Underrated band: Slowdive

[Henrik]

Why aren't Slowdive's albums higher on AM? I love this band and I think their music is exactly what critics usually love.

Most of all, I'm curious about the few mentions from UK critics for this British band. Any British member here who can tell if they have been considered uncool somehow? Seen as a My Bloody Valentine copy maybe?

I actually prefer Slowdive to MBV, so to me it seems totally unfair that MBV get all the acclaim.

[DaveC]

I agree. Why? I have no idea.

[luney6]

I do prefer MBV to Slowdive, because it was MBV who truly subverted the cliches of the genre shoegaze, and made it into what it is today, but Slowdive also has some really great music, albeit slightly more conventional than MBV. Judging by how popular they are on RYM, I'm guessing most critics know about Slowdive, but they lack the massive legacy, and have lesser influence outside of there genre. I think that slowly, their popularity will increase the same way it has been increasing, and they will get the acclaim they should be getting with time. I think that there are many other bands like that. Sort of like the Stooges in the past, I guess.

[luney6]

You know, it would be nice to have a weekly thing like this, for underrated bands.

[Henrik]

You know, it would be nice to have a weekly thing like this, for underrated bands.

I hoped that my subject title would be inspirational!

[Nick]

I like Slowdive, and they do deserve more acclaim than they get, but they're no MBV.

In my mind, Slowdive made some great shoegaze, but it was MBV that really exploded the boundaries of the genre. While "Loveless" would later serve as the blueprint for shoegaze bands to come, no other artist has been able to capture that same "mermaid being sucked into a black hole/ drowning in an ocean of electric guitars" feeling that that album has.

[BleuPanda]

Slowdive never really captured me in the same way My Bloody Valentine did. Even if their both the same genre, My Bloody Valentine does something hypnotic to me. But, really, I think the question is why every shoegaze act but MBV seems underappreciated. Was the genre too short lived? Not have enough influence outside of itself to be considered important? What's interesting to me is how Pitchfork made a big deal out of Slowdive's reunion, but that didn't really show in their own appreciation.

To me, it's a question of where the importance of shoegaze is placed, and how much retail space a publication will give the genre. MBV could very well be the token band of a forgotten movement for many sources. I think it's also a case where the genre's influence isn't that obvious; I could definitely see some post-rock acts being fans of shoegaze, but it's not as clear as the connections between bigger movements.

[Henrik]

Well, I have actually never really connected with the shoegaze genre. I think the reason why I like Slowdive better than MBV is that their music is closer to slowcore, which I love.

Loveless is too treble-noisy for me. My favorite by far is "Sometimes" which clearly differs from the rest of the songs, with more bass.

[Jackson]

I think I have been the only one voting for Souvlaki or When the Sun Hits for years in AM polls, so glad to see some others have heard them. That album really is a masterpiece, but it is correct that MBV and Loveless get more renown. I do wish there was room for both though, most critics just support Loveless and no other shoegaze albums. Chapterhouse and Lush should also be far more acclaimed.

[luvulongTIM]

Well for what its worth they made it into my top 200 of my 282 favorite artists lists. I know we're only doing 100 this year but i just couldnt stop listing bands. I'm still kicking myself for not putting Talulah Gosh into my top 100 Anyway i kind of prefer MBV just slightly to Slowdive but neither make my top 10 list of favorite shoegaze bands of all time. I think there are superior groups that are ridiculously underrated.

[slick]

MY TOP 10 SHOEGAZE BANDS:

1. Ride
2. Catherine Wheel
3. Kitchens Of Distinction
4. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
5. My Bloody Valentine
6. Lush
7. SLOWDIVE
8. Adorable
9. Swervedriver
10. Curve

[Nick]

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart might be my second favorite shoegaze band, after MBV, but only because of their self-titled debut, which is flat out amazing. Nothing else they've done has come close.

Also, do Yo La Tengo count as shoegaze? Because if they did, I'd put them second instead. And "Sugarcube" would be my all time favorite shoegaze song (fun fact, Yo La Tengo's "Sugarcube" is the only song in my top 500 that doesn't appear on AM's top 6000 songs or as a bubbler).

[spiritualized]

Henrik,
Don't know if you had a chance to catch on my nomination for Minor Victories a couple of weeks back. I believe that Rachel Goswell from Slowdive is part of this SuperGroup (Mogwai & Editors too)
I think you may enjoy it quite a bit. Debut album out on the 3rd of June.

[Quirk Out Lee]

My top 10 shoegaze bands
1. MBV
2. Lush
3. Seefeel
4. King of the Slums (if they count)
5. Ride
6. Swirlies
7. Slowdive
8. Flying Saucer Attack
9. early Brian Jonestown Massacre
10. Pale Saints

[luvulongTIM]

1. Lush
2. Ride
3. The Jesus & Mary Chain/Cocteau Twins(combined the ARE shoegaze)
4. The Boo Radleys
5. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
6. Spiritualized
7. Curve
8. The Catherine Wheel
9. Kitchens of Distinction
10. Pale Saints

[GucciLittlePiggy]

edit: Somehow I placed this list in the wrong thread...

Haven't listened to AMSP yet but hopefully will do that soon. As you can see by my all-time rankings, though, it will have to be a masterpiece to compete with anything that isn't their debut.

1. OK Computer (#3)
2. Kid A (#6)
3. In Rainbows (#12)
4. The King of Limbs (#25)
5. Hail to the Thief (#45)
6. The Bends (#46)
7. Amnesiac (#50)
8. Pablo Honey (unranked)

[Gillingham]

Great choice Henrik. Until you posted this I wasn't even aware they were so meagerly acclaimed by critics! I'd choose Slowdive over MBV any day and I love slowcore as well, but that's not what this topic is about. I do see particularly Souvlaki feature frequently in personal lists on music websites/forums. Souvlaki is only barely in the top 2000 in AM, but I am almost equally surprised that Pygmalion isn't even bubbling under.

[spiritualized]

Well, I have actually never really connected with the shoegaze genre. I think the reason why I like Slowdive better than MBV is that their music is closer to slowcore, which I love.

Loveless is too treble-noisy for me. My favorite by far is "Sometimes" which clearly differs from the rest of the songs, with more bass.

Whilst we are on the subject of slowcore, what albums to you rate the most in that genre, Henrik ?

[Henrik]

Well, I have actually never really connected with the shoegaze genre. I think the reason why I like Slowdive better than MBV is that their music is closer to slowcore, which I love.

Loveless is too treble-noisy for me. My favorite by far is "Sometimes" which clearly differs from the rest of the songs, with more bass.

Whilst we are on the subject of slowcore, what albums to you rate the most in that genre, Henrik ?

Weird. I really felt honest when I wrote that, but when I looked at the AM slowcore album list I realised that I put Low far above the other bands. Probably I should have said that Slowdive reminds me a but about them.

Favorite album: I Could Live in Hope (which, to stay on topic, is also criminally underrated on AM).

[spiritualized]

Favorite album: I Could Live in Hope (which, to stay on topic, is also criminally underrated on AM).

Yes, a huge favorite of mine too - on par with "Things We Lost in the Fire"
If you don't know them, I suggest Bedhead and its subsequent incarnation, The New Year as masters of slowcore. Beautiful, hushed melodies.
Best album : WhatFunLifeWas. I toyed with the idea of putting this one on Moderately Acclaimed...
Best song : Reconstruction (on Newness Ends - The New Year)

[Jackson]

Ride is an amazing band. Nowhere and "Vapour Trail" in particular are amazing, but I've recently realized that Going Blank Again is just as good (and probably more accessible to people that don't really like shortage music).

I also love the Boo Radleys, though not sure I would classify them in this genre as I see them more as an indie pop band. They are worthy of their own thread as a ridiculously underrated band; it's crazy Giant Steps isn't a mainstay on lists of best albums of the 90s.

[spiritualized]

I also love the Boo Radleys, though not sure I would classify them in this genre as I see them more as an indie pop band. They are worthy of their own thread as a ridiculously underrated band; it's crazy Giant Steps isn't a mainstay on lists of best albums of the 90s.

Couldn't agree more !

[bootsy]

So is Soulvaki the go-to, crème de la crème for Slowdive? Are any of their other works on par or better than that?

[spiritualized]

Well according to RYM users, yes.
According to me, I prefered their debut

[Jackson]

So is Soulvaki the go-to, crème de la crème for Slowdive? Are any of their other works on par or better than that?

I agree with this.

[Gillingham]

So is Soulvaki the go-to, crème de la crème for Slowdive? Are any of their other works on par or better than that?

Although both Just for a Day and Pygmalion are good albums that are definitely worth a listen, I do think Souvlaki is easily their best work.

[luney6]

I agree with Spiritualized in that their debut is probably their best work. It has a very majestic feel.

Also a good shoegaze/ slowcore-ish band - Galaxie 500.