What am I missing here? My Bloody Valentine

[John Smith]

OK over the years I've heard people rave about My Bloody Valentine, Especially Loveless. It makes top whatever lists for being a great guitar album. I play a little but not enough to listen to something and be able to play it myself without being shown. So I can't just listen to MBV and translate it to playing. I have tried listening to Loveless many times and just don't get it. Is it the use of distortion? If so why not give Metal Machine Music the notoriety. Could someone explain this one to me? I understand music theory a bit so feel free to toss in some theory if it helps. This one could become like Trout Mask Replica for me...an album that is supposed to be great that I just don't understand on any level.

 

While you're at it, if anyone can explain Helmet to me I like to hear that one too.

[PopTodd]

It took a VERY long time for Loveless to hit me, too. All I can say is, if you generally like that type of thing, keep listening. Spin it again every now and then. There are a lot of layers to sort through, but once you start to hear the little bits and pieces, you start hearing more bits and pieces and then you start to hear more untill finally you hear it all.

 

And when you do, it's a revelation.

 

I speak from experience.

 

So, if you feel like it, just keep listening. It will be very rewarding in the end. Or, if you feel like you've listened to it way too much already, give your copy to a friend who might appreciate it.

[John Smith]

So essentially it's like beer...drink it enough and I'll develop a taste? I've probably listened to it a dozen times or so and I hear the music as created and appreciate it for what it is(not necessarily in my aural palette), but I am still wondering what makes it a great guitar album, more so than say Metal Machine Music? I can hear the songs and structure in both Loveless and MMM, so that is not the problem for me. What I hear is a niche album for a very narrowly defined limited appeal niche.

[bleedorange]

Sometimes you just have to chalk something up to not being in your wheelhouse, so to speak. Loveless clicked pretty immediately for me (and I don't even play the guitar) and I have arguments with most of my friends today comparing it to Achtung Baby...only because of their proximity of release dates.

 

For me, I've tried to repeatedly get into Sonic Youth (what is it, 20 years or so?). I just haven't ever been able to.

[Gobias Industries]

I agree on the whole. I've listened through it a few times. I can recognize its greatness as an album but on the whole it just sounds like...noise. There's really not a lot of substance to the noise, in my opinion. I'm not sure if I will ever get into it fully.

[jff]

It makes top whatever lists for being a great guitar album.

 

Probably because whoever made up the list(s) you read felt that they used guitars in an innovative, and not particularly "guitraistic" way (no blues licks or soloing). That tends to go a long way with people who write about music.

 

Metal Machine Music probably wasn't on the list because, it being WAY out of print until very recently, there was no chance that it's inclusion on a "best of" list would result in increased ad sales.

[sureshot]

Personally, it took me a long time to come around to. But at some point it "clicked" as others have mentioned. Its one of those things where you have to abandon the way you expect music to sound..especially on the production end. Kevin Sheilds whole thing was trying to create one, unified, androgynous, pulsing soundscape. Where vocals, guitar, and drum all blend and are treated equally to become one. The experience is akin to having a wave of sonic noise washing over you. And along with that theres still all sorts of subtlety and dynamics within it.

 

What I hear is a niche album for a very narrowly defined limited appeal niche.

 

Well sure. If you want to compare it to a fine wine, its probably not a bad comparison. A lot of people would just as well have Boones Farm and be happy. I'm not trying to sound elitist...but no you're not going to hear MBV on commercial radio, because for better or worse, most people arent going to "get" it. It just boils down to if its your thing or not. Hey, I dont for the life of me understand the love for Neutral Milk Hotel, although in many circles they're held as sacred.

 

But in any case, thus review pretty much sums up my feelings on the album:

http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/...-loveless.shtml

[you ever seen a ghost?]

i've always said that the best tastes are acquired ones: music, coffee, etc.

 

it took me awhile to come around to In The Aeroplane Over The Sea...

 

-justin