My Bloody Valentine excels in third LP, 'mbv'

22 years.

That's how long the distance is between My Bloody Valentine's first album and their third album.

And in their third album, mbv, My Bloody Valentine picks up right where they left off in 1991 when My Bloody Valentine's signature genre, "shoegazing", was at its highest popularity ever.

Shoegazing is a unique form of rock in which the artists use heavy distortion, long, arduous guitar notes, mixed in with nearly silent vocal melodies. All this culminates together to form a deafening, psychedelic noise, one that forces the listener to be reflective and active in their interpretations.

In mbv, the opening track, "She Found Now," kicks off the album in an excellent fashion, using the first 30 seconds of the track to showcase why they were the defining band of the Shoegazing era. Vocalist Kevin Shields uses his one-of-a-kind subtle notes and his laid-back intensity to anchor the song appropriately.

Shields’ reputation for subtlety is keenly shown in the song-using a total of 63 words, many of them repeated heavily.

Still, even with his small, almost clichéd word choices, Shields manages to pump the words full of emotion as if they were the last words he said.

And while My Bloody Valentine may be well known for their eerily depressing, light-at-the-end-of-a-deep-dark-tunnel evocative tracks, they do produce a few happy ones as well.

In “New You”, the band produces an upbeat song, one laced with happy-go-lucky “Doo-do-dahs” which make for a surprisingly happy, energetic record.

“In Another Way” also boasts an upbeat, rhythmic base and it includes heavy, distinct guitar riffs along with a bigger vocal presence from Shields, deviating slightly from their iconic sound.

All in all, the entire album is a fantastic endeavor, one that showcases My Bloody Valentine’s unique form of rock as well as dips their toe into new waters.

Musicianship: 8/10.

Creativity: 8/10. They managed to try new things while still keeping their original sound in check and as refined as ever.

Reviewer’s Tilt: 8/10. It’s hard not to like a band like My Bloody Valentine. It’s hard not to like such a thought-provoking, unique band.