Customer Reviews

This Is Your Bloody Valentine

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This Is Your Bloody Valentine is completely unlike that of MBV's later albums. This album lacks the beauty and complex pop melodies that marked MBV's stirring zenith. It is not an unpleasant album, but it certainly is not Loveless. The music is like the love child of the Jesus & Mary Chain and the Doors. Annunciate with the Birthday Party and the Cramps for style, and there you'll have it. This was the beginning of the band's fantastic alliance of instable minds, hapless romanticism, affectionate resentment. Oh' the apathetic apologies!
"Hate
Don't say I didn't
Warn you"
If you are an unconditional fan I recommend that you give it a chance. Otherwise, try the later more melodic albums - Glider, Isn't Anything, Loveless, Tremolo, Ecstasy and Wine... (anything after GEEK).

This first MBV album showcases and prophesies the talent to be exhibited on later masterpieces Isn't Anything and Loveless by baring its postpunk gothic teeth. At times balladic (The Last Supper), but usually agressive (Don't Cramp My Style), every song on this short album is a gorgeous confluence of Stooges meets Cramps sludgy white-noise guitar and persistant crashy percussion; Doors carnival-ride keyboards; Ian-Curtis meets Nick Cave vocals fronted by Dave Conway; Velvet Underground art loft; and best of all...Kevin Sheild's signature ethereal vocals in the backdrop. How could you possibly complain about this album? Cleary MBV was making a landmark transition from the former to the newer for its time (1984). And you were probably listening to Van Halen instead---shame on you!
As a sidenote, if you are into White Stripes, Hives, Interpol, and the like, GO GET THIS ALBUM NOW and hear who did it all much better---first!

I mean its good . Ok its not exactly the ultimate masterpiece of MBV like Loveless for example and thats cuz they were still a young band searching for their sound . Actually , i dont know why people even compare it to their later releases since its completely different . Its like comparing The Kinks to Jesus & Mary Chain .....see the difference?
And its better than any new stuff that comes out .
People always dismiss it as crap and blame everything to poor Dave Conway . I mean the poor guy , he tried very hard to get somewhere with the band and its a real shame coz his vocals arent bad at all (although they do get ridiculous at DONT CRAMP MY STYLE ) . Although it has to be said , if he didnt leave the band wouldnt have evolved into what created ISNT ANYTHING and LOVELESS . Well .... at least Dave is pursuing a carrer in comics and i think he's written a book .
Anyway....its a good album with loads of pretty little songs like FOREVER AND AGAIN (my personal favourite) and TIGER IN MY TANK.
Its good..........

This is not the same manifestation of the group that brought us the classic Loveless and Kevin Shields had yet to grasp the near total creative control he would be remembered for with that album. What we've got instead here are seven fairly accessible goth rock-styled tunes led by then-vocalist Dave Conrad's Presley-meets-Danzig baritone. Colm Ó Cíosóig was every bit the frantic percussionist ("Tiger in My Tank"), already beginning to utilize the incessant drumrolls which would continue to plague - or christen, depending on your preference - the group's output some years later. For what little inspiration was present here, however, most of the album is fairly derivative. There wasn't anything single-worthy yet - that would take a bit longer to achieve with a band that had yet to come into their own as true innovators.

Why does everyone hate this record? Yes, it doesnt have the beauty of "loveless", but it isnt the worst record I've heard. The All American rejects record sounds 10x worse!! Its not "loveless" obviously, but it does have its own place in the MBV collection. It does sound like a really bad goth band. The record is fun to listen to and the keyboards are a nice touch. Just because they got a full time bass player didnt mean they had to ditch the keys. Would've worked great. Its funny to listen to. I only gave it two stars because it isnt that great compared to some of the later records, but I dont hate it!! I like this record better than the strokes for crying out loud. People who hate this record because of the "lack of beauty" probably only own "loveless"...