A Place To Bury Strangers - A Place To Bury Strangers (2007)

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This is the self-titled debut from “New York’s loudest band”. The band was formed by former Skywave bassist Oliver Ackermann and he continued the Skywave tradition of pop songs submerged in layers of harsh noise and feedback in the vein of The Jesus and Mary Chain. This album however features harsher production and a dark post-punk undercurrent often giving the music a very dark and menacing feel, a great example of this is the song ‘To Fix The Gash In Your Head’. Elements of space-rock and psychedelica are thrown into the mix as evident in the brilliant and spaced-out opening song ‘Missing You’, the song alternating between eerie post-punk in the verses and a barrage of harsh noise in the chorus to great effect. Equally spaced-out and spectacular is the six-minute closing track ‘Ocean’, a dark psychedelic journey into the depths of your conscience.

The follow up album Exploding Head (2009) would feature cleaner production and less of the harsh noise evident on this album, but is nearly just as good and is certainly worth investigating. The harsher production on this album however gives it a more aggressive yet spaced-out feel, feeling like it was recorded while hurtling though the void. It is an album that elevated the band towards the top league of current shoegaze/noise-pop bands where they have remained ever since.

Recommended Songs: ‘Missing You’, ‘To Fix The Gash In Your Head’, ‘Ocean’


Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen (1993)

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Put yourself in a position where you are post-relationship and have a feeling of regret, longing and perhaps a sense of bitterness or perhaps a position where the relationship is certain to end. This is the mindset that this album occupies; just one look at the poignant and moving album cover says it all. The band are often mislabelled a grunge band due to their early association with Sub-Pop records and just so happening to be an alternative rock band in the early-90’s, but Gentlemen is anything but a grunge record. Heartbreak, regret and bitterness are brilliantly portrayed across the eleven songs on offer here. ‘When We Two Parted’ is one of the most moving break-up songs you will ever hear, right from the opening chords the mood is set straight away and the song builds and builds to a very emotional conclusion. Also the excellent ‘Debonair’ which features a sense of regret and deep introspection, perhaps even bordering on self-loathing. It features frontman Greg Dulli in fine voice, giving it everything he’s got with astonishing intensity and emotion and it sends a shiver down your spine. Just listen to him shout “Tonight I go to hell, for what I’ve done to you”.

Prepare to be swept away by this album’s sense of heartbreak and melancholy and by Greg Dulli’s emotionally intense crooning. The guitar playing adds to the emotional intensity of the album beautifully and keeps the listener hooked throughout. An album worthy of a place in anyone’s music collection.

Recommended Songs: ‘Debonair’, ‘When We Two Parted’, ‘I Keep Coming Back’

Originally Posted by Violent & Funky (Post 1105405) The Afghan Whigs are from Cincinnati! :)

Originally Posted by Necromancer (Post 1105426) Yeah VF.. but you live/reside in the state of Michigan now. So you're seen as a rival by Buckeyes:laughing:. I didn't think you would ever become a "Wolverine" Bro:(. (Traitor!)

Amplifier - Amplifier (2004)

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Amplifier are an alternative/progressive rock band hailing from Manchester. For a power-trio they can create a very dense and powerful wall of sound with great use of swirling, psychedelic guitar effects and crushing slabs of distortion. This album, their self-titled debut, is seen by many as the bands best and they have yet to better it. The follow-up album Insider could be considered their difficult second album (although still not a bad album I must say) while their third and current album The Octopus is great but doesn’t quite match this. Their progressive tendencies are evident throughout the album, the opener ‘Motorhead’ (not a cover of Motorhead’s eponymous song) showcases their sound very well with its combination of swirling psychedelic guitar lines and thick distorted guitar riffs adding dynamic to their music. Vocalist and guitarist Sel Balamir often sounds like he is singing with his mind somewhere in outer space. The band certainly know how to pen great tunes as well, especially the excellent ‘Panzer’ with its invigorating chorus sounding just as good as its highly-textured multi-layered guitar groove, and not to mention the brilliant ‘One Great Summer’ as well. The band are also well capable of letting their mellower side shine though, especially on the more introspective-sounding ‘On/Off’ and the epic and spaced-out closing track ‘UFOs’. Both of these tracks build and build to spectacular conclusions and show that the band can switch between mellow and blisteringly loud with great ease.

Along with Oceansize, Amplifier did a great deal in updating the progressive rock sound for a new generation of music fans in the UK. While commercial success seems to delude them they have earned themselves a legion of cult fans and have proved themselves as one of the most ambitious and forward-thinking bands on the UK alternative rock scene.

Recommended Songs: ‘Motorhead’, ‘Panzer’, ‘One Great Summer’


Babes In Toyland - Fontanelle (1992)

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Formed in 1987 Babes In Toyland soon found themselves riding the American grunge and alternative rock wave into the 90’s. While their promising 1990 debut album Spanking Machine and 1991 EP To Mother showcased an angry and energetic yet scrappy band, it was on this, their major label debut, that the band truly arrived. The better quality production made their bite sharper and gave their sound more controlled intensity rather than restraining their energy. The album also showcases better songwriting from the band which they had hinted at previously. The searing album opener ‘Bruise Violet’ shows that this is a band that means business and they want you to turn up the volume good and loud and listen. ‘Handsome & Gretel’ showcases the bands punk intensity and contains the unforgettable line “My name is Gretel yeah, I’ve got a crotch that talks”. Kat Bjelland must rank as one of the most angriest-sounding frontwomen in rock history and by listening to this album you can hear why. Songs like ‘Spun’ and ‘Jungle Train’ show a creepier and more sinister side to the band, with Kat Bjelland dragging you in to her twisted and nightmarish world rather than hitting you with an angry outpouring like elsewhere on the album.

It could be said that this album was the beginning of the end for the band. The 1995 follow-up album Nemesisters was a patchy affair and the band soldiered on for a few more years on and off before splitting for good in 2001. But the band had made their mark on the alternative rock world with this album and inspired a new generation of riot grrrls to pick up guitars.

Recommended Songs: ‘Bruise Violet’, ‘Handsome & Gretel’, ‘Won't Tell’

Originally Posted by Zer0 (Post 1106027) Ok I might have been a bit harsh calling them embarrassing, Origin Of Symmetry and Absolution are decent enough albums, but I could never listen to Black Holes and Revelations and The Resistance more than twice and they seem too over-the-top for their own good these days.

Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time (2006)

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If you’re looking for an Americana-tinged indie rock fix you can never go wrong with Band of Horses. Although all three of their albums are superb it’s Everything All The Time that is closest to my heart, it seems more immediate and has more intent than Cease To Begin and sounds warmer than Infinite Arms. They seem to draw a lot of influences here on this album from folk and country music, as well as country rock and folk rock from the 60’s and 70’s such as The Band and Neil Young, and infuse these influences into their indie rock/Americana sound. I guess the aim of the band on this album is to create simple, timeless music that not only invokes the past but also sounds completely fresh and modern. They keep things simple and concentrate on good songwriting rather than experimenting, the music simply serves as a tight backing for frontman Ben Bridwell’s supurb reverb-soaked voice.

The highlight of the album has to be the epic and moving ballad ‘The Funeral’, which features a fine emotional vocal performance from Ben. This is the song that really makes the album for me. But the lively and uplifting ‘The Great Salt Lake’ and ‘Weed Party’ really make this a special album, with the latter basically being about smoking weed. It’s this kind of simplicity makes this album, and indeed their other two albums, easy for people to relate to. Band of Horses are often compared to My Morning Jacket mostly due to Ben Bridwell and Jim James’ vocal similarities. But Band of Horses take a simpler but just as effective approach to music than My Morning Jacket and it certainly pays off on this album.

Recommended Songs: ‘The Funeral’, ‘The Great Salt Lake’, ‘Weed Party’


Bark Psychosis - Hex (1994)

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Often labelled by many as one of the first post-rock albums. Although the roots of post-rock date back further it is very difficult to draw the line where post-rock really started, or even what post-rock really is, but this album has certainly played a big part in refining post-rock and contributing to its growth in popularity throughout the 90’s. But please note that this album sounds a good bit different from the likes of Explosions in the Sky and God is an Astronaut. The album features vocals and proper songs and the music does not build and build to crescendos on every song, but the key link here is the use of rock instrumentation to create ambient music. Piano, strings and even some brass are sometimes used to heighten the mood. This is a great album to listen to really late at night and the sense of late night isolation that this album invokes resounds brilliantly, the opening track ‘The Loom’ sets this late-night mood rather superbly. The atmospheric album cover also adds to this feel and complements the music really well.

This album requires some patience and concentration to really appreciate. The instrumentation can be quite sparse at times and there is also a great use of repetition on some songs, especially the ambient closing track ‘Pendulum Man’. For best results listen to on a good pair of headphones, really late at night in a dimly-lit room, with weed optional.

Recommended Songs: ‘The Loom’, ‘A Street Scene’, ‘Eyes & Smiles’

Bat For Lashes - Two Suns (2009)

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This is a stunningly creative art-pop album which straddles the fine line between commercially accessible and artistic genius. Bat For Lashes is the product of Natasha Khan’s stunningly creative imagination and there are times throughout this album that you are reminded of a certain Kate Bush, especially Natasha’s impressive vocal range and her off-the-wall creativity. Two Suns is a concept album based on the idea of duality, “the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain” (press release) and some songs feature Natasha’s blonde-bombshell alter-ego Pearl. Despite being an album with a complex concept, this album contains some brilliantly memorable songs such as the sublime ‘Sleep Alone’, which features some distinct autoharp playing by Natasha, one of her many musical skills which also includes the piano and guitar. This song manages to be poppy and accessible yet dreamy and otherworldly at the same time. Also achieving this perfect combination is album highlight ‘Daniel’ which contains some nice danceable beats, irresistible hooks, reverb-drenched vocals and a very memorable chorus that sticks in your head. There’s some great variety throughout the album, such the piano-led ‘Siren Song’ which features some soft gentle verses, an uplifting chorus and Natasha’s vocals hitting the higher registers, and also the strange and folky ‘Peace of Mind’.

Despite some very strong individual songs it’s an album that takes you on a journey and only really comes together when you listen to it from start to finish. It’s an album that takes over your imagination and draws you into a colourful parallel world and when it’s over you want to go back for more.

Recommended Songs: ‘Sleep Alone’, ‘Daniel’, ‘Siren Song’


Beck - Sea Change (2002)

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Sea Change marked another distinct change in direction for Beck Hansen. Gone were the camp, irony-laden sounds of its predecessor Midnite Vultures and in its place were emotional and reflective ballads. One of the main reasons for this change was Beck’s break-up with his longtime girlfriend, and this as a result triggered a more sentimental, mellower, singer-songwriter side to Beck, something we saw glimpses of on 1994’s One Foot In The Grave and 1998’s Mutations. The album as a whole really captures Beck’s sense of heartbreak, loneliness and melancholy, but none more so than the beautiful and moving album opener ‘The Golden Age’. The sombre song tempo, gently strummed guitar and touches of pedal steel add to this sense of melancholy along with Beck’s world-weary and emotional voice. Capturing a similar mood is ‘Guess I’m Doing Fine’, however this song also contains some glimmer of hope. Another strong point of the album is the spare and desolate ‘It’s All In Your Mind’, a song which originally appeared in lo-fi form on 1994’s One Foot In The Grave. On this album however the song sound more developed and full of purpose, it almost seems like the song was destined for this collection. The album seems to be heavily influenced by folk music, in particular English singer-songwriters from the 60’s and early 70’s, but also some of the country overtones suggest a more Americana influence.

The more human and down-to-earth feel of Sea Change is the main reason why it is my favourite Beck album. It’s a great album to listen to when you are feeling low and it leaves you with a little glimmer of optimism. It’s always great to have an album you can find comfort in during bleaker times and feel like you’re not alone.

Recommended Songs: ‘The Golden Age’, ‘Guess I’m Doing Fine’, ‘It’s All In Your Mind’

Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk (1996)

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Belle and Sebastian arrived onto the UK indie scene in 1996 a fully formed band and released this rather excellent debut album. While a lot of Belle and Sebastian fans prefer their other 1996 album If You’re Feeling Sinister and even point out that it’s their best album, I still think that Tigermilk is more enjoyable and more uplifting. Something about the album feels warmer and more cinematic, the songs are more memorable and overall the album feels a little bit more consistent. For a debut album the band sound very confident and Stuart Murdoch proved from the very start that he is an incredibly gifted songwriter and lyricist. His songs can very sweet, uplifting and witty, such as the unforgettable ‘She’s Losing It’ and ‘You’re Just a Baby’. Both these songs have an innocent charm that’s impossible not to love and the sheer effortless pop simplicity that they show is something to be admired. You are immediately reminded of certain 80’s bands such as The Smiths and Felt that effortlessly integrated pop melodies into their jangly and highly literate sound. The New Order-inspired ‘Electronic Renaissance’ also showed that the band were willing to experiment a bit and were never afraid to try out new ideas.

This album marked the very beginning of their magical career and is perhaps the best place to start with them. While the band would take an even more pop-infused direction on 2003’s Dear Catastrophe Waitress it doesn’t quite match the innocence and simple pop charm that this album has in bucketloads.

Recommended Songs: ‘The State I Am In’, ‘She’s Losing It’, ‘You’re Just a Baby’


Bethany Curve - You Brought Us Here (2001)

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While the original shoegazing movement faded away from the media spotlight in the mid 90’s it had already inspired a new breed of musicians to create their own brand of sonic bliss. Bethany Curve formed in 1994 and released two solid albums before releasing this magnificent third album in 2001. This is a very dense, heavily textured and darkly atmospheric offering sounding like Slowdive on downers. The band almost sound like they are playing in slow-motion and this makes the album sound very psychedelic and spaced-out. The layers of guitars sometimes remind you of classical string sections such is the sweeping majesty that they conjure. A great example of this is the opening track ‘Long Beach’ where the layers of droning guitars and overtones almost sound like a huge symphony. The use of droning and very long sweeping melodies combined with a thick prominent bass creates this dark and dense atmosphere that engulfs the listener and draws them in, and doing this brilliantly is the epic ten minute forty-five seconds ‘Ann Illusion’.

The sound doesn’t vary too much throughout the course of the album, apart from the near two minutes of noise on ‘The Guarantee’ and the acoustic guitar-based ‘Summer Left Me’. Even the latter still retains the atmospheric sound that characterises the album through its use of droning repetition and spacey reverb-heavy vocals. But the purpose and vision of this album as a whole is to draw you in and keep you in a trance until the very end, and it does a very good job of doing so.

Recommended Songs: ‘Long Beach’, ‘Ann Illusion’, ‘The Lodge’

Originally Posted by Violent & Funky (Post 1108627) This list needs a shot in the arm with something simple and noisy... ;)

The Blue Nile - Hats (1989)

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The Blue Nile rarely release an album and when they do they don’t contain many songs. They are perfectionists of the highest order but when they do release an album it is simply magical. This, their second album, was released six years after their excellent debut A Walk Across The Rooftops, however I feel that Hats is their greatest moment and has since become one of my most cherished albums. The whole mood and feel of this album suggests night-time, perhaps walking the rainy streets late at night, surrounded by neon lights and various other sights and sounds, walking to meet a loved one, or perhaps just walking the streets at night thinking about a lost love. There is a great sense of melancholy that runs throughout the seven tracks here that is overwhelming and very moving, this is mostly due to frontman Paul Buchanan’s soulful and plaintive voice which carries every song, especially songs like ‘Let’s Go Out Tonight’ and ‘Headlights On The Parade’. The music is mostly synthesizer-based but this album has absolutely none of the coldness that is often associated with synths, the music mostly serves as a backing for Paul’s soulful and melancholic voice and when combined together create one of the warmest and most memorable albums you will hear.

Every song on this album is incredible and with only seven songs the album is filler-free, more focused and the songs are allowed to breathe and have more purpose. The album flows brilliantly from start to finish and proves that this is not about individual songs, but about the album as a whole.

Recommended Songs: ‘The Downtown Lights’, ‘Let’s Go Out Tonight’, ‘Headlights On The Parade’


Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country (2006)

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Let’s Get Out Of This Country marked a significant change in Camera Obscura’s sound. Gone were the shy and awkward yet charming twee sensibilities on their previous two albums Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi and Underachievers Please Try Harder and in its place was a bigger, bolder and more confident indie pop sound heavily in debt to the thrills and melancholy of 60’s pop. The key lies in Tracyanne Campbell’s transformation into a frontwoman more confident with her voice and with her songwriting. Some songs here have a brighter-sounding and more pop feel to them, especially the excellent singles ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken’ and ‘Let’s Get Out Of This Country’, both showing the band’s newfound confidence. On other songs such as ‘Tears For Affairs’ and ‘Come Back Margaret’ the band show their 60’s pop influences on their sleeves. There is however a sense of sadness and melancholy that runs throughout the album, mainly due to Tracyanne’s own personal struggles and losses. Just have a listen to ‘Dory Previn’ and ‘Country Mile’ and try not to feel the slightest bit emotional. But it is this kind of emotional expression that creates a bond with the listener and gives the listener some comfort in knowing that they’re not the only ones feeling down from time to time. The album ends with a glimmer of hope though, with the magnificently uplifting ‘Razzle Dazzle Rose’ warming your heart and giving you the encouragement you need.

The album elevated the band’s cult popularity around the world and the 2009 follow-up album My Maudlin Career would elevate their popularity further as well as evolve their sound further. But Let’s Get Out Of This Country is a great starting point to exploring the band’s wonderful music and it’s an album that greatly rewards you with repeated listens.

Recommended Songs: ‘Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken’, ‘Let’s Get Out Of This Country’, ‘Razzle Dazzle Rose’

Carissa's Wierd - Songs About Leaving (2002)

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I do admit that the first time I listened to this album about a year ago or so it didn’t really grab my attention, or indeed with the first few listens. But I just felt the urge to keep listening to it and eventually it clicked with me and it revealed itself to be a very sad and bleak yet warm album. There is a great sense of sadness here that is really heartbreaking to listen to; this is an album that will probably put you in a depressed mood for the rest of the day. This mood is the result of a number of factors: bleak and painful lyrics, soft, quiet yet sometimes emotionally intense vocals, mournful strings, sad and beautiful pianos, and of course some wonderfully picked guitar playing. All these seem to interweave with each other to create one sad yet beautiful force that flows throughout the whole course of the album. When this album really comes alive however is when joint-vocalist Jenn Ghetto’s voice comes to the fore on ‘So You Wanna Be a Superhero’ and ‘Sofisticated Fuck Princess Please Leave Me Alone’. Her voice sounds rich with raw emotion and uncertainty and sounds like she is teetering on the edge of breaking down, while her lyrics are bleak and very uncomfortable to listen to. Certainly not a party album, but this album does sound great in the autumn. Falling leaves, days getting darker and colder, and the oncoming approach of winter seem to go very well with the music on this album.

Songs About Leaving was a more developed and better realised effort than its predecessor You Should Be At Home Here. The vocals and lyrics have more presence and more purpose, especially when Jenn Ghetto’s vocals come to the fore. Overall a highly consistent and slow-burning album that sounds better with each listen.

Recommended Songs: ‘So You Wanna Be a Superhero’, ‘Ignorant Piece Of Shit’, ‘Sofisticated Fuck Princess Please Leave Me Alone’


The Church - Starfish (1988)

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Australian band The Church originally started out as a post-punk outfit in 1980 but by the time of their successful Starfish album had grown into a more mature and ambitious outfit. A lot of you will probably recognise the song ‘Under The Milky Way’, due to its appearance on the Donnie Darko soundtrack and its distinctive e-bow guitar solo sounding like bagpipes. It may be their most popular song but it really does show what this band is capable of, it manages to sound both memorable and accessible yet have an experimental bent to it and this is the case with a lot of songs on the album. Have a listen to the excellent guitar playing on ‘North, South, East and West’ and admire its effortless combination with an unforgettable chorus. The band show they can play but never once overdo it or allow themselves to indulge on this album, always letting the songs come to the fore. Lead vocalist/bassist Steve Kilbey voice always sounds warm and inviting and his bittersweet melodies breathe plenty of life into every song. He could also be very inventive with his lyrics such as on the fabulous closing song ‘Hotel Womb’, its strange and abstract lyrics apparently being about having a nightmare about cannibalism despite the warm and bittersweet melodies of the song.

Even the weaker songs on the album stick with you and have their own distinct character but when this album gets good it takes you somewhere magical. After this album the band would start experimenting more but still record some great albums, such as 1992’s brilliant Priest = Aura. However it is on Starfish that the band sound on top of their game and is the album I turn to every time.

Recommended Songs: ‘Under The Milky Way’, ‘North, South, East and West’, ‘Hotel Womb’

Originally Posted by Zer0 (Post 1109282) Cheers! :) Yeah more people really need to listen to The Blue Nile, brilliant band.

Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas (1990)

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Heaven Or Las Vegas showcased a more pop-orientated and accessible side to the Cocteau Twins that they hinted at on previous album Blue Bell Knoll. A lot of this was down to improvements in production and songwriting. For a start the vocals and lyrics could be clearly heard, even though some of the lyrics still make no sense, but more importantly the music was brighter and more melodic than previously and this gave their overall sound a more memorable and punchier feel. As per usual with the Cocteau Twins the music is a lush ocean of sound with various delay and phasing effects creating a dreamy and otherworldly feel. Elizabeth Fraser ranks as one of my all time greatest vocalists and by listening to this album you can hear why, on songs such as ‘Iceblink Luck’, ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ and ‘Road, River and Rail’ her voice swoops and soars to high-register notes and back again and making it all sound so effortless. The ethereal qualities of her voice are a precisely perfect match for the wonderful, dreamy soundscapes that guitarist Robin Guthrie and bassist Simon Raymonde create. The end result was the album that the band had been working towards for the biggest part of their career and everything fell into place perfectly for them, presenting an incredibly influential album that has had a huge impact on dream-pop and shoegaze bands over the past 21 years as well as on other various styles of music.

Although the band were one of the flagship bearers of the 4AD label throughout the 1980’s, Heaven Or Las Vegas would be their last album for the label. The band also moved onto a clearer and more stripped-down sound on the wonderful Four-Calendar Cafe but did not quite have same the magic that was evident on its predecessor. Never the less the band left behind a perfect legacy and Heaven or Las Vegas makes the perfect starting point to start exploring their music.

Recommended Songs: ‘Iceblink Luck’, ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’, ‘Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires’


Codeine - Frigid Stars (1991)

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Sooner or later in your early twenties, when you’ve left the safe haven of university or college or whatever, the real world is going to smack you in the face right between the eyes and you’re probably not going to like it. It can be a depressing and uncertain time and nothing seems to capture this mood better than Codeine’s 1991 debut album Frigid Stars. Right from the off you know that this isn’t going to be a cheery ride as the stark, minimalist guitars and funeral-pace drums on opening track ‘D’ frame vocalist/bassist Stephan Immerwahr’s world-weary voice and depressive lyrical content. The mood and tempo throughout the album doesn’t alter much, although sometimes spilling over into anger and frustration such as on ‘Cigarette Machine’. But the band use their vision to carry this mood throughout the course of this album from song to song and keep the listener’s attention from start to finish. It can be bleak and depressing to listen to at times but there are moments of melancholic beauty such as the magnificent ‘Pickup Song’ and the beautifully mellow ‘New Year’s’, the latter showing that the band were also capable of writing memorable tunes.

Codeine and Frigid Stars in particular would do a great deal in pioneering that strain of alternative rock quite humorously known as slowcore or sadcore, along with bands such as Red House Painters, Low and Galaxie 500. I could have even included their second and final album, 1994’s The White Birch, instead of this as it is just as good, but I just seem to have more of an attachment to Frigid Stars. During the band’s brief career they managed to leave a dent in the underground yet saw no mainstream success, but have since earned themselves a small legion of cult fans that keep the band’s music alive today.

Recommended Songs: ‘D’, ‘Pickup Song’, ‘New Year’s’

Originally Posted by Pedestrian (Post 1110333) Everything I have heard in this thread is great, and everything I haven't I've put on a list to download. Top thread.

Cranes - Loved (1994)

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Cranes were one of the many bands in the early 90s that were inspired by the music of the Cocteau Twins. But as well as that they also had strong gothic rock and shoegaze influences running through their captivating dream pop sound. The first thing that usually strikes you when you first listen to Cranes is vocalist Alison Shaw’s distinct and unusual high-pitched, child-like vocals. I do admit that the first time I listened to Cranes they did put me off somewhat but eventually I grew to love her vocals and of course the band’s wonderful music. But Cranes are more than just Cocteau Twins on helium, Alison’s vocals seem to add a feeling of innocence that contrasts with the sometimes gothic sound that the band create. There is a very ethereal feel to this album and a feeling of detachment created by the band’s colourful and psychedelic sound and of course Alison’s distinct airy vocals. The mood shifts somewhat through the course of the album, from the gothic darkness of ‘Lilies’ and ‘Come This Far’, to the sad and introspective ‘Are You Gone?’ and ‘In The Night’ to the more melancholic and epic sounding ‘Paris and Rome’. But all throughout the album the band maintain the same highly creative artistic vision and pull off a very consistent and thoroughly enjoyable album, full of many twists and turns and some very interesting musical textures.

Loved is less gothic sounding than its 1993 predecessor Forever, which is an album I also highly recommend, and has a slightly more distinct and focused sound with a wider variety of instrumentation and rhythms. Both albums are essential listening if you are looking the explore the wonderful world of 90’s dream pop.

Recommended Songs: ‘Shining Road’, ‘Lilies’, ‘Paris and Rome’


The Daysleepers - The Soft Attack (2006)

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Well ok it’s not actually a full-length album but an E.P., but at thirty-three minutes and forty-nine seconds and with seven tracks it could very well be an album. Never-the-less it’s an E.P. well worth investigating from one of the best shoegaze bands of the 00’s. Something about The Daysleepers and this E.P. in particular reminds me of snow and cold, dark evenings. Probably because when I first started listening to this just before last Christmas we were up to our knees in snow and freezing our asses off and the music here kind of reminds me of that time, also add to the fact that the band seem to like posing for promo pictures in snow. The band aren’t exactly that original and seem to draw some heavy influences from The Cure and Slowdive in particular, but forget about that, the band do what they do so very well and create some really beautiful and epic music in the process. The guitars are shimmering and delay-heavy and the vocals feature tons of reverb and both of these combine to create a huge swirling, dreamy sound. But the band certainly don’t just rely on a dense and beautiful wall of sound, they also place a big emphasis on songwriting and allowing the vocal melodies to shine through and grab your attention, which makes them stand out from their peers. They do this brilliantly on the unforgettable ‘Cloudless’, ‘Stereo Honey’ and of course the beautiful and sweeping ‘Mother Ocean’. The band can also keep things heavy and atmospheric such as on ‘Moonfrost’ and the epic ‘Lightforms’, which builds and build over the course of its six and a half minutes into a dramatic conclusion.

The Soft Attack further built on the promise shown by their debut E.P. Hide Your Eyes and is perhaps that little bit more enjoyable and more focused than their rather good 2008 debut full-length album Drowning In a Sea Of Sound. The band however have been quiet for three years now and no new music seems to be on the horizon. But this E.P., along with Hide Your Eyes and Drowning In a Sea Of Sound will keep your ears pleasured in the meantime.

Recommended Songs: ‘Cloudless’, ‘Stereo Honey’, ‘Lightforms’

EDIT: YAY!
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Originally Posted by Nosferatu Man (Post 1111535) Absolutely loving the thread, downloading religuously the albums I havent heard. Will Whipping Boy be making an appearance?

Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (1987)

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You’re Living All Over Me was Dinosaur Jr’s second album and it was the one which they made their mark within the American underground scene. It was a key album in alternative rock in the late 80’s and today it still stands up as an essential alternative rock release as well as an ideal place to start with Dinosaur Jr. Some of the best indie and alternative albums of the 80’s are the ones that were never recorded quite right. The production on this album is very raw, ragged and lacks low-end, yet manages to capture the live energy of this band brilliantly complete with mistakes and all. It was the first album to predominantly feature J Mascis on lead vocals in contrast to their debut album Dinosaur which featured Lou Barlow on most of the lead vocals. One of the things I love most about Dinosaur Jr. is J’s detached and laconic vocals, which seem make him sound like he’s half asleep or completely baked. His vocals contrast very nicely with the noisy distorted sound that the band create and he also has a great sense of melody, these all combine brilliantly on the blinding opener ‘Fury Little Things’, the Black Sabbath jamming with Neil Young sound of ‘Sludgefeast’ and of course the excellent ‘Tarpit’. J’s guitar playing is second to none; sometimes wild and noisy yet sometimes melodic and relaxed. Lou Barlow also contributes very nicely here with the punk-influenced ‘Lose’ and of course the very lo-fi closing track ‘Poledo’, which is basically a collection of bedroom recordings stitched together.

If you are looking for the original Dinosaur Jr. in all their raw and youthful glory this is the album to get. You should also get the follow-up album Bug and their debut Dinosaur to complete their 80’s holy-trinity. There’s no doubting the impact that these albums have had on indie and alternative rock bands over the years since and their impact will continue to be felt for some time.

Recommended Songs: ‘Fury Little Things’, ‘Sludgefeast’, ‘Tarpit’


Drop Nineteens - Delaware (1992)

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While the UK was the centre of the ‘Scene That Celebrates Itself’ a small number of bands stateside were starting to take notice of the shoegazing movement across the water. One of these bands included Boston’s Drop Nineteens who combined the sounds of My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive with American indie rock influences from the likes of Dinosaur Jr., Pixies and Sonic Youth. Their music seems to have a distinct summery suburban feel to it which I find with some American alternative rock albums of the early 90’s such as The Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream and The Lemonheads’ It’s a Shame About Ray and it perhaps has a tingle of nostalgia to it rather than sound dated. Despite the noisy walls of guitar that feature predominantly in their sound the band have a distinct pop sensibility which really catches your attention. The opener ‘Delaware’ gives you a good indication of this but it is the killer single ‘Winona’ that really hits the nail on the head, its unforgettable melodies make this one of the best indie rock songs of the 90’s in my opinion. The band also had a few tricks of their own up their sleeves, ‘Reberrymemberer’ features walls of noisy guitar and submerged, indecipherable vocals alternating with intense screaming, thus proving that screaming can go very well with shoegaze. Also the minimalism of ‘Ease It Halen’ shows that the band were well capable of experimenting a bit and finding a sound of their own.

Drop Nineteens achieved far more success in the UK (where they received good press and indie chart success) than their native homeland where this album was unfortunately swallowed up by the domination of grunge. Nowadays this album stands up remarkably well on its own not only as a great American shoegaze album, but also deserving of a place in your collection alongside the likes of Nowhere, Loveless, The Comforts of Madness, Whirlpool, Souvlaki etc. I actually found this album on CD at a record fair not so long ago which was quite rare but I didn't have enough money for it unfortunately.

Recommended Songs: ‘Delaware’, ‘Winona’, ‘Reberrymemberer’