Loveless

Too messy to listen to the good melodies

Wall to wall sound, with shimmering melodies just beneath the surface. One of the best albums of the last 40 years.

"When You Sleep" was my favorite..

It feels so strange to realize that My Bloody Valentine have put out only three studio albums. Like, legit, before today, I had no idea that M B V was their **third** album. The way I'd always heard people gush over this band, I'd always figured they had a much larger output I'd just never heard about before going on hiatus. But, no: they released LOVELESS, and then besides a few EPs and a live album they didn't really put out much of anything else until M B V. For years, this was their only musical statement to the world. Well, the only one that really mattered, anyway — imagine my surprise to also find out that this was their **second** album. And until today, well, it was one of those statements where I nodded and accepted its importance, but I couldn't tell you **why** it was so important. Y'know, it was one of those "Oh, hey, **that** album cover" albums. Although unlike, say, FEVER TO TELL or whatever that Lemonheads album was called, I actually had my reasons for never getting around to it until now. Simply put: it's my old enemy shoegaze again. I've made it no secret how much disdain I have for the genre — in fact, it was the focus of my review of/babble about M B V. Back then, it was tied for my worst rated genre with a 3.17, and the review would ultimately push it down further with a 3.14. These days, meanwhile, it still holds second place, though it's managed to rise up to a more respectable 3.25. And, y'know, I'll be honest: looking at my bottom three, I don't think world music should be my worst-rated. That 3.14 isn't fair; it's only because Koffi Owlede sucks shit as a person... And for that matter, to be completely 100, I don't think shoegaze should be my absolute worst-rated, either. Like, I'm not gonna front and say that I've loved everything I've heard from this genre, but after this album, I hafta wonder if I had been listening to it all wrong. I mean, my preconception of shoegaze has always been that it's a snobby genre; something that my strawman idea of a pretentious music critic would push as the greatest thing **EVAR**, which I couldn't imagine the public (or the public I could view from my bubble, anyway) honestly enjoying. I've also previously put it on the same level as another genre I've said to hate (post-punk) and slapped it with the same opinion: that I "don't think it's good just because it's unappealing on purpose." And, y'know, maybe I've just been getting the wrong albums... Come to think of it, I might just be letting one album color my perception of the entire genre. After all, the first post-punk album my group got METAL BOX, and it really hasn't gotten better for me since. Elsewhere, it wasn't the **first** shoegaze album my group got, but my group got PSYCHOCANDY by The Jesus And Mary Chain, and I hated that so much that it might've scared me towards any other shoegaze album we've gotten. Enough so, in fact, that when the randomizer tossed us LOVELESS, it took me a second to remember that I didn't actually hate M B V. So I think I wanna stop hating shoegaze, I need a new album to define it by. I mean, PSYCHOCANDY was never a good one in the first place; I tend to think of it more as "noise rock" than as "shoegaze." And if I'm gonna let any album define shoegaze for me, then, hey, why not the single most famous entry in its genre? It's an obvious choice, sure, but I can't imagine that it's this famous for absolutely no reason, y'know? Now, to actually start talking about this dang album, 600-some words in... Well, my initial reaction is that I thought I knew what to expect. After all, I liked M B V, and that unlocked once I learned to think of it as "ambient music for metalheads." This is a few decades earlier, but I didn't have much reason to expect anything else, right? This would be my confirmation that that was what shoegaze is. And yet... Y'know, "ambient music" is still a factor in this, I figure. It still does strike me that way, and I will say that I do still prefer it with electronics over guitars. But it's not **just** that — and in fact, I wouldn't even describe this album as "ambient music for metalheads." If I had to go with anything, well, I think the better description is "dream pop grunge." Right? I mean, the music has the loud guitars and edge of grunge, but with the way the guitar is being played and with how the vocals are mixed so far back and are normally so high in register, everything gets smoothed out into this dreamlike atmosphere. The guitar technique that was used on this album is called "glide guitar," and that's an apt name for it, 'coz "gliding" is how you feel listening to it. Like, understanding this album in the same context I do The Flaming Lips or I have Cocteau Twins, suddenly everything makes sense. And of course for me it can't compete in that realm; it's no SOFT BULLETIN or YOSHIMI... But as its own thing — as shoegaze — this is the most I've liked an album in this lane with no caveats. Y'know, it's not like when I listen an album I hafta go "Well, the post-punk part isn't my **favorite** part. Here, it is, and that's such a milestone. Heck, this album probably helps me better understand "vibes" music, too. I've seen people knock the album for its repetitiveness, and for how unintelligible the vocals are, and those aren't not valid, but to me they're both features. This is where the "ambient music" part comes back in, 'coz it's all about connecting with the vibe. If you can tune in and let your mind float free, well, dang, it's some great shit. But then on top of how vibey it is, it still has some good riffs and melody lines? That was the thing that especially surprised me about this album, particularly on "I Only Said", which I ended up listening to twice by accident. Heck if I cared, though: there was this one line on there that was, ah, so good, and it carried me clear through to the other side. So that's just it then, eh? I like shoegaze now? Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here; I'm still not crazy for the genre. Don't go thinking this is a new top five album for me or anything like that, y'know? And besides, a stinker will always be a stinker, no matter how much I like or understand a genre. But if nothing else, I'll probably have an easier time now understanding and enjoying the genre than I did before. And the next time one pops up, I doubt I'll be as quick to dread it as I have others. And, hey, this is all good news for post-punk, too. After all, if I can learn to enjoy the genre currently rated worse than it as I'm writing, there might just be an album out there that'll cause post-punk to click with me as well. I kinda doubt it, 'coz it really does seem like it's unironically a snobby genre, but, hey, you never know what the future holds. As for My Bloody Valentine, meanwhile... Yeah, if you're gonna have only one musical statement that matters, this is a pretty good one to have.

Simply put, it's just one of the best damn albums of the 90's, if not all time. 5.5 if that were available.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. When we got “m b v”, I said that I thought I “got” shoegaze now, & that if “Loveless” was this absolutely seminal 90s record and the pinnacle of this style that people claim it to be, I thought it could be really good. I’m glad to say the critics were all correct, for the most part; I’m still not insanely high on this album, but I’m pretty damn pleased by it. Out of the 11 tracks here, only 2 or 3 felt like they couldn’t put me in a zen state, but that’s a pretty good mark to hit on. As with “m b v”, this is a variety of shoegaze blended with more ethereal instrumentation & production to feel like the in-between phase of a lucid dream. Ironically, getting Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks just 11 days ago really helped me with figuring out how to approach listening to this album, but while Van Morrison supplements his stream of consciousness approach with some ear-pleasing instrumentals, this is supplemented by soundscapes that would make a pilgrim think you’ve captured the sounds of Hell itself. In this case, that’s a positive. Listening to this has made me realize that this is sort of a “Cocteau Twins does grunge” album – a lot of the tracks here do have a generalized structure, with a verse / chorus / bridge, but it’s all buried pretty heavily by a lot of reverb, quietly mixed vocals, & harsh guitar / synth work, with enough of each instrument poking out to acknowledge them, but not truly understand them. So, where exactly does this album succeed to the point of a bumped 5? It’s not THAT tonally different from “m b v”, and compositionally, a lot of the tricks are generally the same. Well, it’s mainly in the fact that each track feels like it flows into the other in a much more cohesive way; while there’s only a handful of true transitions on the album, the way this is structured feels like it’s moving from scene to scene in some type of movie, with each track feeling different from the next, yet just tonally similar enough to work. Past that, “m b v” really suffers from a number of tracks having a “first minute is the whole song” syndrome, and while the same is occasionally true here, it’s covered up more nicely, and far less persistent. There are loops, yes, but they pulled me into the zen state long before I had a chance to care about those loops. Honestly, it’s just a more enjoyable soundscape overall – “m b v” feels like it’s obligated to use noise based on the expectations & success of this album, but this album feels like it’s trying to innovate noise itself. It’s still not the most pleasing, and I’d definitely take, like, a Brian Eno ambience over a Shoegaze ambience a lot of the time… but this stands up pretty well. Hell, for 1991, I’d argue this is way ahead of the curve in terms of effectively “taming” harsh noise as an instrument. In a different sense, for something that came out only 9 years after Thriller, it defies all of the conventions of the 80s in a really cool way. Is my opinion of this album a little skewed because we got “m b v” first? Perhaps, but I think going backwards like this is a positive. Seeing the band at a “lesser” point before getting their more critically acclaimed stuff is a natural curve, and I do think I would’ve bounced off of this way way more if we didn’t get “m b v” first. I really did like it; it might just be the pinnacle of what shoegaze is. At the very least, it’s set a new high bar for what the genre should sound like to my ears, even if that is simplified down to just “Cocteau Twins doing grunge”. It’s a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5, and at the very very worst, it’s a 3.

Could be something I like, but hating it right now.

Started out strong but sort of faded out… loooooove that first track and certainly influential for shoegaze

Really awesome, soundscapes they create are something else. A bit repetitive for casual listening

Very neutral feelings about this one

I’ve really tried to get into this over the years. Never have. Is today the day? Or is it my usual thoughts: an incredible first four seconds and then not much else after? Okay, I do like it more than that—more than four seconds. But none of these songs ever get in my bones. They’re fine and then I forget about them. “Sometimes” got closer to that this time, and I like the riffs from only shallow, when you sleep, and I only said.

This was certainly alternative…a bit too much for my taste - at times it got a bit ear-scraping and honestly I could not see myself wilfully listening to this unless I was in deep depression. But I totally get people who do

The perfect shoegaze record. Every guitarist should listen to it and take some notes. It does not get better.

9/10. Absolute nectar, inject that shit into my veins. Hazy soundscapes, with semi dissonant chords it's like deftones with a pop twist. Seriously good.

Clearly a very important album and even 30+ years later there's not much else that sounds like Loveless. Although I'm not really into dreampop so maybe that's why. They were clearly doing incredible things and the wall of sound they produce essentially with just guitars and effects is very striking Not quite 5* as I don't know if I fully enjoy listening to it given lack of melody and structure. But I appreciate how innovative it is

All time top 10 record. Still never heard anything like it before or since

i don't know why this list is so into the albums of never ending pointless noise but this is yet another great example. i would put this on a shorter list of albums to make sure you avoid until you die

I’ve tried to like them, and I listened to this album twice. I just don’t get it.

As the holy keywords say, 'Unique fuzzy Kevin vibe'. Although conversely 'guitar boring noisy guitars'. I can't think of any other type of music where someone has knocked out something like this, said "that's it, we've completed Shoegaze, everyone f**k off now". The rating is shockingly (perhaps not surprisingly) low, this is the best album of 1991 - and that is really saying something. If you're not completely blown away when 'To Here Knows When' kicks in, maybe it's not for you.

Maybe a bit sludgy for my taste, it was okay enough but I’d really have to be in the mood.

A true classic. 5/5

Walls of sound.

This sounds like the sort of thing lads pretend to like to get laid, like James Joyce, or personal hygiene.

Melodic and washed in a bath of fuzz! Kind of cool when in the right mood. I can see that this influenced The Smashing Pumpkins a lot

Oh dear. "sometimes" and "soon" are two fantastic tracks. "what you want" is also decent, but I really didn't like the rest. The out-of-tune tracks were absolute torture to listen to, and the rest didn't do much for me either. These two superb, and one decent tracks lift it to 3/5. I want to give it 2/5, but that feels mean.

not awful but i didn’t love tbh, thought id like it more but i do rlly prefer lyrics

63/1089 - Guitar and singing was cool. Drums were super boring and it sounded like the same four-sixteenth-notes fill over and over. Songs got better as the album went on. I liked it overall.

i like 👍

meh.

This album isn't as terrible as I expected after reading some of the reviews here. In fact, I quite enjoyed listening to several of the tracks. While I wouldn't seek to listen to it again, I would not object to hearing it if someone twisted my arm.

One of the best showcase albums. I’m tired

Like taking a warm bath of white noise.

Has to be a 5. Quite unlike anything else. Heavy yet comforting.

хренотень же...

It's three in the morning and I have a lot of anxiety right now and this is definitely making it worse. But it's okay because it's the sound of how I feel. Especially "Touched". It's such a deeply unsettling track. But it's a perfect album.

8.5/10 I think I listened to this about 29 years afot, and it wasn’t for me. This time I really liked it. Ugly beautiful music. Loud and discordant but subtle and pretty. Amazing layers of production that hit you like a train. Woozy vocals. Overall an overwhelming experience, like nothing else. Can really hear its influence on things since - Smashing Pumpkins for sure. Some of it was slightly too loud and aggressive, which keeps it from that perfect 5. Best: I Only Said

Hoe begin je dit te beoordelen? Een soort ambient samengesteld uit een bak gruizige herrie. Hier krijgt menig snob een warme slip van, want hoe vager hoe beter. 'One of the greatest albums of all time' en als je dat niet snapt mag je niet in onze hele hoge, hele toffe boomhut. Ik weet niet goed wat ik hier mee moet. Ik ervaar het niet als onprettig. Ik vind het zelfs best wel lekker nog, zo op m'n headset. Een scrubbehandeling voor je hersenen. Een vage herinnering aan een keer dat je dronken in het donker naar huis fietste en je je tegelijk flink gehavend maar ook heel goed voelde. Het is leuk gevonden en goed uitgevoerd met lekker veel textuur. En ik heb het onlangs al een keer eerder getypt: Het is een keer wat anders. Dat is in zo'n lijst vaak wel even lekker. Het muziekequivalent van de laatste 20 pagina's van Verhulsts' Bechamel Mucho, het onepische vers. Het blijft maar doorgaan. Je herkent de woorden maar waar de fuck gaat het over. Bellettristisch beffen, hele verhalen. Zie je, ik kan ook een snob zijn! 3,5 ster.

I dont know It’s been a long time since I first heard this one and it still is an amazing journey to listen front to back. I own it on vinyl and I think everyone should listen to this with the volume up High so you can hear all the layers. I tried listening on a lower volume and it just doesn’t hit the same. I love it for what it is so much. Easy 5. Sometimes is my favorite track right now.

One of my favorites, absolute magic. 95/100

I have listened to this on and off since the 90s. It definitely rewards repeated listens and good headphones and is generally best enjoyed loud. Can sound a little sad emo shoegazy, because it is

Non fa per me

A masterpiece. I was delighted to see this on my list for the day. Just a beautiful, layered, and rich wall of sound.

Listened Before? N Pretty noisy. makes sense though - it's noise rock. I don't really groove on this but I did like it when they tried to become a bit more cohesive in some of the songs. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: When You Sleep

Why this is one of the top rated albums on Rate Your Music has always been beyond me. Indeed, it's the exact ranking that reminds you that the people using that website are not really representative of music consumers more generally. That being said, as much as I wanted to dislike this album, it's a great listen. Didn't understand a word they said, but I guess that's the point. Also, Kevin Shields is a Cabo lad, so has to get some credit for that (g'wan Ireland...) when you sleep, come in alone, soon are my favourites.

For years I thought My Bloody Valentine were a shitty emo band but only recently I found out I was completely wrong and they are much worse. 1.27

Lo he escuchado muchas veces y cada vez le encuentro más cosas. Confieso que las primeras veces que lo oí, me costaba mucho trabajo entrarle o entender su propuesta. Ahorita sigo sin entenderle y aún así me parece un perro discazo. Excelente servicio 5 estrellas.

3.5

оооо хел е

I’ve been trying to get into this album since 2017 and it has been a struggle. But Only Shallow just kept getting better and better over the years, and as my brain continued developing, the rest of the songs slowly sounded less and less cacophonous. I expected to remain a contrarian Loveless hater when this came up on the list, ready to slap a 2 on it and dip, but I can’t. This music seems like it wasn’t even made by people, but by some sort of entity we don’t really know about. Yet the emotions somehow conveyed through each song remove any doubt over its humanity: To Here Knows When sounds like lying on a sunny spot on the floor on a Saturday and faintly hearing people in the other room; When You Sleep sounds like the part of a pregame where all the lights are still on and everyone’s just starting to get tipsy and excited for what’s to come, but knows they aren’t ready to leave the friendly, comfortable atmosphere yet; I Only Said sounds like driving home with the windows down at night; Come In Alone sounds like sitting on a couch after a hot and sweaty day out and feeling a fan on your skin; Sometimes sounds like kissing someone for the first time. I have to face it: this is a good album. It will probably be a 5 in a year at this rate

I mean it’s a classic, you can’t argue with that. Vacuum cleaner whir shoegaze down bad noise never sounded so good before or after this

Kevin Shields sounds like a twat I did think my neighbour was drilling but turned out to just be the other half of this sound it is good though 90s irish english shoegaze indie

Too loud and fuzzy; borderline unlistenable

Love how this album makes me feel and the atmosphere it creates. Quite cohesive as a body of work which I appreciate too. I didn’t know much about the group until recently even though I’ve heard of them here and there but my goodness, can’t believe I wasn’t listening to this properly before. Can see why it’s a classic for sure

Hypnotic and unique. I love a good wall of sound style. Would listen again and maybe rate a 5 over time.

Nice

A very neutral 3.

Partially rating it based on the memory of falling to sleep to certain songs that Ewan was playing on the way back from the Squamish hike.

The definitive shoegaze album - such a unique sound

well, interesting

boring

*did-not-listen*

I like dream pop. But this album sounds really badly mixed and cluttered. I tried it on my radio speakers, my usual on the go headphones and my studio headphones. It only sounded decent on the studio cans. That's really unacceptable to me. After reading the Wikipedia article and researching more, I found out that this was the "baby" of just one guy that even caused the record label to go broke. So I don't blame any of the engineers and technicians that worked here. It seems this is just the work of a douchebag making every choice like a dictator. Anyway, the whole soundscape sounds tense to me on every song. Sounds like nonsense noise with no rhyme or reason. No dynamics, very little structure, terrible mixing choices. Noise for the sake of noise. Weirdness for the sake of weirdness. I can appreciate though that other bands during the next years took elements from this album and expanded the genre to a better quality. I don't know if this album will grow on me. Maybe it will. But for now. I think it's mostly terrible.

Fun twist of electronic rock. Probably won't listen again

This album basically invented a genre I very much enjoy, but I just never like it as much as I want to

Ambos puntuamos 3, no me llamó la atención ninguna canción, pero no estaba mal (fdo: Nuria).

1/5

Too good to be true.Its heavenly brooo

Shoegaze by Robert Fripp. Exceptional.

I think it's a little better than I originally gave it credit for. Very good music. Sounds good just a little repetitive maybe?

Sort of cocteau twins in a lower octive

No private session used for Spotify. I listen to this album occasionally, my reaction is always "is this what they were going for ?" The album is way overproduced, the effects make me nauseous, the vocals are buried and distorted.

Чистої води психоделік, який доволі м'яко забирає тебе подалі від реальності. Ефімерний голос в піснях ще більше занурює тебе в якийсь інший світ. Відчуття ніби душа відділилась від тіла. Просто прекрасно.

Eher churz willi ufhole mun aber damn My Bloody Valentine is making My Bloody Valenday. Mal wider extraordinär us de wüestefinke gazed worde. Vier Bloody Valenpoints

Eich müsst mir de sril und soundrichtig sehr gfalle, aber es packt mi zwenig und ich weiss nöd wieso. Vlt im falsche mood hüt. Oder weg de -wahrschindlich - absichtlich schlechte qualität. Alles ruschig. Darum chani nur 3 puntos geh :(

sehr krächzigi sache wo die da ablah hend, ischmer würklich chli too much gsi für min schöne zistig chan au guet si das mini chopfhörer eifach zschlecht sind die schreiende gitarre überezbringe es hett doch en chline vibe gha, also ich gsehns potential trotzdem gits da zwei effektpaddles ufd bühni klatscht

ach da isch sie ja: my bloody valentine ih ihrem retro loveless-chleid <3 ich han hüt leider nöd vill ziit zum schriebe aber churz gseid: DAS shoegaze pionier-album, en wunderschöni reis woni regelmässig mache und jedes mal uf en anderi art und wiis liebe! 5 roti bluetkörperli gspüri da intensiv dur mini vene flüsse

obviously this is a beloved album and i have heard it before. shoegaze in general doesn't do much for me as of now. its got a beautiful album cover.

Where to even start with this one? A genuine masterpiece of an album that influenced a whole new genre of music. Every single person who has ever bought a guitar pedal owes this album some gratitude. It’s hard to talk about specific tracks on this album (except for the memed to death ‘when you sleep’) rather than see it all as one big piece of prickly fuzzy bliss. One of the greatest to ever do it; I can’t imagine how much this would have kicked my ass if I heard it back in 1991. I once met Kevin Shields while he was wandering around a car park with J Mascis and that was pretty much the coolest day of my life.

Hard to be unbiased here, since I've listened to it so many times before. But this is an album I listen to at least twice a year, so it must be a 5.

Did not enjoy this very much.

Moody and chill and fun

I remember when Houmous & Chutney met Kevin and Colm on tour back in ‘81. They were desperate for some advice. They were trying to make it, their band was called Squashed Kumquats. Both me and Len didn’t know what a kumquat was! Anyway, it was Feb and Len came storming in in a right huff. What’s up Len? ‘It’s my bloody Valentine, she’s run off with Bono’. The rest is history. 3.4

Noise. First half of the album is awful. Second half is marginally better. Mixing of the tracks is terrible. They bleed into one another.

I’ve never heard of them before but I’ve seen the cheesy horror movie by the same name. I went in with low expectations and ended up enjoying the album.

Enjoy the guitar work, but the genre is not one I am specially a fan of.

For what it is, it’s excellent. Angsty, moody, dynamic, meshing that 90s alt sound with goth rock sensibilities.

Beautiful noise.

Don’t know anything about them - I am guessing emoish alternative and winey. Getting smashing pumpkin vibes early. Now I know why I don’t know anything about them - they are just not that good. I’ll give them three stars because they tried but some of the songs just sounded like mud.

Nice!

10/10

This album is very chill. So chill in fact that it is better describes as boring.

Quite good for the genre, I think. Closer to 3.5 but I think it deserves the 4.

Didn’t like this band.

A perfect album

These guys build soundscapes with layered noise and woozy, pitch-bending guitar. It shouldn't work but hey, it does! And Billy Corgan noticed it does as he ripped off that sound with Smashing Pumpkins. 4.2

Like the cover, the music not so much.

Yeah it’s textured but quite boring over time.

Eh. Poppy, 90s

Loud guitar sounds, ethereal voices. Then sentimental songs filled with noise and deep lyrics. Closing out with heavy rythms and a sense of longing. Regular duration, but enough to experience fully in one sitting.

You can imagine these tracks - chords, melodies and whatever unintelligibles are sung - working magic as power pop, folk or even krautrock, which was a thirty-year late revelation that came to me today while trying to listen to “Loveless” from a new angle. Instead, they are “Loveless”-songs, a one-album genre that not even the band’s sequel slotted into. Not so much a dead end as a comet or an eclipse. I knew I’d give it Hi-Score, but I didn’t think it’d ignite a more passionate love over the boringly dutiful one I’d hitherto carried. Which is to say, the song “Hot Shot City” is particularly good.

Big mea culpa here - I used to be obstinately skeptical, probably because this came out when I was obsessed with other, more melodic bands of similar intent ("TSTCI", if that triggers a memory for the faithful) and happily planted as ornery opinionator in a group of cynics. But, I kept going back over the years and now recognize it to be an absolute masterpiece (although with a couple of slack parts) and, yes, superior to "Isn't Anything".. I can't do it justice here, but will highlight the majestic treated guitar and tremolo serving as melody (esp. on "When You Sleep" and "I Only Said") and the constant, thrillingly-elegant drum fills (basically, from the opening of "Only Shallow" through to the end of the record) that make this an album without peer, and the boss of the genre without question. Mark - you were right and I'm glad I get it now!

good

I don't think shoegaze is for me. But a unique album nonetheless

...abrasive, and slightly painful. Is it meant to sound like shit? (Yeah, the warbling low-fi sound seems to be the same across different platforms.)

Not bad, not amazing

Great album. It's been in my larger rotation for a long time.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🟥🎸💊 Production: 🧏‍♂️📏💩 Music: 🌌🦻🫷 Rating: 👢👠/5

Just awful. What the fuck.

This record's entrancing capacity remains a mystery: one returns to it with some regularity and is astonished to find its power and beauty undiminished every time. The whole thing works brilliantly, more than the sum of its parts, and buoyed by an intricate and beautiful construction where the transitions enhance the impact of every song. One thinks of giant Richter canvasses, of course. The fast, hard, serious opening – a handful drum beats and one’s in deep – signaling the intense, immersive, often dizzying ride to come. The barbed dissonance and many jagged edges are somehow all wrapped in an abiding sweetness. One used to think of it as something like a giant and highly satisfying monolith, but now, upon closer listening, one sees how intricate and thoughtful are the shadings and segues (again, think Richter). First three cuts set the stage wonderfully, then “Touched” shifts the mode of engagement, bleeding into the glitteringly woozy “To Here Knows When,” with its quiet, meditative urgency and dreamlike imperative so hushed and diaphanous and so slightly varied as to seem capable of meaning almost anything at all. And then things really take off with the driving “When You Sleep” (which sounds closest to a proper rock/pop song) and “I Only Said” (with its swirling, dizzying, siren-like orgiastic effect hinting at pure unadulterated joy or abandonment). And heed the note-perfect transition between these two songs – ten seconds that both prepare the listener and leave him vulnerable for another subtly profound shift. All variations of the transitions – the hard cuts, fadeouts and more extended transitions – work well to maintain a consistent vibe going while allowing for most intriguing and subtle modulations. The grinding contemplativeness of “Sometimes” yields to the ebullience of “Blown a Wish.” And listen how the driving and triumphant straightforwardness of “What You Want” warbles and wafts into the wholly satisfying dizziness – even giddiness – of “Soon.” Fewer records end better or more effectively in terms of resolving the initial tensions (which pointed toward darker themes) into something like pure lightness and buoyancy, however distorted.

This is #day168 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… listening to Loveless feels like drowning in layers of fuzzy noise. Or, like having your ears stroked against sonic flames. Kaleidoscopic chaos, if you will. But it’s not just random noise; this chaos is crafted with such control and precision that it radiates a surreal kind of harmony. The album is unlike anything you’ll hear in shoegaze. Tracks like "Only Shallow", "When You Sleep", "I Only Said", and "Sometimes" are pure dream/noise-pop bliss. It's a classic record through and through, and it's a 5 out of 5, no doubt. That said, I do wonder why My Bloody Valentine gets 3 (three!) spots on the list, especially with mbv from 2013, while other key albums in the genre, like Slowdive’s Souvlaki, are nowhere to be found. There's no Slowdive at all. That's not right. Anyway, looking forward to #day169.

Rock for meditating to.

If you like shoegaze, this is it. I really like this album. I can't pick out any one specific song, the whole thing flows really well and plays better as a whole. But I love the instrumentation, the super saturated guitars, even the somewhat incoherent lyrics. I particularly like the songs with Bilinda Butcher on vocals, but I'm a sucker for a rock band with a female vocalist. I can certainly see how this album inspired a ton of kids to pick up instruments in the early 90s because this was unlike anything they had heard before. I dig this album and would definitely buy it at the record shop and play it fairly regularly. Maybe not 5 stars from me but a solid 4/5.

The first repeat for me. This shows me how much my taste in music has evolved since I first listened to it in 2021. I appreciate this a lot more now than I did then. If you don't pay attention, the whole album becomes one big blur of noise. When you do pay attention, you realize that there is actually a decent amount of diversity in its sound. It's not something I crave, but it is nice. best tunes: only shallow, loomer, i only said, come in alone, blown a wish, when you sleep

Recorded in mono and the second loudest live band ever... My Bloody Valentine has an interesting story, complicated members etc. By the way Loveless was a band too. The LP is a sonic trip with the bending of sound, the buried vocals and really needs to be listen in it's entirety. Did not know this album existed. Liked: blown a wish, come in alone, and I could see "soon" released as a single. Xanthan, Mr. Gum

THE vibe

Perfect.

Irish shoegaze band My Blood Valentine’s iconic second album, *Loveless*, is often considered to be the seminal album of the Shoegaze genre and one of the best albums of the 90s—sometimes of all time. After a first time listen, it’s not hard to see why. This album is abrasive, dense, fuzzy, and raw in the best way possible. This album made me feel things that an album hasn’t made me feel in a long while. It felt overwhelming with its walls of sound but it also brought a sense of comfort at the same time. There’s so many things I adore in this album. The hazy, dreamy, and drowned out vocals of Keith Shields and Bilinda Butcher, the absolutely killer guitar moments and tones, and the atmospheres it brings are a few. *Only Shallow* is an absolutely incredible opener and hits you like a truck when it starts. *To Here Knows When* is just so dreamy and full of atmosphere, it’s great. *Sometimes* is more calming and more heartfelt with its seemingly subtle and gradual build up. However, in an album with many standouts, *I Only Said* has to be my favorite track out of all of them. The dreamy and hazy vocals, the dense instrumentation, the effect drenched guitars, it all adds up to a timeless track on an ultimately timeless album. This album still hits as hard as it did back in 1991. While it may not be for everyone, this album is a classic and is essential listening. I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a classic and/or something to lose your mind in.

Best: I only said Worst: to here knows when Liked songs: 91%, 10/11 Low 5 When I saw the all lowercase band name + song titles and the album cover i was fully ready for a full on thats that me depresso album, and i was half right. I wasn't a massive fan of the first few songs the first time I listened to it, especially the lead vocalist, and really the guitar was all that was keeping me going. As you get deeper into the album though, the dreampop really takes hold and you're just fully immersed into the album and it almost feels like a film score. Definitely not the most approachable album and the shoegaze did definitely break my pop-rock-need-a-strong-chorus-or-die brain a few times, but definitely in the good way. Also the basically torture concerts for music critics are just straight hilarious. Totally understand how the album simultaneously essentially started the shoegaze genre and killed it with its pure greatness. Spectacular record.

Super eerie reminds me of deftones

So vibey, I loved it

#466. A pleasing noise *this is the thirty ninth album I purchased from this list 4/5: brilliant Song added to playlist: apparently a lot of their music has been removed from Spotify, so.. none. I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

I would have loved this in high school

Maybe its me who doesn't get it but the mixing on this album where the drums and distorted guitars are so loud that I can't hear the singer/singers (I really can't hear if there is 1,2, or 3 singing) makes me almost instantly dislike this album. The instruments themselves are good and it feels like something I would enjoy if I could hear what they were saying. I understand that this mixing was a choice from their side but for me it doesn't work at all.

Loveless - це не просто альбом, який породив #shoegaze. Для мене це, в першу чергу, «особистий гіпнотичний сеанс» Але, що найголовніше - від цього альбому отримуєш справжній «естетичний кайф». Адже він являє собою, абсолютно унікальний, досвід спостереження. Коли музика відчувається немов невловимі «різнобарвні хвилі», що утворюють собою, неймовірної краси малюнки. Ти не можеш навіть чітко пояснити собі «що це». Але чи потрібно щось, взагалі, пояснювати, коли цей «потік звуку» просто підхоплює і повільно несе тебе у «країну кольорових мрій»? А, ледь чутний, схований під багатьма іншими шарами, «сновидінковий» вокал - «підкладає під голову мʼяку подушку» та тільки поглиблює відчуття цього чарівного трансу. Не намагайтесь якось особливо «зрозуміти» цей альбом, вам варто просто «плисти разом з ним». Абсолютний шедевр

All time classic, on repeat daily❤️M B V forever

Fan-bloody-marvellous. It is, IMHO, the absolute pinnacle of MBV. Shoegaze at its fiercest, its most emotive and its most melodic. They manage to avoid the trap of just falling into walls of feedback, which is nice, and not something that they always do. It's one that I just immediately want on record.

Fuzzy guitars and moody vocals. This is what “indie“ rock usually sounds like. Not bad for the most part, like a slightly more polished Sonic Youth. But some tracks sounded like they were part of a climatic scene in some millennial movie melodrama, which I found annoying. A little better than a three star album, but not enough for me to want to round up.

There is music in here, but it’s wrapped up in annoying, often flat, sounds.

There's plenty of noise rock that I do like, what I don't get is the appeal of whatever it is that makes the unpleasant sound like a dirty vinyl album or my cassette tape is about to explode.

Not a fan. Don't like the mumble-whispering lyrics and the music's pretty much all the same, from song to song. 2.5 rounded up, mostly cause it's not really irritating, just unappealing.

I kinda get that he seems to be going more for a vibe than a song, but even then, even if it’s some kind of technical achievement, why? So dull and droning.

Not for me

The issue with this record is the pacing and tracking. These go hand in hand of course. Why the cosmic black whole right in the middle of side A? I feel as thought this looses a lot of people. Also, I love a strong closer, but 'soon' should've closed said side A. Still a fantastic sounds cape and highly influential album, just not perfect

Early 90s sound that didn't leave much of an impression on me. Had to skip some tracks that droned on.

Tried to get into this before but it did not really click then. Same now. Its alright noise but it doesn’t scratch any itch. Actually prefer Isn’t anything” to this.

shoegaze… save me.. shoegaze save me

Way cooler than expected. Reminds me a bit of the Cocteau Twins

Tiresome. Just like the other I’ve had from them, the noise pollution overwhelms the lyrics and musical content.

Too much noise and waste of good ideias. I just couldn't understand a single word of what they were saying. Potentially good songs were simply thrown in the trash. There is nothing to enjoy from this album... 1 star.

Not terrible, just sounds like someone left smashing pumpkins on the radio in the other room.

Fuck me, what a surprise. The surprise being that this is the second album from this band I've been served up on this site. I am amazed that anyone would think this is a good album. At least there is consistency, because it was exactly the same listening experience for me as the first album of theirs. So much so I have copied my comments below, as there are just as apt for this album.... \"I tried, I really did, but it was fucking awful. They didn't sound very competent on their instruments at all, and vocally it was like someone mumbling through their sleeve. I have a strong feeling this is entirely the sound they are going for - and if it is, they absolutely nailed it - but it's got no musical merit in my world.\" Please, please, please, I hope there are no more of their albums on this list.

Track #4 "To Here Knows When" is some experimental noise situation which might have been ok at the end of the album. Instead if breaks up the flow forcing me out of the moment. Otherwise tolerable music.

Kakvo smeće od albuma. Mrš! Neću ni trošiti energiju na ovo. 1/5, 1/10.

Daj se odi predozirati brzo. 1/10

4.5/10 Nisam nesto zaintrigiran ovim shoegazeom iz 90ih, iako je postavilo dobre temelje za neke kasnije artiste koje sam povremeno slusao pa ga ne bih skroz odbacio. Ima mi nekih dobrih melodija u svoj buci koju cujem (stvar blown a wish i what you want mi prolaze), ali nije mi dovoljno interesantno da mi pobudi daljnji interes za istrazivanjem. I tako je nas odnos u ovakvom limbu vec dugo, sto mi i slusanje ovog albuma opet potvrđuje. Slowdive i Ride su mi mozda nesto zanimljiviji nosioci žanra, ali tek za nijansu, valjda jer se kod njih i dream pop malo umiješao. Eto toliko.

Day348 - i didn’t like this in the ‘90’s and won’t start now

This project has made it known that I really dislike the shoegaze genre and definitely don’t enjoy MBV’s music at all. The vocals are boring and awful and the accompanying music is dreadful. Not enjoyable at all.

No fooling, this is one of the great of the 1990s of not all time. Love it to bits and not just because I'm a proud card carrying Gen x.

So there were a couple tolerable songs (the album opener, for instance), but that can't make up for the mostly atonal drone that I just listened to.

Masterpiece. One of the greatest albums ever made

Found it kinda disappointing in the end. Started off good but dropped off massively. I liked this one years ago but tastes have changed since.

I've no real time for this type of music. Far too much distortion covers up any discernable melody. Unable to hear or make out what is being sung. I suppose for some this would be an audio experience of sorts. I would give it 1 star except for the first track which I guess would be almost recognisable as an accomplished tune. At the very least it is unlikely that any of this cacophony will finds its ways as an ear worm. For that mercy I will give it 2 stars.

ah, didn't really like this, bit of a noise and indistinguishable lyrics

Loveless is a weird one for me. Yes, it is repetitive, yes, the vocals are really muffled and difficult to hear for most of the songs, and yes, the songs can sound really noisy at points. But for some reason, i kinda enjoyed this one. The noise of a lot of the songs for some reason felt really pleasant, relaxing, and hypnotic and i also didn't seem to mind the repetition throughout most of the songs since the sounds that are repetitive are at least unique in some ways. This one is obviously a really difficult one to get into due to all the reasons i mentioned above but i felt as if i was able to get past it and enjoy the album to a decent extent. Best Song: When You Sleep Worst Song: To Here Knows When

I feel like I need to be in the right mood to enjoy this, but it's fantastic if you get hooked in. Absolutely beautifully put together, perfectly balanced unmusical noise.

Volvemos a esta banda que escuché hace un tiempo, en la línea de mis búsquedas por éste subgénero musical. Su comienzo y prácticamente todo el álbum tienen una densidad sonora, como una pared de ruido que lleva a un estado meditativo que se amplifica con las voces etéreas. ¿Podemos entender al shoegaze como un indie más darkie? Gran álbum. Hasta mañana.

great album highlights: to here knows when, when you sleep, soon

An example of noise rock/dreamy rock I can get behind, the muffled sound pairs well with the vocals and it's not too messy for it to be unpleasant. Also, album cover perfectly represents the record.

This is an album that I've really been looking forward to reviewing. This is the only My Bloody Valentine album that I've listened to before starting this project (at least I'm pretty sure I listened to this before starting this). I listen to this album fairly regularly, and I absolutely love it. For the longest time, I thought My Bloody Valentine was an emo band (I think I had them confused with Bullet For My Valentine), and I think Spotify just started playing one of the songs from this album after I finished listening to some other album, and I was instantly hooked on this. I've already reviewed m b v, which I thought was fine, but I know that I love this album. Let's get into it! I love listening to this album. Loveless is perfect from start to finish, and contains a wide array of the most insanely distorted and fuzzed out guitar sounds you've ever heard. My Bloody Valentine exists on their own plane of sound, complete with its own loudness and softness, its own melodic and chaotic. It should be impossible for a band to construct an album as varied and melodic as this with, when most of their sound is crafted around guitar distortion, but somehow, they managed to do it. Every song on this album is an absolute journey, and it's completely mesmerizing to me that the last song on the album, "Soon," is easily in contention for one of the best songs on the album (thinking about it, this might have been the first MBV song I heard). Every time I listen to this album, the opening drum notes of "Only Shallow" grab hold of me and never let me go. I just love how this album is stuffed to the brim with sound, but it never feels bloated; it just carves its own path the whole way. I don't know that I can pick a favorite song on this album, but "Only Shallow," "To Here Knows When," "When You Sleep," "I Only Said," "What You Want," and "Soon" are all incredible. I understand that this album isn't for everyone, but I love it so much, and it's one of my favorite albums to listen to regularly.

I enjoyed this more than I expected

There is nothing in this world that I get less than My Bloody Valentine. Loveless, often in the conversation for greatest of all time by people who like music I like, is a wash of boring noise. I will never understand the love for it. I’ve tried. There are a few decent songs, Only Shallow, Come In Alone.. but I would argue they are the only songs on the album 4.4/10

I love noisy loud-soft-loud early 90s alt-rock and so have repeatedly been recommended this CD, and have repeatedly tried (mostly without success) to enjoy it. My overall take has been that the first song is a banger but the rest of it pretty much sucks. This time though it kind of clicked for me listening to it at work. It's generally a background-music CD, not an active listen. It's really just the first song ("Only Shallow") that makes sense as an active listen. That first song is a classic of the loud-soft-loud genre, no question. The rest of it is basically all ambient, with only vague structure and lyrics. And that's pretty good music to work to. I still don't think it's great, but at this point I at least see where it makes sense.

Incredible sound in search of some songs

This had good vibes. Would listen again.

Soooo 90s. I’ve heard the band name but never listened to them. Never heard any of these songs before. Every song is very airy and does carry a similar sound throughout. I was able to make out maybe 3 words in the whole album due to the style sounding like they were strung out on heroine (maybe they were?). Not really my style and I did start to feel the runtime a little over half way through. It’s not bad by any means but not great. 5/10

This was really bad. Like: "Is the tape broken?" kind of bad. Why does everyone talk about this band as if they are iconic or important? I could squeeze my cat in a reverb tank and get a better sound.

Eh. Not great

Favourite tracks: only shallow; when you sleep; I only said; come in alone; soon; sometimes

So much shoegazing. My neck is sore at this point. I liked 1-2 specific shoegaze bands (mainly Starflyer 59), but I could never get into My Bloody Valentine. I think I like my shoegaze to have former punk musicians instead of Brit pop, I guess. This is just too.... gazey.

It is a great listen but sometimes I wish they'd put out a live album so you can hear what Colm and especially Debbie are doing. When I saw them when they toured mbv it was a revelation on the Loveless tracks.

Not Terrible.

My Bloody Valentine is one of those bands that I’ve always been aware of but to whom I never paid much attention. I would hear about them from time to time and how they were doing something different and interesting. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-loveless-by-my-bloody?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

I have tried many times to convince myself that this is the greatest record ever made. I really like it. The soundscapes are wonderful. There is a great mood and theme throughout. Somehow I just can’t focus enough on the lyrics to get me across the line. I’ve listened on AirPods. I’ve listened on small speakers. I’ve listened on my full stereo system. Just can’t seem to get the emotional response to put it over the top. I know that sounds strange but it’s how it hit me. I do see how this can be a 5 for many people. Just not me.

ja sieltä se tuli... i adore them... ne vaan ymmärtää... onneksi näiltä söpiksiltä jo KOLMMASSS albumi jeeeeejeeeeee!! tämä on hyvä wohoooo en koskaan voisi saada tarpeeksi <3333333333.. !!! pikkukirjaimilla kaikki biisit tietää et biisit on niin low key mä!! siis niin MÄ! omg this is so me! this captures feelings of my soul so good omg it does..... this is so freaaaaking me...... haluun vaan että tiedätte että tämä pelasti minut, olin tappamassa itseni mutta tämä musiikki pelasti elämäni.jos luet tätä viestiä niin en ole kuollut, koska kuuntelin tätä bändiä.. joten vähän tärkeämpää musiikkia minulle kun on sieluani koskettanut, parantanut elämääni. 2 tähteä. ei kannata tunkea kolme patonkia yhteen pannuun. touched

I have a mate who swears blind this is the greatest Irish album ever made. He is full of absolute shite.

This is the 3rd mbv album we've had, the 1st two did nothing for me, v but this is the seminal one so had high hopes. In conclusion, they are overrated imho. This is an okay album, but feels like it's a shoegaze album for people who don't listen to shoegaze to be able to say they listen to shoegaze 😂 basic throughout

Fuzzy sounding excellence

Ich empfand das Album als sehr lieblos. Zumindest könnte ich nichts damit anfangen.

While I appreciate the inventiveness of the guitar work, this album is just noise. I am just not a fan of shoegaze.

Feels suffocating

The perfect amount of drone and emotion. Like 1,5 years ago when I first discovered this album, I spammed the everliving shit out of it. Still love it. It surprises me with how much I love it given that it took >10 tries to just get past the first few songs on their "Isn't Anything" album

Not really my thing

I think I just don’t get My Bloody Valentine. Perhaps my brain needs to be wired a certain way to really click with it, which it simply isn’t. I understand that shoegaze fans love this album, but it just doesn’t do anything for me. To me, it’s lots of droning noise from both the instruments and the vocals without much substance behind it. I respect that people think differently about this album than I do, but it simply doesn’t sound good to my ears.

Boring. You’re not a genius just because you can’t work well with others, you’re just an asshole. Your artistic vision isn’t so great that collaboration is moot. Unintelligible lyrics and fuzzy guitar noises isn’t genius. This is music for people who enjoy smelling other people’s farts.

"shoegaze", kind of a wall of distorted, but not harsh, guitar with mumble vocals and some other melody over top

Totally unique album if you have never listened. It takes a few listens. Tough right out of the gate with inaudible lyrics and soundscapes…

A historically important album for the production and guitar techniques ... but man, I couldn't listen to it.

A very special album that deserves many stars, but still doesn't hit me personally. Icons of shoegaze though.

Hier hebt ge echt wel een goeie koptelefoon voor nodig. De eerste nummers beluisterde ik met mijn brakke Jabra headset van het werk en miljaarde mijn oren deden zeer. Met airpods klinkt het heel wat beter. Cool album op zich. Een beetje Sonic Youth-achtig. Ik kende het nog niet, maar daarvoor zijn we hier he. Soms klinkt het wel heel noisy, maar er zijn ergere dingen in de wereld. 3.4

This is a very good album but I struggle to fully enjoy it sometimes because of the weird fuzzy sound it has... it's off, but not too intrusive to make it not an amazing listening experience.

A stunning sonic odyssey. The guitar tones on this album are unreal. It was only upon reading further that I learned about the glide technique that's Kevin Shields's trademark, where he holds the whammy bar while strumming. Chords start out of tune before falling into place. It's one of the things that gives this album a dark underbelly. This and the distorted guitars don't contrast, but mix with the subdued, dreamy vocals, trance-like beats, ethereal synths. To me, this album is sleep - the warm comfort, the tossing and turning, the recurring dreams, the still peace, the cold sweats, the primordial, subconscious things that are nearly impossible to know.

Deep love for this record.

Meh. not for me

Noise in a good way. Honestly don't think I've heard anything from MBV that I don't love

I’m not sure why people like this album. The drums are tingy. The vocals are drown out. It sounds like white noise. I can’t imagine seeing them live and having any idea what they were doing.

VREEEE VROOOOOO VREEEEE VROOOOOO

Started off indifferent but came to really like it. 3.75

I always thought they weren't very good, but I'd never given them a chance. It's good to know I was right.

Whenever I'm in between 4 and 5 stars, I always regret giving 4

There’s something that I can’t explain that doesn’t allow me to rate it 5/5. I enjoy it, love the textures, the noise juxtaposed with soft melodies. It’s very pretty and really feels like inside of a lava lamp. Maybe I just wish there was a tiny bit more energy? More of When you sleep and less Touched? It’s still a great album and maybe with time it will grow on me more. For now, from two of the greatest shoegaze albums, I much prefer Souvlaki.

For an album that starts off with a great number, it left me with the feeling of 'thanks, but I'm full'. I can barely hear the vocals most of the time over the distorted guitar noises, and most of the tracks are... forgettable. Get the feeling that it's supposed to be listened to in one sitting, but it's making me fall asleep. Best songs: only shallow, come in alone Worst songs: to here knows when, what you want

A lush soundscape with plenty of cool sounds. The lyrics are unintelligeble and the songs flow into one another after a while. But the melancholic vibe just keeps sticking.

Feels very noisy and not really what either of us would choose to listen to Probably a 1

Alright, My Bloody Valentine round 2. It's been nearly a year since I listened to their third album, m b v, and gave it a 3. Since then, my perspective on music has shifted quite a bit, and I'm much more open to slower, more shoegaze-like music. I mean, I gave Sigur Rós a 5. That alone should be enough evidence. On top of that, I'm feeling exceptionally good today seeing as it is, in fact, my birthday. So, maybe I'm more open to positively reviewing an album like this, right? Right indeed. I get it now. I see the appeal of My Bloody Valentine. Loveless is a fantastic album. This is how you make a noisy album. Music with a sound like this was practically unheard of until this album released. The sound is excellent. The album cover perfectly encapsulates this. It's noisy and a bit unclear, but there are still clear musical sensibilities that create this hazy, atmospheric feel that I really like. There's also some decent energy at times. It's not exactly a happy energy, but it's much more musically active than what I remember from m b v. The writing is hard to hear, but looking at the lyrics gave me good results. There's a very consistent theme in this album that I feel is explored quite well. Of course, the sound is the stronger focus, so it doesn't matter as much. Still, it's nice knowing that the writing is good. There's some great songs on here. I love "When You Sleep." If you had to show someone a single song from this album to make them "get it," play this one. "Sometimes" is a great example of a less energetic song from the album. It's definitely more drony than a song like "When You Sleep," but that allows you to really appreciate the atmospheric aspects of the album. In conclusion, Loveless really is as good as I was told it would be. It's not my favorite album, but the cultural impact and quality of this album are enough for me to justify giving this album a 5/5. I guess I have to revisit m b v now.

4.5. Grungy post rock - loved it!

masterpiece

8/10 gets a little same with the noise but still has some really powerful songs

Some nice tunes but too often on the edge to annoying. 1,5

A nice surprise, I liked this more than I thought I would. I think the vocals needed to be more prominent in the mix. At times the jam/groove got a bit long, repetitive and kind of self indulgent which prevents me from rounding up. 3.5/5

I sincerely hope I don't see another one of these guys albums on this list. Mostly static.

It sounds like a bad acid trip, and yet comforts and entertains

Okay, maybe there's room for me to dig this record yet. This most recent listen fared much better than my first couple. I still struggle with the vocals, and it's definitely not my favorite overall style, but a lot of the melodies revealed themselves more to me this time around. I'll keep at it... 3/5

This one was okay. Kinda odd, but okay. This doesn’t really sound like a 90’s album to me. Favorite song: when you sleep

This is the second mbv album I've come to on this list. 1 doesn't need to be on here, let alone 2 of them.

awful

Noisy

It was ok

For the price of an Indian takeaway and a modest number of pints of beer, I could surpass the sonic experience and artistic quality of this album merely by recording the sounds of my sloppy shits splattering across the porcelain walls of my toilet the next day. Yet they spent £250k (in 90s money!) producing something equally crap!

This was my kind of slow durge. Simpsons: There is an Itchy and Scratchy episode titled My Bloody Valentine. However, that is more likely a reference to the film

Was very excited to see there was another My Bloody Valentine album on here, having just finished their Isn't Anything album. Although I rated that album 4 stars, I found myself looking into Shoegaze which I wasn't familiar with and listening to other related artists. I probably preferred their other album but still enjoyed this. Therefore I will also only give this 4 stars, but it's worth noting I'm now listening to lots of similar music.

Yeah this wasn't brilliant, but they get an extra star for one of them being called Bilinda Butcher

I thought the all lowercase song title was a modern stylistic choice. Turns out these guys were doing it in the early 90s. It makes me irrationally angry, it feels like a choice to be different for the sake of being different. If I’m wrong I’m sorry but you’re no E E Cummings. Probably would have been a 2 star but the lowercase left such a bitter taste in my mouth.

I hated this. Vibes and textures, but mostly noise. I don't get it at all.

Definitely one of THOSE albums. The opening riff in Only Shallow hit me hard, but I was surprised to discover I still really like the vocals. Loomer is good too with nice melodies. It's noisy, yes, but it's a warm enveloping kind of sound. There's a crunch to the guitars too. When You Sleep is epic with good riffing underneath the keyboards. Sometimes drifts along at a gentle roar building towards a catharsis that never quite comes. Soon opens with the drums at the forefront before the guitars and vocals wash over you again. I now understand why this appealed to me 20 years ago when I was searching for the next hipster post rock band.

Never would I listen to this on my own again

First time hearing this band. Didn't fall in love with it or anything. A lot of it felt out of tune and distorted, but soft. Vocals felt too quiet, couldn't hear them enough.

I had huge expectations for this one, since I always see it referenced and seemed to be influential and canonical. At first, I was let down by the record, but then I came to appreciate it. Did I expect something better? Yes. Is it good anyway? Yes. This is just a shit-ton of noise but just very well done.

yknow, for all the words you could spill about "Loveless", all the anecdotes, all the hypotheticals, all the lovesick poetry written around its faerie forests of noise and pink washed sex-syrup-opium-vomit-oil wheel projector feel, i truly don't believe there has been a better description of the record than "it sounds like a mermaid falling into a black hole". like, yeah. that's pretty much dead on. no notes, Mr. John Doran. your mileage may vary. then again, if you're listening to mbv regularly, you probably don't have a car. or a driver's license. so i guess it might really vary.

I’m confused by the music but didn’t hate it.

I always heard the name of this band, but I always thought they were a gothic doom metal outfit. This kinda caught me off guard. It wasn't that bad by any means, but the vocals ruined it all for me.

The entire album is essentially just one very long song with background noise, mumbles, moans, and grunts. It's dismal to say the least. Favorite Track : "Only Shallow"

Sobre My Bloody Valentine y Loveless ya está todo dicho: su influencia posterior en una miríada de bandas y géneros (Shoegazing, Post-Rock, Noise, Electrónica...), su extremista afán de perfección, el desfile de ingenieros y productores, la mano de Alan Moulder, el hermetismo de Kevin, la ruina del sello Creation, la perfección en combinar guitarras-efectos- samplers- ruido y melodía, el silencio durante 20 años... Este es un disco esencial (como bien podrían serlo el anterior Isn´t anything o el posterior m b v, o cualquiera de esa magistral tirada de Eps...) Desde la apertura gloriosa de Only shallow, con esas voces celestiales de Bilinda Butcher, que se prolonga en Loomer y Touched... llega el toque de atención con To here knows, una autentica golosina en el centro entre Cocteau Twins-JAMC-Sonic Youth. Se abre el cielo con When you sleep y con I only said ya no sabes dónde estás. Come in alones sirve de puente hacia esa gema que es Sometimes, una canción que se hace imposible de olvidar. Te lleva a donde quieras ir Blown a wish es otro tema imposible de clasificar y What you want sirve de senda hacia el cierre con la eterna Soon que hace que den ganas de darle al play una y otra vez. Otros discos de 1991, uno de los mejores años de la música, algunos excepcionales, fueron: Pixies- Trompe le monde, Massive Attack- Blue lines, Spiderland- Slint, Nirvana- Nevermind, Pearl Jam- Ten, Primal Scream- Screamadelica, U2- Achtung baby, REM- Out of time, Red Hot Chily Peppers- Blood sugar baby..., Metallica- Metallica, Teenage Fanclub- Bandwagonesque, Dinosaur Jr.- Green Mind, Soundgarden- Badmotorfinger, Mathew Sweet- Girlfriend, Sepultura- Arise, PM Dawn- Of the heart, of the soul..., A Tribe Called Quest- The low end theory, Talk Talk- The laughing stock, Mercury Rev- Yerself is steam, Lenny Kravitz- Mama said, Uncle Tupelo- Still feel gone, Chapterhouse- Whirlpool, The Farm-Spartacus, De La Soul- De la soul is dead, Ice T- OG, The Wedding Present- Seamonsters, 3rd bass- Derelicts of Dialect, Electronic- Electronic, Slowdive- Just for a day, Saint Etienne- Foxbase Alpha, Van Morrison-Hymns to the Silence, Neil Young and Crazy Horse- Weld, Superchunk- No pocky for kitty, Blur-Leisure, Orbital- Orbital, The Magnetic Fields-Distant Plastic Trees, Babes in toyland- To mother, Jesus Jones- Doubt, Spacemen 3-Recurring, The Filed Mice- For Keeps, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine- 30 Something... También: Prince- Diamonds and pearls, Crowded House- Woodface, Guns and Roses- Use your illusion, Michael Jackson- Dangerous, Queen- Innuendo, Roxette- Joyride, The Silencers-Dance to the Holy Man, Spin Doctors- Pocket Full of Kryptonite, Enya- Sepherd Moons...

I have heard this band's name but have never heard a single song, so this should be interesting. I thought it was Billy Corgan off the rip with those soft vocals coming in. "To here knows" when feels like a tame impala song with synth and vocal sounds. Cool sounds on "When you sleep" lead into "I only said" seamlessly. It's a decent album to have as my background music as I get admin tasks done. Reading their background and seeing how they started and who they inspired makes sense!

Interesting idea for it's time but becomes a drag as many songs give the sense of an eternity passing by aching slow just to dive into another one droning on, there isn't too much excitement to this album. Favorite song: Sometimes

Pretty unorthadox for 1991 IMO. "Touched" being an interlude track feels about six years ahead of the curve. Too bad every track sounds identical. I expected way more metal and way less soundscapey shoegazey sad-rock. Fav Track: I Only Said

classical shoegazing album, darf in keiner guten Sammlung fehlen

Kind of like if you threw the Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, and Maybe a few quieter Ethyl Meatplow tracks into a blender and then smashed a button marked "super soft weiner". I mean that in the best way. Not quite a five-star but damnably close.

ich check de erst song, aber hoff etz dass s album bitz abwechslugsriucher wird. loomer checki nöd s isch afoch viel reverb? im qobuz text stoht wiedermol dass viel lüt finded das seg s wichtigste album vode 90er. wenni en franke het für jedesmol woni da scho glese han über es album hetti sicher 10 franke jnd da isch easy viel. when you sleep isch etz slightly en banger gsi wnl. i only said checki etz au no aber s isch scho eeeehner ermürbend so vong sound her. jo ok sehr. also, anschinend isch das album s definitive shoegaze album. jo denn checki wases isch als genre, sie liebed klangbetter und so. aber jo, ich chan etz kei begeisterig für das ufbringe. come in alone tönt glich? wie alles andere? sometimes isch au afoch es gitarrebett. jo i know alles isch e gitarrebett, aber wennd dini stimm so hassisch dassd sie unhörbar machsch wiso singsch denn? sie hend anschinend amel ewigkeite gha zum au nurscho ein song ufneh. cringe nocher ischer auno langwilig. soon het e kickdrum!! wowo!! woohoo!! ich bin kein fan vo dere musig. git e zwei glaub.

freumi HERRTTTT ellei dass alli lieder chli gschribe sind würkt uf mich "edgy" hahaha WILDE AHFANG WILDI STIMM oke es isch sehr weird aber hans no gern bis jz? lustigi songstruktur und d gitarre wo immer wieder zruggchehrt findi na cool ich weiss gar nöd genau was loomer heisst, aber s lied tönt eso hahahah to jere knows when findi sehr geil, extrem dissonant und weird, und s statische grüsch isch vill z luut, aber da isches extra es erinneret mich ah öppis aber weiss nümme was? aber ja das ganze verzerrte, atmosphärische, wo ja glaub bim shoegaze en grosse faktor isch, findi seehr geil, au wenn ich jz vlt imene nöd-1001-albe-kontext s weniger wür fühle hahaha when you sleep isch gfühlt s erst mal öppis wo catchy isch, chli anime intro mässig d melodie aber cool ah isch au s meistgloste lied uf spotify I only said wieder das träumerische, wo glichzitig en underschied isch zude verzerrte gitarre aber au dur das komplimentiert wird? come in alobe het wieder chli meh melodie lol oahhhh sometimes hani megaaa gern!!! es erinneret mich ah irgende band wo ich e ziit lang vill glost han aber weiss nümme was? loveless passt iwie nöd so zude musig findi...es isch im gegeteil iwie extrem sanft und verträumts, ebe fast lieblichs amigs? ähnmich bi blown a wish oke what you want het wieder chli perkussion d gitarre tönt mengisch so blechig iwie hahaha soon chunnt iwie dur de schellexhranz und d drums chli en "poppigere" ahstrich? dass d produktion sehr intsensiv gsi isch glaub mega hahahaha joo das isch jz nöd es album wo mit bangers dursetzt isch und sehr fest au uf atmosphäre setzt, ich hans aber seehr geil gfunde mussi sege

Honestly, I dislike it. It is not meant for listening on it's own, but it's redeeming quality is the fact that I recognize the influence of the experimental shoegaze instrumental nature in movies during sad/emotional/melancholic scenes. It's the type of music I imagine playing through one's mind and soul when getting high (not in a good way, but like in a movie scene when someone is trying to escape super depressing thoughts). Point is, this music has it's place, and it is not for easy listening. Unless I want to feel depressed while watching a movie scene, I don't want to listen to it. I'm giving them stars for influence and quality, but I do not ever want to listen to it again.

Solid album ahead of it’s time

4.3 - Did not expect this at all, I thought it was going to be super emo and whiny. Not at all! Loved the soundscape and can see how its influenced a lot of the genre. Crap name though

This album is like a dream you never want to wake up from. It feels like bathing your ears in melted euphoria. The sounds mbv managed to extract from guitars are beyond comprehension. only shallow as an opening track is a powerful statement of intent. when you sleep is in a three or four way tie for my favourite song of all time. sometimes can bring me to tears without even really being able to make out the lyrics. to here knows when feels like flying. Producing this album was a notorious labour of love, but it’s one of those cases where I’m thankful they toiled for their art - they did something special. Even the album cover is perfectly apt, iconic. Mbv didn’t invent shoegaze on this album, but they undoubtedly defined and perfected it. Nothing slowdivey comes anywhere close, come at me bro. Fave tracks: only shallow, loomer, touched, to here knows when, when you sleep, i only said, come in alone, sometimes, blown a wish, what you want, soon 5.1/5

Awesome album, mostly really interesting use of sounds but verges on boring and repetitive at times.

texture

Очень специфический альбом, жанр которого я определить даже не могу. Что-то крайне фантасмагорическое. Но для 1991-ого года звучит безумно необычно. К сожалению, не совсем цепляет, тяжеловат к прослушиванию.

My first attempt to listen to this album was on loud, but high fidelity speakers, and this was an absolutely awful experience. An incoherent noisy mess. However, I gave it another try on some low-grade earphones, and suddenly everything made sense. The album was made for listneing it on a crappy walkman on the way home, where you just melt into the incoherent but very emotional noises. Listening to it this way, the lyrics were too incomprehensible to live up to their Emo reputation, but perhaps that enhanced my enjoyment even more.

A bit of a mush, no real definition and didnt really vibe all too much with it

I know everyone raves about this album. And there is some interesting music here. I just don’t see it as the epic that most do

Pretty good but don’t understand it

Never really managed to get into this

Pretty alright, a little bit of a peppy rock flair. 3.5

"Regular concert goers judged that the best sound balance was usually to be heard from within large concrete bunkers some thirty-seven miles away from the stage, whilst the musicians themselves played their instruments by remote control from within a heavily insulated spaceship which stayed in orbit around the planet - or more frequently around a completely different planet. Many worlds have now banned their act altogether, sometimes for artistic reasons, but most commonly because the band's public address system contravenes local strategic arms limitations treaties." Douglas Adams The Restaurant at the End of the Universe 1980

Wenn ich das Geräusch, welches beim Steineschneiden entsteht hören will, gehe ich zur Baustelle. Aber nur mit Gehörschutz! Ab in die Tonne!

Maybe cause it's been so influential, and imitated it sounds like not much special. Apparently there was a lot of tuning and guitar playing innovation, but a lot of it just sounds like... maybe weezer? power chords.

So it took 2 and a half years and 19 recording studios to record this piece of crap. Oh and several engineers and you still can't understand any of the lyrics. And what is this "shoegaze" nonsense, is that because the musicians were too embarrased about their utter incompetence to look their audience in the eyes.

I'm not a big fan of dense layers of reverb drenched guitar so this was not for me

This was relentless sludge.

Groupe connu de nom uniquement. Mais cet album est totalement inaudible. Un mur de son où on ne distingue quasiment rien. Je vais tester avec un autre système audio au cas où ... mais pour l'instant je lui met 1/5, et dans tous les cas je n'aime pas ce mixage qui gâche totalement l'expérience. Mise à jour : Avec un bon casque c'est mieux, la bouillie sonore devient (presque) audible, et révèle l'originalité de certains morceaux (+1). Le choix de mixage reste cependant vraiment repoussant pour moi ... => 2/5

Just felt very generic and uninspired. 2.5/5

I get each album for the day off of a website. One that I’ve recently learned is much bigger than I originally thought. And it’s interesting seeing the differences in how the average person on this site scores some of these huge albums. And how the scores are often much lower. I’m surrounded by music so much that to hear say anything less than positive about this album is strange to me. I’m really showing how much of a nerd I am here, but I think a 4.25/5 and number 9 overall on RYM, plus an 89/100 on AOTY says a lot about this record’s reputation. On the other website though? 3.16/5. That is a massive difference. But it makes sense in context. This sounds foreign and weird to people. Especially those who maybe have never heard anything like it before. From the thunderous opening four snare hits on Only Shallow, Loveless transports the listener to a world that really didn’t exist in this capacity before the 11th of November, 1991. The fact this came out so early in the decade probably has a lot to do with where it stands now. This bright pink fuzzy monolith of noise changed everything we know about indie rock and the perception of effects on a guitar. I see the phrase “reinvention of the guitar” thrown around. And I can’t even pretend it’s much of a stretch. 19 different recording studios, nearly three years of work, and 250,000 glorious British pound sterlings, and this is what they have to show for it. A success if you ask me. Kevin Shields is hilariously even more of a perfectionist maniac than Billy Corgan. But the meticulous, tireless and prolonged efforts of this band to really create something memorable thankfully paid off. They would break up just 6 years later, and waited over a decade and a half to attempt a follow-up because they simply couldn’t do it. This band’s release from their label after this record came out is also attributed to the label going bankrupt, if that says anything about how this impacted the industry. It’s so lauded for a reason. What was done here really elevated the idea of playing a guitar to another caliber of instrumentation. It’s an onion with an endless amount of layers. A very pretty onion, mind you. It took me months to realize there was humming on the opening track. It’s placed so neatly into the mix you almost can’t make it out, but it forever changed my view of the song. And that humming is found all over the place. This is the musical equivalent of a bunch of cars being crushed into a cube at a junkyard, and then being covered in makeup. It’s a mess. But one where the naivety and playfulness is clouded by the sheer and utter power and magnitude of the band. What this album has done for indie music is both irreplaceable and magnificent to see, but also damning. Because everyone has wanted to make the next loveless for 30 years, and no one has come close. That, plus the genuine genre-bending, boundary pushing experimentation, I think, justifies how I’m scoring this. Rating: 10/10!

yuh

On paper this should be a genre I like but I find it a struggle. I do like the creativity in music but as a living act I'm not sure how fun that would have been.

I respect the hell out of it for what it is, but I don't think shoegaze is my cup of tea. Some of the instrumentation is preeeetty out there. Still, an interesting listening experience

FUCK YEAH SHOEGAZE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO This is my #2 project in the genre, behind Ixtab by My Dead Girlfriend. That EP is probably perfect, and this album is close too. Suffocating soundscapes trap you in a kaleidoscopic headspace from the first seconds of Only Shallow, and through When You Sleep, Come In Alone, and my personal favorite I Only Said, the record guides you through a prismatic lazy river. Soon is the only way to let you off the ride, and it demands you come back for more. Fantastic album, hugely important, and I'm not looking forward to having to hear Souvlaki.

Boring

Dreamy early 90’s rock

1. The songs are good. 2. The sonic textures are really interesting. 3. The fade-out-sudden-switch structure of each song lends a unique sound to the album.

Madonna raga a me lo shoegaze piace troppo, la chitarra distorta, la voce incomprensibile, mi fanno sentire in un sogno o in un altro pianeta, è tutto così surreale, ipnotico, stupendo. Album iconico, finalmente ho avuto una scusa per ascoltarlo tutto e: che meraviglia. Finalmente un album che mi ha emozionato dopo così tanti meh. Il genere può sembrare musica di sottofondo ma quando ci azzecca per me è sempre un’esperienza mistica

Not what I thought my bloody Valentine was about. Good atmosphere

Not for me

Pretty interesting, almost atmospheric guitar.

Not bad! I didn't like the other two albums of theirs I've had already but I didn't mind this. I actually had a bit of a revelation about my attitude when I was listening to this. I started out disliking it, but then I was like, "If you told me this was Sonic Youth, I'd probably like it." I wiped my hypocrisy-clouded judgment away and this immediately sounded better.

Not what I thought they’d sound like. Pretty boring

only shallow // when you sleep //

A band name that says exactly what’s in the tin. Gritty but lush, aggressive yet ethereal - synths and guitars intertwine and you get this lovely album.

Det här var kul, shoegaze lät ju inte alls som jag trodde!

This is an album that took a few listens before I really began to appreciate it, but now it’s one of my favorites. What I enjoy most is how noisy and unpolished it gets, with those fuzzy and hazy guitars. These types of sounds were probably very unusual for the time when this came out, and I love how the calm ethereal vocals sit on top of a wall of noise and chaos.

Incredibly heavy, yet ethereal. At times, it felt like I was drifting slowly through the multiverse, with any emerging questions being pounded down by the sheer heaviness of confusion. A nightmare that's terrifying yet strangely comforting. It's hard to describe. The guitar is easily the peak, sound-wise, of the music. The riffs are thick, distorted, and unforgiving – yet still pretty darn catchy. Take, for example, the alien-teque riff in "when you sleep" (or the similar-sounding one in the following track, "i only said"). Or the throbbing two-chord progression in "only shallow" Whoever's contributing the guitar playing, and indeed that of the entire rhythm section, really knows their stuff. The bass playing should also be complimented; I'd be interested to hear this music with the bass cranked up to the max. It could create something transcendental. I'm a fan of the drum mixing too, which is unusually without distortion relative to the other instruments. Something needed to maintain a grip on reality, and the percussion is a solid choice for that role. But if this is genuinely the peak of the shoegaze genre (as it seems to be touted), I do worry a little bit, because it was great – but not life-changing. Music with lyrics that are too distorted to make out is a strange idea that hadn't been tried before the 90s precisely because it's hard to connect with. Maybe that's the point, though. Maybe I'm missing some brutally deep commentary on the nature of man. Edit: I take it back. I relistened to Loveless on full volume with better headphones. I have discovered life's meaning. 5/5 Key tracks: only shallow, when you sleep, come in alone, sometimes, soon

Sounds like a bunch of people were farting about for a couple of hours with tech and forgot to actually write anything decent

Aaaaand another one totally misplaced here. Nothing about this that I need to listen to before my death.

With a lot of artists, it’s difficult to make out some of the words, either through distortion or buried under the music or just plain poor enunciation. I’m not sure there were any actual words on this though. I truly did not catch a single word. The entirety of this album sounded as though I couldn’t get my radio tuned into a station well. It seemed like there might be music in the static, but I couldn’t be sure. The result was sort of the opposite of white noise. What would that be, black noise? Puke-green noise? Mauve noise? That’s it, mauve noise. Ugly, obnoxious, artificial, outdated, and doesn’t belong in anyone’s home. This album was wall to wall mauve noise.

It was ok

carissimi my bloody valentine, deve esserci un punto in cui la distorsione della chitarra e il mugugnare parole che a malapena si sentono diventano eccessivi. deve esserci. deve. perchè così è troppo.

Madonna raga a me lo shoegaze piace troppo, la chitarra distorta, la voce incomprensibile, mi fanno sentire in un sogno o in un altro pianeta, è tutto così surreale, ipnotico, stupendo. Album iconico, finalmente ho avuto una scusa per ascoltarlo tutto e: che meraviglia. Finalmente un album che mi ha emozionato dopo così tanti meh. Il genere può sembrare musica di sottofondo ma quando ci azzecca per me è sempre un’esperienza mistica

This was just like listening to an hour of vaguely melodic noise

THE shoegaze album. Masterpiece.

loveless my bloody valentine 1991 1. only shallow: 6/10 2. loomer: 7/10 3. touched: 4/10 4. to here knows when: 5.5/10 5. when you sleep: 9/10 6. i only said: 5.5/10 7. come in alone: 6.5/10 8. sometimes: 6.5/10 9. blown a wish: 5.5/10 10. what you want: 6/10 11. soon: 6.5/10 overall rating: 6/10

The album as religious experience. Perfection. 10 🌟

Started off being quite surprised by the sound of this, but as it went on it was really hard going, I mean it’s just a lot of distortion over and over again and my brain just couldn’t cope by the last few songs.

Na The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth en The Jesus And Mary Chain was het de beurt aan MBV om de betekenis van 'noise' te herdefiniëren. En waar de andere noisy pioniers een blauwdruk werden voor indie acts, is de overweldigende sound van MBV eigenlijk nooit geëvenaard. En dit terwijl MBV voor shoegaze is als Cocteau Twins voor dreampop, de ultieme blauwdruk. Heb dit album met een adequate koptelefoon geluisterd, omdat je anders het gehele punt van de muziek mist. Het moet je raken in al z'n lagen. De opener balanceert nog tussen shoegaze en dreampop, sust je in een roes, om vanaf dat moment gebombardeerd te worden met droney gitaren, hypnotiserende drummachines en gierende synths. Wat een intelligente opener, zonder twijfel hun beste song. In de loop van het album wordt het steeds meer noise rock, en minder dromerige pop. Dit wordt onderbroken door 'When You Sleep', ook zo'n song die het uitstekende oor voor melodie van Kevin Shields laat horen. Ongetwijfeld een grote inspiratie voor shoegaze-peers Slowdive. Daarna door met het vreemde 'I Only Said', die floreert in z'n dissonantie. Daarna is het album iets te veel een one trick pony, wat je toch al snel hebt in dit genre. Maar die truc, het creëren van een sonisch wonderland door het testen van de limieten van je instrumenten, heeft MBV behoorlijk goed onder de knie. Bijvoorbeeld die brute gitaarsound in 'Sometimes', die heeft de muziekwereld sinds Wire's "Pink Flag" niet meer gehoord. Het 'lawaaierige' muziekstuk sluit af met een underrated gem 'Soon', die van mij een uur mocht duren. Een ritme dat veel weg heeft van wat er op dat moment in Manchester gebeurde in de indie scene, maar dan onder een dikke laag shoegaze. Werkt geweldig. Al met al een uniek album, vader van een geheel genre maar ook 'untouchable'. Als een vader die z'n kinderen vlak na hun geboorte verliet. 8,5/10 Highlights: Only Shallow When You Sleep I Only Said Soon

Grondleggers van de Shoegaze. Het geluid dat zij uit gitaren hebben weten te krijgen is ongeevenaard. Het heeft dan ook heel wat jaartjes gekost om dit in elkaar te timmeren. MBV is flink noisy, waardoor ik er altijd iets meer moeite mee had dan de meer dromerige collega's. Maar door Loveless in 1x te luisteren kom je daar heerlijk in te zitten. Versterkers hard, stemmen onverstaanbaar, lekker naar de schoenen kijken en rammen maar. Wat een geluid, heerlijk afgedwaald. 8,5/10 Highlights only shallow when you sleep soon

Loveless is really just a big wall of noise, with awful or useless vocals, and there's not much else to say about it. It gets a two because the wall of noise does create a fairly epic sound on occasion, but it's not remarkable or memorable.

Much preferred it to the other album we had from them, this offers a lot more. I really like the sound, it manages to somehow be both really full on but also properly cut in places. Shame the guy can't enunciate clearly, have no idea what he's actually saying and that loses at least a point - the way it's mixed doesn't help that (but might be a blessing given that he can't really sing). Have listened to this a few times, and it's a great listen for working to, enough there to keep you interested but without the lyrics being audible it doesn't distract too much. 3/5, could've been higher if I'd known what he was on about.

Gets better the more you listen, I swear. Gotta keep this one in rotation

I'm not a fan of the washed out, super trebly, fuzz heavy sound.

After listening to this more, this one got bumped up to 5, and was my first edit.

this wall of beautiful fuzz felt so unusual when I heard it back when it came out. Some songs stand out more than others I do not go back to it as often as I used to but nice to hear again.

Damn! Seems very polarizing - lots of 1 star and 5 star reviews. The 5 star reviews are correct, obviously.

Like a messy relationship that's impossible to walk away from. An abrasive and distorted edge, yet melodic and ethereal. A melancholic atmosphere, yet saccharine all the same. A deep, profound sense of longing lingers. Then you realise; this is a dream, and through the haziness of the dream you lie in temporary permanence, not wanting it to end. "When I look at you... oh, I don't know what's real"