Isn't Anything

Ik zet dit album aan en ik merk aanvankelijk wat tegenzin. Ik heb hier eigenlijk niet echt zin in vandaag. Ik begin aan dit album via de speakers, maar besluit toch maar te wisselen naar de headset voor de optimale ervaring. En dan staat het een tijdje aan en dan verandert de gruizige bak herrie toch in iets wat ik wel graag luister. Onder de gruis zit een heerlijke laag melancholie die ik lekker vind. Zo'n half tot driekwart emo-zangertje met af en toe een kleurrijk CKV meisje erbij. Wat overlap met moderne bands als Ovlov en Drug Church, maar dan wat dromeriger. Een drummer die heerlijk bezig is op sommige tracks. Het is tegelijk soort van muziek voor softies maar ook kneiterhard. Ik vind dit op een gekke manier een beetje een verslavend geluid. Ja jullie lezen het goed: De man die te pas en te onpas zeikt over schelle bendes vindt dit een verslavend geluid. Ik weet niet hoe of waarom en ik voel me een beetje een snob, maar ik ga 5 sterren uitdelen hiervoor.

Groupe légendaire indie. J'aimerais pouvoir me transporter dans le temps à la fin des années 80 pour les voir en show.

Waaay ahead of their time. I'm going to give this another few listens.

first masterpiece

this is traumaqueer music. i won't elaborate on that or belabor the point—i feel like if you know, you know, y'Know?—but i'd still be remiss not to mention it at all because it was, like, my Revelation halfway through the album. full-on Epiphany. lightbulb over my head and shit, it was cartoonish. so here we have a record as intimate and horny and lovestruck as it is leering, desperate… Obsessive and Neurotic. it's kind of bpd music as well, actually. there's a lot of overlap, probably, between these two not-genres of music that i just made the fuck up on the spot. i digress. lyrically, the album keeps oscillating between a sort of intense sexuality (soft as snow, lose my breath, feed me with your kiss) and debilitating dissociation (you're still in a dream, several girls galore, i can't feel it). i like how both themes seem to make the other feel That much more disquieting. and it's interesting, too, because sonically the record is pretty bright and airy, at least in arrangement. there are Pop hooks on this thing. the track where Kevin Shields croons the word "suicide"—like forty fucking times—is Catchy. not to get all watchmojo-youtube-video-top-10-happy-sounding-songs-that-are-actually-depressing on you or anything. i mean, firstly, i don't know if i Would call the songs "happy sounding" (the evocative and noisy production, i think, unlocks some other emotion whose name is known to neither God nor Man). i don't even think i'd call these lyrics "depressing" either, actually. it feels like there's something Reclamatory, almost, in the album's tonal incongruities, though i can't quite put my finger on it. i suppose my only "evidence," as it were, is anecdotal: i don't Find this thing to be a depressing listen. okay, well, no more sorry is a bit Intense; that one Was a depressing listen. it's also like the best song on the album. it Did make me a little nauseous. it happens. but otherwise, yeah, i don't know! it feels more cleansing than anything—vacuuming up (because it's the vacuum band haha lol) all the fucked up bits of my dumbshit brain and soaking them in fuzz and reverb and whatever the hell else until they're unrecognizable. that is, to me, pretty valuable. and i'm Also several girls galore. so i appreciate the representation.

Obvious classic, innovative, beautiful and strange. In my cd collection.

Marvellous

Highlight Song/s: Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside), Cupid Come and Sueisfine This is one of my favourite albums of all time - probably Top 10 but not certain. It is a pretty eclectic album with the Dream pop songs (Lose My Breath and No More Sorry,) the punk-esque (Sueisfine and When You Wake) and the really noisy ones (Cupid Come, Feed Me, Several Girls and All I Need.) Their combination of noise and pop is nothing short of marvelous. How they use the voice as an instrument is pretty unique. I love how that most of the songs are so blissful yet so grating to the ears. They have such an original sound.

Actual favorite album so far.

10/10 no notes

A classic (obviously not THE classic) from one of my favorite bands. When I first heard this, after 20 or so obsessive listens to loveless, I felt disappointed by the difference between the two albums. On revisit, though, it stands on its own as a truly great album.

I never actually listened to the whole album before. It's definitely easier to listen than Loveless but because of that, also way less intense. There are some absolutely brilliant tracks though, and just knowing where mbv went from there make me appreciate Isn't Anything A LOT.

Based

A great debut. I might prefer Loveless but this still has its merits!

What I really appreciate about this album is how MBV’s dreamy, disorienting sounds and noises take center stage. At the same time, I’ve always felt it carries a subtle punk edge, which adds another layer to its appeal.

Yes yes yes :) genius

Prefer loveless but still well ooft

my bloody valentine's tracks seem to always be there for your life's worst moments. if you're remotely moody in any way, mbv's pure auditory sludge rock will be a light in a pillar of darkness. with incredibly hazy and mindboggling tracks, this debut album from the group is a treat to listen to. some of the production techniques, and notably some of the tricks with the guitars make this album really stand out, especially for the time. good lord.

My Bloody Valentine, I wouldn't say they are my favorite shoegaze band, but you gotta admit that they are creative and skillful. This album is not their best, not so melodic, not so well structured, more noisy and primitive. I like noise rock; it's a pleasure listening to this, and oh dear, it gets better. Personally? It would be nicer if there were fewer vocals to make more room for instrumentation, but anyway, it deserves a decent 4.5/5 (and higher when you are used to shoegaze).

Before this, I was 95% sure mbv were Scottish - which would have given them 6 stars! The vocals are buried in the mix, the guitars are messed up and distorted, the bass is (often) fuzzy and almost out of time; but it all works flawlessly

I love this too. The guitars sound amazing. No idea why I haven't checked this out before.

One of my favourite records! It has a bit more raw energy then loveless and I always liked it a bit more.

The debut LP from my favourite facemelters. The perfect balance between experimentation and headnodding catchiness, what’s not to love?

una vaina así iqqqq pre-shoegaze 🥶🥶🥶🔥. High 9/10.

Everyone (rightfully) hypes up Loveless, but this album also deserves heaps and heaps of praise. Less shoegaze than what came after, it's really fun to see MBV in more of a traditional indie rock sphere. The AA cut of this vinyl is simply incredible as well.

While being innovative and inspiring, this album is a band still in a chrysalis of its own creation. Historians might say my bloody valentine isn't anything...yet. But in the moment of its release, I can only imagine how revelatory this sounded and felt. It must've felt like they were something already.

One o’ da best fuggin bands of all time. Precursor to the greatest ‘bum of the 90s

I have only listened to loveless by mbv, but if I didn't know better I would have guess that this was an early slowdive album. A lot of people here are complaining about this having too much distortion. I am surprised it didn't have more, this album was a lot closer to the dreamy side of shoegaze than I expected. Anyways this album is great. I am definitely going to need to give this a couple more listens to fully appreciate it.

Need to listen to this one again; haven't since high school

for folks that loved this, loveless is generally regarded as their best album. this album is such a beautiful entry into the shoegaze genre with some minor hiccups in production quality.

MBV MBV MBV: I swear to god I am going to sacrifice my past self for slandering Loveless and do mbv the justice they deserve. This is the debut album of the shoegaze band and lord this was amazing. I thought I hated the sound but the satisfying guitar chords paired with that aura that makes you just zone out from life and have the illusion you are watching everything go past with no sense of time, an existential crisis in an album. From the start with the odd acoustic guitar sections but then going into the beautiful wall of sound. This album is a high four but just for the band, it's a five.

Great album, not Loveless but still amazing.

I really love shoegaze so how can I not give this album a 5? I still haven't heard a band that really does what MBV does. This is a lot more lofi and raw than Loveless but the songs and energy are just as vital.

My Bloody Valentine's "Isn't Anything" is nothing short of a groundbreaking masterpiece that shattered the boundaries of conventional rock music upon its release in 1988. This album stands as a landmark moment in the evolution of alternative and shoegaze music, pushing the boundaries of sound and production to create a transcendent sonic experience. From the very first track, "Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)," the listener is thrust into a swirling whirlwind of soundscapes that defy traditional song structures. The dreamy, ethereal vocals of Bilinda Butcher blend seamlessly with the dense, swirling layers of Kevin Shields' guitar work, creating a lush and hypnotic sonic landscape that is both captivating and immersive. "Lose My Breath" and "No More Sorry" showcase the band's ability to craft irresistible pop melodies within a wall of noise, making for an exhilarating and emotionally charged listening experience. One of the standout tracks on the album, "Feed Me with Your Kiss," encapsulates the essence of "Isn't Anything." The song's relentless, distorted guitar riffs and whispered vocals create an atmosphere of raw sensuality and sonic chaos, drawing the listener deeper into the album's mesmerizing vortex. The production on "Isn't Anything" is as much a part of the album's magic as the music itself. Kevin Shields, along with co-producer Colm Ó Cíosóig, pushed the boundaries of studio recording techniques, utilizing layers of feedback, tremolo, and reverb to create a dense and immersive sonic palette. This production approach was pioneering for its time and has had a profound influence on countless bands and producers in the years that followed. While "Isn't Anything" may be known for its sonic experimentation, it also features moments of introspection and vulnerability. Tracks like "All I Need" and "Several Girls Galore" showcase the band's ability to balance the dreamy with the intimate, adding depth and emotional resonance to the album. My Bloody Valentine's "Isn't Anything" is an album that demands to be experienced rather than just heard. It's a sonic journey that takes the listener to otherworldly realms, challenging the boundaries of what music can be. More than three decades after its release, it remains a timeless and influential work of art that continues to inspire and captivate both musicians and fans alike. If you haven't experienced the transcendent beauty and raw power of "Isn't Anything," it's high time you did.

A good listen. Maybe not as defining as Loveless but it's still in my re-listen list.

The kings of shoegaze. I forgot just how good this is. I tend to jump straight to Loveless when listening to MBV and it has been years since I last listened to this, but it still stands the test of time. Fuzzy, experimental, noisey, it’s the perfect introduction to shoegaze / dream rock / whatever you want to call it. And it leads perfectly to Loveless - you can hear where the ideas are formed and then they really just run with it. Soft as snow / feed me with a kiss / you never should / several girls galore are my highlights, but really it’s all great

MBV never had a bad album. Their first LP shows signs of their post-punk origins., with clear(er) vocals and an aggressive take on their noise like Sonic Youth, yet still takes the dreamy poppy elements established by Jesus & the Mary Chain. It's warm and employs clever use of the wall of sound that very little other artists could attain to such expertise and with so much experimentation (done right). 12 songs and they all stand out. It's a consistent sound, but yet there's always something peculiar going on that intrigues me and grabs my attention. Starts very strong with some slow catchy songs that give you a good taste of what they're capable of while being ear worms driving you further into the album. The next 3 songs show their more ethereal side, really cranking up the distortion. The second half goes on the opposite end of the spectrum with full-on punk, which they would abandon by Loveless. Which I can understand, considering that although they were all good, I was not as impressed as the first half. "I Can See It" is a nostalgic and satisfying closer. Loveless is on another realm of an art form. But for a record that had an outstanding influence on the shoegazing genre, it's everything I could ask for.

Classic MBV album. OK, Loveless is a bit better, while Isn't Anything is perhaps a bit more accessible. Both albums have a great sound and are very melodic, but it might take a while before one discovers the melodies. They're definitely not suited for the tight 1-album-per-day regime of the 1001albums generator, and due to this surely have a much lower rating than they should have.

Very underrated compared to its sequel, and I may actually prefer it. Melodies less suffocated so easier to pick apart. More lo-fi too which has its charms. Dig how lyrically they link the physical with divinely precious emotions.

5 stars for cupid cone if I’m being honest.

Lika bra som loveless

i loooove mbv, this album is dreamy & was especially nice to listen to on the first day of fall

soft as snow (but warm inside) - 6/10 lose my breath - 7/10 cupid come - 7/10 (when you wake) you're still on a dream - 8/10 no more sorry - 10/10 all i need - 9/10 feed me with your kiss - 10/10 sueisfine - 10/10 several girls galore - 10/10 you never should - 10/10 nothing much to lose - 10/10 i can see it (but i can't feel it) - 10/10

Jammed full of ideas and sounds and textures. Sounds like discovery

Being a huga fan of Loveless which is one of my favorite albums ever, I was pleasantly surprised by how abrasive and noisy this album was. THe melodies and heavy guitar riffs really sold me throughout the album. I also love how easily listening the vocals are on this album in compared to other works. Great lyrics as well which was a plus and expected. Overall easy 9/10

Absolutely gorgeous, I love MBV's style so much!

My bloody favourites, to be played as loud as your ears can take.

This is old school post-punk and goth, and i fucking love it. this band has so much history and influence on so many genres, and their music is so amazing. Right along there with the smiths, I rate this band in the highest regards for their music. on this album, "Sueisfine", "Nothing Much to Lose" and "Cupid Come" are easily the best tracks on the album.

I don't know if I have enough internal strife to fully appreciate this.

Damn, het album voor loveless, ik had niet verwacht dat er meer dan 1 album ging in de lijst staan. Zalig hoe ongemakkelijk dit met momenten klinkt en hoe steen goed op andere momenten. Ik had hier nog nooit naar geluisterd, glad I did

Not bad shoegaze music but you have to be in the right frame of mind to absorb it imho

A classic but doesn’t touch the album that followed.

Awesome

3.5

least favourite mbv album still goated

Love MBV

heck yeah that rocked, even if I had to go to YouTube to listen to it. I loved the guitars and the dramatic vibes across the record. 7/10

This is the third MBV album I've heard on this list and it might have been my favourite.. I quite like the more ethereal, dream-pop like tracks such as Lose My Breath and All I Need, which provide a nice change of pace vs. the roaring noise. This was intriguing and might make me revisit Loveless given that's generally considered their classic

Great record, it's no Limp Bizkit, but it'll do.

Good to play loud enough that you fugue out

7/10

I was only aware of Heartless before hearing this and although I had to dig around on YouTube to find it I was blown away. I've always loved the fuzzy sounds of Shoegaze but this has some very nice melodies in place behind the wall of noise. Putting those together is pretty enjoyable.

daphne opioid soundtrack

All about the textures and tones, which can be range from dreamy to punishing, blissful to aggressive, psychedelic to punky, cerebral to primitive. Its rawer than the follow-up Loveless, and not as strong imo (the more straightforward vocals on this one don’t work as well for me) - but it’s still unique, catchy, confusing; and transports you to another land where aliens play effects pedals through their guitars.

kinda of noisy. not my type

The album builds and improves as it goes, as if the band were finding their voice through the recording process. It's not as good as Loveless, obviously, but it's still a cool record.

Really impressive debut. Guitars sound so damn cool, vocals sit crazy well on top, revolutionary for the genre, two thumbs up. Closer to a 5 than a 3.

Clearly not a patch on Loveless but you can tell the building blocks are there. At times it is a tough listen but it gets better as the album goes on and the last 3 tracks are all winners.

YES, YES, YES

Great. cool, experimental! I was very surprised.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this but it was quite surprising. My kind of experimental, it feels kinda ahead of its time. Interesting instrumentals and vocals, not everything got me but it kept me going.

Meh.

Almost classic

my bloody valentine’s weird and wonderful world of noise. Perhaps not as fully realised as loveless but still a great bold statement of a record

The first song or two didn’t grab me, but boy does this thing build into something fantastic. It’s noisy and beautiful. I will definitely be checking out more.

Actually, better than Loveless

Crisp. Harsh. Excellent.

Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside) - 3.5/5 Lose My Breath - 4/5 Cupid Come - 4/5 (When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream - 4.5/5 No More Sorry - 3/5 All I Need - 3/5 Feed Me With Your Kiss - 4/5 Sueisfine - 4/5 Several Girls Galore - 3.5/5 You Should Never - 4/5 Nothing Much to Lose - 4/5 I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It) - 4/5 It took me a few tracks but I finally caught on to what shoegaze is. It's a surprising mix of new wave and grunge with maybe a little more noise rock-ish sounds than I'm used to. Whatever. I got the gist of it. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: You're Still in a Dream

Its no Loveless, but still a shoegaze classic

muy emocional, a medida que fue avanzando el album me fue gustando cada vez mas. lo volveria a escuchar.

Не такий захопливий, як їхній наступний альбом, і мені він місцями провисає. Проте є дуже хороші пісні та стиль на місці.

This is probably the most cacophonous music that I like

I liked m b v, and I like this, but I really think one album from this group would be enough for the list since it’s pretty much the same thing. Maybe Loveless will blow my socks off later but I feel like the novelty has worn off a bit. Context aside, I love the atmosphere of this album, it’s rich, it’s expansive, yet also intimate. There’s a wonderful ambient track near the middle that really captivated me, I think it’s called All I Need. The shimmering, yet indistinguishable guitars feel like a massive ocean with giant roaring waves, while the lo-fi, gentle vocals and subtle soft beats rest lightly on top like a meager sailboat, navigating its way through. It evokes that feeling of smallness unique yet ubiquitous to everyone who’s looked up at the stars and considered the incomprehensible scale of the world and beyond. I’m less enthused on some of the rock tracks, but they’re still great and much better than most other rock albums we’ve had to trudge through. Though there are tracks I’m indifferent on, there’s enough to appreciate here that makes this a 4.

really cool with some excellent moments. "Sue is Fine", "You Never Should", and "I Can See It" my faves

I was very much looking forward to listening to this as i LOOVE Loveless. This really sounds like the demos before Loveless. That aside, this is a more easy listen for most people and for most moods I think. Some song elements are pretty rough, but the sound is amazing here too. God damn this shields guy knows how to make guitars sound ethereal

I loved the absolute rawness of this album.

I had heard Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside) before and it's quite jarring and led me to think that Loveless was the more accessible album. However, as an opening track it's not fully representative of the sound of the album.

This is fucking awesome. Its like a more grunge focused MBV, but still with a lot of the shoegaze I was expecting. Such a cool album arc. They hadn't reached full form yet, but that's very cool to listen to in anticipation to Loveless. I'm feeling Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, Tim Hecker, Cocteau Twins, and even M83 sometimes.

I liked it but I couldn’t find it on Spotify so I had to resort to YouTube and did not finish it all the way

Early shoegaze album from MBV that packed a punch back in '88. Still sounds pretty good even now and led to their follow up Loveless.

Good 👍🏻

I don’t know why I waited so long to listen to MBV! It’s a little Pixies-ish and I’m into it.

Groovy. Post. Rock.

I wouldn’t have said this was my thing before, but I loved it.

Overall: 7/10 This is probably their most accessible album. Whether or not that's a good thing is up to you, but I kind of dig it! Fav Song: I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It)

Album No. 0145 on my list. Nice, my first My Bloody Valentine album on this list. I am a huge fan of “Loveless”, but for some reason I had never explored their music any further, so this was a completely fresh listen to me. And what can I say? “Isn’t Anything” is a pretty good album! I could identify a lot of similarities to “Loveless”, whereby “Isn’t Anything” does actually sound more like an 80s album - the whole rock sound really changed during the three years between the two albums. “Isn’t Anything” exhibits a more catchy pop sound compared to its predecessor, but lacks some of the energy of “Loveless”. And it misses the using-your-voice-as-an-instrument idea of that one. Still, very good shoegaze stuff: noise, dreaminess, introspection - good stuff! I will add “Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)”, “Lose My Breath”, “Cupid Come”, and “(When You Wake) You’re Still In A Dream” to my playlist. This is my 3rd favorite shoegaze album, after “Loveless”, and Slowdive’s “Souvlaki” 4/5 stars!

Loveless is the big MBV album, and don’t think I’d listened to this before. More of a Ride and Lush fan back in the day but think MBV output has aged better. Highlights ethereal Lose My Breath and the heavier more straightforward You’re Still In A Dream and Feed Me With Your Kiss. Poppier (but still noisy) You Never Should. Like a lot of the genre lyrics hard to decipher. Layered noise and sometimes melody. I would expect this would sound great on a proper sound system rather than on my work issue headphones. Closer to a 4 than a 5.

This doesn't perfect the noisy but ethereal paradox in the way that Loveless would, but lays down a good Marker.

Pretty good! I don't really know their music

Liked that.

Didn't listen to everything in it but I don't think it what I was looking for

Good stuff

I really liked this I just wish it was mixed differently

The right music for the mood I wanted to be in.

Getting past the first two tracks it is closer to what I like. This is the right side of interesting but listenable that stuff like neutral milk hotel is on. A minority of the tracks are toeing the wrong side of the line for me, similar to other experimental genre breaking albums

It's a powerful demonstration of their ability to make incredible sounds and droney music from only guitars and effects with pedals, all blended in a compilation of songs that hit hard and makes you travel into a new dimension. Absolutely recommended.

The first one of these I couldn’t find on streaming. Luckily I own the 2018 fully analog reissue of this on vinyl - and hadn’t had an occasion to bust it out til now! I would say this is a lot more melodic and less scuzzy than I expected based on the reviews here. I need to spend more time with this but think I could grow to love it.

I had never listened to more than 1 song on this album before, but man this was very ahead of its time and sounds nothing like anything else happening in 1988. I don't think anyone realized guitars could sound like this. There is definitely a star here for sheer innovation - not all the songs here are equally good and a few of the noisy moments can get pretty noisy (it is MBV after all) but the highs are very high. I actually like the acoustic-tinged ones the best, and think Lose Your Breath is the high point for me. But this established a sound that became often imitated but probably never duplicated. Guitars go with out saying, the drumming is great too, but the standout is the female vocals and I think what really puts the icing on the cake. We'll get to Loveless at some point but really impressed with this overall.

I got both MBV albums on days where I am frantically cooking something for a party in the kitchen while I listen and can barely focus. It's beautiful though. More punk rock on this one than Loveless but still a lot of spacey noisey stuff. Will revisit when they figure their Spotify shit out.

Fantastic layered sonic mix with great ambitious musicianship.

Oh, for crissakes, Bob... MBV only had three actual albums and you picked this one? Everybody knows that "Loveless" is the album you should hear before you die. EVERYBODYYYYYY!!!!!

4 out of 5. Good album and it makes me happy to know shoegaze gets better over the years.

Ah, ça change des albums dont on se demande ce qu'ils font dans cette liste. C'est donc le fondement de la shoegaze et je dois dire que c'est super intéressant, assez bizarre et expérimental, mais j'ai beaucoup aimé, même si c'est assez déroutant. Mais je me le suis mis de côté, parce que c'était trop cool.

Hypnotic, comfortable, and my vibe

Rock chaos. In a good way. I really enjoyed it, but I don't see myself listening to it a lot. Still, this has to be one of the albums everyone listens to. 4/5

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's so weird to find out that my bloody valentine has released three albums. Like — only three? At the same time, it feels like they should have released more **and** less. On the one hand, the size of their impact makes it feel like they should have released more albums. Like, when I was younger and reading about 'loveless', I kind of always assumed there were plenty of others I just never heard about, but I'm sure the hardcore fans knew well. But then on the other side, it **does** sort of feel like they just dropped 'loveless' and then disappeared into the void. They invented shoegaze, and once that was accomplished they simply ceased to exist. Before 'm b v' it **was** the only one I'd ever heard about, so it wouldn't have surprised me to find out they were a one-album wonder. And I suppose in many regards they still are, but they don't have just one album to their name. And I feel like I can accept that 'm b v' exists. Y'know, the legendary shoegaze band reunites decades later to grace the world with one more record. To be clear, they **had** released a few EPs after 'loveless', but as for big projects, there was nothing until 'm b v'. And I can get behind it as a "legacy album," y'know? Comin' back to prove they still got it. That makes total sense to me, and if their discography stopped at just these two albums I'd fully accept it. But they don't have only two. They have three. And for a second, it was just sort of hard for me to accept that 'loveless' was **not** their first album. I mean, you hardly think about what happened before the Big Bang, right? But then I guess even **that** had to come from **something**, so... I'll tell you up front, the strangest thing about 'isn't anything' (at least to me) is how ... normal it is? In comparison to 'loveless' and what shoegaze is, anyway. This album feels a lot more typical of how alternative rock probably sounded back in the late 1980's. I'm very certain that if I was given this album without being told it was by my bloody valentine, I would've had a bit of a hard time guessing it was them, even with 'loveless' in mind. Which isn't to say you can't hear any of 'loveless' in this album. There are quite a few spots where the guitars fuzz out and the singer gets a bit drowned out by the noise and I go, "Yeah, no, this is that same band." It's just clearly a primordial version of what they'd eventually go on to achieve. And that's not a bad thing, I wanna stress. I realize that it's kind of unfair to keep comparing it to 'loveless'. It's such a towering record in the world of un-mainstream music, there's really no way you could escape its shadow. How could I rag this album for being in 'loveless''s shadow when 'isn't anything' could run for miles and still be in the dark? And I don't think I have been ragging it, but still. It's just ... way more conventional than I've come to expect from this group, and it took me a second to adjust. But once I did, I'll tell you, for what this album is, it's pretty good. It won't blow your mind the same way something like 'loveless' would, but as far as late 80's alternative rock goes, I liked it a fair bit. Mostly on a vibes level, I should say; I figured it'd be a fool's errand to try and pay attention to the lyrics, so I took the album entirely on its soundscape. There's a few spots where it drags a little, but on the whole, yeah, it's a good time. I'd say if you're not into how hard 'loveless' goes, you might enjoy how much more traditionally alternative this thing is. And that does it for the trilogy of my bloody valentine albums. If there's any takeaway I have from finally dealing with this album, I guess it'd be that while I'm not surprised 'loveless' is pretty much the only one people remember, I think there's some merit to be found in the other two albums. For sure, it's absolutely an acquired taste; I'm not recommending these to the feint of heart or feint of butt. However, if you can gel with 'loveless', you'll probably find a lot to enjoy about these records. I sort of doubt I'll ever come back to 'em, but at the very least I can say I appreciate 'em. By far, too, they've made some of the best shoegaze I've heard from this list — and that isn't anything to spit at. (Now if only I could figure out how the '87 'My Bloody Valentine' film and its 2009 remake fit into things~...)

Sounds a lot like your more traditional 80's alternative, but on some tracks, you can hear the seeds for what would eventually blossom into their Loveless-era sound. Solid 4 Stars.

I’m at a 4. I mean, it just feels like a less polished version of “Loveless”. That’s my first & most immediate impression, but I’ll be fair to them, since this is their first album. “m b v” would probably get a 4 from me if I relistened to it nowadays, so I think this lines up just fine. A lot of the DNA of what would make “Loveless” work is here, it’s just not as refined – lots of louder, overwhelming instrumentation that feels closer to a poorly mixed version of a Sonic Youth track as opposed to the brand of shoegaze they’d make famous in ‘91. A lot of the ‘80s production quirks are still here, including some drum machine use & gated reverb drums, but those same quirks lead to a fuzzier & more “buzzy” sound overall, often too reminiscent of “Psychocandy”’s overused & overblown wall of sound, though thankfully not as bad here. It is the production that ultimately drags this thing down, along with a litany of other little things that build up – a few middling intros, some overly loud outros (why the fuck did “Cupid Come” need to do that?), a little too much white noise at points, and a few moments where the emotional tone of the instrumental doesn’t vibe as well with the vocal / lyrical tone (most apparent on “Several Girls Galore”, at least to me). I’m still at a 4 because I did happen to enjoy a lot of this, and most of what I mentioned are things they would clean up more fruitfully by “Loveless”. Again, there’s a little bit of a pass since it’s a debut studio album. The floor here is probably a 2 if those production eccentricities are too much of a boon, and I’d honestly call it fair. This is closer to a 3.5 bumped up to a 4 as opposed to a flat 4 for me, but I think it’s still enjoyable if you have some kind of acquired taste for shoegaze. I do think it’s the least polished of the My Bloody Valentine albums we’ve gotten, but again, it’s their first one. There’s 9 solid to great tracks here & 3 that outright didn’t work for me, but I guess 9/12 isn’t a bad mark to hit. Hence, a 4, and one I’d say is worth listening to (though it should definitely be after you hear Loveless, just to get a better feel for it). I dunno if it HAD to be on the list, but I’m not opposed to it being here.

this was good, each of their albums has a different style, this was quality though

Not too familiar with this band but sort of recognized a few songs I may have heard while doing some research on the shoegaze craze. Would like to have seen them live.

I was very surprised to see this album on the list, pleasantly surprised, but I came in expecting to see low scores. I do like this album a lot, and I'm giving it four stars, but it's extremely uneven. There's maybe three or four very good tracks, and a similar number that just seem to miss the mark. Once I got to the end, I felt the need to go and listen to Loveless again, and it's almost jarring how much better the production is. While Loveless is close to perfection, Isn't Anything just feels out of focus slightly. It's like you're tuning into an obscure radio channel and it keeps going out of tune a little, you retune and it gets better for a bit, but then it shifts again, and before you know it, you're listening to static.

Rough around the edges but overall pretty great. The production is a little muddled but I think that's part of the charm. The overall vibe is like a warm melancholy and sounding just a little out of focus. Like the Pixies this feels ahead of it's time and hugely influential to the alt-rock scene that would spring up in the 90s and even the emo scene that followed after. I'm eager to hear their other albums.

The right kind of noisy.

"Loveless" will always be the album I think of when I think of My Bloody Valentine. It's a bold and unique example of shoegaze where drones completely take over the soundscape. "Isn't Anything" is a comparatively modest debut album. It feels more rooted in sad indie rock like The Smiths until the drones slowly take over. It's potentially the more interesting album as you can see the evolution of the band more clearly. Their later work would lean into the MBV sound, but here it's being created and fleshed out. It makes it a bit more accessible as well as more varied. I can't easily say that one is better than the other but I do really like the purity of "Loveless" which gives it an edge. It's definitely interesting to explore how they got there though.

Pre-Loveless MBV is slightly more awake and coherent but still furiously pushing that highly influential art rock button. I often wonder if Bilinda Butchers voice is so hidden and hazy because she simply can’t sing very well. If that’s the case, then they accidentally stumbled upon a crazy cool genre of music because of it. It’s reminiscent of Michael Stipe’s unsure mumble in Murmur. Kevin Shields’ voice is way more confident, as is his super forward thinking production. The amazing melodies in these songs don’t stand out on first listen since there is so much haze to this music. Though I’m not obsessed with MBV, I totally get why people are. They were the inspiration for my favorite bands to eventually rip off. Fun note: this is the first album I’ve come across that is not on Apple Music, but I already have it and know it, so it was a nice revisit from an old school, already downloaded to the laptop listening experience.

My favourite valentine of all the valentines ❤️

вайбово.

i just wish it was noisier

Sonic Youth probably had a good wank listening to this in 88. Great album that clearly left an impression on early nineties indie rock.

Finally, an album that isn't available on Spotify as of writing this (10/30/25). My Bloody Valentine's debut record sets the stage for the shoe gaze sound that would define their next record, but on this record, the approach is slightly different. I can certainly hear Bliinda and Kevin's vocals clearer and even decipher words. I never thought I would see the day. I don't care for the opener too much, but afterwards, the rest of the album after two listens serves a good purpose. It gets refreshing after some time and I could start to jam my head more and more through each hard chord and breezy soundscape. I was struck especially by the noise rock direction the band goes into beginning with Feed Me With Your Kiss and onto Sueisfine. I've only ever known MBV from their songs that sound like To Here Knows When, so hearing more Only Shallow-like stuff was amusing. Not every track hits on this record, and if we're comparing it to Loveless, there's nothing too close to that record besides its sound. But I do hear the band brewing up their soup like the witches and wizards they are. It's only right at this time of the season (7/10, 4/5 on this scale)

Great stuff

There are glimpses here of the greatness that was to come with Loveless. It's still really good in many places, though, even if not quite at that height.

Detuned guitars, the 'glide guitar' effect, breathy background vocals and melodies rising and falling out of a bed of noise. It's all here, but in an outline form that would be filled in (concreted over?) in Loveless. Here the songs are more conventional and could have been written by another band, the arrangements could already only be MBV. They'd bring the two together next time out.

Couldn’t decide between a strong 3.5 or a weak 4 so I figured I’d just round up

Love the unique only-we-do-it sound. There is something haunting, both emotionally and sonically, about these songs. This is indie-pop at its most hard to pigeon-hole: avant-pop? noise-pop? post-post-punk pop? indie-pop? The punk ethos is lurking just beneath the eerie dreamy lyrical sound. I have no idea what the lyrics are, and don't care. Brilliant.

I forgot how weird this album is. I love how they pull apart the threads that normally hold a song together until there's almost nothing left but the melody. Their music is almost industrial at times. If they didn't have a great sense of melody, half of these songs wouldn't hang together. Having said that, the production is weak and the drums are mostly shit. It's an important album for the shoegaze movement, and one that influenced me personally, but boy it could do with a makeover. These tunes were incredible live. Also, this listen reminded me how much I loved Belinda Butcher, my second musical crush. Gosh, she was dreamy.

Well, it took about 2 years or so, but I finally got the last My Bloody Valentine album on the list. Why is there whole discography here? Like, Loveless obviously belongs here, but Isn't Anything and especially m b v? I don't know. The band's whole discography is good, but I think you really only need Loveless for a list like this. Though, of the two other albums, I do feel that Isn't Anything's inclusion is more justifiable as it was a pioneering album in shoegaze. However, this isn't like a Black Sabbath situation where the second is the masterpiece but the first gave birth to the genre. Isn't Anything is important for shoegaze's development, don't get me wrong. However, when albums like Psychocandy exist, it's hard to definitively call this the first shoegaze album, even if it is a candidate. Still, I think it's time to move past that and discuss the album itself. It's good. Not a masterpiece like Loveless, but still a respectable debut. The elements are still here. The guitar tone is still quite hazy and befitting of the shoegaze scene. The writing is still vaguely sensual. The singing is still mostly unclear. However, the overall quality is less refined. There are some good songs here, sure. "Lose My Breath" is a highlight for sure, but nothing really reaches the heights of Loveless. I know I shouldn't compare albums to each other too much, but I can't help but think "It's not Loveless." But you know what? It doesn't need to be. All it needs to be is a good debut album, which it is. Isn't Anything is a landmark release in shoegaze that has aged well, but has also been seriously outclassed. Still, a neat listen for any shoegaze fan. Light 4/5.

Un genre de proto grunge avec des touches expérimentales, j'ai bien aimé. J'ignore sinje vais y revenie, on verra!

Well, only one song appears on Spotify. But I really like MBV, so four stars for their first few albums!

Really enjoyed this. Brilliantly produced, ever evolving and constantly interesting. I was familiar with Loveless but none of their other output, and this surprised me. Completely different to what I expected. Does not sound like an album released in 1988. It feels wrong giving an album a 5 on the first listen, so a strong 4.

Great band. I would have picked Loveless for this list but no worries!

It’s not quite at the level of awesomeness of ‘Loveless’ which has all the elements (including guitar distortion) turned up to 11, but ‘Isn’t Anything’, while a bit more straight forward in execution, is still pretty ace.

Good album

Cool indie sound for starting in 1988. Had no idea their first album was that early.

Once upon a time, this would have been an easy 5 for me. It's not quite on that level for me these days (I've never really cared for "No More Sorry" or "All I Need", but it's still probably my favorite of MBV's albums. Like yeah, I love my noisy guitars and I love my 80s alt rock, so what's not to like? That being said, it's a shame that they finally make a total break from the twee-er side of their sound here; no "Drive it All Over Me" equivalent here!

This has been a regular listen since my early high school years. An absolute classic that I'm more than happy to revisit for the sake of the 1001 list. I'll keep my review short and to the point. Where "Loveless" is the feeling of being under soft warm blankets on a cold winter night, Isn't anything" is laying on the cold floor of that same cold winter night. There's a true darkness to this record.

Having already listened to Loveless and MBV it was interesting to hear the origins of what proved to be their signature and unique style. Songs with heavily distorted guitars that at times have a kind of droning quality to them. Vocals that are fragile and on the verge of being annihilated by the aforementioned guitars. Isn’t Anything is a very good album that signaled the arrival of a sound that kickstarted an entire sub-genre of rock.

This was an interesting listen. I’ve heard their next album Loveless so it was cool to see them use some of the same techniques in a more accessible way. I’d listen to this again. Favorite tracks were Soft As Snow, No More Sorry, Feed Me With Your Kiss, and Nothing Much To Lose.

Well that sucks Spotify only has one track from this album Feed Me With Your Kiss. Sounds cool. Maybe I'll listen to a few of the others on this album on YouTube. Yoooooo what the hell? I didn't know these guys were doing stuff in 88! interesting. I did find it on youtube so listening now.

very ethereal, sound that somehow still ends up being cohesive. quite enjoyable - 8.2/10 shame that it's not on Spotify anymore though. Could someone like this review when its back?

Pretty good debut album

Pretty interesting. Overall I liked it.

I was quite familiar with Loveless, an album I always felt was more interesting and innovative than a truly compelling and enjoyable listen. This record is quite different - a pre-shoegaze version of the band that hints at what's to come on songs link "All I Need". But this MBV is a post-punk band, and a damn good one at that. My new favorite MBV album.

it’s super nice to see them developing their sound here

Phwoar, yeah. This is the good stuff in the world of shoegaze. Maybe not quite as good as Ride, but right up there. It's the wash of sound on here that is really noticable and special. It bathes everything in this ethereal glow and creates an album that's very much a single piece. Really very good.

A shoe-gazing spectacular

Liked this a lot, very noisy and with some surprising variations.

goats of shoegaze, I don't really like the vocals on this album as much as I do on loveless but they're still great on certain songs. Overall a really good experience of an album, I really like mbv.

"Isn't Anything" isn't as legendary as "Loveless", but it still has the MBV charm. It begins with a strong track called "Soft as Snow". The others are cool as well. Some songs prevent "Isn't Anything" from earning a 5-star rating. "All I Need" is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. 4 stars for "Isn't Anything".

didn’t finish but i liked the songs i did listen to. would give a 4/5.

Started off slow but by the end I ended up really enjoying this album

This valentine so bloody I can’t find it

I’ve enjoyed shoegaze a lot when it’s been here or in music league but this was just ok. The above was my original review but I’ve been revisiting it a lot so clearly it’s stuck, upgrading to a 4

3.6 Very interesting to hear. Though not as good as MBVs other outings, it's good to hear their debut as it contains some of the elements that made them special but not all. It's more varied then flat out shoegaze, sometimes landing well (the Autechre sounding 'no more sorry') and sometimes landing very flat (the awful opener 'Soft as snow'). Sounded a bit Sonic Youth in places which is something I never noticed in later releases. Must add, although enjoyable, don't really think it belongs on this list unlike their other appearances. More one for the interested fan.

4+/5

banger if i wanted to kill myself banger rn

The YouTube video I watched had no timestamps for song titles so I don’t know a single one, but it rocks

had this on while cleaning my kitchen so not the most active listening but it was rainy out and it was good

Listening to this album now, I'd give it 4 stars, but it is a tough call, because I could see someone giving it a 4.5 or even 5 stars based on the time it came out and the massive influence it had even up to today. There still some great songs and great sounds on this album, though it is very disjointed. It wasn't until Loveless they made an album that I believe will be timeless and forever be 5 stars.

i'm familiar with mbv, particularly Loveless. never heard isn't anything til today tho Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside) - 3/5 (this confuses me lol) Lose My Breath - 4/5 Cupid Come - 5/5 (When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream - 4/5 No More Sorry - 3/5 All I Need - 3/5 Feed Me With Your Kiss - 4/5 Sueisfine - 2/5 Several Girls Galore - 4/5 You Never Should - 3/5 Nothing Much to Lose - 5/5 I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It) - 5/5 Average score: 3.8/5 (rounding up) this is definitely not the mbv i'm used to i think the only thing keeping me from liking this album more than i do is the production. sometimes it adds to the charm of their sound, other times it muddies up their performance a bit too much for my liking. the tracks are hit-or-miss because of this overall, this was a refreshing listen and it was cool to see the group's earlier work. personally i don't think this isn't a "must-listen" like Loveless is, but a worthwhile listen if you're wanting to discover more of mbv's discography side note: why tf is this not on spotify??

I hadn't heard this album of theirs before and liked it so much I listened to it three times! Definitely paved the way to Loveless (and a lot of other music) and I actually liked some of it better.

I’d listened to the other two MBV releases and really enjoyed both. Their debut leans away from the mud a bit and embraces more of a pop sound. Still has some really good shoegaze vibes overall. Really enjoyed it 4 stars

There are elements I like more than Loveless here but think that one is just a smoother ride from start to finish. If you like this album enough to buy, highly recommend as it has some of my favorite packaging of all time. Belinda Butcher is my love Rating: 4.4

Right up my alley - shimmering, haunting, ethereal. Almost a 5, but it slipped a bit toward the end. Lose My Breath, You’re Still In A Dream, No More Sorry 4.5

A truly enjoyable listen. Most of the album ended up in my likes. It is definitely not quite the music I reagularly listen to, but very adjacent. The opening track definitely entered with a bit of a slap, and I was quite sure I was in for another unenjoyable listen. The vocals were, for the lack of a better word, weird, and almost comical, and when paired with the droning electronic noise throughout I was a bit pained. I thought "oh boy, this is gonna be a long one", but by the end of that song it was in my likes and I was a fan, and the rest of the album flowed on with great pleasure. I listened to it a few times through in total and even dipped my toes in some of their other music, from Loveless, and i'm excited to hear more. I really enjoyed the moody, spooky and ethereal sounds of this album and the strong guitar presence. I had heard of MBV before this, but I would've guessed they were a punk or rock group from the 90s/00s, so it's nice to fill yet another hole in my musical knowledge.

This was really good. I wasn't sure after the first song, but I loved the wall of fuzzy guitars and the feel of the sound. I'm definitely going to listen to more of this band.

A singular, stubborn weirdo

Despite my being a pretty big MBV fan, this was my first time listening to the debut all the way through. Definitely not as good as Loveless but still solid end to end. 4/5

Funny that this came up, I was just thinking yesterday that I want to try more shoegaze and MBV are a band I've not really tried The production is quite cold if that makes sense, 'icy' was what came to mind, especially regarding the guitars. It can be quite dense as well, which isn't surprising since this is an early form of shoegaze, there are plenty of those ethereal, hazy and dreamlike moments that the genre has become known for, but there are some cool, noisy and driving sounds like on Nothing Much To Lose. Feed Me With Your Kiss was immediately my favourite, the loud, dirty bass won me over I thought they were using a drum machine, at least in the first track and the really fast snare hits on Nothing Much To Lose. I thought they gave quite a mechanical, post punky sort of sound. Sueisfine was also like that, with the very driving bass The vocals might be my least favourite part of the album, they don't sound very strong or confident. Suppose it doesn't really matter when they frequently blend into the deluge of the instrumentation but I kept thinking they seemed kind of weak compared to the powerful guitars Highlights: Feed Me With Your Kiss, Nothing Much To Lose

Good album

Interesting record. A little less dreamy than their obvious classic but still has some of the interesting textures/soundscapes they would later become known for. More straightforward songwriting/mixing as well. All the tracks are interesting at least in their sound styles even if the song is not something I'd return too.

I already know I like this album because I've owned a copy for a long time now. It's maybe not as good as Loveless or mbv, but that's okay. It's still better than lots of other bands can manage. It's dissonant and pretty and flows nicely from start to finish, plus you can feel the emotions contained within. It ticks most of my boxes, so really the only thing keeping me from rating it any higher is, as I mentioned, I think they have better albums. It's an excellent start though.

yeah these guys rock

MBV continues to be a band that I respect and want to like more than I actually like. This album has my favourite sound of all their works but still feels pretty minor.

historically been my fav mbv album which i am kinda questioning in this moment lol... seems like a bit of a contrarian take lmaooo .... anyways it is really good and really different than loveless or m b v (which i feel like i would probably like the most on a re-listen). Anyways - not one of my fav bands but they are really amazing, and I do like their music quite a bit...

Not as familiar with this as I am their other work. I loved it, and of course as I expected the mix on this recording is pretty low. Had to listen to a few times to let it seep in. Great record, which is not surprising.

This is like the auditory version of Bird Box, because I'm going to tell people it's so beautiful if only they would listen, but I expect they'd potentially just try to kill themselves. It truly feels like a pioneering effort to have all of the band members record their parts in isolation without ever deciding which song they were recording. It's up there with the greats like Wesley Willis. I wanna give it a five for the audacity, but I'll stick with four, because my friends would strangle me to death with my wired headphones.

A little dif than loveless. You can feel the 80s

En 1988 esto era otra dimensión (Spacemen 3 a parte). Con Bilinda aportando unos coros que elevan el disco a terrenos siderales. Componiendo además temas como Cupid Come o No More Sorry, de lo mejor del lote. Estaban Kim Gordon, Kim Deal, y ella en la vanguardia del pelotón indie. La producción y estilo marcaban terreno allí donde habían transitado los Jesus and Mary Chain. Ellos lo llevaban más lejos. Sueisfine es una golosina, como Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside). Feed Me with Your Kiss, es otra cosa. Para mi gusto prefiero Loveless o MBV, pero esto no desmerece un ápice la enorme valía de este álbum. 5/5

A most intriguing effort – original, arty, edgy, intense and off-kilter (maybe a little uneven) From any other band, this would rate as extraordinary, but for MBV, not so much. The middle section of the record is strongest, with "All I Need" and "Nothing Much to Lose' one's personal highlights. Does seem rather a studio triumph that there are no guitars left, though the effect would get more powerful and spectral on future records. There's more than a hint (but not much more) of what was to come, really, but this simply isn't as fully reallized or richly layered or ambiently resonant or majestic or glorious or transcendent as Loveless. And one would even rate the very recently released album better, too. What's clear as they are the band that most effectively and lastingly transcended the shoegaze scene.

It’s like a more mild sonic youth but with less noise and more melody. I think this is the only album of theirs that’s really clicked for me though. Good stuff.

If Loveless is the sound of a destination reached, then Isn't Anything is the sound of wandering around looking for said destination. Normally I'd say it's a minor sin to be considering albums only as a "precursor" to what's to come, but here I'm tempted to give in, since the experimentation IS the point. Of course, I can't really blame anyone for wanting to skip the road and go straight for the finish line, but then again... where is your childlike sense of discovery? Plus, this is some pretty great guitar freakery regardless of any destination.

Cool sound, like proto-Smashing Pumpkins like. I like it! 4 stars

This is from 1988?! Holy shit...

I enjoyed this one a lot, more than I liked Loveless on my first listen. But that was a long time ago, and my taste has grown; I've developed a liking for this period of alt/indie rock I need to re-listen to Loveless

Loveless er eftirminnilegri, en ég er alveg sucker fyrir þessari líka. Þið megið hlusta líka.

Not as good as Loveless by MBV, but still great.

I have tried to get into My Bloody Valentine through their greatest hits and just not been able to do it. Saying that, I had never tried to listen to one of their three albums. There are certainly really good moments on this album and I thought kicking the album off with Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside) was a really strong start. The rest of the album is also very good and probably should be heard. This is the first "real" shoegaze or what I call fuzzy-foggy rock album and certainly was incredibly influential. I'm excited to hear Loveless as I did enjoy the sound of this one. I would not say it is a revelation since I had heard songs on it before but it certainly was good to hear it.

MBV SIGNIFICA CREAR SHOEGAZE

mbv been on my listening list for so long now, i already know im gonna love this album. first few tracks kind of sucked but the rest was great. love shoegaze its a great genre, i wish more people could appreciate it

I really enjoyed this.

Highkey better than Loveless

Не совсем то Величие, которое ещё впереди, но уже здесь слышится эта большая нойз-поп революция. Для дебютного альбома - очень. Лучшая песня - You Never Should.

Before the went full vacuum cleaner. It sounds just like they took Loveless and dialed back the deep frying 50%. Pretty good tbh

I love shoegaze and this is one of the absolutely classic shoegaze records in my book. 4 stars

3.5/5

Great debut album that stands a little small now in the loom of Loveless. Music is coolly shambolic and is like a mix of Dinosaur Jr, Smiths, Velvet Underground, Jesus And Mary Chain and good Sonic Youth. (When You Wake) You’re Still In A Dream and Feed Me With Your Kiss have the best energy and are awesome rock-outs and riff fests but most these tracks are either super fun or bizarrely pretty and ethereal. The 1-2 of No More Sorry and All I Need are kind of sucky and astringent though. I Can See It (But I Can’t Feel It) right at the end is a seriously blissed dreampop nugget.

3.5 as an album, but 4 for this. Loveless is a huge step above this. Great debut though.

Dreamy rock with great vocals

It’s great but it’s not Loveless

Unlike a lot of shoegaze I’ve listened to this is almost punk and almost avant garde. It is guttural and raw. Dig it.

Really cool album. Sounds like it basically set the blueprint for Swervedriver to continue this sound. Very cool effects throughout it. I should definitely revisit

A dry run for the magnum opus and while I think I like much of it, especially the back half, it lacks an urgency in the vocals I enjoy and yeah I know that's the point.

Would love to give this a 5 because I love the band, but it's clear here that they aren't quite at their potential yet, but they're on their way. The jump up from this to Loveless in a few years is incredible, and there's still a handful of fantastic songs on here, but it's rough around the edges.

Well I'm always hyped to hear this! It's not my favourite MBV, but it's still brilliant isn't it. It doesn't have quite the same warmth and wandering feel to it, a bit more rocky- which is why it's not quite a 5 for me. Still enjoy it. Catchy

Yeah this was really good, varied and enjoyable.

my first experience with my bloody valentine and i can say i am definitely intruigued. there's a bit of noise on this one but the music was interesting and i enjoyed the songwriting here. i felt like i liked the more rock-ier songs here rather than the more noisy ballads. but definitely an album i could see myself listening to again.

Cripes, I like this far more than loveless! It's really good, much more so when it's weird or mellow (or both). The rockier stuff is meh, but it's odd edges are lovely.

How did I not know about that band? They're pretty original. The recording feels quite off yet quite right at the same time. 3.75

The songwriting is not as deft here as it would be on Loveless, but you can still hear the direction they were trying to go.

very good, liked to first one of the list best, but still good!

my first intro to shoegaze was ingeresting the layering and dream like atmosphere

Isn't Anything is the debut studio album by My Bloody Valentine, originally released in 1988. This is certainly a debut. It's unpolished and rough around the edges. But it's a start. You can see how their sound would come into fruition a few years later. They were definitely more influenced by Sonic Youth on this record. It also enters some drone territory at times which was pretty cool.

Dynamic, eclectic, diverse, an excellent bridge between the alterna-80s and the shoegazey-90s. There are bands I have a greater emotional attachment to, but in terms of inventiveness and technical skill, these guys are way up there.

This is a fantastic album. Beautiful and dreamy, but maybe a little more approachable than Loveless if that’s what you’re looking for.

I’ve really grown fond of shoegaze lately. Love this album, but its not quite as good as its successor.

Noise pop, shoegaze. You know, it's not far from what I expected as their first album, preceding Loveless. They just hadn't figured out the whole formula but there's a lot here to enjoy. It's raw and hypnotic. Very enjoyable album but sadly immensely overshadowed by what's to come. Still great! 4/5

I thought I wasn't enjoying this as much as the other album 'loveless'. But i've listened 4 times in a row while I work. Not as immediately infectious on the surface perhaps, but there's a lot going on.

THIS ALBUM BEGS THE QUESTION, "WHY IS MY CAPSLOCK STUCK?????" (IT DOESN'T REALLY BUT HOW DO I GET IT UNSTUCK ASKING FOR A FRIEND)

Music to be played in a space with most echo you can find. I mean it’s not quite Loveless, but it’s still pretty good. The atmosphere is not as dreamy. Favorite songs were Lose My Breath, You’re Still In A Dream, Feed Me With Your Kiss, and You Never Should.

Unique, and probably mind blowing when it came out. Still holds up.

La verdad es que con este LP me llevé una sorpresa, llegándolo a disfrutar tanto o incluso más que su trabajo más conocido, "Loveless". Con composiciones pegajosas y pistas un poco más definidas que las paredes de sonido que la banda desarrollará en su siguiente LP, "Isn't Anything", se establece como un trabajo precursor para el Dreampop. Diría que este disco es casi tan importante como el Magnum Opus de la banda liderada por Kevin Shields.

Moody-ass precursor to shoe gaze. I cannot fathom giving this less than 4 because of how many bands I love that this clearly influenced. Did I enjoy it? Kinda.

Such a beautiful noise.

It is unfair to them I used to hear Bullet For my Valentine when hearing their name.

It isn't loveless, but it sure is something.

cool to finally hear the airplane landing song that deafened countless people. not as good as loveless, but still a lot of great hazy proto shoegaze goodness

ive already heard this album a few times but man it grows on me more and more with each listen. their usage of noise and melody is exactly what i love, reminds me a bit of psychocandy. its slightly worse than loveless but better than mbv. very strong 8/10 that might be raised to a 9/10. also seeing the bad rating this album has on this site has made me decide to ignore the ratings here from now on because wtf how is this a 2.73

J'ai bien aimé cet album, probablement plus que m b v. J'aimais bien l'aspect plus "cru" dû au fait que c'était leur premier album ; plus d'influences étaient audibles sur cet album que les deux autres. 8/10

My Bloody Valentine debuted in the late 1980s with an album which had a totally revolutionary sound and style. This is a fabulous shoegaze album, though it is not as perfect as 'Loveless' which is one of the most brilliant albums - ever. I wish I could give it half a mark, 4.5 instead of just 4...

Un peu grinçant, presque effacé, mais mélodieux et aérien.

Great. Like a more structured version of Sonic Youth. I don't like this style of singing very much. Favorite song: Feed me with your kiss

Shoegaze supremacy.

Very influential, the sound created is incredible and creates some really odd music, with the pop songwriting and melodies hidden under noise. Though it is great, I am not a fan of the production and it starts a little weak. Their next 2 albums though prove my bloody valentine was no happy accident and I can't wait to get those

I wish I had discovered My Bloody Valentine in high school - they would have linked up nicely with my obsessions with Sonic Youth and Smashing Pumpkins (and are much better than some of the other bands I listened to). This might have been 5 stars if it had a true nostalgia factor for me, but it doesn’t. When You Wake, You’re Still in a Dream is such a great song.

Before the iconic album Loveless, there was Isn't Anything. Many of the same qualities on Loveless can be found on Isn't Anything, primarily the otherworldly guitar tones and dense waves of sound. Comparing the two, I actually prefer Isn't Anything for it's energy and similarities to Sonic Youth. I can respect that My Bloody Valentine found their own distinct sound with Loveless, but their debut is easily strong enough the justify their importance in music history.

Love mbv.

I never listened to this before. I was familiar with their next album, Loveless. I liked this a lot. A lot of good guitars. A bit of a wall of sound approach with all the noise and the vocals buried in the mix.

This is a solid 4, one of the few 4s I've given to an album I've never listened to before. I hate that I missed out on MBV when they first came out and I blame my parents or the government or somebody.

I'm not quite scraping the firmament in terms of my excitement over this album - but it's good! My only major criticism is the unvarying tempos, especially down the home stretch - the effect is mildly, pleasantly soporific. Still, big fuzzy guitars rarely sounded so majestic. Quality stuff!

my favorite irish shoegazers 💜

It’s been a while since I’d listened to this one, and my first MBV since absolutely loathing mbv for this project. It’s rawer than either mbv or Loveless, more of a blueprint for what Shoegaze could be than a true Showgaze album, with much simpler, almost Punk sounds and structure. Honestly, I don’t think it ever gets better than Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside) and it’s not as good as Loveless. Loveless really is the mvp of mbv, it’s doing a lot of heavy lifting for the band’s legacy. But Isn’t Anything is still a good Indie Rock album, maybe not my favourite but still enjoyable

Only gave it 4 stars because Loveless is peerless at 5 stars.

Music to be sad-horny to

Good record.

That sure was something. The four tracks from Cupid Come to All I Need = fantastic.

I really really enjoyed this - gave me those 1990-ish vibes in spades. I think 16 yr old me would have really loved this, and I’m channelling that energy haha It’s kind of Sonic Youth-ish without being so grating and annoying. It has it’s down moments for sure but track 4 and 7 esp both gave me a great ride. My hot tip would be to give it some volume - this is a real bummer if you listen on quiet mode. The comp to Jesus And Mary Chain is weird IMHO but I have only that 1 record of theirs for reference. Def hear the influence on Smashing Pumpkins and Hole. I bet Nirvana was listening to this also. Sometime into my second listen I realized this was reminding me a lot of the first release Smeared from a 'local' hero Sloan https://open.spotify.com/album/4wyn8yXUI03KqajP3dHjSf?si=q_IfOtdzSDqvcmbh_UcX5w Raspberry Median Strip Take It In Lemon Zinger Marcus Said Two Seater All pretty close lineage here I think

Might give this 5 stars after a few more listens. Really enjoyed this.

This is a cool piece of musical archaeology. You can hear MBV’s DNA, but it’s not completely developed in this album. I think that makes this album notably worse than Loveless, but it was cool to hear the path that lead them to shoegaze perfection.

All groundbreaking monuments require some prior training by its architect. *Isn't Anything* obviously foretells some of the noisy sonic pleasures of MBV's own *Loveless*, but it also anticipates the ones of many later acts, from Teenage Fanclub to Sebadoh, from Blonde Redhead to Beach House, up to the latest strands of shoegaze still heard in 2024. You can perceive whiffs from all those subsequent acts in quite a few moments in the album, and it's amazing how a lot of those songs could have been released yesterday, how they haven't aged a day. There are also subtle callbacks to earlier cutting-edge artists such as Cocteau Twins or even Nico. Yet everything in unmistakably marked by Kevin Shields' stamp--that trembling, fuzz-drenched, explosive guitar sound, for instance. If really I had to be picky, I perceive a dip in overall quality towards the start of side 2, with a few less convincing tracks that don't necessarily segue gracefully into one another. But the last two songs, "Nothing Much To Lose", and "I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It)" are a stellar way to cap things off, with a promise for later abrasive-yet-tender developments that My Bloody Valentine surely held--as everyone knows. 1988 was not a stellar year for music anyway. Too many acts and solo artists were still imprisoned in those dreadful eighties aesthetics, and if the underground was teeming with acts that would soon pave the way for the nineties, the important full-length releases made by some of those acts in that year were still far and between. There's Pixies' *Surfer Rosa*, Sonic Youth's *Daydream Nation*, maybe Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds's *Tender Prey*... and... that's it basically! At least if you don't count a fistful of other great albums in rap and a couple of other genres... Under that light, and given how groundbreaking *Isn't Anything* already was, I think it's not too risky to directly include it in a list of "keepers", in spite of a couple of lackluster moments in its tracklisting. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums" (rounded up to four). Which translates to a 8.5/grade for more general purposes (5+3.5). Number of albums left to review: 329 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 301 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 163 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 216

How do I get 2 my bloody valentine albums within 10 days?? I liked this one more. It was my life amidst mid-8Os angst.

I enjoyed this, good shoegaze. Not quite loveless but nothing is

Another album full of promise but one I got a bit more into and feel I could really dig with a few more listens. Fave track: Lose My Breath.

Impossible to view this as anything other than a warm up for "Loveless", really, but it's still a fascinating listen. I'd actually liken it to the novel version of "A Clockwork Orange", which is written in the inscrutable made up slang of the narrator - it's disorientating and confusing to begin with, but after you spend some time with it and internalize the vocabulary it starts to make glorious sense, and you even catch yourself thinking in nadsat! Similarly with this album - sounds like a mess to begin with, but once you're dialled in it all starts to make sense! Fave tracks - "Lose My Breath" and "Feed Me With Your Kiss"

По началу показался прям классным, а потом как-то повернул не туда

Very interesting avantgarde rock. The album sound is ahead of it's time, not easily pinned down to the 80's, while having marked influences.

Enjoyed this one. The chaos of Soft as Snow is fun.

Gonna listen more because I liked it and thought it was interesting got 8192 again today still feeling shitty but it is what it is listening to isiah rashad doing math and playing 2048 atm

Really strange sounding album. I enjoyed it and will revisit it

Much more varied and confident than I thought it would be. It’s interesting too because you can hear so many bands mbv influenced in this album—particularly Pavement, Sonic Youth, Jawbreaker, and the Smashing Pumpkins. YMMV though because the production value is ah, not great. Certainly not at the level of those that followed in their footsteps. I appreciated how sonically diverse this album was—the feel may be similar but the songs don’t all sound the same. That being said, it’s abrasive enough to be difficult for everyday listening. It’s hard to think of who they sound like. Definitely merits revisiting, just maybe not today.

ShoegazeVibe

Some great songs on this album! it doesn’t flow as nicely as Loveless, but you can see where they were going.

For whatever reason, I always thought this was the followup to Loveless but now knowing that wasn't the case, it puts things into a different perspective. And trying to compare it too much to Loveless, I failed to give Isn't Anything the attention it deserves with only recently finding out how much it stands out on it's own. Sure, it's pretty disarming and unsettling with the level of energy and layers of sound, but give it some time, and you'll find a collection of songs that will leave a mark and are quite beautiful in places. Put your headphones in, crank it up a bit, and let it absorb you. 4.5

When I started this I was pretty positive that Loveless would be on this list. Sure enough it was. Then I got MBV a little later. That one could be been excluded if you ask me. I didn't expect this one to be here either but it's better than MBV. Yeah, I didn't think it would be included but I'm still giving it a good score. It's not quite 5 but it is very good. A strong 4.

Pues no lo escucharía todos los días, pero está interesante.

Really strong debut from MBV. All the elements are already there, and I think this one would have been be enough to propel the band at the top of the shoegaze food chain pyramid, but they took things so much further with Loveless that it's impossible for Isn't Anything to not be shadowed by it. But it's a really strong debut, the first side in particular is absolutely fantastic.

Great

Another list of shame band that I'm really glad I've touched base on now! For what I expected to be classic shoe gaze, this was refreshingly crunchy and unpretentious, with moments of real beauty. I thought the flow was magnificent and the sound matched the elevated repressed secuality emo angst of the lyrics. Did a really nice museum walk with this on and given the context was really loving it. Four and a half. Fave track: No More Sorry

What I needed to hear this morning - could sink my teeth into this a bit. The crunch on their guitars really melted over me this listen. Had only ever listened to Loveless and had never heard of this album til now, but it's one I'm glad to have discovered. Fave track: Sueisfine

4.5

Solid album. I only started listening to this band a few years ago. Shoegaze is a genre I enjoy.

It's kinda crazy that all three of My Bloody Valentine's albums are on this list. This album, much like their third album, suffers from the inevitable comparison with Loveless, which is my favorite MBV album (and it's not close, either). This album just feels a bit half-baked compared to Loveless. The elements that make that album great are here, but they're inconsistent, and some of the things that they're trying on this album don't work super well. It's good, it's definitely a groundbreaking album, it's just not quite the caliber of album that the Smashing Pumpkins can rip their entire career off of yet 4/5

Good album, they hadn't found that unique sound they have on Loveless so it kinda sits somewhere in the middle.

The promise is here that is delivered on Loveless… but not quite there yet. Still, some gems.

I liked it. It's not as good as Loveless but I will listen to it again.

I've only ever listened to Loveless. TBH I didn't realize MBV put anything out in the 80s. Album kicks off with Soft as Snow, which has one of the most discordant, uncomfortable string(?) lines forming the backing. Sounds like somebody pulling a bow across a guitar and then playing the result backwards. I'll give it credit for being unique, but it isn't exactly something my ears love. Its like the audio equivalent of opening a medicine cabinet door. Lose My Breath flips into a shoegazey number with strummed acoustic and vocals that call to mid-90s Smashing Pumpkins. Fine enough song, but I got bored by lack of progression. Feed Me with Your Kiss jams. This and Sueisfine both have punk influence. Its like aggressive shoegaze if there is such a thing. Nothing Much to Lose is another great song. Love the tempo changes and guitar / drum work through the last minute of the song. I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It) closes out the album with an out of tune guitar strum creating a classically dissonant vibe. There would appear to be a direct line from the likes of this to Alex G. 4/5

excelente

First half of the album didn’t really do much for me. Second half of the album I felt more connected. Think I will find more enjoyment out of it as I re listen.

Surprisingly enjoyable shoegaze album. Maybe because it pioneered the genre it did it well. I still wish the mix didn't have the vocals as quiet as they are compared to the instrumentals. Drums on "Feed Me With Your Kiss" are great.

Loveless is one of my favorite albums and anytime I listen to MBV I listen to that one. Always need to remind myself they got another pretty great album too.

How does one define "calm before the storm" when the storm is already amongst us? After years of false starts, the crown jewel of the shoegaze genre finally found its footing and began the mythologization process with this monumental debut album. Sure it bookends perhaps one of the most important albums of its era but that doesn't mean it is devoid of memorable songs: Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside) is an effective opener, Lose My Breath beckons Bilinda Butcher's ever ethereal call and Feed Me With Your Kiss blasts through with the kind of intensity that one wished lasted longer. All in all, Isn't Anything remains effective as a listening experience nearly thirty-five years on and is a perfect introduction to the most important band in shoegaze. Favorites: Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside), Lose My Breath, Cupid Come, (When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream, Feed Me With Your Kiss, Sueisfine, Several Girls Galore, Nothing Much to Lose, I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It).

This is a solid debut from mbv. I've been a fan of there's for a long time now but definitely have spent more time listening to Loveless as that's really where they hit a peak. It was good dedicating some time listening to their first album again, as I don't remember the last time I listened to it in full. Going with a 4, just because they get even better as time goes on and this doesn't quite hit the high point that is Loveless. Standout Tracks: Cupid Come, (When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream, Sueisfine, Several Girls Galore, You Never Should, I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It)

Two shoegaze classics in a row for me, this one has a punkier edge, shorter songs and spikier, but still a great wall of noise.

A turning point in Shoegaze history, combining elements of post-punk, dream pop, and noise rock to create a unique and mesmerizing sound. ”Isn’t Anything” show a lot of the elements that three years later would be perfected and become the band’s masterpiece in ”Loveless”. The defining feature of "Isn't Anything" is the band's use of distortion and feedback as an instrument in itself. The layers of guitar fuzz and the swirling sonic textures create a hypnotic and otherworldly atmosphere, immersing you in a sonic cocoon that is both beautiful and unsettling. This is exemplified in "Cupid Come", a hauntingly beautiful ballad that builds to a wall of sound. "Feed Me With Your Kiss" is another big highlight, a driving and intense track that features some of the band's most powerful guitar work. Also he album's closing track, "You Made Me Realise," featuring an extended outro that devolves into a cacophony of noise and exhilarating feedback. The vocal sets and arrangments were not as crisp as on their later works but nothing that disrupts the quality too much. It’s My Bloody Valentine’s least celebrated album, but it deserves it’s flowers for it’s revolutionary brick-laying approach.

A full tick below mbv and perhaps a few below Loveless (few records aren't), but it's still very good and interesting, if quite ragged and uneven – a band developing in real time and with more than few rough edges, it seems fair to say. "All I Need" and "Several Girls Galore" and most resonantly point to the future. "Nothing Much to Lose" suggests how they could have been a pretty decent conventional indie rock band. Best song "I Can See" was saved for last.

Una de les bandes que sí va saber portar el soroll i l'experimentació a bon terme. Els seus primers dos discos són imprescindibles. L'estrena, 'Isn't Anything' va obrir el camí al shoegaze i a bona part del rock alternatiu dels 90

Really enjoyed listening to this one. I can totally see how this album could have been an influence for a ton of other stuff (thinking of Smashing Pumpkins or Nirvana). My singular complaint is that the production quality is pretty shit/fuzzy (probably on purpose but I hate it) which definitely made me enjoy less. I think it would be a 5 if the recording was a little more clear, though Lose My Breath almost carried it for me.

Pretty good noise rock album. Especially in the second half it get a bit too noisy and dissonant for me, and there are a few song with pretty awful vocals. I slightly preferred this over Loveless, so I'll give four stars.

It's interesting! I respect the experimentation.

All time for many, just shy for me. There's a palpable difference in energy here compared to their seminal follow-up Loveless; the post-punk and no-wave influences are clear as day. I flat-out don't enjoy "Sueisfine." The songs don't venture past 4min except once, which matters to me when the layering of guitars evokes a dreamlike atmosphere for one to reside in. But ultimately, these are minor nitpicks. Still near-perfection.