Shoegazer. A name given to bands from the U.K. in the late 1980s and early 90s who stood motionless during live shows with their heads down due to heavy use of foot pedals. The bands were characterized by an ethereal mix of obscured vocals, distorted guitars, and feedback. Their music was a LOUD blur of sounds where the vocals or instruments did not stand out from one another. Major influencers on these bands were Jesus and Mary Chain (these guys seem to embody exactly what I’ve just described as shoegazer, so there’s no fine line), Cocteau Twins, The Cure, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. You can hear these influences in bands Slowdive and Lush. My Bloody Valentine’s 1991 Loveless album is considered the epitome of the shoegazer movement. It sounds like a warped record on some songs in a dreamy-loud dynamic. I have never seen them live, but their reputation is no-earplugs-are-good-enough loud. (MBV also went 20+ years between Loveless and 2013’s m b v album.) If Loveless is genre defining, then Ride’s 1990 Nowhere is the next best example.
Ride is Mark Gardener (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Andy Bell (vocals, lead guitar, and keys), Steve Queralt (bass), and Loz Colbert (drums). They formed in Oxford in 1988 and Nowhere was their debut album. It was on many best-of lists and is one of The 1,000 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. “In a Different Place” is a mellow beauty that turns into a rousing chorus. “Vapour Trail” was the single and most well-known song. Andy Bell (who would later join Oasis and Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye) sings along with the song’s distinctive swirling two 12-string Rickenback guitars. 1992’s Going Blank Again is also a classic with my favorite Ride songs “Leave Them All Behind” and “Chrome Waves.” The bass intro and acoustic intro, respectively, make these enduring tunes.
Ride’s next two albums were not as well received. By 1996, the band was showing signs of an upcoming split as Tarantula was written half by Gardener and half by Bell, instead of the usual collaborative effort. The final indignity was when the label took the album off its catalog one week after it’s release. Ouch.
So, it was with cautious optimism that I purchased Weather Diaries when it came out in 2017. It had me right from the start with the electrifying riffs of “Lannoy Point” and chiming guitars on “Charm Assault.” “All I Want” is a mellow, echoing tune, while “Home is a Feeling” greets you right away with its lush title. And add another great California song to the list; “Cali” delivers summer images with Ride soaring along with a touch of The Byrds on top.
What makes Ride’s resurgence even more special is that two years later they showed that they still have more good music in them. Often, these comeback albums are a one and done. This is Not a Safe Place picks up where the band left off with a similar sound, but possibly a little more varied with guitar assaults, catchy pop, and synths all in the mix.
The shoegazing tag became a somewhat derogatory term. I’m sure the bands didn’t like the label, either. In the 90s, Grunge (Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) and Brit Pop (Oasis, Blur) crowded out these bands from the music scene. Some played along with the new trends and went with a more pop sound (Lush) while others faded away (Pale Saints). Ride has evolved and broadened their sound while keeping the band’s underlying sonic textures. It’s a great story of redemption from the record label erasing your last album to a welcoming reception for Weather Diaries. Check out a couple tunes…
D² Rating ◼◼◼◼☐
Trivia ? – What was yet another Shoegazer band that went 20+ years between albums and returned with a stellar self-titled album in 2017?
Answer: Slowdive