Loveless

The sound of not being able to run in a dream. Best Tracks: Only Shallow; When You Sleep; Soon

Peak MBV. Peak shoegaze (along with Souvlaki by Slowdive). Absolutely insane that Kevin Shields was able to create something so dreamy which at the same time insists on having an intimate connection with the listener.

One of the best sounding records to emerge from the 90’s. I genuinely can’t comprehend how Shields produced such an intense and dense wall of noise while managing to maintain dreamy vibe and pop sound of the songs. I think it’s fair to assume that a decent amount of my favorite records of the late 90’s and forward wouldn’t exist without Loveless. A legacy almost as massive as it’s sound.

Ruido entretenido por un rato. No me transmite ni evoca nada. Supongo que no es malo pero no me llamó nada esta banda.

Shoe gazing Que no me comunica nada. Tampoco me molesta, pero ni ganas de que explorar mas.

Perfect album.

8/6/2022 - ALBUM #191 Today's Album: "Loveless" by My Bloody Valentine - This is an album with THE highest level of acclaim within the shoegaze genre, inspiring countless other acts with it’s ethereal blend of guitar reverb and soft vocals. Despite the relatively lo-fi production of the project, it uses compression to enhance the dreamlike haziness and rhythmic ambiguity that this album is known for. The tunes these tracks at their core are relatively sweet (notably When You Sleep, Come in Alone, Blown a Wish, Soon), with lyrics that call upon this sort of love-sick nostalgia and enforce the overall concept of the record being an expression of lovelessness. The way the original guitar sound is taken out of many tracks, leaving only its ghost in the form of echoey reverb, gives the album this super unique identity. The flow of this album is also something to be commended, with many great transitions from track to track both sonically and tonally. One of my favorite examples is the perfect transitioning from the moody interlude, Touched, into the sparklingly ethereal To Here Knows When. The album as a whole is somewhat hard to review because it feels like the parts of my brain that enjoy this album are ones completely separate from the parts that usually consume music. It becomes so much more of a visceral experience listening to this album because there isn’t a real separation between instruments within the sound so it’s not an album where you can focus on just one instrument. This makes it difficult for me to exactly pin down what to say that makes this album so awe-inspiring and enjoyable, but if I had to sum it up in a sentence: This album simply does what no album did before it and is, in many ways, yet to be superseded by any of its contemporaries. Overall, this is a fantastic sonic experience that bends the fabric of what music conventionally sounds like and challenges listeners with an entirely new framework with which to understand music as an art medium. Give this one a listen if you are a fan of shoegaze or ambient pop and even if those genres aren’t your favorite, give it a listen because this album deserves to be heard at least once throughout your lifetime. Highlights: Only Shallow, Loomer, To Here Knows When, When You Sleep, I Only Said, Come in Alone, Sometimes, Blown a Wish, What You Want, Soon Score: 8.75/10 Beautiful in ways I don’t think I can comprehend yet

I can appreciate this album for what it is, even if it's not totally my thing

I remember when this band was pretty hot and I couldn't find the glory in it then. I gave it a shot again this morning and I'm still a no. This polyphonic sound wall is not for me.

Staple of college art in the early '90s. Best listened to on your back, in a pitch black room staring at the ceiling with a favorite teenage crush.

I'm glad I gave "Loveless" a second listen. The first time through, I was overwhelmed by the weakly orchestral whale murder on "Touched" and the subsequent instrument malfunction and moaning of "To Here Knows When." Those tracks stuck with me, and it wasn't until the album was almost finished that I realized I enjoyed the second half more than I'd thought. The second listen solidified what I had realized by the end of the first go-round - "Loveless" (and mbv) aren't quite it for me, but I can respect their experimentation and path-forging efforts. This album is apparently the defining release of the shoegaze subgenre, though shoegaze seems very small and niche, whereas mbv seems equally influential in alternative and indie rock in the 90s and even 2000s. I thought shoegaze was named for the generally mopey and muffled vibe of the songs, but I've learned that it was that the guitar sound was so driven by pedal effects that the musicians spent much of their time staring at the pedals, and thus, their shoes. But while "Loveless" surely inspired much shoegaze that I've never heard, and Wikipedia claims that shoegaze was pushed aside by grunge and Britpop, a lot of grunge adjacent alternative rock in the 90s feels a lot like my bloody valentine. (As an aside, my instinct to proofread is very annoyed by the lack of capital letters in my bloody valentine.) The band that came to mind most while listening to "Loveless" was not a shoegaze band, but rather Smashing Pumpkins. After the album finished, Amazon Music's attempt to create a like-minded radio station was also heavy in 90s alternative and grunge.

Touched and To Here Knows When are bloody awful but if you can push past (or better yet, just hit skip) on those two tracks at the beginning, the rest of the album has that muddy, lo-fi sound that is so early 90s alt rock but not grunge. Not enough here to bump it up to 3 stars but I don't hate it.

The album should not be titled Loveless but rather Vocal-less. It’s sounds like the music and the vocals come out of two different speakers and the vocal speaker is buried in a sand box. The music itself is enjoyable, but the producers, and everyone involved in the mixing process, of this album were hopefully employed for this one album only.

Sort of trancey rock which I quite enjoyed. As ever some tracks much better than others so a solid 3*

OK. I've tried a few times with this album. Its fine but no more for me.

I didn't care for it. There were some parts that were ok but the bulk of it was weird.

I wish there were a 3.5.

Esta mezcla entre Cocteau Twins y Sonic Youth no termina de convencerme. "only shallow" o "when you sleep" están bien pero el disco no da para mucho.

De eerste indruk was goed en het album trok mijn interesse. Toch voel ik dat bijna elke noot vals is, of dat de opname kwaliteit erg slecht is. Daarom haak ik af. *

This album pioneered rock during the nineties and even the 2000s. Maybe I'm not fully convinced on production, but that's nitpicking in this particular case. An absolute masterpiece.

I've promised to listen to every album all the way through, and it's difficult with some. But I'd rather cut my bollocks off with a rusty razor than listen to this shit again.

Absolute masterpiece of an album. What a treat.

I’m not really into grunge, so it may be good for others, but not me.

Not my thing, didnt finish

sexig platta

Snuddar på en femma denna, klassiker efter klassiker

Nä det här var för tråkig musik. Gymnasialt trams!

not my type of music at all

Delightful tinnitus.

I love the noisiness and experimental nature of this. Normally, that sort of thing drives me nuts, but not here. I’ve been listening to this record for years, just don’t ask me to be able to name a single song.

Wikipedia says I am a fool for not having listened to this earlier in my life, perhaps that is correct, while it wasn't my cup of tea, a few elements lingered with me...but overall...just not cool enough to get this one.

This is really cool sounding, like a Foo Fighters, but the vocals are this light airy thing balanced on these guitars that want to take off on a heavy Nirvana track. This was really enjoyable

Apparently this is one of the greatest albums of all time and cost $250k. I didn't like it at all.

I tried to get this. Some sounds worked, but I like to hear vocals, not some ambient fuzz.

It's a classic if not a bit one dimensional

Awful.

Yes loud and angry

So many great albums lately! Anyway, this is an album I would imagine is polarizing but I'm all for it. So much noise and beauty. MBV was a special band. Classic. Total classic.

This is awful. I want to give it less than 1. It has a lot in common with things I adore, however, there's enough wrong to make it terrible. The 'singing' is the worst thing of all, it's barely even a voice, just some whiney sound in the background. The production is all off, the music is a mess. The worst I've had to listen to so far.

Really nice sound they’re going for. Very cohesive. 7/10 but 4/5 here.

Brilliant

No way

I've never listened to my bloody valentine simply because the name puts me off. Starting out I can't say I regret missing it out. Past the initial noise that begins the album we get to something approaching noisy music. Yeah this isn't for me. I struggled through the whole album and it didn't get any more pleasant, just more boring. Particularly annoying: I Only Said. Least annoying: Sometimes.

Maybe as background music to movie scenes but overall kinda weird

Nope

The ultimate shoegaze masterpiece. Such a great album one of my favourites. Can see why it’s not to everyone’s tastes but that’s what art is all about. An album that takes time and effort to enjoy but once you get it you can’t stop coming back to it.

Whooa. Loveless. Gonna love other peoples reviews here. The apex of shoe gazing. Walls of guitar that overwhelm and almost destroyed Creation Records due the Kevin Shields perfection seeking. I know it well. And playyyy...The sheer joy of "when you sleep" the magnificence of "soon" There is nothing like this album. 5.

An awesome quiet-loud record. There are those who believe this is overrated. I vehemently disagree. The tension of noise vs. melody is palpable. One of the best releases in the 90s.

I know there are guitars under here somewhere, but this is essentially noise. The distortion completely overwhelms any music or vocals. Not sure what the point is or why this deserves a record contract.

Probably a good version of what it is supposed to be achieving. Not for me.

I've heard of this group and they pop up a lot on recommended indie lists but this was my first listen to their recordings. I really enjoyed the mellow vocals (but couldn't really make out the words). The music, however, was very noisy and production a little overbearing. Not really sure I can say I enjoyed it but it was certainly an unusual album.

Enjoyable, but not memorable

Lovely noisy nonsense

Loved the noisy guitar/understated vocal combo.

Pleasantly surprising, this one. Hints of Autechre and ambient droning, whereas I think I expected something like a bad metal score to a slasher movie.

I'm not that familiar with the band, I can see why some would like them. I kinda like the soft vocals, but overall the album feels like a noisy mess.

Pop music being played by people who are sliding down a hill through a temporal distortion that is stretching their faces into wisps. 90s me would've liked it, if she'd known about it. 20's me ain't got no time for the discordance.

the album that ruined Creation records. I don't even think Kevin Shields is all that..... pound shop smashing pumpkins

This album cost £250,000, took 3 years and 18 engineers to record, almost sending the record label bankrupt. Rarely has so much time, money and man power been spent to create something so boring. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Only Shallow Date listened: 27/05/22

we love you

Mmm fuzzy goodness 5

Kinda boring but still pretty good if you're in a shoegazey mood

My first listen to a My Bloody Valentine, which is a surprise. Not sure what I was expecting, other than to maybe like this more than I did. It was solid though.

Dun dun dun dun WOOOAAAAAA WOOOUUUUA WOOOOEEEEEA WOOOUUUU *incoherent moans* A goddamn work of art this one is

It’s one of my favorite albums. The waves of dissonance with the monotone vocals. The immersive wall of sound is so perfectly mirrored in the album art. It’s really a treat every time I hear it

one of the legendary shoegaze albums, it’s just incredible

lame

I remember the first listen, totally blown away. Still am

Like being thrown into a constant, swirling ocean of droning guitars and feedback. A giant wall of sound, initially impenetrable, soon gives way to striking melodies and songs, and an album that is downright stunning for the most part.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs:

Far, far better than their debut album, 'Isn't Anything,' this album solidifies their sound in a wonderful way. I was really put off by getting the other album first, but this one might have turned me around on My Bloody Valentine. dreamy in the best ways, the music made me feel like I was floating in air. The ethereal nature of the songs are just that good.

Sonically innovative and deceptively layered, this record is the apogee of shoegaze. The dense, hypnotic atmosphere is created from a host of oxymoronic qualities: at once strong yet soft, up-tempo yet relaxed, lustful yet distant. Deliberately obscure lyricism adds to the instrumental quality of the wistful, lost-in-the-mix vocals of Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher, and Shields’ guitar work manages to virtually reinvent the instrument’s place in rock music. Standout Tracks: Only Shallow, When You Sleep, Sometimes, Blown a Wish

It is a distinct piece of art from beginning to end, an immaculate singular mood.

No i kolejne krwawe walentynki wylosowalo, wiec znowu patrzenie w buty, tym razem jest to drugi i ostatni studyjny krazek grupy z 91, ktory ma byc ich magnum opusowym wydaniem, chociaz powiedziec, ze jest to krazek bandy jest lekka przesada, bo w celu stworzenia czegos lepszego niz isnt anything postanowili oni obrac zasade baby z plyty bandzie lzej, wiec jak na poprzdnim krazku czterech czlonkow mozna bylo uslyszec, tak tutaj zostal tylko pan Kevin Shields, bioracy na siebie lwia czesc roboty, bo zarowno lirycznie wokalnie jak i instrumentalnie, gitary i basy sa jego, no i przez produkcje i sampling, ma swoj wklad w plyte, kolejnym czlonkiem ktory ostal sie wsrod czystki byl pan o irlandzko brzmiacym nazwisku Cíosoig, ktory drumuje i tez cos sampluje, bo tego samplowania musialo byc troche skoro tworzyli ten album we dwojke, pani Butcher udziela sie jedynie woklanie i lirycznie na trzech trakach, reszta jest od pana Shieldsa, a jest tego 11 trakow na 48 minutach, pomimo tego ze nadal nie jestem w stanie nic zrozumiec przez to jak wokale sa podane, to slucha sie tego lepiej niz ostatnio, bo czuc tutaj jakies poczucie calosci w tym halasie, nadal nie jestem przekonany do shoegazzingu, ktory ma byc wlasnie definiowany tym krazkiem, ale slucha sie tego zdecydowanie lepiej niz poprzedniego picka tego zespolu, hajlajtowymi fragmentami byly traki gdzie bylo mniej wokali a wiecej instrumentali jak na when you sleep czy zamykajcym soon, wyroznia te traki takze upbeatowosc jak na standardy tego albumu, bo patrzenie w buty kojarzy mi sie ze smutami poza przestrzenia codziennosci, a tutaj tak dla odmiany pozytywnie sie zrobilo, wiec na plejke dodam zamykajacy soon i bardziej kojarzacy mi sie z gatunkiem i only said, tym razem ciecia kadrowe wyszly muzycznie na plus bandzie, pomimo tego, ze nagrywanie materialu trwalo ponad dwa lata, co jak na standardy branzy dla takiej bandy jest potwornie dlugim czasem, ktory mial podobno przyczynic sie do upadkow creation records

The second album from this Irish band and what many to consider to be the pinnacle of the Shoegaze genre (obscure vocals, guitar distortion and effects). This album was recorded over two years using 19 different studios where band leader Kevin Shields was aiming for perfection. The album cost lots of money and the band never released another album after that in this time frame. They did reunite in 2013. The music can best be described as a unique, distorted, churning guitar sound driving the songs with other guitars, sampling and keyboards (I think) used variously for the melody. About half the songs have drums (drum loops). The vocals are split between Shields and Belinda Butcher and act more as instruments. They go great against the music. I've never have or will try to remotely decipher the lyrics or what they're singing about. To me, this is an amazing achievement of sound and guitars in essentially creating a unique atmosphere. I don't if I've heard anything quite like it since. However, to be honest, I would not recommend listening to this album if you're hung over; that guitar might really be irritating. Every song is worth a listen just to hear what Shields is doing with the guitar sound. Some highlighted songs; both "When You Sleep" and "What You Want" are more traditional rock songs with drums, that churning guitar as rhythm and other guitars/keyboards for the melody...my two favorite songs on the album. "Soon" use drumbeats (loops) to incredibly create a dance-type song. Guitars still churning. Many consider this one of the best albums of the 90's and I would agree.

Flawless

Can't tell what is being sung, but an interesting, hazy, shoegaze type sound

Shoegaze zoals het hoort te zijn. Erg genoten van dit toch wel stevige album

Quite uninteresting exercise in low key noise making

Best Song: To Here Knows When. It sounds like I'm eavesdropping on a fever dream that someone else is having. Worst Song: Blown a Wish. There are limits to how ethereal a song I can appreciate, apparently. Overall: A very sleepy, droning album. While listening, I never felt all that annoyed, nor that interested. This feels like an album for the inebriated.

I love the opening track Only Shallow. The others don't hit me as well, but it is still a good and important album for alt music.

oh god why do you keep torturing me

Pretty monotonous. Not necessarily bad, it's ok for back ground music. But it's borderline static.

No album in the past 30 years has come close to revolutionizing the guitar as an instrument as much as this LP did. Each track leaves no inch of production space unused as every inch of the sonic spectrum is slathered in crunchy mids, ridiculous amounts of feedback, and healthy dollops of reverb to round everything out. It took bankrupting a whole record label to find out that guitars could sound as alive and real as this, but it was worth every penny. This album is not without its flaws - mbv can't write a dynamic song structure to save their life, and I fully understand people who get bored with this LP. For me at least, however, the lack of dynamism is excused when the instrumentation and melodic structures are /this damn good/. 'To Here Knows When' may be the same sound and general 'aaaAAAaah' lyrics for 3 minutes on end, but hell if it isn't the most beautiful thing I've ever heard come out of a shitty tube amp. The inklings of early 'gaze on 'Isn't Anything' ignite into fully realized bliss here as artistry and instrument collide, the band's experimentation and creativity coming through clear on each song. A personal fav moment has to be the entirety of 'Sometimes' - the mental imagery for me has always been as if Shields covered the entire guitar line in gasoline and lit it ablaze, the longing and melancholy of the melodic line backlit by the warm flickers of fuzz. 30 years on, it's clear why this LP continues to inspire new generations of guitarists and musicians despite how abstract and uninviting it may seem on first listen. Who knew fucking around with pedals could create one of the best albums of all time?

2.5, first listen

it started off weak and ended weak. in between there were some songs that had potential, but overall the album was extremely boring and i just wanted to get it over with.

A tough one. There's a lot I've liked about this - the essential furry sound of droning early 90s mega-distorted guitars; so much you can't even identify strings being played - acoustic chords strumming atop - more a sense of feel overall than the songs going in a hard and fast direction. A dreamscape of music. But it's often too much. I love a low vocal mix but this is so low as to become barely noticed. And that variable-speed effect on most of the songs ....? It's terribly disorienting. You're left with this feeling akin to an aural seasickness which i'm sure was the intent and might be cool/different/interesting for one verse of one song but over and over makes it disconcerting. Many of the positives I like from this record were for me done better by the best of Smashing Pumpkins at the same time on Gish, with a better mix and better dynamics (any dynamics, really). Hard to rate - I've heard it now and again and maybe need to really lose myself in it more to appreciate it fully; next time I'm feeling super-emo I'll try to fight through the tears and remember to put this on. Because I go back and forth i'll cut it down the middle - it's really interesting at times but doesn't give me chills either. Worth a listen for everyone tho since I can't really compare it to many other bands. 6/10 3 stars

sucks - all just noise

We need to talk about headphones culture. Seriously.

Fuzzy, warm, melancholic, nostalgic walls of noise that completely envelop you, simultaneously strange yet familiar. The music is characterized by simple pop structures but filled with so much reverb distortion and subtle shifts in pitch, channels, and volume that it feels so distant. Lyrics are among the most mesmerizing I've seen, but too bad I can't understand without looking them up. This is mbv's most consistent album, feeling like one giant haze if not for the sudden cuts that catch you off guard. Some of the most beautiful songs I've heard are on this album, with my favorite being "When You Sleep." Just like with Ride, I could hear the 60s British rock influence in many like "I Only Said", which would later influence Britpop. There are things I love about every track. Not to mention every song has superb vocals, songwriting, mixing, and effects. Not a second wasted, with plenty of attention smoothing out the rough edges. Doesn't ever feel forced, yet somehow every song feels complete. Perfect track ordering, and I like how tracks segway into each other, although it could be a bit startling at times. Intro sets the theme, and the closer grabs your attention one more time before you fall off to sleep for a final hurrah. I always learn something on every listen. Listening to this album gets me to stop and re-appreciate music for real. If any album deserves a perfect score, it's this one.

Actually one of my all-time favorites

It was alright. Not really my thing, but great musically.

No sir, I don't like it. Seriously though....the people giving 5 stars...do you even like music? It's pretentious and terrible.

If you love (this album) less, you deserve to have love (in your life) less. Easily the most influential independent album of the last thirty years. Play it loud.

its alright i guess, shoegaze alternative rock

Show gaze and great

Специфическое звучание, но классное

Not for me

Oof. This album really wasn't my thing. Not that it was BAD, per se, but it's very stylistic--and if you don't particularly like the style (namely, dark and bombastic), this really isn't going to be the album for you. I found this album a slog, personally, but the tracks "Blown a Wish" and "Soon" redeem it somewhat for me. But even so, I didn't like the vocals and found that hard to get past. Meh, I guess.

shoe gays Didn't mind, didn't care for

This album divides opinion enormously amongst my friends but, when I'm in the mood, I find it utterly amazing. Gigantic and transcendent and thrilling.

I know the indie police will come for me, but it's a little bit boring. I see they're trying to make noise and beauty meld into an original thing... But the music doesn't realise that ambition, at least until 'soon' which is a tune. I'd come in expecting more, as I knew it's reputation. It's not bad, but it's a bit too background for me. It feels tasteful, like coffee table books and Insta homes. Come and get me indie police!

Unpleasant overall. While I appreciate the need for experimentation and growth, shoegaze simply isn't my genre.

nada

I admit I was not expecting to like this but I enjoyed it quite a bit and recognized more than I thought I would. I didn't look at the year immediately, and thought it was from maybe 2006. Was shocked to see it was from 15 years prior.

This album should be called "Mediocre Megalomaniac." Even his band mates hardly wanted to go near it. I can't even imagine what it must be like trying to work with Kevin Shields in any capacity. It's no wonder Billy Corgan admires this album so much. It's his fantasy: a musical autocrat seizing total control while holding his label hostage. And for what? Perhaps the biggest fuss ever made over something so utterly boring. I've tried to listen to this in the past and never understood it. Still don't. It just leaves me feeling numb. I strongly believe that the best music is made by collaboration, despite differences, rather than fetishizing these stories of lone geniuses forcing their inarticulate visions on everyone else. Learn to fucking communicate rather than judge and belittle everyone around you. This album is not the hard won labors of a misunderstood genius, it's the creative death throes of an insufferable prick.

Was a bit intimidated to listen to this since I know it's the quintessential shoegaze album. Overall I'm into it, I am definitely a texture guy when it comes to music and it checked all those boxes. The only thing that I didn't love was the higher pitched vocals by Shields, I preferred the lower register or Butcher's style. 4.5 down to 4.

Fantastic album, still sounds fresh after almost 30 years.

I hate it 😂

Beautifully haunting

Loud. Beautiful. 8-9/10 1. Sometimes 2. When You Sleep 3. Only Shallow

Are my headphones broken? Is there something wrong with Spotify? Oh apparently it's supposed to sound like this... I'm not sure what to think of this one. On the one hand there's certainly a unique charm to this, and I can understand how it could work its way into someones favorites. The songs, while pedestrian, are catchy and generally pleasant to listen to once the shock has worn off. They've also decided not to capitalise any of the titles. How statement-y of them. That said, I find the songwriting a little underwhelming. The best moments on the album are when they go beyond the conventional pop-punk format such as with 'touched' . The instrumentation warrants little comment. Expect no Jimi Hendrix here, this is all pretty basic, run-of-the-mill stuff. The sonic weirdness here seems to be the main attraction. While at points it has its charm, and certainly is unlike anything I've heard before, the effect hardly blows me away. Taking all that into account, I'd say 2.5 stars is appropriate. This is, by no means, a bad album, despite the general mediocrity of the compositions I found it an enjoyable experience, but seems to me to be more or less a curiosity - generally middle-of-the-road pop-punk songs with some interesting effects laid over them.

I haven't listened to this in a long time. I remember the first time I heard it and it didn't really click with me - I think I'd been oversold on them to be honest. They were total indie darlings at the time. I still don't put this album on very often but it has grown on me substantially. It's fascinatingly inventive and just really really fun to listen to.

Pretty revolutionary shit this

Lots a noise. Very experimental

Classic disco

Not what I was expecting at all. Felt like an industrial / avant garde rock album. Production was unreal.

This is no different from all the other shoegaze out there: a massive, undifferentiated waste of time.

I don't really like shoegaze. Makes me feel anxious. Song is okay so if the album had different guitar tones, I might've liked it more.

really enjoyed listening to this.

classic noisy shoegaze-y with tinny alien vocals. slightly overstays its welcome but a strangely cathartic wall of sound

I seem to have completely missed out on this band for some weird reason (I'm 55) and now I've discovered them it's good news for me and slightly dubious for my wife and kids who don't share my musical taste. It's like an immersive experience and needs to be played loud with incense and alcohol. Heavy guitar driven, distorted with mumbled muted vocals and drums/bass to carry it along. There are discerable tunes and since they were late 80s- early 90s they obviously must have influenced a lot of the later bands I'd expect. A happy day for me albeit slightly embarassed.

Kind of just noise, the vocals drowned out by distortion

I know this album comes with credentials as long as eternity, but to these ears this album is on the wrong side of the noise to music continuum. And you can’t accuse me of disliking the genre.

Ok album. It is from 91 but still sounds 80's. Not my prefered choice, but still ok.

I just dont get it, this has really divided opinions where most people I've spoken too hate this, but the Internet adores it and I just find it boring. At least if it was bad I would have something to say about it

Noisy guitars and dreamy vocals. If I'm honest I was a bit bored.

I kind of liked the ethereal voices over the sounds in this album. More than I thought I would. But maybe just in little doses. That repeated phrase that was cool for 30 seconds was nice, but repeating it over the next 4 minutes kills the love. The whole album felt like a real test of my patience and endurance. “To Here Knows When” was the soundtrack to standing in the checkout line, watching the sloth movements of the sullen teenage cashier, who at one point interminably studied the list for the code for grapes, unable to find it; only when that’s all finally done to have the customer ahead write a check, which then got lost in the machine and couldn’t be retrieved despite the work of several employees, who never acknowledge you and your 12 items waiting…and waiting…

Not familiar with the album and it really did not hold my attention. I guess I am not a fan... Apparently there are sonic innovations for the guitar here...I guess I can recognize that contribution to music, but it doesn't really capture my soul at all. It just kind of hung around in the background of my awareness as I listened to it droning on and on.

Dreamy vocals just underneath fuzzy guitars, a tuneful bass, and reliable unobtrusive drums. What's not to love? Surprisingly relaxing and good to work to, this album feels noisy but with intent. Droning with a purpose. I can't tell what any of the words are so the voices just act like more instruments. Hard to pick out individual songs (except perhaps the last track, the totally danceable "Soon") but things do change enough that, as an album, this is a great listen that I want to start over as soon as I've finished. Up to now, shoegaze has been my least favorite genre but maybe now things are changing...I love this!

I guess I am realizing that the “shoegaze” genre is something I prefer in smaller doses as opposed to whole albums. I didn’t dislike this but got bored during the first song. It just didn’t hold my interest. I don’t mind listening to this and there are points I found interesting, but they sort of fly by and I feel like I’m always waiting for something else to happen.

Sehr gutes Album, wenn es auch hier und da mal die Nerven strapaziert.

Started as noise, I started to enjoy a little more as it went on. May be worth a second listen.

Aquele rockzinho início anos 1990, meio nirvana meio Dawson's Creek (haha). Combinou com a chuva de hoje.

This album has a reputation of being like the best shoegaze album ever, which must mean that I’m just not a big fan of shoegaze. Wasn’t bad but def wasn’t a fan

5* album, with apologies to MBV for having not listened sooner because I confused them with emo twats My Chemical Romance and Bullet For My Valentine. Turns out I love shoegaze. Who knew?

One of my favourite albums and a seminal record for anyone who is interested in the Indie scene of the 1990's. I would imagine this album could be quite polarizing - while the band's rich, melodic, dreamy soundscapes are likely the most appealing aspect of the album (the verses on 'Only Shallow', 'Looper', 'When You Sleep', 'Come in Alone', 'Sometimes'), MBV also incorporates rather jarring sound effects in many of these same tracks. The net effect, for me, is incredibly enjoyable, but when you take these more experimental elements and combine them with the signature muted vocals, this might not be for everyone.

Fun, loud, early 90s

Oikeessa mielentilassa esim festareilla ois taatusti lit. Kotona kuunneltuna aikamoista mössöä. Harmi, koska potentiaalia on ja esim eka biisi oli hyvä.

Right up my alley. I have never heard them before but it was just the kind of stoner grunge that tickles my inner ear.

A bit too much noise gong on!

Noise, but not so bad. Didn’t listen to the whole album.

Distorted grunge at its best

Noisy perfection. 5/5 doesn’t cut it. Widely imitated, never bettered. Nothing comes close. The sound of falling out of a plane. I imagine.

I really enjoyed this one. Shoegaze gets you feeling a certain way. Not a single track Really stood out but thats cause it all just merged and flowed. I wouldn't be in a rush to approach this one again but I'm glad I listened.

Sounds like the Cocteau Twins going goth. It's not bad, but I'd rather be listening to "Heaven or Las Vegas" for the one millionth time.

Ehhh. It's not the worst thing but not something that I'm going to come back to ever.

No, something weird and not for easy listening

Meh

Remember this from my teenage years. Proper moody show gaze

One of my all time favourites. Shoegaze is the completely wrong term for this as it is a sonic onslaught. It is one of the best albums released in 1991 and it had some tough competition. I hold seeing them live in November 1991 as one of the most memorable shows I've been to and the one which no doubt caused me the most hearing damage.

Definitely noise pop, definitely ok.

I don't know what I expected but this is really good! Crazy wall of sound style for a lot of it.

I didn’t really get MBV at the time this was released but says more about the music I was listening to then. Looking back 30 years it was very much ahead of its time and influential to many bands since then. Soon is great but some of the rest of the album washes over me a bit. More of a ‘single track on radio’ than ‘listen to whole album’ for me but I don’t dislike it

This is the best shoe gaze album of all time. It is atmospheric, occasionally discordant, and beautifully layered. This album is almost like looking at something through frosted glass and gives me a nostalgic sense for something I’ve never experienced. It is absolutely breathtaking

What an excellent seminal album this is. The sounds, the riffs, the entire concept from start to finish.

I guess one of the advantages of having the vocals so mixed down is that you don’t need to worry too much about the lyrics. I like the droning, textured guitar sounds. They remind me of a more muddled version of The Jesus & Mary Chain, and while I was never a big fan of that band, MBV, like Sonic Youth, benefits by having a second (female) vocalist – though at times it’s hard to tell if Bilinda Butcher she’s singing or if it’s just another layer of feedback.

I’ve never been a fan of Shoegaze but since this album is so well regarded I made the effort to listen to it once again. Nope, still don’t like it. This takes the Wall of Sound concept to an entirely new level. One of my pet peeves is albums where every song sounds the same and this one is massively guilty. The only song that has any discernible melody was Soon, but it was the last song and once again it was too little, too late.

If you’re getting a little high and shoveling snow - this is for you

Probably good for driving or studying or something. Kind of just noise but not unpleasant. This is the bad that your college freshman roommate insists is absolutely brilliant for reasons he cannot quite articulate.

Only Shallow was a great tune. The rest was a bunch of pretentious noise.

Made me want to cut myself

He didn't even let me out for Christmas

Like a warm cuddly cocoon. Climb in and bath in the beautiful sounds. Sheer genius.

Suck my beautiful cock.

Merrrrrry Christmas

Every hipster band on the planet dabbles in shoegaze these days, none have ever come close to this masterpiece.

Very good. An album that pushed the boundries and set an incredibly high bar for a new music genre (at the time) shoegaze. This album is another case where I wish the rating system on this site had more than just 5 ratings. By giving it a 4 I feel like robbing it of the credit it absolutely deserves, but I also don't feel like it deserves a 5 yet, for that I'd need to listen to it a couple more times.

Here you will find music to melt your brain, or at least the space between it and your eardrums. MBV doesn't groove like certain shoegaze groups, but there are depths to their sound that emerge over time. This listen, I got a lot of the higher lines as types of distorted string sections: Strong stuff, and not at all what I remembered. There's quite a bit of variety in tracks, though it's all of a kind of piece.

It's like the deliberate surrealism of Salvador Dali , with Van Gogh's fuzzed and enriched palette. The album is at once a hazy blur of sound and a precise vision of production. I think it's the sort of album that a student or a music industry professional could study endlessly, in search of just how they manged to so completely fill every possible inch of the soundscape. I'm not sure that I really connect with the album all that much. It feels like more of a work of Dali, and I'm more of a Van Gogh fan (to reuse my earlier anologies), but I can fully appreciate the artistry involved.

Not what i was expecting, thought they were an emo band!

Just not a genre that will grow on me.

The genre itself is just too messy for me, the sound and vocals are merging into each other, hard to hear and understand anything. Songs are not catchy or memorable either

Ok, I didn’t love it.

This sounds very much like 1991 and also very timeless too. I never listened to mbv at the time

I constantly hear about how really good this album is. I think it's good, I want to like it way more than I actually do though. Maybe it's that this album influenced a lot of music I really enjoy or maybe the sort of low tune singing and soundscape idea isn't for me.

Like the jangly guitars and distortion but not the vocals . Passed me by when I was young and doing the same now!

I don't usually listen to this kind of music, but I'm inspired to say that you shouldn't trust anyone who can't appreciate ethereal vocals over heavy distortion. I wish I was in the mixing booth when this was created. I love the ending of 'What You Want' and the beginning of 'Soon.' That was a perfect song placement decision. I let the radio play and 'she found now' came and absolutely loved that song. The whole album put me in such a dreamy, angst filled mood. Good for a lazy Friday, I suppose.

The definitive shoegaze album. A true classic. Legendary.

It sounded like the Charlatans UK but instead of keyboards it was washy, grungy guitar. Not too interesting really.

I first listened to "Loveless" blaring out of a tiny portable speaker in my shower room while trying to clean the grout in the tiles. The acoustics of the room lent themselves well to the band's cavernous ocean of sound, but I didn't really enjoy most of the album and that mildew didn't go anywhere. My experience probably wasn't what Kevin Shields and co. had in mind when they forked out £250k on this back in 1991. I was pleased to have the opportunity to listen with fresh ears, get lost in the music, drown in the reverb, and finally understand what all the fuss was about. I was still just thinking about bloody Dettol and latex. There are some gems for sure: "Only Shallow" kicks things off with a cacophonous bang, immediately presenting a unique take on guitar-playing with a sirening riff above layer upon layer of feedback and tremolo-bar usage. It's certainly impactful and the distant, dreamlike vocals kicking in for each verse elevate the song to delirious, foggy heights. "Touched" is a brilliant but brief instrumental with a queasy mix of strings and feedback, feeling almost proto-industrial: I would have loved to have heard more of this side of MBV. In the remaining songs, it was half-and-half: "When You Sleep" and "Soon" had some great refrains that sounded like woodwind or synths but were probably sampled vocals or guitars, but lasted longer than I was interested in them. However, tracks like "To Here Knows When" and "Sometimes" just got lost in too much low-end distortion, and by "What You Want" there wasn't much more I felt I could get from "Loveless." The formula of obscured vocals and layers of guitar effects wore thin for me after a while: it's all technically commendable, but I didn't find enough to call it a favourite. Although it may be sacrilege to say so, for me it lacks the memorable tunes for a more seamless blend of noise and pop like "Psychocandy", achieved five years earlier by Jesus and Mary Chain. I'm not rating below a 3 here, as I think there's plenty of room for this to grow on me. I also appreciate the dogged vision of this project (any artist willing to spend years sculpting a specific sound isn't to be trifled with). My tiles still have bad grout.

Dreamy

The musical bits were okay but it's pretty much just noise

The album is not good. You can't really hear the lyrics but that is probably a plus. Thankfully it was not a long album.

Beautiful and entrancing white noise! Like Fuzz with less brutal distortion. 5 stars!

I just don’t like this lo-fi amorphous indie shit, there are some exceptions but this ain’t one of them.

Too much noise in the background, for me

I do not like this album. I found it boring and redundant. There was, imho, nothing redeeming about it. Maybe I'm crazy, idk.

I did not expect this, why did I think this was like mid 2000's screamo? I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it

ja dit vond ik echt helemaal kut

heavy alt rock/metal did not like or appreciate

80s druggie vibes

Sometimes still the best song on this album

Interesting ambience. The first song sets the tone of the album. Quieter vocals with strong instrumental experimentation

Experimental art rock that was way ahead of its time for 1991. Can clearly hear the influences on other rock acts of the 90s and all types of acts today. Abrasive and dissonant at times and those vocals are so soft, but very musically interesting and kept my attention the entire time. Would rate 4.5/5 if possible. Favourite Tracks: Only Shallow, Loomer, Come In Alone, Soon

Lots of gritty guitar, scratchy static noises I find distracting and not really ambient.

Smashing Pumpkins meets The Cure meets Jesus and Mary Chain. Sure it has atmosphere and texture, but so does a porcupine in Beijing smog..

Dreamy. So so dreamy. I think I need to pay more attention next time, but I got utterly lost in it all.

Lovely album. Fantastic stuff to drift to sleep with. I'm not at the point where I would call this a through and through masterpiece, but it could get there some day. Favorites: When You Sleep, Sometimes, Soon

Tardó en convencerme, al principio parecía una simple bandita de garage rock más. Pero sí es más heavy que eso, la cantidad exagerada de distorsión del sonido es un poco hasta humorística. Las últimas 4 canciones muy bien, muy remolisnwsco el pedo, música quensuena a mal viaje.

Veinte añitos de este gran disco lleno de tantas cosas. "soon" probablemente mi favorita, pero aquí no hay skips. 10/10

It was fine.

meh. dont remember it.

A really great introduction to Shoegaze, One of the songs reminds me of No Care by Daughter. The intro was my favourite.

No me gusta

Volym på MAx

Often imitated, never replicated. A rightful classic

Banger!

Solid the whole way through

Angry noise. For crap on a Monday drive in

This was a weird one, not really sure if I liked it or not. Most of the songs sounded the same.

wow.

Yesterday my 17 year old was wearing a My Bloody Valentine t-shirt and I thought to myself, "I should check them out." Today, here they are on my 1001 songs list. Strange. Anyway, this was just ok for me. I don't love the dissonant noise type stuff. Some songs were better than others. 3 stars.

Casi tan aburrido como Sonic youth

Lo escuché dos veces y no sé de qué se trata.

pffff

Too washed out to enjoy

Creative dreaminess

3.75

I was waiting for this to show up. It was only a matter of time, but I expected it would take more than a week. It's fine, it's swirly, atmospheric. It's got a few great pop tunes on it, but I can't say I listen to it often for fun. I probably don't do enough drugs.

This album could be a 4. It's really close. The mix of 90s jangly guitars vs an overdriven wall of noise almost drowning out the soft vocals. It's just missing something, maybe diversity between the tracks. After a while it seems to bleed into a drone. Still, I've got a feeling I'll revisit this. Stan out track - loomer

Didn't enjoy any of it.

too sonic for me.

Yeah it's okay. I feel like it could be good if you were in the right mood. I guess the album is 30 years old, which is crazy, probably very progressive at the time. But feels like it's a mid 2000s emo album

Bloody awful sounding.

Higher end of a 3, nearly 4

Isn't really for me.

Yep, 100% understand why this is on the list. Wave after wave of dreamy sounds. I don't have a magic carpet, but if I did, I imagine this would be the soundtrack to riding on it.

Very into a lot of their riffs Not to be my Mom about it, but "a lot of their songs sound the same". This autoplayed into another band after and I didn't even notice. That being said, was still into it.

I actually enjoyed this album a lot. Good ambient noise rock and some really interesting harmonies going on at times. I think this hit on my my jam band foundation a bit which is why I liked it more than the rest of the group.

Not really for me.

Good example of shoegaze. Didn’t really do anything for me.

I appreciate the sounds they were making especially given the timeframe. They were obviously pushing the limits of the traditional rock sound, however, it's not a style I would go back to.

The gem! True roots of shoegaze! The band hired 19 different studios during the album's recording in 89-91. Awesome sound!

I've never understood the appeal of this album. It has its moments, but it also has a really ponderous pace that never makes the album feel way longer than it actually is.

I love "only shallow". I think it sounds more contemporary than it is? Though does have some like cranberries vibes maybe? and maybe a bit of sonic youth lite in the guitar distortion + female vocals read the wiki article on its recording saga, kevin shields sounds like a twat.

“Loveless” by My Bloody Valentine (1991) This is good Irish/British shoegaze pop. An album with a title that is not the same as the title of one of the songs included on it frequently gives the listener a needed clue to a unifying theme. In this case, My Bloody Valentine succeeds, without sophistication, in depicting the sadness of isolation, with a somewhat hopeful resolution on the final track. With lyrics that are very spare, emotional snapshots really, the words prompt momentary and static consideration, nothing more. But they are well enough composed as discourse designed to steer the listener toward the sounds of the music—and those sounds are remarkable. This group does unique things with electric guitars and keyboards that initially sound like mistakes—like alternative tunings and fleeting tone ‘dips’ that sound like the tape got stretched (or the LP is warped, for those of us from that era). But through deft repetition and rhythmic consistency, a first time listener soon discovers that they are intentional, and they go beyond the mere experimental. It seems that the musicians have studied and become adept at creating a sound environment that takes us beyond convention. And it’s a nice trip. It’s not exactly atonality (it sticks to standard progressions), and it’s certainly not cacophony. Each departure from the expected is sustained long enough for the listener to get used to it before moving on to the next one. They go slow. Sampling is utilized (e.g., on “Touched”) to counterpose standard compositional techniques with the stunningly intricate innovations that the group brings to the ears. Vocals, bass, and drums remain steady throughout, giving these songs a pop appeal. After listening through the entire album, however, it seems that certain of their innovations are overused (especially the ‘dips’—why not try an occasional ‘bump’?). It would be interesting to compare this music with the group’s later work. While “Loveless” is certainly fascinating, it’s definitely not for everyone. You could listen to this while you work, but it might distract you from your livelihood. Use with caution. 3/5

I am very indifferent about this album. The whole thing is basically ambient music the whole time. 0RS

Noisy and low fi. Can hear it influencing plenty of other genres and bands

2/5 nope

The definitive Shoegaze album, perfect from start to finish.

The vocals are the main dealbreaker for me. There were a couple spots where the rhythm drew me in (fave track probably “Soon”), but overall I don’t think I’ll be coming back.

A surprise 5 for me. I really really liked this and I can tell how much it inspired future alt rock / chill wave of the aughts.

Great album and sound! I really enjoyed it!

Didn't really click with me tbh

I was never into them when I was younger, this is the first time listening to an entire album. I think I missed the bit in this one and now it’s too late.

Most brilliant album. I love this already but damn right this has come up.

For years I though My Bloody Valentine were a shitty emo band but only recently I found out I was completely wrong and they are excellent.

A classic. Love the unique guitar style

Liked the two popular songs - Shallow and When You Sleep.

-i think it would be good to do my math homework too: loud but not stressful. - it feels like being stuck in an old TV and the signal is going out. A very good vibe (To Here Knows When) - would make very good road trip music (When You Sleep) -very good! I'll probably come back to this album at some point

Definitely a noise pop type album with no singing really, just mumbles and moans. It's all very unpleasant to listen to. Has a very 90's sound, it has not aged well at all.

Good

I have tried so hard to understand the appeal of this almost universally praised album...BUT I CAN'T! No denying it's uniqueness. It's supposed to be influential but I can't think of another album that sounds like it. I actually like their previous album; isn't Anything. As I type this the last two songs that have come on...Sometimes and Come in Alone are better, more melodic, more to my liking. Still tough to rise above a 2 star rating. I'll wait until the end to post. The last song Soon finally has a discernable beat... sounds like it could be on Isn't Anything why can't more songs be like this one. Today's lasting impression 2nd half of the album MUCH better than first. I will give it another shot. 2.75 stars

I have tried and tried with this album. This time on headphones while in a walk. A little more appreciation this time but still the magic escapes me. Maybe the melodies like the vocals are buried too deep for me to find. When you Sleep is the highlight. I'm getting there and this time I WANT to listen again. 3.5 🌟

Would listen again

I feel like...for the time this type of shoegaze was pretty new and sounded great. However, I'm not sure this is a "must hear" before I die type of album. Most of it became background noise.

Meh...

Mixed feelings. I see the appeal, I’m sure it’s ideal when you’re feeling the right kind of gloomy, and nothing about it is bad per se, it’s just not my cup of tea

Classic Shoegaze.

Listened to this on the right day with the right mood. ‘Twas kismet.

Garbage

Feels very 90s rock

Not for me.

Reminded me of Garbage, the band, though I can see if you took that statement literally. Felt like they were trying to annoy me with the droning guitar chords. I felt like I was in a kindergarten classroom and there was a constant underlying hum permeating my conscience. Thought I could hear a good song in there once and a while but couldn't find it long enough to know.. very unpleasant experience.

Started off good and different but got REALLY weird near the end.

Interesting album. Style is much different. The distortions and inaudible lyrics are unique and sometimes it’s easy to drown into other times it feels useless. A bit too indie for me but it’s definitely creative. Might grow over time but after two attempts it’s ok. 5.5/10

Not quite my taste. Very eccentric. Weird. Ween-ish.

It's definitely not bad, but not what I usually listen to. I wish the vocals would be more audible, I feel like that would elevate the music so much more. I'm giving this album a strong 2 in rating.

I couldn't even make it through the 1st 3 songs. It's just chaotic noise. It was horrible. I hated it. I will never listen to another My Bloody Valentine song again.

A classic album, and one that requires more than one listen to fully appreciate. Like all shoe gaze it's a bit hard to discern one song from another but the overall vibe is fuzzy, heavy, gloomy. Would be great live. Misses out on a 5 due to a lack of variation through the album, but still a classic. 4.5/5

Not a fan, 2 stars

I can't be impartial; this is one of my favourite albums of all time. I love the shoegaze sound that just washes over you, the way they make their guitars sound is incredible. Favourite track: "Only Shallow." Least favourite: "Sometimes."

Very unique sound with the guitar!

Good stuff.

Great sound, can't really hear what they are saying

I preferred the quieter songs but liked it overall

Album ícono del Shoegaze, me gustó

Tried listening at night- a little too intense

An obvious all time classic, fuzzy and dreamy and weird and full of emotion.

Day 1: An album I'm familiar with, but have only listened to a few times all the way through.

I knew the name of the band, but I'm not sure if I've ever taken time to listen to any of their music. On my first listen, "Soon" was the track I liked the most, and "I Only Said" was the track I wished would end sooner. Perhaps on a second listen, I might think that this album was more enjoyable. Either way, this feels like a 3-star album.

I'd been looking forward to this: I knew it would be on the list, and that it is highly regarded, so I was very disappointed to hate it and feel as if it is somehow my fault. Then Sam derided me for not liking it, so I took the pledge to play nothing else for the weekend to see if it would grow on me. By Sunday night I began to hear past the noise to the beauty beneath on a few traccks (still think it would be better without the noise though - a remix would definitely help). Still ddon't like it though.

I found this incredibly durgy and nothingy. Not really enjoyable at all.

The sound engineer must have misheard the distortion setting. Everything is mixed so oddly - maybe that's the thing. So what would be the better elements are lost. This is probably dynamic in a live setting with a full stack of amps and the band really getting into foot tapping mode. Overall it's cack.

Bel suono ipnotico, ma troppo ripetitivo

This was a hugely influential album for me and I listened to it well over 100 times; because I get like that when I love an album.

Dreampop is immer so a Sache...

<3

It was good, although more atmospheric than anything

starting out with a classic

Sensational

Masterpiece.

Banda irlandesa-inglesa de la que no sabía su existencia, ni del estilo que tocan llamado "Shoegaze". Nada que me haya gustado demasiado, no es mi estilo.

Some noisey shoegaze. But I almost bored of how rhythm guitar sounds. Reminds me of late 90s post-hardcore somehow.

I'm sure I would enjoy it if I gave it the time but it's not available on spotify so we listened on youtube on my laptop. The music just isn't meant to be listened to in that way. What we did hear was a bit dull!

garbage so far. garbage. 1/5.

Noisy grunge rock album.

false

Pretty noisy. I liked the noise except the vocals are so low that I found myself straining to hear them.