williams@herky.cs.uiowa.edu (Kent Williams) (06/12/91)
Isn't Anything - Relativity/Creation 88561-1006-2 Tremelo E.P. - Creation cd085 Glider E.P. - Sire 26313-2 My Bloody Valentine is the perfect antidote to the mainstream of English Rock Fashion (i.e. Manchester dance bands), even as their music has provided inspiration to the Manchesteries. MBV is composed of ethereal vocals, buried in a thick stew of tape loops, processed guitar sounds and just plain feedback. Eschewing (as near as I can tell) synthesizers almost completely, they create trippy, hypnotic trance music with a warm organic feel. If you like to play 'name that influence' the two that loom largest are Dinosaur Jr. and Brian Eno. 'Don't ask why' (from glider) would fit perfectly on Brian Eno's 'Before and After Science.' If you've listened to any English band thats come up in the last few years, buy these CDs so you can find out who they're emulating. MBV is the real stuff -- accept no substitute. The full length CD 'Isn't Anything' is the most Rock and Roll of the bunch -- a few of the cuts achieve new depths of grunge guitar. Tremelo is more ethereal. Glider is an eighteen minute masterpiece. The opening song 'soon' comes as close to being a dance tune as anything they've done -- a beat so catchy it's positively viral. In any case, if you're tired of what you're hearing, and haven't heard MBV, now is the time! Restore your faith in loud music!