Loveless

The flagship album for the shoegaze and dream pop styles, Loveless sings its sweet disoriented lullaby-like melodies through a hazy blur of swirly, warped sound over looped patterns of submerged percussion framing ultra-simplistic structures. The most definitive element of distinctive sound emerges from the strangely saccharine, layered guitar noise, foremost in the mix, and the bent, curved notes produced by the unique style of "glide guitar", or oscillating the tremolo bar while strumming, which creates a bizarre effect of the guitar dropping in and out of tune, pausing and dementedly rerouting the stream of sound in a fluctuation of flooding distortion. "Close my eyes Feel me now I don't know how you could not love me now You will know, with her feet down to the ground Over there, and I want true love to grow You can't hide, oh no, from the way I feel" The music's obscure sense of blending harmony shrouds melody in a haze of wave-like sound, while restrained rhythms pulse in subtle swells of momentum and gradually fading currents into an unperceived infinity of continuous motion. Fuzzy and twisted forms of energy steer the music into a vapor-like dimension of sound through which emerges a single, lucid tone of atmospheric vocalized expression, surrounded by distant layers of ethereal whispers, lushly harmonious and heavenly, somewhat muted in the mix yet emitting a dreamy resonance. An ambiguous, dreamlike awareness of defined sound is maintained throughout, as gliding currents of melodious, seemingly shapeless layers of distorted sound shape atmospheric harmony of deceptive confusion, and song-defining foundations and refrains, including sudden transitions employed in simplistic yet diverse pop-song formats. Much of the music's methods are charmingly deceptive and surface-betraying, such as the harmonic diversions into obscure expansions, which seem random until considered in reflection of compositional context. The presence of multiple expressive sources allows a trance-like flow of communication within a transcendent, seemingly contradicting quality of abstracted sound. This gives the music a vast impression of form contrasting the simplicity and clear definition of song structure, while also supplying a spectacular, spellbinding sense of splendor in the surreal shape of pure floating sound, ultimately responsible for this album's timeless legacy. A fantastic production emphasizes the music's thematic agenda of seemingly formless, enveloping noise in vague definition of design, reflected brilliantly on the album's cover in both shape and hue. Through this particular concept of moving sound My Bloody Valentine communicates wistful sentiments and restlessness through distant, happy-sad tones of blissful promise emphasized most clearly and directly in the exquisite, irresistible chorus melodies. But what keeps this music so enchanting is its concept of ambiguity, as even the formulated tensions of the effervescent emotional themes are left without a clear definition of positive assurance, representing through these tricky arrangements of shifting patterns and cyclic explorations of thematically reflective passages the eternal search for a final, happy answer to a dilemma far too complex to promise such a resolution.

one of the greatest shoegaze albums

I received this album over a year ago, from Amazon. I figured it was a good time for a new sound. I had read about it in a few places, where it got enormous amounts of praise. I ordered it without even listening. I guess I tend to give in to hype. I finally listened to it as I was embarking on an evening walk through the streets of Leominster, MA. I had squeezed my dated portable CD player into my jeans pocket. It ended up being one of the best walks I ever took. Loveless is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic, and unique recordings I have ever had the pleasure to hear in my short life. To me, it is more than an exceptional shoegaze album. I believe it trascends that genre as something completely peerless. Metaphor time: When I listen to Loveless, two things come to mind. Firstly, it reminds me of a hot shower. It has that same warm sensation, feeling like hot water washing over my whole body. It even resembles the heavenly drone a shower makes. Yes, I know that's just a noise, but then this is a fairly noisy album. It's not noisy in a vitriolic way, though. It's more of a soothing noise. Secondly, it sounds like love. You know, that if an abstract noun like love made a noise, it would sound something like this. It's ironic, I know, considering the title. Loveless also sports an excellent album cover. I think it implies what the music sounds like quite well. Then there's "Only Shallow", the first track. It's a perfect way to begin an album. You hear two drum beats and then WOOSH, you're swept up in a mindblowing sonic storm of guitar riffs and drones. Then the tender, spacey female vocals kick in. It's nothing short of amazing. I suppose this album isn't for everyone. Maybe you don't like showers. Maybe you don't care for "noise" or feedback in music. Maybe you like being cynical about hyped albums (I think a term commonly used is "sacred cow"). Whatever. To each his own.

Often when you listen to music that does not fit your normal tastes it would be easy to dismiss it after a couple of listens, and that is often a mistake. It is a mistake I have made a few times myself but I have learned from my mistakes. Personally, I think there are 4 kinds of music. The first is the kind that you like from the first listen. This means you have heard similar music before and the synapses are there, but it often means you will tire of it fast. The second kind is it takes a few listens and then you really start to like it and these are often some of your long term favorites. The third kind is you listen a few times but you still don't like it and then you put it away for a month and then you revisit it and you realize that you like it a lot better than you thought but its not one of your favorites. The forth is you don't like it when you first hear it, you still don't like it after a few listens and then you still don't like it a month later when you try again. Every disc you buy should be given the three tries before you dismiss it for the forth reason. Trust me, I have learned from experience. I often made the mistake of dismissing a disc to fast only to have to buy it again because I got rid of it. This was the case for me and Loveless. I owned this back when it first came out and heard all the great reviews but after a couple of listens I never did listen to it again. Fast forward 10 years later and happened to have heard a couple of tracks and realized I really liked them so I bought the disc, again. Loveless fell in the third category for me. While I would not put it in my Top Ten of all time it definitely is in my top 100. Don't make the mistake I often did and give up to quickly on a disc.

I received it but it came cracked other than that everything is fine

Loveless has acquired an excellent reputation over the decade or so following its release- coming high in the endless number of lists of Best Albums etc people have been compiling since a year or so before the millennium. It sounds even better after all this time and I think it should become a Dark Side of the Moon-style album that will attract generations of listeners as it is a total experience to listen to as an album (then again I wish Tago Mago had been Dark Side of the Moon). This was the follow-up to 1988's Isn't Anything?- an era of musical experimentation & abandon that also saw The Young Gods, The Mary Chain, Ride, AR Kane, Mudhoney, Spacemen 3, Felt, House of Love, Beat Happening, The Chills, Cocteau Twins, A Guy Called Gerald, Lush, Nirvana, M/A/R/S, Eric B & Rakim etc- a period where drones, repetitive structures & far out sounds became prevalent. Where guitar music operated on the same level as the more adventerous dance music (and in reverse)... Loveless followed 1990's Glider e.p. (the title track & Off Your Face are faves) & the 1991 e.p. Swallow, from which To Here Knows When stems from (this is worth tracking down as it has tracks between the tracks, as here- such as between Only Shallow & Loomer; plus the track Honey Power is greater than early songs like Nothing Much to Lose). As noted, it came out of a protracted studio process, where Creation almost went under- though this difficult period saw the best albums from this label: Screamadelica, Going Blank Again & this... Only Shallow still sounds amazing, a cacophony of drones undercut by a gorgeous harmony- as with The Cocteau Twins it doesn't appear to be in the english language (though you can feel what it's about & make out the occasional word); this song also featured in Hal Hartley's great film Amateur (1992). The next track Loomer is possibly the greatest song I've ever heard- the definitive MBV track- in it's two minutes or so it blows the mind- drifting on a structure of feedback, it sounds like a love song written for Eraserhead. The words are slightly clearer- such as "deep dark down to the lonely places"- Blinda Butcher's vocals almost fusing with the off-centre guitars. It would be possible to wax similar descriptions to the rest of the album, but I won't waste space- the remainder is as fantastic- from Touched (whalesongs meet Steve Reich?) to When You Sleep (a perfect pop song amid the soundwaves) to the Glider track Soon, Loveless provides a completely satisfying listening experience (something many albums these days clearly fail at). Loveless ranks up there with the most adventerous of 90's albums: Tilt, Laughing Stock, Giant Steps, Heaven or Las Vegas, Mogwai Young Team, Spiderland, Rid of Me, Selected Ambient Works II, Slow Riot for Zero Kanada, Secret Name etc. Sadly since this MBV have released just one track (a cover of We Have all the Time in the World) & appear to have vanished into the ether- though members have popped up on mostly underwhelming releases by Snowpony, Hope Sandoval, Curve, Mogwai, Primal Scream & E.A.R. Perhaps there will be no more MBV, but with this record maybe they took it as far as it would go? A key album of the 1990s and one that should be owned by anyone with a receptive mind. Oh, and it makes sense listened to after chemical experimentation; stuff like Radiohead is so mundane compared to this collection of great pop hooks & spacebound experimentation...

"Loveless" est un album d'une génération : celle qui a découvert que sous la pop Noisy pouvait se tramer le bouleversement sonore du sampling, et des nappes électro. La pate de My Boody Valentine, c'est l'étirement des séquences, les ondulations sonores. Le temps se métamorphose pendant les morceaux, faisant d'eux des suspensions soniques d'une incroyable beauté. Car la motrice de cet engin formidable reste la vitalité des guitares, armée de décibels au service de mélodies sensibles et presque déséquilibrées. Les voix sont comme un voile de sensualité inventées pour nous ensorceler, trouvant leur justesse au milieu du déluge électrique et électronique. Ce disque est le phare auprès desquels des générations de groupes ont cherchés de nouvelles voies. Etincelant, passionnant, ce disque d'une force inouïe n'a pas de fin dans sa découverte. Aujourd'hui encore, ce constat est flagrant.

OK so music reviewers always compare new releases to older 'standards' to see how good they are. For example guitarists compared to Hendrix or Page (Zeppelin). Well every Indie band can be compared to My Bloody Valentine.This, their second album, sets the standard to compare new Indie bands to. An essential buy for Indie music fans, a music industry classic.

いまさら完成度がどうこう言う必要のないロック史に残る大名盤である。 このアルバムに触発されて今もなおフォロワーが生まれ続けていることを考えると、やはりシーンに与えた影響は半端ではない。 そしてこのアルバム発売の1ヶ月ほど前にはNirvanaがこれまた名盤中の名盤『ネヴァーマインド』を出しているというぶっ飛んだ歴史まである。 いつの間にやらApple musicから姿を消してしまっているが、こんなこともあろうかと(?)僕の家には10年前にAmazonで買ったCDが残っている。 再生ボタンを押した瞬間、1曲目"Only Shallow"の爆音は今聴いても全く色褪せることはない。しかしながら笑ってしまうほどインパクトのあるギターノイズはその当時からどう解釈したものか困っている人も結構いたようだ。 アルバムの話に戻ると、聴けば聴くほど何だかよく分からん音像の中に沈んでいき、よく分からん気分のまま終わってしまう。 この抽象的で荒々しくちょっと憂鬱な世界観はそもそも日本人に好まれるタイプの音楽なんじゃないかと思う。 関連性はないだろうがソフィア・コッポラの映画『ロスト・イン・トランスレーション』ではこのアルバム収録の"sometimes"が流れる。東京の夜景を映しているシーンだったと思うが、そのシュチュエーションで聴くこの曲は奇跡的にサイケデリック。 僕は多分10年後も最初にこのアルバムに出会った頃と変わらない気分で聴いていることだろう。

El producto llegó en buenas condiciones. A tiempo, bien empacado. El precio fue justo y en la aplicación estuvieron al pendiente de la entrega.