Isn't Anything
Year: 1988
Format: Spotify
Grade: B
With the first My Bloody Valentine album in 22 years expected in 2013, going back to revisit its only pre-Loveless effort seemed like a good call.
While Loveless is considered a must-own title for shoegaze enthusiasts, Isn't Anything has built a respectable reputation of its own in the nearly 25 years since its release.
The comparisons to Loveless are unfair, but also unavoidable.
"All I Need" is a pitch-perfect primer for the Irish group's follow up to Isn't Anything. The icy drone of "Lose My Breath" has chilling, harmonized coos that deliver shivers.
But Isn't Anything has more foot holds, too. "Nothing Much to Lose" is a cagey beast, suddenly lurching from one tempo to another, becoming a shredding stream of noise.
The record ends with the tuneful "I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It)," which offers much more of a sense of rhythm than the textural landscapes of Loveless.
"(When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream" is a scuzzy mess compared to the sheets of guitar rain on Loveless.
Isn't Anything offers listeners a few more places to grab onto that Loveless does not, but is more than just a workout routine.
Tomorrow's entry: Ornette Coleman, Tomorrow is the Question!
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