Yes that list looks middlebrow, now - but in 1990 this would have radically widened the influence-scope of these groups. And have I identified Shoegaze here, w/o naming it? Or were people already talking about the Scene That Celebrates Itself?.
bonus bits
one solitary blurb for the Albums of the Year
Not 100% certain this is my blurb although "erotic politician" and "radical MOR" sound like my turn o' I should have written AOR rather than MOR though, to more accurately peg the sound. Also I did the big cover story on the Hearthrobs that year. Cannot honestly resummon my excitement about this album now - but do remember the single "Dreamtime" fondly.
Q + A with Tim Burgess of the Charlatans. Canny recycling of a feature I did for Spin, or rather, full use of the transcript thereof. Likeable fellow, relentlessly mediocre band though.
2 comments:
fantastic thank you for this archival work
"And have I identified Shoegaze here, w/o naming it?"
Yes
"Or were people already talking about the Scene That Celebrates Itself?".
I don't think it got named either "shoegaze" or "the scene that celebrates itself" until 1991. I do remember this article (and indeed this issue of MM - it was the first Xmas issue I bought).
"Yes that list looks middlebrow, now - but in 1990 this would have radically widened the influence-scope of these groups"
Maybe some would-be shoegaze bands did listen to these recommendations - if so, it would explain the output of Too Pure in the early 90s. And apparently The Boo Radley's named "Giant Steps" after the John Coltrane album.
A lot of the shoegaze bands from that time now just sound like C86 with effects pedals. The musicianship - esp. the singing - is pretty woeful. Curve came out in March 1991 as basically Shoegaze played by professional pop musos - and I think they've stood up better than many of their contemporaries.
And then in the space of 6 weeks, Nirvana release Nevermind and MBV release Loveless and it's all over bar the Britpop cash-ins.
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