just beautiful, as Kevin takes over on vocals, and the end of 'What You Want' is the kind of trance that Steve Hillage would be proud of.
People have been saying for years that MBV are working on their unfinished third LP, although I prefer to think of this as being their last. It's too perfect to be marred. Best LP in the world. Hang on though, what about 'Pet Sounds'?
Hmm, a close second then, OK?
OK, thats better, headphones on head and MBV cranked up as loud as it can go without killing me. Kevin Shields (the main man behing MBV) released 'Loveless' in 1991, although I had to check the album sleeve to find that out, as in 1991 I was FAR too busy listening to Northern Soul and Acid Jazz to pay attention to anything current. My friend was a fan though, and told me about them. 'Great name', thought I, and promptly forgot about them for 7 years.
Fast forward to 1998, when I had my leaving present handed to me by an employer who I really couldn't see myself hanging around to claim the company '5 year clock' with. So with a skip and a grin I walked out of that place with my little voucher, and all I could think about was music, and what I was going to buy on my way home. Scouring HMV's shelves, there it sat, 'Creation Priceless' sticker stuck on the top right hand corner of it, an album of total legend, MBV's 'Loveless'. It seemed so apt to spend my voucher on this, so that's what I did.
Now it's hardly EVER that I hear a record that makes me feel as though all my efforts as a musician will be forever redundant, but this record just really gets other peoples output into perspective. Four years in the making, this is a record that almost didn't get released. According to those in the know, Shields caned SO much money making this record that Alan McGee found himself having to borrow 15 grand from his dad to save Creation Records from going under. Several studios hijacked MBV's tapes as more and more studio bills got left unpaid, and when Kevin finally presented the LP to McGee, McGee said he felt physically sick when he saw the title. Kevin left the label, signed to Island Records for quarter of a million, and went off and scratched his arse for the next 6 years without hardly recording a note of music.
Anyway, I'm supposed to be talking about music right? I guess that in the loosest possible sense this is a rock / indie record. That's a bit like saying that loosely speaking lobster is fish. Sure, but not all fish are the same, and this is THE indie rock record, "all feeling, no surface", as a certain bunch of tacky herberts would say.
There aren't especially any standout tracks on this LP, although 'Only Shallow' is such a brilliant opener, and the fact that you can barely even make out the lyrics on this record make it even MORE sexy. It's the musical equivalent of being in a warm car whilst the torrential rain pelts all over your roof and windscreen, you can't really see, you just feel, I don't know, safe? This CD is like, a fiver in HMV by the way if they have a sale on, do you really NEED any other records? 'Sometimes' is just beautiful, as Kevin takes over on vocals, and the end of 'What You Want' is the kind of trance that Steve Hillage would be proud of.
People have been saying for years that MBV are working on their unfinished third LP, although I prefer to think of this as being their last. It's too perfect to be marred. Best LP in the world. Hang on though, what about 'Pet Sounds'?
Hmm, a close second then, OK?
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