m b v

Originally gave this 3 when it’s skirting a five as I keep revisiting it, 4 for now.

4/5

This was similar to the other My Bloody Valentine album I recently got (maybe a little better). I like this kind of thing, so I was happy. 3.5-4

Soo deep

⚠ Warning: my bloody valentine's music is 𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗗 and 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬. Proceed at your own risk. So, you see, my bloody valentine is a mixed bag for me. "m b v" is my favourite my bloody valentine album. A lot of people complained that mbv is just noise and lacks any substance, but I feel like you need to be in a certain state to appreciate it. I find "m b v" soothing when I'm feel anxious or tied down despite its unsettling demeanour. There's something about its ambience and grittiness that is extremely comforting. It's a fantastic album for dissociation, or just to play on a rainy day. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, I wouldn't listen to my bloody valentine as a pastime, as the band's discography tends to be super overwhelming to my ears. Their recordings are incredibly loud, intense, and heavily processed with distortion, tremolo, reverse reverb and flanging. 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 fatiguing if you're not familiar with the shoegaze genre! I would also like to mention that I find three mbv albums making the list a bit excess: Both "Isn't Anything" and "Loveless" only contain a handful of good songs and "Souvlaki" by English rock band Slowdive would've been a greater inclusion.

I'd listen to it again but it didn't grab me.

NICE. not their five star classic but a great record from them. If you need to feel bathed in sonic waves. Or feel deep unexplainable emotion. Or love loud guitars then these peeps are a must

So much atmosphere and though sometimes glacial, the movement within feels seismic when it hits.

Okay, maybe NOW I understand the thing I say every time about “past their prime albums CAN be great.” This was such a great surprise! And I feel like I understand mbv and their entire web of influence so much better now. Thank you for this one, list!

Lyrics? Who knows. The vocals are here for melody and texture. The walls of sound make this more of a set of feelings rather than songs. I just think Shoegaze is really cool. Not quite as good as Loveless, but there isn’t much that is. Favorites were She Found Now, Only Tomorrow, New You, and Wonder 2.

## In-Depth Review of *m b v* by My Bloody Valentine *m b v*, released in 2013, marked My Bloody Valentine's long-awaited return after a 22-year hiatus following their groundbreaking album *Loveless*. Helmed by Kevin Shields, the album is an exploration of shoegaze, ambient textures, and experimental soundscapes that both revisits and expands upon the band's earlier work. Below is a detailed review focusing on the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and its pros and cons. --- ### **Lyrics** The lyrics on *m b v* are characteristically opaque and abstract, continuing the band's tradition of using vocals as an additional instrument rather than a narrative device. Bilinda Butcher and Kevin Shields deliver dreamy, often indecipherable vocal lines that blur the boundaries between words and melody. This approach allows listeners to project their own interpretations onto the songs, creating a deeply personal listening experience. Tracks like "She Found Now" and "Only Tomorrow" exemplify this lyrical ambiguity, where the vocals are submerged within layers of sound[1][3]. While this lyrical style is integral to My Bloody Valentine's aesthetic, it may alienate listeners seeking more direct or emotionally explicit storytelling. The lack of clear lyrical themes could be seen as a limitation for those who prefer lyric-driven music[1]. --- ### **Music** *m b v* is divided into three distinct sections: 1. **Opening Tracks (Classic Shoegaze):** The first three songs—“She Found Now,” “Only Tomorrow,” and “Who Sees You”—are reminiscent of *Loveless*. They feature dense guitar textures, ethereal vocals, and layered melodies that evoke nostalgia for the band's earlier work[1][2]. "Only Tomorrow," in particular, showcases Bilinda Butcher's timeless vocal delivery paired with lush guitar riffs. 2. **Middle Tracks (Experimental Pop):** The middle section takes a surprising turn toward minimalism and pop influences. "Is This and Yes" abandons guitars entirely in favor of organ synths and meditative vocals, creating a tonal shift that feels like an introspective pause[2][3]. "New You" introduces brighter melodies and cleaner production, edging toward mainstream indie-pop territory without losing the band's signature sound. 3. **Final Tracks (Aggressive Experimentation):** The last three songs—“In Another Way,” “Nothing Is,” and “Wonder 2”—are the most experimental. They incorporate driving beats, hypnotic loops, and chaotic noise textures. "Nothing Is" is particularly daring with its repetitive krautrock-inspired riff that builds intensity over time[3][4]. The closer, "Wonder 2," features skittering drums and soaring flange effects that create a whirlwind of sonic chaos[1][3]. --- ### **Production** Kevin Shields' meticulous production is one of *m b v*'s defining features. The album's sound is carefully layered and immersive, with every detail contributing to its dreamlike atmosphere. Shields uses techniques such as reverse reverb, pitch modulation, and intricate mixing to craft a sonic landscape that feels both intimate and expansive[2][4]. The production emphasizes texture over clarity; instruments often bleed into one another to form walls of sound. While this approach enhances the album's ethereal quality, it can also make individual elements difficult to discern. Audiophiles may appreciate the vinyl edition for its ability to reveal subtle nuances otherwise lost in digital formats[3]. --- ### **Themes** *m b v* explores themes of introspection, nostalgia, and renewal. The album feels like a reflection on time—both the two decades since *Loveless* and the transient nature of music itself. Tracks like "She Found Now" evoke feelings of longing and memory through their hazy soundscapes[2]. The experimental nature of the final tracks suggests a desire to push boundaries while acknowledging the band's legacy. This tension between past and future defines *m b v*, making it both a continuation of My Bloody Valentine's shoegaze roots and a bold step forward[4]. --- ### **Influence** *m b v* solidifies My Bloody Valentine's position as pioneers of shoegaze while demonstrating their ability to adapt and innovate within the genre. The album has influenced contemporary artists in dream pop, ambient music, and experimental rock by showcasing how noise can be used creatively rather than destructively[4]. Its release also reaffirmed the relevance of shoegaze in modern music despite its origins in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bands like Slowdive have cited *m b v* as an inspiration for their own comebacks[4]. --- ### **Pros** 1. **Innovative Soundscapes:** The album successfully blends familiar shoegaze elements with new experimental directions. 2. **Immersive Production:** Kevin Shields' attention to detail creates an enveloping auditory experience. 3. **Bold Experimentation:** Tracks like "Nothing Is" push genre boundaries while maintaining coherence within the album. 4. **Timeless Vocals:** Bilinda Butcher's ethereal voice remains captivating throughout. 5. **Legacy Affirmation:** *m b v* reinforces My Bloody Valentine's status as genre-defining artists. --- ### **Cons** 1. **Lack of Accessibility:** The abstract lyrics and dense production may alienate casual listeners. 2. **Uneven Structure:** The tonal shifts between sections can feel disjointed at times. 3. **Overwhelming Noise:** Some tracks may be too abrasive or repetitive for certain audiences. 4. **Limited Evolution:** While innovative in parts, some songs feel like retreads of *Loveless* without significant growth. --- ### **Conclusion** *m b v* is an ambitious return that balances nostalgia with experimentation. It may not surpass *Loveless* in terms of groundbreaking innovation but stands as a worthy successor that showcases My Bloody Valentine's mastery over their craft. For fans of shoegaze or experimental music, *m b v* offers an immersive experience filled with sonic depth and emotional resonance. The album's strengths lie in its ability to transport listeners into its unique sound world while challenging them with unexpected twists. However, its abstract nature may not appeal universally—a testament to My Bloody Valentine's commitment to artistic integrity over commercial accessibility. Ultimately, *m b v* is less about reinvention than refinement—a celebration of what makes My Bloody Valentine singularly compelling while hinting at new possibilities within their storied legacy.

Another classic band, such a sleeper that was overshadowed by the grunge movement. However, their classic album Loveless is very hard to overshadow as their best album.

I liked it a lot. Heard of them but had never heard. Peaceful low vibe. Good for a cloudy day.

I love My Bloody Valentine, and while this isn’t quite Loveless quality, it’s still strong.

I thought "Loveless" was rather brilliant. This isn't bad but it doesn't have the same edge as "Loveless", it's a bit more ambient, which doesn't work as well for these guys in my opinion. That said, it's great to see something of this quality come out so much later, I know I was surprised when this was released.

Легендарное звучание, которое хорошо сохранилось спустя 22 года. Мне реально нравится одноименник My Bloody Valentine, вайб их песен остался прежним и все еще вызывает те же эмоции, что были от прослушивания loveless. Они преобразили шугейз до идеального состояния и создали свое уникальное звучание, навивающее атмосферу искренней любви, тех самых беззаботных дней и ее влюбленных глаз. Само звучание похоже на то, как бы звучали Radiohead, если бы они выгнали Тома Йорка из группы и поставили на первый план идеи Джонни Гринвуда. Ведь в отличии от Radiohead, в песнях которых стена звука появляется к концу и деформирует песню, то треки MBV будто бы деформированы изначально: они состоят с первой и до последней секунды из стены звука (что и отличает звучание шугейза), и, что самое примечательное, их стена звука работает, великолепно звучит даже треками по 6-7 минут. Я не могу ставить данный альбом на один уровень с loveless, так как тот релиз больше подходил под эпоху и стал большим шагом в эволюции рок музыки. Любовные 4/5.

I rate She Found Now a 4 star beacause I've listend to this before and I liked it. I rate Is this and yes a 1 star because they just repeated words. I rate cant winners a 4 star beacause I've listend to this before and I liked it.

Do you want to listen to some music that is a little calming? Well in She Found Now you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of the organ? Well in Is This And Yes you can! I rate it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of drums? Well in In Another Way you can! I rate it ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song.

i really like this it sounds very mental i love it sounds very calm

The great return of shoegaze giants My Bloody Valentine. After switching labels, technical problems with their new home studio, and writers block, the band dissolved by 1997. Only Kevin Shields was left from the band to deliver any material to the new label, of which they had a few hours recorded. The band would reform in the mid-2000s for a bit of touring, which restarted old recording sessions from those troubled times. How well did those old song ideas age? Incredibly well. What a band. What a mass of sound they've created. It feels untouchable, like a mountain of vibration. The album crescendos in such a way that feels like they making music out of pandora's box itself. Shoegaze doesn't even describe how deep and rich the songs are. Fantastic.

MBV always has a way of digging into the subconscious with guitars, and regardless of the appeal, you have to appreciate that's a pretty incredible thing to achieve.

Chilly

Looking at what fans of this band like on Spotify it says slowdive, have a nice life and panchiko. In an ideal world all of these bands would have a place on here. How isnt Souvlaki on here seriously? Have a nice life too. Panchiko I kinda get cuz they didn’t get popular till years later…. Anyway I digress, for the first few tracks it’s inclusion seems stupid, it’s loveless 2.0 innit? Then it begins to have it’s own personality. Do I prefer it to loveless? Fuck no! But I do like it, shoegaze isn’t a genre where I have any ‘deep knowledge’ but mbv is good for what it is. 4/5

Like their other album, I enjoyed it.

Loveless is a damningly difficult album to follow up on, and while mbv's self titled effort doesn't hit the same highs as I Only Said, When You Sleep, Only Shallow, etc., there are some good moments, and this record is well worth listening to. Just don't go in only planning to compare against Loveless.

Album takes off like an airplane in the distance. Definitely its own wall of sound.

not at the same level as loveless but plenty to work with

Definitely the type of album to grow on me after a few listens, musically it's a hypnotic dreamy wall of sound that blends melody and distorted noise. Certainly not commercial and not for everyone but something I'll come back to.

One of the best gazers ever, only losing a star because it's not as good as Loveless

Loveless is an amazing album...MBV, long in the coming, was a solid follow up but not quite to the caliber of its predecessor. Overall a worthy listen though. 4.5/5

lovely gorgeous…made me want to curl up and go to sleep (compliment). like a beautiful warm rumbling furnace or perhaps a nice vacuum cleaner. not nearly as dynamic or varied as their other earlier albums but i don’t mind.

Really cool, atmospheric and meandering, but also if someone told me they thought it was wank i wouldn’t know how to argue

82/100. A pretty damn good shoegaze record. This is the kind of album that makes you want to lean back, relax, and put your feet up while soaking in the music.

I like it

mbv <3

I’ve been thinking a lot about Loveless– an album that eluded my ears and my taste for so long that I had to throw in the towel, accept that I respect it, but also accept that it isn’t for me. When it came up for me early on the generator, I had come to what I thought was a final determination, that I felt it was a mid album I wanted to caste aside so I could finally move on with my life after nearly two decades of trying to “get it.” And yet, 300 albums later, I’ve found myself thinking about Loveless again, wondering if I should give it another chance, concerned that my apathy dismissed the number of earworms that’ve stuck with me still, despite listening to at least 150ish albums I supposedly enjoy more, at least according to a 5-star rating system. And so, m b v presents a fun opportunity. Maybe meeting shoegaze in the modern era is what I need in order to appreciate My Bloody Valentine. The answer is yes, it’s exactly what I needed. m b v is easily a better album than Loveless to my ears. That’s in large part thanks to the production, which is much cleaner, and actually allows Shield’s Christmas Tree pedalboard to simultaneously achieve his desired washed-out sound while not feeling like a mudslide in my earholes. This, in turn, allows the actual songs behind the effects to not only be enjoyable, but audible. I know that was the aesthetic choice of Loveless, which does have some solid songs buried beneath that choice, and is part of the album’s lore. But I don’t know….I like to hear songs when I listen to them, which I know is a crazy fucking concept. So we’re already starting off strong in comparison. I also think I just like the songs more on m b v. While before, My Bloody Valentine aimed for blown-out indie rock, this time around, they’re largely aiming for blown-out post-punk, and I’m a lot more amenable to that style. The back half in particular stands out, with “new you” and “in another way” being instant grooves and instant revisits. I honestly could listen to Side B front to back, no issue. And there’s plenty of energy on “only tomorrow” and “who sees you” to make me immediately like the majority of this record. That’s not to say that there’s a lack of spaced-out slow core, from “she found now” to “is this and yes” to “if i am,” but by incorporating more subtle guitar work, synths, and other new touches, I think there’s a level of sonic diversity to the style this time around. And I also think I like all of these songs, even in their prolonged balladry, more than almost every song on Loveless. But most of all, it’s about the level of indulgence. The closest Shields gets to feeding his effects demons is the closer, “wonder 2,” which still has just enough energy to cut through his literal music for airports. The second closest is the opener, “she found now,” but it’s folkish, Man With His Guitar™️ approach makes it much more tolerable. The rest of the record has real energy, and now that the aesthetic distortion is less intrusive and more well-rounded, that energy is much more palpable and immediate. Am I now shoegazed-pilled? Will My Bloody Valentine suddenly become my favorite band in the world? Am I going to go out and buy 500 guitar pedals from independent evangelicals? Probably not, but I might revisit Loveless, and I’ll certainly talk less shit about this band in the future. I don’t anticipate revisiting m b v frequently, but I can proudly say that I am sincerely into this record. See, even when you think you hate something, there’s always a counterpoint!

Amazing, an almost perfect dreamscape.

Nice one

Da sind mer haarscharf mini 3er-Bewertige usgange! Aber denn chund vode siite de bluetigi Valentin inegschlideret und chlöpft stinkfrech siin shoegaze i mini ohrmuschle. Und wie mer scho immer im alte Folk vode Gazianer*inne gseit het: "One shoegaze a day keeps the schlechti Stimmig away." Und bi dere Musig isch mini schlechti Stimmig definitiv away keeped und devogazed! Ich liebe au s Album Cover wo usgseht als wärs vomene 12 Jährige am Zuekunftstag in 15 minute mit Microsoft Paint zemegrüert worde. vier ustanzti Sandale für de Valentino

hallo single boys. Also leider langsam chli schad aber gester hani vum album krankheitsbedingt nöd si viel mitbecho. Has passiv glosst und es hed au verleitet zum dra verbizgseh. Aber ez namal biz dri glosst & mit biz aktivem lose falled die schöne riffs viel meh uf und katapultiered eim direkt i anderi sphäre. Achh chum, das isch doch es geils album. 4 flirts für de noah hüt am flughafe.

ich mag mi no guet ah mis erste date mit my bloody valentine erinnere: paar jahr isch‘s zrug woni de atemberaubendi wimpereschlag imne youtube video entdeckt han, druf abe hemmer chli chattet und ich han sie es paar mal uf es znacht ihgladet, für sexytime heds allerdings nie glanget... chan guet dra ligge das ich sie erst es paar jahr nach mim shoegaze peak kenneglernt han, aber es isch sehr schön gsi dur sie die alti liebi wieder chli chönne ufzfrüsche, au wenn mer dazumal nöd uf tutti gange sind dank dem album generator hemmer eus sit langer ziit wiedermal gseh hüt und obwohl sie sich im lauf vo de jahr üsserlich veränderet hed, isch sie im chern immer no die glich und ich han mi scho wieder es bizli verliebt <3 wenn sie ihres retro loveless-chleid ahgha hetti, hettis für die volli punktzahl glänget… im moderne mbv-look gfallt sie mer trotz ihrne ecke und kante au, also wer weiss: vilicht wird das ja doch d‘frau für mis läbe

- I don't think anyone does soft aggression like they do. -

Sonically artful and totally engaging at times – musical equivalent of a Gerhard Richter canvas, giant, sprawling and wondrous and inviting viewers/listeners to immerse and get deeply and lysergically lost. the opener is just dazzling in its roaring quietude (quiet being the new loud) and "in another way" is tremendous, at once overwhelming and beguiling. A few other cuts challenging but well any effort required. Objectivity compels one to point out that three MBV records is borderline too much but one's quite pleased they are here (and for whichever is the main fanboy). This isn't Loveless but their second best, and stunningly original.

De echte shoegaze sound. Prima opvolger van loveless na al die jaren niks te hebben gereleased

When shoegaze legends, My Bloody Valentine, released their first album in over two decades, there was a considerable amount of hype in the music press. And unless you really dislike shoegaze, it didn't disappoint. The opening tracks recall the band's famous past releases. The remainder of the album evolves their sound to more experimental stuff, apparently heavily inspired by drum n bass (which is a combination I wouldn't have imagined). Whether My Bloody Valentine deserves 3 spots on this list, I'm not sure. But it definitely was a pretty cool comeback.

Valve releasing the lastest Half-Life game for a slowly dying gaming trend (one that also doesn't play nice with glasses) feels like a cruel twist of fate, a monkey's finger wickedly curling up. Half-Life: Alyx, by all accounts, is a good game, and shows that Valve still has it. this infuriates me; HL:A is a great game that the company has the capacity to make, but refuses to do so on anything one could consider a reasonable basis. why would they? if you owned the biggest computer games market in the world and could print money with live service multiplayer games, why would you bother with things like narrative experiences? just shuffle the desks and collect the dough. it's fine. nothing can convince me that any part of m b v was recorded in the 90's, much less the 2000's. i think maybe Shields wrote some of the songs in that period of time, but the earliest i could see the record starting production is 2009. by then, Loveless had essentially gone from the record that started that weird trend of loud guitars in British music to being the blueprint for any band that wanted to make "shoegaze". so what we get isn't anything new or exciting, but rather just... more Loveless. and more Loveless is fine, but i'm seeing this assertion that this is in any way less innovative than the records that came after it. it feels like everyone who loved My Bloody Valentine waited 22 years for the Amnesiac to the last album's Kid A. that's fine. the vocals are pretty similar, as are the odd, charming ambient experiments, and even if they're lowered in the mix, the guitars still have that classic glidey sound to them. what the album's sound lacks, really, is an actual progression of what was approached before. "If I Am" has baggy beats underneath Bilinda's (or Kevin's) vocals like "Soon" does. "Only Tomorrow" is close enough to "Sometimes" that i feel like they could transition into each other comfortably. "Wonder 2" betrays a new direction in sound for the band, but good luck seeing them ever get there; other than that, My Bloody Valentine sounds largely the same. it's an adjusted frame, not another picture. and that's fine. Kevin Shields does not make music. he makes money off of music. and that's fine. if you wanna do that, that's ok. you can go recluse! you can write your one book and go "nah, i fuckin nailed it" whenever the music press bugs you for an interview. it's ok to hang it up -- Mark Hollis did. Harper Lee did. Boards of Canada did (stop lying to yourselves). it's also ok to just put out a good album every four years or so -- nothing to top your magnum opus, but nothing really could, so why bother? you're still making something you believe in. what i can't abide is not doing anything for a near quarter century, putting out something that sounds like it could have been made four years after and is solid, and then going back to doing nothing for the next quarter of a century. you can't do both. in short, it's fine. the album is fine, good even. i hate it.

Noisy and weird but there were some nice songs in there. No need for 3 Mbv albums on the list though

My Bloody Valentine is great. They’re unique and original, both in a good way. Their experimentation pays off. It’s difficult to articulate the vocals at times, but I understand that it’s what they’re going for. That it’s less about what they say and more about the vibe the vocals give the project. Their vibe is firmly established, but I wish they had something more to say and were able to find a way to express it clearly. My only issue with them, though. 4/5

This one took me a minute to figure out. Somehow I thought My Bloody Valentine was an emo band from like 2005. Once I figured out I was completely wrong about that I was able to enjoy this. I like the risks he took, and how original it is.

An album I own on vinyl, but haven’t given it as much time as I should have and this has prompted my to do just that, I love the previous two and been fortunate to see them live twice, Barrowland and Southbank Centre, it sounds like it would reward with repeated listens.

Love the sound but think I would enjoy it more if it was a bit more vocals forward.

Very moody punk rock.

yesss shoegaze yesss

4.5/5. Took them 22 years to release another album but man was it worth the wait.

9/4/24. Great example of shoegaze here, really cool sounding album!

While the album isn't as consistently fuzzy as their prior album, as the fuzz is mostly abandoned after the third track, the entire album captures this dreamlike state of exploring an abandoned town, but rather than feeling fear you instead feel at peace. This feeling may be familiar to those who've listened to Cocteau Twins' more ambient records, and I'd say while the overwhelming emotion that comes from heavy distortion is missed on this record, its ethereal substitute feels very mature and is a perfect natural progression after nearly twenty-two years in the melting pot. It isn't as mind-altering, or as much of a force to be reckoned with, but it is something to just gaze into. Like a Summer's night to Loveless' Summer's day, this album may not be a worthy follow-up to some, but in my mind this just feels like a natural conclusion is a sound decades in the making. That being said, I wouldn't mind a fourth album, Kevin...

Doesn’t touch the greatness of Loveless. Nonetheless an enjoyable listen.

Woozy, dreamlike yet heavy at the same time - it pulses with something vital. A lot to take in for one sitting, but a powerful, strange miasma of psych fug. Pretty cool!

Ar first it sounds as if over 20 years never happened. With the progressing running time the pop ekements take over, blend in beautifully and make the whole oeuvre dreamlike.

This was a good album, quite grungy but chilled out with it.

Big surprise here as I have always pigeonholed this band into "shitty alt-goth I will never listen to". Well... here's where I admit I really like this. It's definitely mood music, not something I'd listen to all the time, but the pulsating textures of almost ambient sound they create are incredibly interesting. It can easily serve as good background music you ignore while working, but is also something that you can focus on and lose yourself in, finding new intricacies the deeper you dive. Reminds me A LOT of a more guitar-focused Slowdive.

lo escuche, estuvo weno

Felt like I was entering another world

Not very accessible, not an easy listen but there's something about it that hits a chord and I'm not sure what exactly...

My second favourite of them

That was fun. Prog rock ? I don’t know but it’s good. 4 stars

I remember the huge anticipation before this album was released in 2013. It was their first album since the masterpiece Loveless from 1991, so it was understandable. I love this album though it is not as great as the masterpiece Loveless, and Isn't Anything is also a bit better. However they have a totally unique sound which hasn't changed over the decades, and this album is also quality music that was enjoyable to listen to - I'll give it a 4.

This album is older than 10 years now so it can officially be said: Classic! Continuing the sonic direction of Loveless while further deviating and experimenting with it. Can’t wait for the next one (this year for sure)

Good

Needs more listens but it's great

Debe haber sido sumamente difícil sacar música después de loveless, pero creo que lo que hacen en m b v es un gran comeback y un disco que no peca ni de redundante ni de demasiado forzado, buen trabajo de kevin

Shoe gazing

Awash in the shoegaze wall of drone.

Sometimes I get an album that doesn't fit my mood, even though I know its good. This was the oposite case: I really needed some beautiful noise in my ears while doing monotonous tasks at work. However, it did go to autoplay and I didn't realize until I had heard five random songs from the same genre. So yeah, its not unique. I still like it though.

Not my go to MBV album, only really listened to it once before, but really enjoyed it this time around. 1st few songs start off slow, but I get completely lost in the dreamy thick distorted soundscapes as the album continues.

Cuando MBV publicaron este disco se habían convertido en una leyenda con su anterior Loveless de 1991. Este fue un retorno por sorpresa que nadie les había pedido, pero que continuaba la senda de sus logros (tanto los del excelso Loveless como los del excelente Isn´t anything). Como pasó con otros retornos (Dinosaur Jr., Slowdive, Portishead y , en menor medida Mazzy Star o Ride, desde luego no con Pixies ni por supuesto con los Stooges) la banda mostraba niveles de inspiración propios de sus mejores tiempos con novedades como esos ritmos en New you, esos teclados en Is this and yes parecen sacados de Pet sounds o de cualquier disco de los High Llamas para luego pasar a integrarse en lo más pop que hayan publicado MBV, hasta que se acaba el cuento con In another way y Nothing is (pareces estar dentro de una lavadora). Desde la inicial She found you te encuentras como en casa con su trémolo, su efectos de reverb, Only tomorrow, Who sees you y If I am son otras gemas con sus coros espectrales (Bilinda Butcher es a MBV lo que Kim Deal a los Pixies) , sus capas de guitarras y distorsión... Wonder 2 es formidable, aunque el disco entero es excelente. Se acaba y vuleves a darle al play. Otros grandes discos de 2013 fueron: Kanye West - Yezzus, James Blake - Overgrown, Vampire Weekend - Modern vampires of the city, David Bowie- The next day, Nick cave- Vampire Weekend - Modern vampires of the city, The national- Vampire Weekend - Modern vampires of the city, Charles Bradley - Victim of love, Artic Monkeys- AM, Neko Case- The worst things get..., Arcade Fire- Reflektor, Haim- Days Are Gone, Peto Shop Boys- Electric, Muchacho-Phosphorescent, Daft Punk-RAM, Yo la tengo- Fade, Chvrches- The Bones of What You Believe, Lorde- Pure heroin, MGMT-MGMT, Kurt Vile – Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze, Washed out- Paracosm, Mazzy Star – Seasons of Your Day, Crocodiles – Crimes of Passion, Rhye- Woman... Pues este de MBV les mira desde arriba a casi todos, y con el tiempo sigue en lo más alto.

This was such a long awaited follow-up, my expectations were definitely high. While it is hard to live up to Loveless, m b v was probably the best result anyone could have hope for after two decades. In many ways it picks up right where its predecessor left off, but it also sounds surprising fresh. There are delicate lush moments throughout, but there are also some sharp corners that give the album an interesting edge. I wouldn’t say this is a classic like Loveless, but it’s the next best thing.

Not my favorite My Bloody Valentine album, but enjoyed it.

Yea its not as good as their classic output, but for what it is this is still a really great shoegaze album, especially for a band this late in their career.

MBV carry on doing what they're good at with zero attempts to update the formula. Soaringly beautiful in places, discordant and unlistenable in others.

"m b v" is the third studio album by Irish-English shoegaze band My Bloody Valentine. It was their first release of original material since their 1991 classic album "Loveless." It was self-released and self-produced by singer/guitarist Kevin Shields. All the other original band member remain the same: Belinda Butcher (vocalist/singer), Debbie Googe (bass) and Colm Ó Cíosóig (drums). The album reached #29 in the UK and had much critical acclaim. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! The first song "she found now" has distorted/feedback guitars and dreamy vocals. No drums though. The vocals are very muffled. I think it's about a woman who cheated on a guy but still loves him. "only tomorrow" adds drums and a distinct bass. The wobbly buzzsaw guitars are still there but much more melodic. Layered guitars. This song sounds like it could have come from "Loveless." The strong first three songs concludes with "who sees you." Dual lead vocals with Shields and Butcher. They harmonize. Great building the intensity of the song as it progresses. A guitar sounding like a synth ( I think) and an electronic drumbeat begin "new you." More guitars. Shields and Butcher singing like instruments. I don't know if anything of what they're singing are words. Wow! This is almost danceable. Weird noises and a fast drum and we're into "in another way." A nice change of pace from "new you." Chugging and machine-like guitars. Another song with a really nice melody and a unique one at that. 23 years later and My Bloody Valentine still have the distorted, wobbly, buzzsaw guitars in the forefront. It is hard not to compare to "Loveless" but there's enough here that's different. There are minimal vocals which are always in the background. Needless to say, it's very atmospheric. There are a couple songs that don't work. But, most do work with a couple among the best songs I've heard from them. Maybe not quite the groundbreaking album as their previous one but a very strong album.

i'm too old for crybaby shit...but the guitar work was impressive

Lazy post-punk for emoer & hipstere som digger distortion. Hørt et par låter og de var fete, hadde ikke tid

Yessir! Some lovely palette cleansing shoegaze and feedback. Was just feeling like I'd been on a bit of a poor run, and this was marvellous. The final two tracks are maybe just a smidge too heavy for me. I'm all for distortion and noise, but there's got to be a melody, and I feel they lost it a little. Overall though, a cracking listen to a band that I've always known from a distance, but now intend to get much closer to.

In short, this album is experimental. It ticks all the right boxes of an experimental album and leaves me feeling dreamy afterwards. A lot of the songs are long, but that only makes the experience better, in my opinion. This album deserves an 86.7%, or a 4.33/5. Fav: “if i am”, “new you” Least Fav: “is this and yes”

Cool noisy

Grrrrrrrrrrrreat!

My Bloody Valentine is a band that could probably be a favorite of mine if I listened more, but I just haven't really. I've liked everything I've heard, but just have never quite fallen in love. I liked this album. Didn't love it, but liked it a lot.

Still not as good a Loveless, but Kevin Shields is a master...

- Habs aufm Laufband gehört fands irgendwie richtig geil. fast schon meditativ, hypnotisierend - ein paar Tunes haben ein bisschen mit diesem schwingenden, anhaltenden Teppich gebrochen, sodass es auch nicht zu noisy-drone mäßig wurde. - Schlägt gerade aber auch voll in meinen Post-Gaze geschmack, den ich zur Zeit abfeiere. Ich war wirklich ganze Zeit richtig interessiert. - Man konnte die Platte zu keiner Sekunde vorhersehen - ich hing quasi an den Lippen des Albums - Insgesamt tolle Erfahrung 4/5

Good album if in the right mood. Standout songs: If I am New you Wonder 2

an album that feels like it came from a dream. soothing, distorted and full of emotion... really i listened to this and i felt like it really really resonated with my mind, body, and soul. in terms of how i'm feeling right now this album nails it to the wall. ughhhhhhh jesus christ on a motorbike.

I can’t believe we’ve had two MBV albums and neither have been Loveless. That’s kinda my only downside to their other two records: they arent Loveless. Thats not to say this isnt great. I really really like it. And that’s despite the anticipation given how long they took to release this and the expectation around it. They really nail that expansive ‘wall of sound’, and this more than previous albums builds on that with some interesting background production that goes with it. Especially as the album goes on it (naturally) slowly grows into something different. Not a change in direction, not a change in sound, more just a little nod. But thats enough. I do get why people dont rate them - they are a band that you have to be in the mood for, and thats coming from a fan of theirs, but I think once they click they are a very special band. A strong 4.5, possibly a 5 but chalking 0.5 off for having to be in the right mood.

every song is fantastic

Man, I love this sound. The reverb and distortion are front and center on every song and I find it very satisfying, like scratching an itch. It just feels good. The thing about this kind of music is that the production can take all the attention on a first listen and it takes a few spins before you hear the songwriting. I had some errands to run today so I was able to get through the album a few times and started grooving to the early songs. The last few tracks are wild! “nothing is” rocks so hard. Just wall-to-wall one riff and nothing else. Really cool. And the closer “wonder 2” is mesmerizing. It pushes what I was saying earlier about reverb and distortion to the extreme.

Lots of warbly fuzzy goodness to chew on. I feel like I missed the boat on My Bloody Valentine somehow and never got around to giving them the amount of listens that I've been prescribed to by friends over the years. I'm really never let down when I hear some of their songs though, but I think the listening context is really important. Thankfully, I listened to this on a Thursday morning shortly before Christmas with nothing on my calendar. There's this sense of wonder that I feel when I listen to them, like an ambiguous "I don't have the slightest clue about what this song is about but I get it as a vibe". It's a cool thing, and pretty unique overall for someone like me who likes to dive into music, pull out all of the pieces, and try to make sense of it all. It makes it easy for me to hand over control of the wheel and just enjoy the ride. Not many bands / genres can I do that with and I'm always appreciative when it happens.

yasss liked a lot

trop stylé. dur de vivre dans l’ombre de loveless mais c’est pas un trashy second album après un gros hit, surtout qu’il sort genre 20 après

l'album est une montée d'acide. Au début on marche sur des nuages, puis on commence a penser au repas de famille interminable du réveillon. Un mélange de marshmallows et de Crunch. Je met 4 psk les 3 derniers morceaux sont inécoutables tellement ils sont ultra perchos on comprend que dalle

is this and yes weird album only tomorrow is nothing sounds fun wonder 2 would recommend b m w

I think this will be my third My Bloody Valentine album that I’ve listened to. From memory, I thought the other two were quite rubbish, so I can’t say with any honesty that I’m raring to go with this one today. I’ve made this commitment though, the honourable decision to listen to music every day, so let’s listen. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: only tomorrow Ok, so this was markedly better than the other albums. I can’t ever say why this is, because it’s still the usual noisy music with lazy singing, but I just vibed better with this than the others. It does make me wonder if the others are worth going back to and listening with a fresh set of ears, but I realistically probably won’t do that. This was fun though.

First half is more Isn't Anything than Loveless. Second half stretches out a bit more into new territory. Sorry to say, nothing close to as good as Loveless.

Només el mèrit d'aparèixer per sorpresa 22 anys després d'haver donat vida a un clàssic imperible com 'Loveless' i a més fer-ho amb un treball que podria haver estat la seva continuació 1 ó 2 anys després ja té un mèrit inqüestionable. 'm b v' mereix la seva pròpia atenció i, a l'igual que la producció històrica de My Bloody Valentine, viu de l'atmòsfera que aconsegueix crear en l'ambient exterior i en el teu interior. Capaç de posar-te nerviós, odiar-los, estimar-los, relaxar-te, i moltes coses més en poc més de 45 minuts. Eren i són únics

It’s really impressive that a band can take so much time off and come back with something like this. I don’t think that this album is as consistent all the way through as their previous album, but Loveleless is a seminal album, so I don’t expect a repeat of that.

Not as great as the first 2, but surly very strong

Pretty good but a real music journalist choice

At times it sounds like there’s a loose cord, MBV really lives in the sludge but they’re comfortable there and they’re good at it. They make music best appreciated by headphone listening, the sparse guitars and beautiful vocals blend so well with the whirls and distortion. I know that the “not my cup of tea” dorks are gonna dork it up in the reviews but MBV really does an open mind to let both the sludge and beauty in. 4 stars

An album that feels like I’ve been given a peek into someone’s train of thought. It sounds like a distorted dream. Because the lyrics are behind the music, it gives me the feeling that someone is trying to communicate with me with a room filled with hundreds of people. “is this and yes” gives a nice break to reset and finish the rest of the album.

m b v beautifully walks the line between what's expected/required and new. The record gets better and better as it plays, and starts in familiar fuzzy territory. The band isn't hook-heavy, and they aren't defining a sound any more. Instead, m b v's all about shades of meaning in noise.

Still weird enough to be good.

When we listened to mbv's Loveless so long ago, I was immediately taken by the muddy, muffled-ness of it. I could hear distinct melodies and I loved them. They instantly felt like mine. I was excited to hear more. I didn't find this album quite so easy, not as immediately likable. But after a couple of listens, I'm hearing more to distinguish the songs and am enjoying the drone. It's not quite mine yet but I can imagine it getting there.

Stupid sexy hoover noises

Great comeback album from the shoegaze kings. Really enjoy this album, but it just isn’t as good or as important as loveless. Hence only 4 not 5 stars

Why did i not know what this sounded like

I still prefer loveless, but this record was really able to set a cool vibe and atmosphere. Some cool electronic elements on here as well.

As much as it can drone on, that’s exactly the magic behind this album. A soundscape to lose yourself in.

Cool. Dit vind ik wel tof. Soort van The Cure in een underground gehaktmolen.

I think it really comes down to this: You either love their 'sound' or you don't. If you do then you're transported to a trance-like place of fuzziness, drones and distortion. If you don't then you're transported to a trance-like place of fuzziness, drones and distortion.

Melodisch monoton, inhaltlich exquisit

It feels like an album of three parts. The first part feel a bit like the continuation of their classic from the 90's. After that the sounds changes a bit and moves from shoegaze into the ambient postrock territory. The album stays interesting but not as much as before. I picks up again at the end when they focus a bit more on the drumworks. The drum n' bass rhythms in 'wonder 2' are amazing. And even though I really like a bunch of noise, 'nothing is' just don't do it for me. This kind of experiment has been done before and better. If this album was released two years after Loveless instead of twenty-one, it might have had a bigger impact but it still is an interesting piece. 3,5*

My Bloody Valentine is a very particular band for me. I need to be in the right headspace to listen but when it clicks it REALLY clicks. Not as good as the classic Loveless but a worthy follow up. 4/5

who sees you - awesome climax. new you - do do doo ending. in another way - chaos. nothing is - even more so.

Big wall of sound. Bijna post-rock achtig. leuke plaat

Nice dreamy album. Hard to pin point an exact moment it's like when you have a nap and are suprised at how much time has passed. All I know is that I'll be happy to listen again.

This album is cool, but I wish I would have heard it before Loveless, since I absolutely love that album, while this one pales in comparison a bit for me. It's still good, and goes in different directions than Loveless, it just would have been nice to hear how much I like this album if I didn't have Loveless as a standard of comparison 4/5

Man oh man, I asked for MBV and they delivered. One of if not my favorite band ever. This album is really interesting to me, it’s for sure my least favorite of their’s, but I still overall really enjoy it. I haven’t listened to the album in a while, and I remembered that it’s a more ambient focused album, which makes it less relistenable to me. Nevertheless, the songs “Only Tomorrow”, “If I am”, and “New You” are the only songs from this album that I return to, and they’re some of my favorite songs of theirs period. The rest of the tracks fall into the very ambient realm. The thing with MBV, you gotta give them multiple listens. I HATED loveless the first couple times I listened, but overtime it became my favorite rock album. You gotta get your ears adjusted to the noise. Also you will ascend if you listen to while high. This album also has some interesting lore. It took over two decades to release, which is nuts lol. The guitarist and songwriter Kevin Shields worked on several collaborations with ambient artist Brian Eno after releasing loveless, which definitely influenced the sound of this album. I’m conclusion, this album rocs and I can’t wait for y’all to listen to more MBV

Don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing that I fell asleep to this album twice while trying to listen to it. Super chill one that you can relax to and enjoy listening to the wall of sound. I saw some of the complaints about lack of vocal melodies but that’s a huge part of what makes this enjoyable for me. There’s no main line to follow so you can drift in and out of listening to any of the instruments and their specific parts cuz it’s all so heavily layered or you just let the whole wall of sound hit you. I’ve been getting more into shoegaze the past year and this is another album in that genre I’ll come back to a good bit. 👍: don’t know because none of them stick out as way more memorable than the others but again that’s part of the reason I liked it

I finally get shoegaze thanks to this album I think. At first I was pissed to get another mbv album this close to the last one but this is the one that finally made it click. I’ve always liked dream pop type stuff like the chromatics so this is just a slightly more intense version of that. I think my problem was that I didn’t listen to the first two albums very intently and just listened to the grungy guitars but the ethereal voices are what makes the whole thing for me. This album made me go back and listen to loveless again and that album definitely deserves more than what I gave it so I’m probs gonna overrate this album even though loveless deserves it more. Sometimes is probably my favorite off of that one and who sees you is my favorite off of this one. As a genre, though, I’m not sure if I’m fully down with shoegaze. Mbv obviously have it down but I haven’t heard too much that makes me love it as a genre even though the ideas behind the form is pretty interesting and compelling to me.

The long awaited third album, from admittedly one of my favourite bands, it’s disappointing to some but ultimately an excellent album on its own. MBV are one of those bands who have a singular sound. Hundreds have tried and failed to replicate their incredible style, so I for one am extremely grateful that Kevin got off his arse and blessed us with another album. The first two thirds are as good as you’d ever need them to be, and the last third is a little more experimental and maybe where some people will be lost. Overall, obviously not the best work from this band but 100% worth listening if you already enjoy their music.

Big ups for den her

For some reason I confused this band always with punk bands from the 2000s. But, no, My Bloody Valentine does excellent shoegaze and this album shows their talent. It is atmospheric, unclear, but in a good way. It gets your juices flowing. As with most of the genre, it can be a bit repetitive so usually less would be more.

Goes from beautiful ("she found now") to bruising ("nothing is") and back again. Abstract enough to avoid the hard-edging annoyance of pure industrial. To be clear: this never quite soars to Loveless-level heights or achieves that ultimate impact, but is awfully good on its own terms, unique as a sculpture of distortion and reverb and fully immersive sonic art and seemingly a minor miracle for ever having been released in the first place.

Inte lika dåligt som det förra!

More interesting than I thought. Would listen again.

Great comeback from MBV, with some songs reaching almost as high as some songs on Loveless, like the song "only tomorrow". Most of it is pretty typical MBV shoegaze goodness with immaculate sound and production. 7,6/10

Who Sees You

A return—did it somehow feel like less than we'd hoped for? Maybe that would always have been the case given they went out on a perfect album. To me it seemed like the band hadn't changed much with this record but the world certainly had.

4.3 + Definitely a welcome throwback to “Loveless” though not as groundbreaking. Some of the edges are slightly smoother this go-round. Still, it’s an ocean of textures. Listen with good headphones.

It may not have the exquisite otherworldliness that Loveless achieved, but that hazy and drony vibe still slays for me. Equal parts beauty and noise.

Amu

Welp, that's the entire MBV discography only 139 albums in. m b v is better than Isn't Anything but not as good as Loveless. So there it is, the definitive MBV ranking. Shields is still a master of blending dissonance and harmonies (as on 'who sees you'), but a few soothing songs ('is this and yes' and 'if i am') I actually found a bit dull.

Solid

Starts out as a Loveless redux, but four tracks in it moves into different territory. Still noise but lighter, brighter, more energetic. Less smoke, more clouds.

my bloody valentine fans when someone whispers into their ear while a power drill is turned on for 40 minutes straight (aka i enjoyed this)

While this could never live up to Loveless after so long, it was a good follow up. Only shame is how short it felt. She Found Now was a reassuring continuation of the Loveless sound with a few tweaks, but it's the tracks that sound different to the previous album that stand out - Who Sees You, If I am, In Another Way and the drum n bass inspired wonder 2 (complete with an aircraft take off, by the sounds of it!) New You sounds like their version of a Bond theme, maybe inspired by the cover of We Have All The Time in the World. This is nearly 10 years old now Kevin, where is LP4?!

Well this is a very lovely album! I haven't had the pleasure of listening to much MBV in the past and certainly not an entire album. It's probably a good thing because I would not have enjoyed this album a decade ago or appreciated it in the same way. There is a wonderful richness to the sound. I particularly actually enjoyed the guitar-free track, is this and yes, that was so pretty and warming and relaxing. I really dislike the song nothing is though by contrast haha way too repetitive and stressful for my brain it kind of hurts even. Appreciate what other people see in it though. Very nice inventive shoe-gazey music I was happy to be introduced to.

Haven't listened to this since it was released. Enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Dense but beautiful

Better than Isn't Anything, worse than Loveless. 8/10

Lot of noise but second listen started to grow a little

Mostly instrumental, with sweet, delicate vocals in the background The vocals felt more like an additional instrument to the shoegazey/noisey sound, as oppose to 'leading' the songs. Relaxing album, one you can lay down and listen to in a depressed mood. Also could be used for studying/concentration. I enjoyed it a lot. As someone already familiar with mbv (loveless), this was slightly different, but still high quality. Perhaps someone who's never heard mbv before might not enjoy it the same way? The noisey/drilling/luscious sound has a way of being simultaneously energizing and relaxing.

I, uh, like this more than I thought I would.

loud and enveloping

SHOEGAZE

Really enjoyed this. Was sort of as I expected, given what I have heard in the past from their Loveless album. However, I like the variation here - not all of the songs were full-on guitar drones. The keyboard-led tracks had the same woozy feel and didn’t feel out of place. Makes me want to play Loveless all the way through (not sure I have ever heard it from start to finish) and would definitely play this again.

Nice

coffee shop record store ass music

Easter lamb chops

Very good

This is my first time consciously listening to My Bloody Valentine and I have to say I was somehow always convinced that they're an emo band or at best a nu metal band - two styles I have little interest in. I had no idea that this is some sort of weird ambient shoegaze soundscape-rock. That said, I mostly enjoyed having it on. A bit too dissonant for more than one album at a time, but I liked having it on while working.

This is good… never listened to this before strangely! Defo revisiting!

Fuzzy but with unmistakable purpose

If you’re really in to very fuzzy guitars, you’d love this. I was very indifferent

Definitely not their best, the vocals are too quiet and the tracks are boring. Still, I didn't dislike it and I could see it being a background album.

I'm surprised this gets so much hate on here. I think it's a pretty accessible shoegaze album, even more so than "Isn't Anything" and maybe even "Loveless". I think this is pretty good. I hope it was worth the twenty-two year long wait for MBV fans back in 2013. Now we just gotta wait another nine years for that next record! Favorite track: New You 3.5/5

I was expecting more

sorta always in the same boat with these guys... i know its good but i just dont really give a crap

I have to question why so many of these artists have multiple albums. Certainly of all the music in all the world we had enough influence and impact that each artist could have a top album. Unless their other album were astronomically popular.

Shout à ma bloody valentine mais leur album d’avant est meilleur

6/10 - I had higher hopes because of Loveless.

Deilig støyete musikk som fungerer best i bakgrunnen. Kanskje litt streng treer.

Mostly fine album that really tapers off towards the last two or three tracks. It's pretty boring and a far cry from loveless. 6/10

I own this album, and have tried it a few dozen times. Still hasn't grown on me. Like Radiohead, I understand this is very good, but I'm not at a level of understanding why, and neither of them grabs my music neurons.

I previously reviewed "Loveless", which I found okay for what I consider "noise-alternative-pop". This one is much the same, listenable but that's about it. Bit samey.

Yes I like it

It grows on me through the album.

Welp, that was weird. I understand the hate. I understand the love. I'm in-between. It's at least interesting, but yeah, it can be rough to listen to, and there are genuine stinkers here... but also moments of genius. I'll remember this album if I ever make an indie movie about teen love, depression and drugs.

Not bad, but suffers more than perhaps any other band for having one masterpiece of an album that perfected the sound. Why listen to this when loveless is right there.

This would have been really good if I was in the right mood

I like MBV, this was pretty good

Solid effort, for a band that hadn't released an album in 20 years. The attitude towards Shoegaze really changed in the years leading up to it. This is nice enough, but can't really hang with their previous two albums. I can't pretend that I ever understood the lyrics in previous albums, but having them largely omitted from here kind of felt like the album was missing something. It still had a bunch of nice songs, mainly towards the beginning and end of the album, but it can't really hang with other My Bloody Valentine or peak Shoegaze stuff.

Para apreciarlo tendría que escucharlo de nuevo, mucho detalle aunque en lo macro parezca minimalista 3.2

This is a group I've been tangentially aware of but I don't think I have ever listened to before. This album is pretty good, but I think that I am a little less into shoegaze/dream pop at the moment. I think this is a decent example of those styles, and I would certainly listen to it again, especially once I am in the mood for such fuzzy sounds once again. It's a good album, but it is a little muddy and kind of becomes background noise towards the middle. Favorite track(s): "only tomorrow," "wonder 2"

Did The MAB give a presentation on m v b? I remember him being very excited about this. As for the album, it’s basically remaking Loveless twenty years later but worse.

too low energy for me

🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑 A truck totaled my car while I was listening to this, specifically "if I am," and I still don't remember any of it. No, it has nothing to do with the fact that my head hit the steering wheel very hard. I knew My Bloody Valentine from some Loveless songs and a couple of EP bits—I think I only remember "Slow," "You Made Me Realize," and "Only Shallow" off the top of my head, which are all great and also all kind of abrasive in a way that's tough for me to get into if it isn't hooky. I think specifically My Bloody Valentine's barrier to entry, for me, is the haziness of their ambience, but once I settle into it I end up really liking it. There were a lot of songs on this album that have potential for me to warm up to but as it stands right now there aren't many I love yet. I think I wanted to like this one more than I did, too, which may impact the rating. All in all, still solid, but not my fave. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

This surprised me! First of all, totally based on the name of the band (lol), I thought this would be like MCR--more emo I guess? Max schooled me on "shoegaze," and it turns out I can get behind it. Apparently this wasn't even their most iconic album, and I'd be interested to hear their earlier sound.

would be a cool as a movie soundtrack

I'd never really listened to My Bloody Valentine's music before, but I'd heard a lot about them — like, they were the fathers of shoegaze, their guitars were incredibly loud, and at concerts they played so loud that some listeners felt physically sick. Given this, I was expecting something closer to experimental industrial, like HEALTH, but what I got was quite calm, even relaxing at times. Yes, it sounds like the guys decided to turn on every effect pedal at once, but it doesn't turn into a cacophony. I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman singing, but the voice was quite soothing, even though it was drowned out by the guitars, making the words inaudible. But I don't understand the band's cult status; a lot of people played such music in the 90s, and the album itself feels like it belongs to that era. And the band members don't hide it — even though it was released twenty years after the last album, all the work was already in place back then.

Uuulala, so moody

A difficult one, you could say My Bloody Valentine suffered from difficult third album syndrome, it did take twenty years of faffing to complete after all [their first two mini albums don't count it seems!]. What we have is an interesting hodge podge of material. For the most part, it has an ambient vibe, mostly in the vein of 'Loveless', but dare I say it more tuneful and it just drifts along in its blissed out noisy way. But towards the end there is definitely a drum and bass style influence. But your average raver won't be running on the spot to those tracks [unless said raver has taken 2 tonne of Ket, then anything is possible]. When it came out, I didnt rush to listen to it too regularly after the initial two or three spins, unlike their first two LPs. Since they have reformed and begun to play live again, 'Wonder 2' makes a good toilet break song - and there is the problem for me, better has gone before.

Ok let's hear this. Interesting. Very emo. Ok. I like it. I mean it sounds good but there's not a lot of variation it's just the same sounds. Not really for me but I can appreciate it. Oh wait Nevermind hold on. Wait. Let him cook. Ok I actually do really like this it's so ethereal. Big fan of this vibe. Yeah alright they're cooking something up. I kinda like that you can't really hear what they're saying. Favourite: who sees you/is this and yes Least favourite: she found now/nothing is

Dnf

Not bad

Very cool at beginning, then kind of samesy

Not bullet fir my Valentine which is a good thing. Nit as good as loveless.

I kind of like this, fog and mist in your mind

Wow, that was a ride. Noise, sonic drunkenness, claustrophobia. That was a an assault. And not totally unpleasent.

Worse beach house

Marginally better than the My Bloody Valentine album I had to listen to two days ago, but only marginally

It's not bad by any means but it is certainly the worst My Bloody Valentine record. Kind of feels like a Loveless afterthought.

Album #184 my bloody valentine: m b v My Bloody Valentine were one of the first bands that became adored by the early internet music scene, and it’s not hard to see why since Loveless was a trailblazing album, revolutionizing guitars, noise, and shoegaze- essentially everything an indie music fan loves; oh yeah and did I mention dreamy female vocals? So when m b v came around, I can already imagine the collecting pants soiling that ensued. Though I personally wasn’t around for much of the hype surrounding the band, so my estimations of them are rather tempered. I do think Loveless is a great album, and certainly one of the best of the 90s, but some places like Rateyourmusic having it in the top ten of all time, above any Beatles album, just seems strange to me. So I can certainly find discussion around the band nauseating, and I’m sure it was twice as insufferable when m b v dropped after a 20-year wait, with people either calling it the best or worst thing to ever happen. In truth, of course, the answer lies in the middle; this is a good shoegaze album. Perhaps not worthy of living up to the hype, and there certainly aren’t any “When You Sleep” or “Sometimes” here, but ultimately it is absolutely serviceable in following up the band's magnum opus. If you’re into shoegaze, or any ethereal and dreamy music, you will find a lot to like about this album. Best Songs: only tomorrow, she found now, who sees you Worst Song: nothing is Score out of 10: 7

Practically bankrupt your label? Start a chinchilla farm? Make fans wait years to hear the follow up to your genre defining album? It starts slow, but picks up near the end. More like shoegaze meets ambient and DNB. In Another Way and Wonder 2 are the standouts.

3.2 3x

Interesting

I think I said something pretty similar the last time I got an album by MBV... I think I like the idea of this band more than I actually like their music. I expect it to be cool and raw and trippy. But it's mostly just boring.

3.5/5

Pretty good stuff. Makes for an awesome atmosphere. Like proto M83. No Loveless, though. For some reason, I spent the whole run time staring at my feet.

I did not enjoy this nearly as much as i did Loveless. Don't think it has the same magic. High 3

This is definitely vibing music. I enjoyed almost all of it. One of the last tracks got pretty repetitive though.

should get 3.5 stars, very droning and VU-like, will take you places...

Usually when an album is noisy I have an easier time making up my mind, but this one has a backbone or melody throughout each song, so I find it tricky to rate. I've not had much contact with the band thus far, I feel like they have something to say and I might be willing to listen, but this particular record isn't great.

There are many things that should make me love so much this album yet it didn't clicked. It's solid, I like it but no I don't love it (and to be honest it's always like that with MBV).

I was previously familiar with Loveless as it had come up previously in this exercise. This album is very much the same sort of sound as that album. It's noise rock with distortion and hard to hear lyrics. This was fine for what it is and while I may listen again, I doubt I would seek it out, especially over Loveless.

Shoegazy! Définitivement à garder pour ma playlist de farniente d'été. Appréciation en demi teinte, car si l'album entier est effectivement ce que j'aime et d'une cohérence continue, aucune des chansons ne m'a particulièrement marquée (peut-être une petite mention spéciale pour "in another way")

Loveless was a pretty solid album and then they called it quits for whatever reason. There was a lot of excitement about their reunion album when it came out. But for the most part 'm b v' fails to deliver on that promise. I may give it another listen later and see if it grows on me though. For now I'm calling it 2.5/5 rounded to 3.

Good wfh album. Wore on a bit too long

I have no clue about shoegaze really but I guess these guys are some of the progenitors? I know why its called shoe gaze cause they are looking down at the pedals while they play. But its never been a genre that I had any interest in. Its just a part of that whole dreamy section of sound that just does not mesh well with me. And I have to say mbv falls right in that but at the same time gave me about the best shot at this music ive ever had. That final 3rd of this record is so close to being something id be into. They pick up the pace a little and that does wonders for me. But its still bogged down with this whisper singing and the relatively boring musical backing. Sure the effects are cool but the notes they are throwing the kitchen sink at aren't that engaging. All in all this is the best shoegaze project ive ever heard but it doesnt really move the needle as much as it needs to to win me over. Maybe another earlier album would do it but im not really dying to find out either. Still a decent shot I guess. Better than anyone else ive heard at least

Noisy shoegaze that finds some very cool sonic-rhythms. Hard to critically listen to with some going in one ear and out the other. The heavy distortion and layered vocals can scratch the itch at times.

Pretty alright.

Making their fans wait 22 years after dropping one of the most important and innovative records of all time certainly set My Bloody Valentine up for failure. I don't think any band can match those expectations. You can break this record into three segments. The first three songs feel like outtakes from Loveless. They're decent - they just don't feel like their breaking new ground, which is disappointing for a band who are so pioneering. The second third features songs that are more laid back, but they do tend to drag a little. The final third is the most noisy and experimental part of the record, and it is the most interesting. You can lost in symphony of noise, with guitars featuring so many effects that they no longer sound like guitars. The experimentation is what I want out of MBV and not just rehashing their old sound. 'nothing is' is the one track that doesn't work as it is too avant-garde for its own good featuring a repetitous beat pounding the listener over the head. This is a mixed bag, but there's enough great ideas here to make it worth your time.

It was lacking and a bit boring towards the end

Decent, but just fine. Didn't feel like they were doing anything new or super exciting like they did on Loveless. Better than Isn't Anything but nothing super extraordinary. The second half I found more interesting than the first. They are a weird band for me.

Det finnes nok en dag kor det her kunne passa humøret mitt. Men det va ikke i dag, så i dag va det endeløst og enerveranes.

Ik gaf Mijn Bloederige Valentijn (die ik in m'n hoofd nog steeds af en toe verwar met Kogel Voor Mijn Valentijn) reeds een 4 en een 5, dus het verrassingseffect is er vanaf. Ik weet ongeveer wat ik ga krijgen en vandaag heb ik er wel zin in. Ik pak de koptelefoon er weer bij en de hersenen worden weer meteen gemasseerd. Ik kan nog steeds niet heel goed uitleggen waarom, maar ik vind dit een lekker geluid, terwijl het zo dicht aan zit tegen wat ik onluisterbare herrie zou kunnen noemen. Het Big Muff gitaarpedaaltje moet weer werken voor z'n centen. Er worden wat diepzinnige zinnen gehijgzongen, verstaan doe ik het uiteraard niet. Elk nummer lijkt op elkaar maar het komt allemaal weer lekker binnen in de hersenpan. Ik vond de twee andere albums een tandje leuker, meer melancholie. Dit album lijkt een beetje een herhaling van zetten te zijn. Kijkend naar de releasedatums is dat plausibel aangezien dit het derde album is, uitgebracht jaren en jaren na de twee andere albums. Ik geef deze 3 sterren en dan heb ik vanaf vandaag officieel een duidelijke persoonlijke top 3 wanneer het gaat over Bullet For My Bloody Valentine.

Its a tough one to rate because its been ages since I've listened to Loveless. There's a bit to like in this one I think. It hews closer to a slowdive or Cocteau Twins, I think, compared to the noisier Loveless (at least from my memory), but both those bands are much better than what I'm hearing on m b v. What's really bringing this album down for me is the length of the songs combined with the repetition. The ideas are good, but there's not a lot of movement or development of those ideas to my ears. So yeah. Decent album, but not great. Honestly don't know why its even on the list. Really feels like a "legacy artist releases a new album, so it gets put on" inclusion, similar to a Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Fiona Apple - yes, Fiona catching strays here, but I'll explain in my review of FTBC when I get it).

Not very exciting. Not very creative. But ok.

Guitars and drums are good, but you can barely hear the vocals and a lot of it is just humming. Cool musical jam. Distorted guitars give a bit of a different sound than I've heard before.

I didnt even know this album existed. More accessible than other stuff i’ve listened to but i found it less interesting. Not a bad album though

Lacks the highs of Loveless but it has some good tracks and is probably a bit more accessible for non MBV fans. 3.0

This was a little disappointing. Not because it's bad but because I don't think it's anywhere near as good as Loveless. There are moments and some songs where it gets into a nice groove and melody but there are also sections which repeat the same uninteresting part for too long.

Not what I was expecting. Chill background vibes.

The vibe is second credits song, or a more punky version of what the organist plays while everyone makes their way to the pews

I like this band. This album was good but not their best.

Much better than the first one. I forgot the album name. Not loveless. I haven’t listened to loveless yet but I can tell you I believe this is their peak. I actually think this album tight me what the band is actually about, just some sick guitars and beats. The first song really threw me into it, the rest was meh but there were a couple that really had me rocking.

pas mal mais je pense pas que ce soit leur meilleur album

This is kinda my first time listening to them, I somehow always got them mixed up with My Chemical Romance and didn't realise they were an older shoegaze group. My type of music but wished I liked this a little more, I just feel like there's better groups in the same niche now. Would've preferred getting their first 2 albums prior to this comeback release but oh well.

For me it was just pretty boring, the combination of sounds was initially interesting but tired quickly

Я с л ы ш а л н е к и е з в у к и

Для меня почти все крутое и любимое из альт девяностых (аля мбв, слоудайв, портисхед и т.д.) в нулевых и десятых звучит как вылизанная и душная пародия на самих себя.

не фанат шугейза, но вот чисто музыка местами даже интересно звучит, и все равно скорее 3ка, оставлю баффер для loveless

I too enjoy gazing at my shoes from time to time. Can also get down with some noise rock. Not my usual cup of tea but enjoy a sip every now and then. 3/5

Their sound was ok but not a group I will want to listen to on the regular.

2.75. Musically, I kind of like this. Vocally, I don’t.

Unfairly maligned at under a three, it's a very decent shoegaze record

I’ve never gotten the absolute love for My Bloody Valentine that a lot of people have. I prefer other shoegaze like Slowdive or the Jesus and Mary Chain. Including their comeback album on the list feels excessive

Muted. If you are somewhat familiar with mbv then you know it’s about to get loud. Mbv is an immersive experience, not merely an observational one. As a follow up to Loveless (1991), it, in my mind, represents a continuation of that record with new avenues of exploration. The vocal presentation is not as effective as on Loveless which may be an unfair comparison because I think Kevin Shields was looking to create a more integrated vocal approach with the music. But those vocal expressions fall a bit flat. Having heard these songs live though there is an immediate sonic difference which makes them a more compelling listen. There are no outliers for songs on this record but neither are there any real standouts. Perhaps, If I Am and Ahe Found Now are the best of the bunch. Solid record overall but nothing to write your mom about. 3.5/5

incredibly uneven. what i liked i Liked when i disliked i Disliked, so this is very middle of the road i guess. i'm generally a fan of shoegaze so there's tracks like "if i am" which really stand out to me as something great, but then there are tracks like "nothing is" which i found to be just awful. i don't even conceptually dislike this kind of harsh repetition as i point to my enjoyment of the drakengard soundtrack (i'm collecting points every time i can mention it), but it's not utilized well here. i'll keep an eye out for more of them in the future as hopefully i like their other work more than this.

It's the band everyone wanted us to listen to but not the album everyone did. So I'm guessing this may not be the best introduction to the band. Warm, fuzzy, experimental but pretty uneven. I really like songs like "in another way" and "if I am", they capture the dreamy landscape I think the band is aiming for perfectly. On the other hand you have songs like "Nothing is" which almost got me excited with it sounding Melt Banana-esque at first and got me excited, before the song did absolutely nothing with its runtime. It sounded like a record that was skipping back to the same spot for 3 minutes. "Who sees you" grounds itself with lyrics but still feels very similarly wishy-washy and stagnant in a way I am not a fan of for 6 minutes. So considering I liked about half the tracks and didn't enjoy the other half at all, its only fair to give it a 3. Though it is a pretty strong 3.

Much like the other MBV albums we have listened to, this was a pleasant, hazy hug of an album that probably would reveal itself more on further listens, but for now ultimately passed by without leaving much of an impact.

It’s a cool record, some dope guitar textural stuff going on as anticipated. i don’t know that I’m an MBV convert after listening to it, but I did enjoy it. i think i’ve always found the shoegaze wall of guitars a bit difficult to penetrate. wicked in small doses but after a while it gets tiresome. I did have imagine myself seeing a local band playing this music and being like ‘this is cool, but i’m good after about 20 minutes of it’

мне скучно…

This is kind of sneaky good. I wasn't really expecting this to be very quality, particularly because it was all self-recorded, produced, and released. Not that it couldn't be, but I feel like more often than not, those kinds of albums tend to be of a lower quality. This is nice. I wouldn't go so far to say it's one of the best albums of 2013, but it's surprisingly very good. I would definitely listen to it again. Favorite Song(s): is this and yes

A solid shoegaze album, but it never fully clicked with me. A couple songs stood out, but most of the time it was nothing more than background noise.

Serene…vibey…boring…egotistical…3/5

Shoe (shoe [shoegaze] gaze) gaze.

The composition on this album probably has a love/hate relationship with silence. I've been known to enjoy a good shoegaze effort, and this really does feel like the essence of that niche. Some tracks are quick, others are slow with long strides, but it's always an attack on silence until the short recess between songs. It can be so abrupt that it serves as a pallet cleanser. It's an easy listen for me, though I found "nothing is" to be annoyingly quite the opposite. In general, there's an angsty energy that suits the mood the album creates. It's uncomfortable, but insistent. Within that discomfort there is beauty. I could see myself putting this on when I feel like drowning out my negative emotions. Or when I feel like breaking shit. Otherwise, it's too much and too intense for me to enjoy on a random day. I preferred the listen on speakers, kind of like feeling an intense psychological pressure while having a warm drink on a cozy day. 2.9/5

A monotone album, where nothing good nor bad happens.

Découverte de l'artiste. Quoique très spécial dans son écoutede part son style alternatif/post punk, c'est un album avec de bonnes sonorités bien saturées et des paroles planantes.

5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Liked but didn't love.

Not my favorite album on the list by far, but I'm surprised by just how negative a lot of the reviews are. It's perfectly fine background music.

Announcer (male voice reminiscent of a 50s voice actor): Has this ever happened to you? *Image of two very cleanly dressed children in a basement music room, harsh lighting. 8-year-old Jenny, with a flowery dress, is playing a very jangly tambourine. 10-year-old Davey, with his hair combed very straight and wearing a striped polo, has an acoustic guitar in his hands and sounds too crisp and clean. Both children have very sullen looks on their faces* *Cut to mom in the corner looking exasperated and shaking her head like she doesn't know what to do.* Anouncer: Tired of your musical instruments sounding to clean, crisp, and melodical? *Brief image of Davey now on piano playing a weird, clunky, but clean-toned melody* Announcer: Does your singing voice sound dull and lifeless? *Cut to Jenny singing a flat, out-of-tune melody without reverb.* Announcer: Well, have I got the ticket for you! Just add FUZZ to it! Yes! FUZZ is the answer to all your problems! * M B V – My Bloody Valentine music starts to fade in.* Add FUZZ to that boring, clean-sounding bass! Got too much jangle in that acoustic guitar? Add a whole lot of FUZZ, and now it sounds way cool, man. How about that pesky snare drum? Does it just not have enough gravel in it? Dial in a ton of FUZZ to fix it right up! You can add FUZZ to absolutely anything! Add it to your tambourine! How about your favorite keyboard parts? You can even bury your vocals in FUZZ! And if you act now, we'll throw in REVERB! Yes, you can now let your vocals drown in REVERB! Don't forget to add some FUZZ to that REVERB for an added grungey effect. You can even throw it onto your guitars and drums, too! *Next is a shot of staring down at a pair of worn-in black Chuck Taylors. Zoom back to reveal the kids in a darkly lit, foggy basement with their new sound . Davey's hair has grown messy and long over his face, his skinny jeans way too tight for anyone, and is now playing a Fender Jazzmaster hung down by his knees. Jenny's in bad cutoff shorts and Ugg boots, with her hair now dark in a super dated and lopsided hairdo and overly long bangs, is now playing a dirty sounding synthisizer. Both kids staring at their feet.* *Shot of mom now in a scene-girl outfit that she shouldn't be wearing at her age, is looking pleased, gives a big thumbs up and a smile to the camera* Announcer: Yes! Get FUZZ and REVERB today, put it on everything, and bury any sense of harmony and melody in all of your music! *Finishes out with the sound of M B V blaring incoherent, sorta chord driven I think, white noise at the audience*

I thought it was alright, but nothing stood out to me.

one of those bands I know the name but have never really listened to. Kind of noise punk/pop. Spacey. Sonic Youth-ish. It's alright.

i d c

Here we have a genre that I am completely unable to put my finger on. My Bloody Valentine fills a hole that I don't think I have. It's very much a soundscape, with most of the tracks being filled with an air of music, more-so than specific melodies or beats. And the vocals play a background to the forefront of sound. That being said, I think I'd be alright listening to this again. Outside of a couple tracks, mainly the final one, being a bit too outside of the box for me, the rest here is generally alright. Highlight: new you Lowlight: wonder 2

it was good, maybe i wasnt in the mood but definitely will need to revisit.

Not really for me but I thought it sounded ok

I feel like I get it but I also don't....some songs I thought were fantastic and some I couldn't stand.

cocteau twins but make it gloomy. i've heard of mbv but never listened to them before.

This was just okay for me. Vaguely familiar even though I'm sure I've never heard it before. I may never listen to it again.

Not wholly unpleasant mush

Oh golly. I’ve been listening to a lot of shoegaze on my own time lately, so it’s probably a good time to get this as homework. I wasn’t blown away, but it sounded surprisingly relevant and modern for a band who’s been doing it since the 80s and took 15 years to record this (12 years ago). Maybe shoegaze is one of those genres that just - nah, nevermind, I’ve listened to plenty of older shoegaze records that don’t stand up anymore. Listen, good on them for nailing this. I wish more songs had defined percussive guitar melodies like “only tomorrow”, without things like that shoegaze starts to kinda run together a bit. Like I said, not blown away but if someone told me MBV was their favorite band, I don’t think I’d judge them too much.

Dark indie rock with a touch of wave.

Anders als ich es mir vorgestellt hatte

She Found Now - 2/5 Only Tomorrow - 5/5 Who Sees You - 4/5 Is This and Yes - 2/5 If I Am - 4/5 New You - 4/5 In Another Way - 3/5 Nothing Is - 1/5 (what the actual fuck was that?) Wonder 2 - 4/5 Average score: 3.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ as a fan of their previous two albums, i hoped i would be a fan of this release as well. unfortunately, i don't think i quite love this, at least not yet it's got all the distorted droning guitars and haunting vocals that i'd come to expect from them. however, in some tracks it's almost too much? like, they feel too long and too aimless. aside from maybe one song, nothing really stood out all that much like their past releases did after 20+ years since Loveless, i think it's to be expected that the quality wouldn't quite compare, so i'm not all that bummed this didn't click for me. maybe with more listens this will grow on me, who knows

Maybe a bit less sludgy than some of their earlier work. Still pretty moody and murky, mind.

Favorite Track: who sees you

Ok ig

Dreamy vibes

Enjoyed! bloody noise but if thats what the kids are into then who am I to say no. Will check more out

Shoegaze innit?! This got old fast. But not bad. 3

Not bad.

Positief versast nooit echt naar geluisterd. Beetje emo shoegazy ofs. Niet mn favoriete band maar opzich wel leuk

I don’t dislike it. Feels like the type of thing that would take a few listens to “click”.

it was aight

I enjoyed this quite a bit. Wears out its welcome a bit toward the end but overall positive. This was melodic enough to avoid sinking into a lot of the boredom and fuzz I generally associate with shoegaze.

The music might be interesting, but the many layers of thick, murky fuzz ensure that the final product is nothing more than tolerable.

I don’t think that this is groundbreaking and having listened to this about four or five times between Feb and June 2026 it hasn’t really grown on me

A band I'd heard of, and had an impression of what it might sound like, but never sat down and listened to. (I saw '2013' as year of release, and had no idea of chronology - didn't know this was released 20 yrs after their previous album - I've read more since then.) In summary I find the sounds/styles generally not unappealing, but some of the songs are misses, lightweight and/or tedious. Favourite song: "nothing is" (one-chord minimalism actually effective :-). Overall I'd say it's Okay, 6/10.

Four stars!

I must say that I appreciate the special trademark sound that my bloody valentine has, that makes them really recognizable amongst other shoegaze bands. In general, this album really consolidates their sound and overall is pretty good. Best songs: "only tomorrow", "is this and yes", "new you"

Not sure why this one didn't quite feel as groundbreaking as Loveless. It was good. But maybe I just didn't have years of listens for this one.

Didn't really think much of it initially. Then "who sees you" came on and it REALLY hit the spot!

Pretty chill

Interesting but needs repeat listens

So this is shoegaze! So much reverb. I did like some songs but I wasted my time listening to “nothing is”, which is literally just the same section repeated for 3 whole minutes. That turned me off from the rest of the listening experience. (2.5-3)

‘m b v drifts along as a calm, cohesive shoegaze haze that almost functions as one extended track.’

Mágico, angelical, ruidoso pero sin sentirse “too much”.

My Bloody Valentine's comeback after a 20 year hiatus was certainly a welcome one, continuing their legacy after basically disappearing after dropping the legendary Loveless. While m b v isn't quite at that same level (but to be fair, what is?), it still serves as a decently intriguing comeback. The record is dripping with those lovely crunchy guitar atmospheres Kevin Shields exploited. The biggest praise I can give this album is that it feels like a My Bloody Valentine album, which is invaluable when fans have gotten no new material for two decades. So many artists that make comebacks decades after their peaks often fail to capture the same magic that made them so memorable in the first place, so seeing m b v at the very least be reminiscent of their original work is all I could really ask for. My biggest criticism of the record is that it lacks the pop songwriting sensibilities that made their early work transcend noise. Loveless wasn't just great because of its beautiful textures, but for how seamlessly it was able to incorporate thick noisy layers into super catchy pop tunes. m b v feels a bit more like if My Bloody Valentine made an early Cocteau Twins album, which isn't awful, but certainly not my ideal. Only Tomorrow is one of the few tracks that mimics their original style more closely, and I'd probably say it's the best on the record. Am I saying this record needs to be exactly like their old work or else it's worthless? Definitely not, there's still plenty to enjoy here, I just think the album as a whole lacks a tiny bit of excitement. m b v could have been much worse though, and I'm glad we got a little bit more My Bloody Valentine to add to the rotation. There's still plenty of great textures to get lost in, and the record still lives in the upper-echelon of Shoegaze records as a whole.

Alternative dream pop at it's best