I would have put Slowdive's Blue Day comp (they allowed Gala) in at #2 on the list instead of Souvlaki...
Purple Jim, I'm always advising interested people to listen first to 'Gala' by Lush. Do they like that (and it's hard not to), than I will advise to check out as next 'Souvlaki' by Slowdive. For the rest is up to them to find their way (or not) in the (mostly) beautiful world of shoegaze. I hope you will try these two terrific albums out.
I think Tamaryn qualifies more as dream-pop, but as you can see from this thread, everyone has a different view on genre definitions and there is nothing wrong with that. I love the first two Tamaryn albums, but I find the new creative direction on CraneKiss to be a horrible joke. It's not even really the same band, except Tamaryn herself, correct? She sounds like she wants to be a electro-pop star now. Any idea what the former members are doing? Ever notice how 'Mild Confusion' is really just a ripoff of 'Slide Away' by the Verve. Love both songs, just thought it was funny.
Tamaryn 1 and 2 definitely showgaze/ Storm in Heaven Verve Third one is a bit more New gold Dream Love em all
I agree - I think pre-Cranekiss Tamaryn is a helluva lot more shoegaze than, say, Lush, or even Pale Saints, to be honest. I mean, you've got the dense, loud, textured, distorted guitars; loud-soft-loud dynamic; slow, draggy tempos; drenched in reverb; songs like "Heavenly Bodies," where the guitarist is pushing down on the tremolo bar with every down strum; deadpan vocals; etc. FWIW, I love Cranekiss, and I actually like it more than earlier Tamaryn!
Not sure I'd have it ahead of Souvlaki but I agree those early Slowdive EPs were absolutely wonderful, and I go back to them more often than either Pygmalion or Just for a Day. I would include MBV and Ride in this as well - I go back to Smile as much as I do Nowhere, and the You Made Me Realize/Feed Me With Your Kiss/Glider/To Here Knows When quartet is a thing of wonder. Are there other singles comps that people would include? I'd throw in Black Tambourine onto the list somewhere.
If they were to include a Beach House album it would probably be "Teen Dream". Speaking of TD, is that even regarded as their finest work?
Honestly I just remember this as "British alternative" back in the day but I think Stone Roses, Jesus And Mary Chain and Slowdive deserve recognition based on some of the bands talked about here. I remember really being blown away by Jesus And Mary Chain's "wall of sound" back in the day.
I guess not really on topic, but I've been listening a lot recently to the new debut from Belgian shoegaze/space rock band Newmoon called Space ... Newmoon - "Head Of Stone" (Official Music Video) ยป
That's funny because I was thinking the same thing but replacing Just For a Day which I thought was pretty weak after their first three singles/EPs. Souvlaki is near perfection for me.
LOVE Moose and Difference Engine. I played in a band in Ithaca, NY years ago, and the Difference Engine folks were just about to move out of Ithaca. They were really nice, and my band recorded our 7" where they did "breadmaker"
I know these are fairly recent but man, it's some of the best Shoegaze I've ever heard. Time to drift away.
What if you're a musician who wants to play this type of music, but too fat to gaze at your own shoes?
I know these guys (and girl), as many of them worked at a bar in Baltimore I used to go to multiple times per week. They are the coolest people ever. Didn't realize they were getting notice outside of Baltimore.
I'd put Never Enough (and more so its b-side Harold & Joe) in their flirtation with Madchester. Especially the drums and wah guitar. That said, the heavily distorted guitars do hint at the stronger shoe gaze influence on wish.
A band I need to delve further into is Hammock, I only have Raising Your Voice I picked up a few years ago. Looks like they have a new album out. On the buy list Bandcamp is your best bet for deals for this title
cant help think some of you are misunderstaning shoegaze. Shoegaze was MBV, Ride, Slowdive, Chapterhouse, Lush etc... Shoegaze was not The cure or stone roses.
Agreed, however, I would argue that shoe gaze was/is a pretty small genre that has had far reaching influence. On the heels of the classic shoe gaze albums by MBA, ride , and slow dive, The Cure went from the synth-heavy Disintegration to the three guitar assault of Wish. Not a shoe gaze album, but certainly strongly influenced.
