shoegazer rock

[lattershed]

any other fans of shoegazer rock here? i agree the term 'shoegaze' is silly and doesn't really describe the genre at all. it's music that's very dreamy, with layered instrument tracks and vocals that are mixed with the music so voices often sound distant or whispered. the idea of shoegaze was to create a wall of sound, a sound so lush that it feels real. shoegaze borrowed heavily from early goth and new wave. most of the good shoegaze bands are gone; the heyday was back in the early 90s before grunge killed it.

some shoegaze bands include:
my bloody valentine
ride
slowdive
chaperhouse
lush
all natural lemon & lime flavors
pale saints
catherine wheel
the boo radleys
rocketship
swervedriver
thee heavenly music association

so in this thread discuss shoegazer rock and some of your favorite songs/albums/artists!

-m

[pitseleh]

Yay, a fellow shoegazer! I agree it's a silly term, but it does a decent job of describing the general "attitude" of the music. It's not "in-your face", like rock in general. It has more of a laconic and dreamy vibe, which makes for some truly blissed-out listening.

Apart from the third last and last band on your list, I have heard and like all those on you mentioned. Here are some others that are worth lending an ear to:

Bailter Space
Skywave
Amusement Parks on Fire
Monster Movie
The Emerald Down
Yume Bitsu
A Northern Chorus
Elliot
The Appleseed Cast

The last three are more on the emo end of the spectrum, but definitely have strong shoegazer leanings. Check out the "Low Level Owl" album, both vol. I and II, by The Appleseed Cast, for the ultimate blend of sparkling midwestern emo and dreamy guitar atmospherics.



I love you for making this thread.

[lattershed]

one of the reasons i like shoegaze so much is because it is so versatile. it can borrow heavily from so many different genres of music.

[pitseleh]

Oh, definitely. Just take whatever musical genre, run it through a plethora of guitar effect-pedals, slow it waaay down, and drench the whole thing in gauzy reverb, and you got it!

Like metal, for instance. Bands like Isis, Jesu, Nadja, Katatonia and Pelican are all pretty soft-focus, although still heavy.

And then you have "screengaze", which is a more electronics-inflected take on it. M83 is a perfect example of this, plus Cyann & Ben and Air (also French).

Generally though, shoegaze is something I associate with gloomy British guitar pop. Rainy days in Manchester, clear country skies... I find that it's a type of music that lends itself to both urban as well as rural vistas.

[WolfMoon]

My husband likes My Bloody Valentine.

Would early Smashing Pumkins be considered 'shoegaze'?

[pitseleh]

Early Smashing Pumpkins... well, that's kind of a borderline case, since they are more fast-paced and don't have that huge, spaced-out sound. But I'm sure they were at least partly influenced by that movement, and there is a bit of blurriness to be found there, so I guess they are (were) somewhat related.

And My Bloody Valentine is total audio candy.

[WolfMoon]

I don't like them, my husband does. Personally I think his taste in music sucks and vice-versa.

But we manage somehow.

[pitseleh]

Originally Posted by Logan Weller

although Opeth doesn't fit your description, they kinda have some songs that are slow. a lot of stuff on damnation and still life was very slow and weird. but uh, i once heard appleseed cast and i realized what it takes to be gay.

Then you don't have what it takes, obviously. Oh well, your loss. They have an excellent drummer, too. FYI, some of the most "punk" people I know like The Appleseed Cast. I mean guys that have toured with hardcore bands and been in the scene for decades.

And Opeth doesn't qualify at all. Even in their slower moments they are just prog. Not that I don't like Opeth, I'm just saying.

[Darkfeeling]

I like the band Hocico, I believe that they are Shoegaze

www.myspace.com/hocico