The Return Of My Bloody Valentine

My brain just melted a bit. Bob Mould recommended my Quietus piece over on FB.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/600459_659126293500_2041506351_n.jpg

you've made it to the big time!

"Only Tomorrow" kind of reminds me of Medicine... Anyone else?

my favorite MBV releases are the IA-era EPs & the Tremolo EP. And on several of the tracks here it seems like Kev's going back and deliberately exploring that transitional space b/w IA & Loveless - so, in many respects, I couldn't be happier about the way this sounds. I would have not expected or desired genre-redefining, pioneering music from them at this point. tbh the fact that there is new music AT ALL is something I'm still having trouble getting my head around, so it this were to be written off as an artifact & they never release anything else again, it's still an album's worth of NEW MBV SONGS that didn't exist in the world (if a pile of abandoned master tapes falls in the forest, does it make a sound?) before today. Perspective, ppl!

has anyone here ever gone to an official listening party for an album that was really bad? just curious. gotta be kinda awkward.

A friend on fb posted "Oh this sounds like demos" and yes it's kind of sad that this came out in a snarky era where people will just take a challopsy stance without even listening to the record to get internet points.

don't really think its that challopsy tbh, after a few listens its surprising how underproduced/unfinished some of it sounds

"Only Tomorrow" kind of reminds me of Medicine... Anyone else?"

i think so too! - the dude from medicine who was just here a minute ago

i really like Nothing Is!

a nod to
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iD2olqkqx9Y/TZbuExSOC-I/AAAAAAAAANg/zTU3Tm0JDok/s1600/Nothing%2BIs...%2BSun%2BRa%2B%25281966%2529.jpg ?

Scott: I was asked to leave a really ostentatious playback for a Sigur Ros album once.

pf hailed medicine as the closest thing to being an american answer to mbv, so apparently you are not alone.

Sure, and I hear lots of other bands of the period in this that I know for certain KS was listening to.

I always thought/still think Buried Life holds up well to Loveless.

Hey Brad, I didn't even notice you here. I'm not trying to polish your shoes or anything.

better than throwing up on them ! Thanks for the kind words !

don't really think its that challopsy tbh, after a few listens its surprising how underproduced/unfinished some of it sounds

But you could say the same thing about "Loveless". The crustiness and lo-finess is part of the charm of My Bloody Valentine. Working in an expensive studio for years to make something that sounds lo-fi. mbv certainly doesn't sound like MBV demos to me compared to their earlier stuff.

The 90s nostalgic in me wants to listen to this LP played back over a big rock PA waiting for a show to start.

i contend that 'One More' by Medicine is one of the only gaze-era songs to actually give MBV a run for their money (and the only Medicine song to come anywhere even close imo).

loved One More ... first heard it over a big rock PA waiting for a show to start.

The only one or two where we were actually trying to do that, so thanks ! After that there were legions of bands ready to take up that mantle.

at fucking Wetlands in NYC (rip)

you guys its been 15 years since the last All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors album. the wait continues...

hey brad - yeah, not so much used to artists showing up on ilx to discuss their own work, but thanks for not taking that as a slight b/c it certainly was not intended to be one!

No worries at all. It's hardly a controversial opinion that you expressed.

brad has been in and out of ilx enough over the years to know that i think
xp

if we're bigging up brad laner's work then there's a couple of tracks off the lusk album that do the whole bendy shoegaze thing really, really well

swirlies' second album is the true righteous accedent to the second-wave shoegaze throne afaict

got the feeling that i'm sleeping on (if one can be sleeping on something ~20 hours after it was released) the first track of m b v, will investigate now

Still haven't heard the new MBV record due to being incredibly busy today... think I'm going to have me a listen to Loveless first (because I haven't listened to it in like, ages), and then move on from that to the new record.

This would be a very amusing tie-in if true

9:20 - there are a few promo codes for $5 off floating around... if you can't find one online they are available on specially marked packages of 16 oz sabra hummus.

Shields is an avid connoiseur of fine foods iirc?

Like Christgau said of his own fraught relationship with Elvis Costello, I'm an admiring non-fan. "New You" is the one I've got on repeat.

is anyone else still trying and failing to order this goddamn record? even though all of my details are correct, I keep getting a "Sorry your transaction could not be processed, please check your
details and try again." error whenever I try to order. I'm thinking maybe it's having trouble recognizing DC as a state, since there isn't a dropdown menu.

I'M TRYING TO GIVE OYU $40 MBV JUST TAKE IT

paypal ime

no trouble here and i wound up putting in both cd and vinyl orders separately

ah, switching to paypal did the trick, thanks! I have finally managed to give MBV $40, listening now!

just ordered mine

i wonder if opening at #1 (at $40 a pop) will make kevin shields enough money to convince him to release another album within 5 years?

sorry, i guess technically it's $30 + $10 shipping. either way i think they'll do well.

I just have this on repeat, so glad I could DL WAV files with my payment for the vinyl.

I was listening to MBV Arkestra and The Kevin Sheilds remix of a Mogwai track and some other remixes (they should compile those into an album btw) and wondering why he couldn't build on that.

In some ways he does something else entirely for parts of the 2nd half so that's welcome.

i always thought the mbv arkestra was one of the best things he ever did. i haven't listened to it for years but the horn loop at the end is so incredible.

I loved this on first listen. Had a wonderful 50 minutes reading through this thread and texting and emailing friends while listening this afternoon. I agree with people posting above that it was emotional. To think that 22 years ago I bought Loveless from Woolworths and today downloaded this was a strange thing.

The shuffly, baggy "indie dance" beats in the last few tracks seemed a little dated though.

they've really branched out lyrically eh

The beat on In Another Way is wonderful, like a beefier, more-kinetic version of Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors, complete with gorgeous modulation.

Weirdly, my favourite thing about Wonder 2 is now the organ-sounding chord-sequence in the background

Those two songs. I could go on all night. IAW has my soul for now

To think that 22 years ago I bought Loveless from Woolworths and today downloaded this was a strange thing.

Yeah I was on a diet of speed and xtc when I bought this album now it is taking the dog for a walk with my son after Sunday dinner.

Bought the record this morning and have been listening to it nonstop.

I have to agree it was a pretty emotional experience. Maybe not so much for those who listened to Loveless in a different 'world'.

Some things seem slightly dated (rhythmically that funk-esque and dancey guitar, keyboards a la Stereolab).

The production quality is top notch. Crunchy, fuzzed, sludgy guitars and the swirling, ambient textural guitars.

The last part I feel is divided into another two parts, as well.

I feel this is going to get compared to a lot of bands, though. I heard so many similarities with run-of-the-mill small shoegaze bands from the 90s that were trying to emulate 'that' sound.

Due to the production and certain frequencies, listening to Loveless on headphones was always very taxing on my ears (long listens).

Listening to this album on headphones is pure ecstasy. A very balanced sound, it has more dimension and depth than Loveless, which seems to have all sounds pushed to the 'front', brighter sounding. I surmise it will sound good on good speakers and headphones. The warm analogue tinge is definitely there, which I absolutely love. Interested to learn more about their recording process, personally, because my gut feeling/sensation is it doesn't sound pure analogue.

Though KS hints at the whole dnb a few songs before Wonder 2, and it is a nice track, I'm still trying to make up my cynical mind on the last track. I have to think about it some more, as well as the entire record.

Having said that, I am going for my 5k run. Maybe that'll help.

the year of mbv v gbv

^ POLL

I can't wait to hear this on headphones. Probably tonight.

Yeah, i bought "Loveless" when i was 16 at Best Buy in 1997, and it was incredible. So I've been waiting so long for this. I don't care if it's not as hooky as "Loveless", it's filled with great variations on that sound, and I kind of like the shapeless quality it currently has for me. Listening over and over will bring out so many parts that I didn't notice on the 1st 2nd 3rd listens.

or grunge v shoegaze

still blows my mind nevermind and loveless came out within five weeks of each other

1991 baby!