My Bloody Valentine

Loveless took years to complete and almost brought its parent label (Creation) down with it. The struggle was worth it though, because the end result is miraculous -- a blend of blistering sound and angelic melody brought to life through Kevin Shields' fervent attention to studio detail and hazy guitar pyrotechnics. "Soon" is the standout club track of the entire shoegazer scene, but Loveless is a near perfect fever dream of a guitar pop record.

As the world's record-company giants consolidate into the mythical OmniVox Unicorp,
pockets of independent-label resistance endure, even thrive, on the strength of artistic
vision rather than unlimited capital. Since the mid-Eighties, London's Creation Records has
wielded a mighty influence on the trend-mad taste of young Britons, successfully
promoting its characteristic breed of noisy pop as the introvert's alternative to g... More >

If you believe the true sound of life on planet earth is now worse than bombs bursting midair or runaway trains--more in the direction of scalpel against bone, or the proverbial giant piece of chalk and accoutrements--this CD transfigures the music of our sphere. Some may cringe at the grotesque distortions they extract from their guitars, others at the soprano murmurs that provide theoretical relief. I didn't much go for either myself. But after suitable suffering and peer support, I learned. In the destructive elements immerse. (Grade - A-)