Dream Pop and Shoegaze

[MOZtonMA]

Several Cocteau Twins albums you may like

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

Ha, I don't doubt it. Everybody loves them. And after all, what is there to dislike? Nothing. It's just that there's not really much there that isn't inherent in the package, so to speak. Singularly unambitious music that never attempts to reach beyond its comfort zone, which just makes it a bit dull to me. How would the music stand up if sung by an unexceptional singer? Well, not that there's much point in debating subjective experience and in a way that's a bit like asking how hendrix would sound if he was a mediocre guitarist, but I like my music to be more than a lovely voice and good production values, and frankly I don't think MS has much to offer on those terms. To say nothing of Hope Sandoval's solo stuff, which I find downright pointless.

Again, you're a HERETIC, lol

her solo stuff is every bit as good as her stuff with Mazzy, in my opinion. But again, I'm biased because she's the greatest female singer ever in my mind. I actually think her solo stuff has a lot more definition on a musical level than Mazzy Star, which was probably her intention. I've always looked at her voice as the focal point, with the music serving as merely a backdrop

so I can understand if you find the music a bit lifeless. I doubt, like you said, anybody is showing up to hear what's going on behind her

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

Several Cocteau Twins albums you may like

Can't see anything; is that just me having this problem?

Regardless, I have all their stuff on my Ipod already

which albums were you trying to show?

 

[Qvist]

Again, you're a HERETIC, lol

her solo stuff is every bit as good as her stuff with Mazzy, in my opinion. But again, I'm biased because she's the greatest female singer ever in my mind. I actually think her solo stuff has a lot more definition on a musical level than Mazzy Star, which was probably her intention. I've always looked at her voice as the focal point, with the music serving as merely a backdrop

so I can understand if you find the music a bit lifeless. I doubt, like you said, anybody is showing up to hear what's going on behind her

I'm basing my opinion of her solo stuff on just one album, so I might be unfair. In any event, pay no attention to my scepticism - if the music works for you with her (fabulous) voice as the focal point, then it does. My loss, I guess.

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

The new single "Shadow" by Wild Nothing is pure dreampop/shoegaze. Yes it's all paint by numbers dream pop. Slightly asthmatic vocals, lush soft strings, etheral if you will, but it is sure doing it for me.

Might end up as my single of the year.

had a listen. I didn't do much for me, tbh :/

The same goes for that "Summer Holiday" song everyone was raving about a few years back. I was reading some of the comments below "Shadow" while it was playing

there's a hipster-coined genre called "chillwave" now? Jesus, these people will try to pigeonhole everything, won't they

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

I'm basing my opinion of her solo stuff on just one album, so I might be unfair. In any event, pay no attention to my scepticism - if the music works for you with her (fabulous) voice as the focal point, then it does. My loss, I guess.

just different strokes, I guess.

There are people who swear by musicians like Patti Smith, Aimee Mann and Kate Bush whom I find to be dull as carpenter's nails, so :/

 

[Qvist]

So, how anyone can contrive to find space for the words "dull" and "Kate Bush" within the same sentence is an absolute mystery to me, so different strokes indeed!

Seriously, the more I discuss music, the more struck I am by the extreme subjectivity of how it is experienced.

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

there are a lot of musicians who are polarizing.

Springsteen, Dylan, Kate Bush, Leonard Cohen, Bob Seger, The Doors, etc. The list goes on

But we're getting off topic, Lolz. Here's a Cocteau Twins rarity that's an absolute gem for everyone's enjoyment:

 

[DAVIE]

Here's a better Cocteau Twins song from Treasure!

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

Here's a better Cocteau Twins song from Treasure!

however, an even better song is:

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

To hell with you both

 

[Thesmithsmorrissey]

So have you listened to Asobi Seksu yet?

I've been listening to this band for the past week or so

they're decent but I don't see what all the hooplah is surrounding them. Their first two albums are a decent take on the dream pop/shoegaze dynamic, though I was expecting 'Citrus' to be this monolithic titan on par with Loveless based on all the hype it got, and that wasn't the case. It sounded strangely muted compared to what I was expecting, based on what I'd read. Maybe I just need to spend more time with it

their third album (Hush) moves away from the shoegaze aesthetic and roots itself in dream-pop, but they get boring after that album. The all-acoustic covers album and Fluroescence both fall well short of the mark when compared to what came before them

so in essence, I'll purchase their first three records, but won't be bothered beyond that.

 

[DAVIE]

I thought I'd bring this thread back from dead, as I heard My Bloody Valentine have booked dates in 2013 for Japan! WTF! So they expect us to travel to Japan to watch them? I hope they make the right choice and play over here in Britain too. On the subject on MBV, I can't get Strawberry Wine out of my head. It's utter bliss. So therefore I've added it on here for everyone to enjoy. Not sure which version it is, they both sound pretty much the same.

 

[MozAngeles818]

Grimes - Nightmusic (feat. Majical Clouds)

Youth Lagoon - Daydream

Seapony - Dreaming


I got more if you guys like the way these bands/Artists are headed.

 

[Mendocino_Moon]

enjoyed this post - Ride is one of my fave bands

Ride don't quite fit into the shoegaze genre.

I saw Slowdive open for Ride many years ago. I'm not sure it would be possible to overstate the contrast between the two bands. Onstage, Slowdive looked like they were napping on their feet. There was no energy, artistry, or talent on display. I was astonished to see the band visibly trying to look bored and dreamy: professional mopers. They telegraphed their minimalism to a laughable degree.

Then Ride came on and blew the roof off. They did the fast, rocky stuff better; they did the slower, cinematic, textbook-shoegaze sound better; they did everything better, with charisma and talent to burn. Ride's problem was that they were far better and bigger than the shoegaze genre and they knew it. Weirdly, though, when they actually tried to step into being what they already were-- one of the best rock bands in the world-- they stumbled badly and lost their identity. One of the weirder stories of the 90s.



If you're going to go there, you should check out Maria Minerva and Laurel Halo. And going back in time, why not Julee Cruise?

 

[Anonymous]

Check this out... Acoustic dream-pop based on guitar loops
http://soundcloud.com/solosolosolo

 

[realitybites]

Grimes - Nightmusic (feat. Majical Clouds)

Hypnotic--literally. I just snapped out of the trance this song/video put me under. Spellbinding.

 

[the raytownian]

gr8 list, especially "Lush"

I always liked their Shoegaze stuff a lot... I think they were really great at fitting in between the more "noisy" and "poppish"/loud/uptempo side of MBV and the dreamy and mellow-yet-super melodic side of Slowdive.

It's a good thing. The "Brit Pop" era was okay too... I definitely don't dislike it, but it does not hold a candle to the older stuff.

 

[DAVIE]

Do you guys really want to know what Heaven is like?



Rewind to 3:08....It's Heaven. It's bliss. I want to be cremated to that music on repeat.

 

[a rejected soul]

Is that supposed to be for the benefit of the crematorium staff or what? :|