The Zimmermann Note

My Bloody Valentine – Loomer from Wondermuddle on Vimeo.

There is someone that might have a huge argument with the fact that one of the best albums of the decade of the 90s is only sitting at 44th on this list. Released on the birthday of my wife released a couple weeks before U2’s Achtung Baby, I sometimes have to stop and wonder and look back to that amazing year to understand the implications of a couple of the albums released and think that over the past 22 years there have been a plethora of artists that have tried to copy these works.

Consider the year of 1991 as being one of the best that Rock and Roll had to offer. As Nirvana was on the MTV, others were spending more time staring at their shoes listening to this. I still remember listening to the opening track in 1992 thinking what did I get myself into?

At the time, My Bloody Valentine, was just a great review in a newspaper, an album that was necessary to listen to and engulf and the warbly sound was completely unique to listeners. The brainchild of My Bloody Valentine is Kevin Shields, who can be best described as a perfectionist. Realize that it took over 20 years to record a follow-up to Loveless. Shields is not only the heart and soul of the band but also found a way to play his guitar in a unique fashion that creates a massive sound

In order to listen to the album I would suggest that a nice pair of headphones should be minimum. If you have friends over, I believe that Kevin Shields would prefer that you eliminate the banter and turn the music up and listen to them on 11.

Starting a track like “Only Shallow” it is not just the massive sounds of the guitarwork that is present but also the delicate beautiful vocals of Bilinda Butcher whose singing is truly dreaming.

If someone wants an intro to shoegaze, this is where you start. Shoegaze always had the component of trying to become very dreamlike and visual. It was never about the clarity of the message but the trip that you would go on to get there. Butcher’s lyric’s for example, would not necessarily account for anything important or mindblowing but words that more seemed to incorporate with the feel of the music.

In some ways, 1991 brought us 2 albums by My Bloody Valentine; this one and U2’s ‘Actung Baby’. Let’s not forget that the Edge had been largely influenced by My Bloody Valentine’s music preceding the release of that album and we begin to realize a sudden shift in the sounds that were being incorporated in the music scene. It was not just a random convergence of great music but rather artists being influenced by bands like My Bloody Valentine.