Besides almost bankrupting their label Creation and clipping the verges of insanity, the recording of My Bloody Valentine’s ‘Loveless’ went swimmingly. Short of cutting off his own ear Kevin Shields poured everything into making the record as perfect as his vision. He succeeded with such aplomb that ‘Loveless’ is rightly regarded as a true classic. To the uninitiated it is likely to be a harrowing affair as the indefinable sound roars by with the ferocity of a tornado. The subtleties are what make it totally unique, however, whether it be a hushed vocal almost hidden among the carnage or a wondrous riff that pummels the senses until they finally succumb. The multi-layered guitars are central to the cause; hazy squalls of feedback become purest melody within the blinking of an eye. Belinda Butcher is at her most evident on ‘Blown A Wish’ but that doesn’t stop all manner of skewed chord frequencies trying to steal her thunder. The instruments cajole as if they are slowly getting drunk in what is turning out to be the best night of their lives. My Bloody Valentine turned the art of making music into rocket science for the masses. KD
My Bloody Valentine – Blown A Wish
Album: Loveless
Year: 1991
Buy: Loveless
the best ever review of Loveless was from the defunct mag The Nose…it spot-on described it as “Sonic Youth drowning the Cocteau Twins in a whirlpool”…