Customer Reviews

Stereo Musicale

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Take 1 teaspoon My Bloody Valentine, add 1 cup Joy Division, sprinkle on some flute, and stir. It's not as weird as it sounds. Blind Mr. Jones makes better-than-average mope music that doesn't fall into any of the usual chliched traps of the genre. They've got a real ear for texture and atmosphere, and they write some great songs when they put their minds to it. The closing track, "Against the Glass," is incredibly absorbing and catchy. Fans of Slowdive or any of the genre should definitely check this out.

Somehow I totally missed the boat on this band... a mistake I have recently rectified. If you're into shoegazer (Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Chapterhouse etc) and looking to branch out, this is definitely an album you should own.

While it's hard to explain their sound without using all the trappings of every other shoegaze review (feedback, dreampop, ethereal blah blah blah), it does warrant at least mentioning that that is the sound Blind Mr. Jones trade in - ethereal, droning, dreampop.

If you found this disc (and this review), you likely already know ABOUT the band... the album, however, is another story. If you've heard Blind Mr. Jones' Best Of (Spooky Vibes - an easier album to find now than any of their other recordings), you're either a fan of their sound or you aren't. They do what they do quite well.

Lonesome Boatman, Spooky Vibes, Disneyworld and Against The Glass from that Best Of all come from this disc. There are, however, 9 more tracks here to explore including the brilliant Small Caravan and Sisters. The use of flute may seem initially a tad jarring, but don't be deterred... while it may not be a common instrument on other shoegaze recordings, it actually works VERY well on this one.

This album is perfect for fans of the genre. If you found this disc, and this review - this album is likely for you.

Holds up well a decade and more after I heard it first on release. I dug it out recently after seeing their name dropped in a list of shoegazing bands. This album, featuring flute as well as the usual instruments, attains a cross between 75% Ride as of their album "Going Blank Again," and The Cure, the instrumental intro to "Fascination Street." BMJ blends the influences of the earlier 90s and the post-punk sounds of the previous decade. It's well-produced, sophisticated, and I like the alternation of vocal with instrumental tracks, which adds variety and keeps you interested in what's up next on the disc.

I also listened to a bunch of 'shoegaze' music in the early to mid 90s. This one sort-of seemed out of the radar combared to larger-known bands like Ride or Revolver but I remember this album to be very polished and consistent. I fondly remember Spooky Vibes and had recently listened to a cassette copy of this and decided I'd have to pick up the CD since it was still available. My biggest question about bands like this now: Where are they now? Did they turn into a different band?

Being in college in the early 90's and being from the San
Francisco area introduced me to a lot of great music from the "shoegazer" era. Nothing overly outstanding here, but I'll definitely recommend spending the $$$ for the album. As with a lot of the music in this genre, you'll appreciate it more after listening to it multiple times. ENJOY!!!!