Spacemen 3 Heidelberg Germany January 20 1988. The MILAVALENTI collection consists mostly of 80's and some 90's and 2000's masters in generally great sound. Most of the concerts. Which will be uploaded from this collection are uncirculated. Rpcknox metal music tracker (former psychocydd) Run by Ferrets on Weed in: 0.2896 sec. - GZIP: enabled BtitTracker (1.3.1) by / XBTT (1) by Dejavu Brutalized by PsychoCydd & DieselMachine. Download music, movies, games, software and much more. The Pirate Bay is the galaxy's most resilient BitTorrent site. The thousands of torrents and high quality music albums, combined with plenty of seeders, is what makes ExtraTorrent among the top music torrent sites. Rutracker.org Rutracker is another top torrent site with around 14 million active users and over one and a half million torrents totalling 2,595 petabytes of data.
Aug 19, 1988 Recorded over four nights in Germany during what turned out to be Spacemen 3's final tour, Live in Europe 1989 is far better than the more ragged earlier Spacemen 3 live album, 1988's Performance. The album's also notable for documenting the group's short-lived quartet lineup, with bassist Willie Carruthers and drummer Jon.
Discography
Year | Album | Label | AllMusic Rating | User Ratings |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Sound of Confusion | Taang! Records | ||
1987 | The Perfect Prescription | Taang! Records | ||
1989 | Playing with Fire | Taang! Records | ||
1990 | Taking Drugs to Make Music to Take Drugs To | Bomp | () | |
1990 | Performance | Fire Records | ||
1990 | Dreamweapon: An Evening of Contemporary Sitar Music | Import | ||
1991 | Recurring | Space Age Recordings | ||
1995 | Performance: Live at the Melkweg 6/2/88 | Taang! Records | () | |
1995 | Live in Europe 1989 | Import | ||
Live at the New Morning Geneva Switzerland 18 | Mental Groove | |||
Dreamweapon | Superior Viaduct | |||
All Fucked Up | POST SCRIP | () |
Welcome to the /r/shoegaze Wiki!
This isn't meant to be a definitive source of information, but will hopefully help those getting into Shoegaze music, or people who are trying to find new artists.
What is Shoegaze?
Shoegaze, for the most part, is a subgenre of Alternative Rock characterised by heavy guitar distortion through effects pedals, used to create a wall of sound. The name 'Shoegaze' came from a reporter from the UK Magazine Sounds, in a review of band Moose, referring to how the band had the lyrics for the gig they were playing taped to the stage floor. Magazine NME picked this term up and used it to refer how the bands often look at their effects pedals feet when performing, making it look like they were 'gazing at their shoes'.
Shoegaze first emerged in the Alternate Rock scene of the United Kingdom in the late 1980s, and reached its pinnacle of popularity in 1991 before a decline due to the Britpop and Grunge movements in the UK and North America. 1960s Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock, Post-Punk, and Indie Rock are often cited as influences for Shoegaze bands.
From the early 2010s, there has been a renewed interest in Shoegaze, and many bands have appeared to recapture the old sounds, others mixing the Shoegaze sound with other genres such as Post-Rock or Metal.
That's great, but what are good albums?
It's all depends on your taste, but for starters, try these cornerstone albums:
Loveless by My Bloody Valentine - Listen on YouTube - Pitchfork Review - The Needle Drop Review (Video)
Probably the album that can summarise the Shoegaze genre as a whole. Essential listening not just for people who are getting into Shoegaze, but for any music listener.
Souvlaki by Slowdive - Listen on YouTube - Pitchfork Review
A more darker album than Loveless, but a very spacey and relaxed album nevertheless. A solid listen.
Nowhere by Ride - Listen on YouTube - Pitchfork Review
This album, and Ride generally, were closer to Alternative Rock with distinct Shoegaze elements rather than Shoegaze itself. A good album if you enjoy early 90s Alternative.
those albums are probably the best entry way into the genre and are essentially The Big Three of the albums/bands associated with the genre. As far as understanding the genre including its sonic aspects and how the genre came about, it's easiest to break the genre down into 2 distinct parts: Bands that directly influenced the formation of the genre and bands who made up the initial wave. The former group shows how the genre was formed, the latter groups more or less set the template for most of the current acts.
Bands who directly influenced the genre:
Band | Key Album |
---|---|
Cocteau Twins | Head Over Heels |
The Jesus and Mary Chain | Psychocandy |
My Bloody Valentine | You Made Me Realise EP |
AR Kane | 69 |
Other acts that influenced the genre's formation, but would be misleading to lump them in with Shoegaze as a whole:
Band | Key Album |
---|---|
Dinosaur Jr. | You're Living All Over Me |
Sonic Youth | Sister |
Spacemen 3 | Sound of Confusion |
Loop | Fade Out |
Husker Du | Flip Your Wig |
Note that these aren't necessarily the band's best albums, but the ones that influenced the genre the most.
Bands who comprised the initial Shoegaze movement
Band | Key Album |
---|---|
Ride | Nowhere |
Slowdive | Souvlaki |
Lush | Spooky |
Chapterhouse | Whirlpool |
Moose | Sonny & Sam EP |
Swervedriver | Raise |
Medicine | Shot Forth Self Living |
Pale Saints | The Comforts of Madness |
Curve | Pubic Fruit |
Note that these aren't necssarily the band's best albums, but they're the most relevant to Shoegaze. In almost all instances, each of the above acts moved onto entirely different genres (Ambient post-rock for Slowdive, Britpop for both Lush and Ride, etc.)
Other bands of interest
These bands often get lumped in with the genre (usually due to a tangential connection. i.e. Creation records signing or one of these bands toured with a band listed above), but they belong to other genres (Psychedelic Rock most often)
Other sources:
- 4chan's /mu/ board also have put together a list of recommended listenings, you can check those out here: /mu/'s Essential Shoegaze/Dream Pop List.
- Record label Club AC30 released a series of albums a while ago called Never Lose That Feeling, with newer Shoegaze artists covering the genre's older works. Definitely worth a listen.
What would you recommend?
/u/-sarge:
Colour Trip by Ringo Deathstarr - Listen to 'Brightest Star'
Ringo Deathstarr are a band from Austin, Texas, mostly focusing on Indie Rock, but with heavy Shoegaze influences.
Methodrone by The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Listen to 'Evergreen'
This album mixes Psychedelic Rock with Shoegaze. Their later works move on to different styles of music, with their frontman Anton Newcombe constantly changing direction. I first listened to this album at a very pivotal moment in my life and it's kind of stuck with me since. A good listen if you're sober, a better listen if you're high and getting all introspective.
Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride by The Black Ryder - Listen to 'Let It Go'
Shoegaze/Psych from an Australian band (woo!) - live instrumentation, good helpings of distortion, soft female vocalist, and Psych influences. I'm sold.
/u/Whimish:
I'll list some artists and albums that are maybe not so much known, but are very, very good.
Like Thieves by Ports of Call - Listen to 'Quiet Tide'
Nature Heart Software by Pia Fraus - Listen to 'Feeling is New'
Stereo Musicale by Blind Mr. Jones - Listen to 'Regular Disease'
Letting Go by Whirlaway - Listen to 'Transport'
Pleamar by Resplandor - Listen to 'Whisper'
/u/AptMoniker:
See the list below.
How do I find new bands?
Last.fm is a good resource. If you haven't got an account there, I'd recommend making one as it'll give you recommendations based on your listening habits.
toneVendor's Web Catalogue is another good resource for purchasing vinyl, or just finding newer albums.
The Shoegazing My Balls Off Playlist on Spotify was posted a while back in an /r/shoegaze thread. LeClair updates it once in a while and overall, it's very good listening. All you need to listen is a Facebook account. Depending on where you live though, some tracks will be unavailable.
I'm too lazy to search. I want a list.
Glorious space emperor mod /u/aptmoniker (and the /r/shoegaze community) has also written up a list of recommended artists:
Air FormationDaylight Storms is a great album. They have a lot of music with some real gems mixed in there. Also, check out Matt Bartram. He's the lead singer and does side projects.
AstrobriteThis is Scott Cortez's mostly noise project, he's got some pretty earsplitting albums like Whitenoisesuperstar and Pinkshinyultrablast but Crush, Super Crush, and the Eight Candy EP are great.
AirielThey're still together but haven't produced in a few years, their bassist Cory had a band called Tom Spacey that was great. The Tom Spacey album is available for free somewhere. Cory and airiel's old drummer are now in Lightfoils whose EP should drop soon. They're blowing up pretty quickly.
Alcian BlueTranslucent EP and their self-titled album are amazing. They're broken up I think.
Asobi SeksuA lot of people like these guys but I'm impartial. Citrus is their best seller.
Amusement Parks on Firejust check em out.
Bitcrush In Distance. While technically more post-rock, check em out.
Black TambourineComplete Recordings. This is a staple album that noone mentioned. It's along the vein of MBV's earlier recordings, but more Poppy.
Bloody KnivesBloody Knives EP. Super nice people that make great droney fuzzy high-energy goodness.
Broken RobotsThey only have one EP, and I'm pretty sure they fell off the face of the earth, but it's great stuff. Super viscous fuzzy guitar and girl/guy vocals. Lo-fi.
The Brother KiteNu-Gaze one-hit-wonder. Their self-titled album. Their second album was a huge disappointment.
Candy AfterlifeAnything you can get by these guys is amazingly good. I think they have 2 ep's, Self-titled and Kiss With A Gaze.
ChapterhouseI didn't see anyone mention this old staple group. Pretty and jangly guitars. Fare vocals.
Closedown - Nearfield. Great throwback album. Super dreamy.
Coalter of the Deepers - Bear (EP), and No Thank You. The Japanese have their own nice spinoff of shoegaze that is totally good. Also, I highly recommend Oeil's Urban Twilight EP!
Cosmicdust - One man band from Japan. Quite a bit noiser than the average shoegaze group. Snow Noise Assemblage is his only album.
Crash City Saints - ALL OF THEIR SHIT IS FUCKING AWESOME. You can get their Returner EP for free from their weblog.
Curve - Doppelgänger. Not sure if anyone mentioned them, but this old band had a huge impact on female-fronted bands.
The December Sound - The Silver Album. An essential.
Dive - Freeze Frame EP + + and Early Sonic June. Very loud and very fuzzy.
Drone Dimension - Faintly Acquainted. Required fucking listening. Their name is very appropriate.
Drop Nineteens - Delaware. This an oldie. Basically America's take on shoegaze.
Earlimart - Someone else mentioned Engineers. If you like them, you might like Earlimart.
Ecstasy Of St. Theresa - Susurrate. A very My Bloody Valentine-esque album and if you're trying to get into it, start with 'Swoony' the seven minute piece that could easily fit in on Loveless
Eluvium - More like ambient shoegaze. If you like them, check out their split with Jesu, whose Silver and Conquerer EPs are fantastic droney sludgy post-rock.
The Emerald Down - Aquarium and Scream the Sound. Super beautiful band that unfortunately is no longer. Like Lush, but better imo.
Everything Is Made In China - Selftitled. They are more post-rockish but with a definite atmosphere of shoegaze.
Flavor Crystals - Ambergris and On Plastic are two great albums if you're into the droney faint dude vocals and borderline psychedelic/ambient rock. For Those Who Know also falls in this category.
Fleeting Joys - Despondent Transponder. Okay, so these guys basically made an unofficial My Bloody Valentine album, which is great and all, but it certainly overshadowed their second release Occult Radiance. Their second album is okay. Definitely get the first album.
Flying Saucer Attack - It's hard to pinpoint one album, their debut is great and it's along the same vein as Astrobrite.
God Is An Astronaut and Hammock make great shoegazey post-rock.
Glifted - Under and In. This is a heavy shoegaze album.
Guitaro - Futura Black. Awesome girl/guy dreampop, If you like them, also check out the SkyDrops.
Spacemen 3 Discography
Hartfield - One of the bigger highlights from Japan. True Color, True Lie is their only LP. They went on tour with Airiel awhile back.
Heaviness - SelfTitled. Some truly lighthearted Dreampop.
Henry's Dress - Bust 'em Green. If the Ramones fucked Black Tambourine you would get this garagey band. Not for everyone, but it's worth a google.
Highspire - Your Everything. When everyone talks about Nu-Gaze, they're talking about Highspire. They're on Clairecords with a few other bands worth checking out.
Hypatia Lake - ...And We Shall Call Him Joseph. Their 2006 release is a bit all over the place, but it's a solid noisy listen.
Spacemen 3 Discography Torrent Pirate Bay
ifwhen - we will gently destoy you. Noise pop with synths and droney dude vocals.
Isis - In The Absence Of Truth.
A Place To Bury Strangers - SelfTitled.
Jatun - Blanket of Ash. Their cover of Swervedriver's Never Lose That Feeling is super-feelsgoodman. If you like M83, check em out.
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy. Staple.
Not really Shoegaze but The Joy Formidable is definitely under the influence of the genre. The Big Roar is a great album.
The Lassie Foundation - El Ray.
Lilys - In the Presence of Nothing.
lovesliescrushing - Bloweyelashwish and Xuvetyn. Bloweyelashwish is a slow typical shoegaze LP with nice plinking guitars and loooonnnggg hazy chords underneath. Xuvetyn is etheral, if there was one shoegaze album that came from space it is probably this one. It sounds like My Bloody Valentine slowed down 100 times.
Lush - Spooky. This is a no-brainer. Super jangle watery guitars with chick singers. Fucking ultra dreampop. Also, yeah Ride's album Nowhere.
LSD and the Search for God - Selftitled. Starting Over is a lovely girl/guy track.
Oeil - Urban Twilight. An EP released in 2007 which has extremely heavy My Bloody Valentine influences.
Pluramon - Dreams Top Rock and The Monstrous Surplus. This is rock royalty. Julee Cruise on vocals with her un-fucking-real angel voice. Speaking of rock vixens, check out Thee Heavenly Music Association's Shaping The Invisible album. Hellen Storer has a super-sexy voice. If you like, you might want to check out The London Apartments, specifically a track called Fair is Fair. Also, yeah, Mazzy Star.
M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts. A VERY electronic take on shoegaze but when the crescendo in Noise/America/Gone come around there is no denying that the mix of synth with noise is overpowering and euphoric.
Medicine - Shot Forth Self Living. This album sounds like a not as good My Bloody Valentine but just like a junkie, you know you'll take it even if it isn't as good.
The Meeting Places - Numbered Days
Mercy Arms - Self Titled. If you like the Cure.
Mint Julep - Songs About Snow
Spacemen 3 Vinyl
Nadja - When I See The Sun Always Shines On TV. Very noisy band. Their cover of MBV's Only Shallow will melt your face.
Niz - Stone. An EP released in 2009 from a Japanese shoegaze band but don't worry you won't be able to tell their singing in japanese... for the most part.
Pinkshinyultrablast - Happy Songs for happy Zombies. This 4 song EP released in 2009 is easy to get into and an instant essential for someone trying to max out their collection.
Raymond Scott Woolson - Accidental Grace Notes
Relay - Still Point of Turning
Resplandor - ANYTHING. Highly highly recommended. My personal favorite album from this Brazilian shoegaze group is Pleamar. These guys really nail what the prettier side of shoegaze is about. (versus the Kevin Shields version).
Robin Guthrie - Continental. (founding member of Cocteau Twins)
Ringo Deathstarr - I saw these guys the other night! Great band out of Austin, TX with a couple of releases under their belts. High-energy dreampop. Check out 'Colour Trip'.
Spacemen 3 Discography Torrent English
Rumskib - Selftitled. If you're into the girly-girl vocals, this is good album.
Secret Shine - These guys have been around forever. More dreampop girl/guy vocals.
Should - A Folding Sieve. A tragically overlooked band.
Skywave - Synthstatic. Noisy post-punk and a shoegaze essential.
Sleepy Eyes Of Death - Selftitled. Electronic music along the vein of M83 with more guitar delay.
Slowdive - Souvlaki. Just because I HAD to put this on the list. All their albums and EPs are great. Sleep off of I Saw The Sun is still on of my favorite songs.
Swoon - Jetglo EP
Swervedriver - Mezcal Head. Be sure and check out Airiel's cover of Blowin' Cool! Great track.
Spacemen 3 Discography Torrent
The Telescopes - SelfTitled. These guys were incredibly influential alongside Slowdive.
The Sky Drops - Bourgeois Beat. You wouldn't think that this is a duo. Some light dreampop with the occasional squeal.
Tokyo Shoegazer - The most promising shoegaze act to come out of Japan in recent memory. 'Crystallize' and 'Turnaround' are both fantastic albums.
Soundpool - On High. Really dreampoppy melodic watery guitars with chick with the occasional dude singing. Good album!
South Pacific - Constance. Instrumental awesomeness. It's a classic.
Sway - The Millia Pink and Green EP. Andrew Saks is average guy who happens to have put out a few incredible shoegaze records. If I were you, I'd buy all of this guy's stuff immediately.
True Widow - As High as the Highest Heavens and From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth. After that mouthful of a title, you'll need to relax, and this is the perfect album to get that shoegazey goodness and some Dopesmoker-esque drone fused in one for that couch lock greatness.
The Vandelles - Del Black Aloha. Really noisy and high energy psychedelic throwback like the Black Angels. But better, imo.
The Voices - Selftitled, Death Of A Lover's Song, The Sound of Young America. By far some of the worst news I've ever received was when I heard these guys broke up. Their new project is shitty so don't bother. But all three of their albums are incredibly important additions to the genre. Fucking gnarly rhythm section becomes your heart beat. Seriously….buy all their shit and listen to it through really good speakers.
The Voltage - Selftitled. Similar to Broken Robots. Lo-Fi and endearing.
Weekend - Sports, Red EP. Really nailing the shoegaze noise throwback as well. Great vocals.
If you want more doom and gloom, check out The Angelic Process. Hilariously, there is a supersick instrumental band called 5ive that happens to share names with some pussy boyband. Just look up 5ive - Burning Season. Also, I mentioned Jesu who is Justin K Broadrick…look him up. :-)