My Bloody Valentine

Artist: My Bloody Valentine

LP: Isn't Anything

Song: "No More Sorry"
[ listen ]
Song: "(When You Wake) You're Still In a Dream"
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After five glorious days in Barcelona with my friends, I took a train up to the little town of Figueres by myself to spend a day or two. It's the town where Salvador Dalí was born and spent a lot of his time, so of course I visited the museum there that is dedicated to his work. 

I also made a point of dining in the luxurious restaurant at Hotel Duran (Duran?), which is reportedly where Sñr. Dalí frequently spent time hanging out with friends. 

The service at El Restaurant del Hotel Duran was so excellent, formal, precise, and provided in a foreign language, I have to admit feeling a little intimidated. When presented with 'small' or 'large' options for a glass of wine, I opted for the latter... which meant that I got an entire bottle to myself, kept chilled at the side of my table. By the time I finished my meal I was quite more than tipsy. Fortunately, it turns out there's nothing more delightful to be as you stumble through Figueres at night, across La Rambla, to the ice cream stand, passing now-empty sidewalk cafes as you make your way a little lost-like toward the comfort of your room in an old Spanish hotel. 

Oh, and the record store. There's just one in Figueres, called Discos Quim. It's right off the main plaza in the center of town. They don't have much in the way of used vinyl, but they did have new copies of all three My Bloody Valentine LPs, available at just €12.50 each! It seemed divine providence finding those there, since My Bloody Valentine had been a favorite since my college days and I'd just seen them for the first time at The Paramount Theater in Seattle a few weeks earlier, courtesy of my friend Charlie who I was currently hanging out with in Spain! It's like my whole world was falling into place. 

[ My Bloody Valentine ]

"Isn't Anything," from 1988, was their first full-length LP. It's pretty damn awesome, though often overshadowed by their iconic follow-up LP, "Loveless," released three years later. You can read about My Bloody Valentine here, and find some interesting notes and rave reviews for "Isn't Anything" on Wikipedia here. And if you ever get a chance, I highly recommend a visit to the town of Figueres, Spain. 

 

[ Discos Quim — Figueres, Spain ]

The Stargazer Lilies

Artist: The Stargazer Lilies

LP: We Are the Dreamers

Song: "Endless Days"
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Everyone knows I'm not in the loop when it comes to new music. I'm basically quoting my grandmother when I say things like, "Music nowadays sounds like cheap copies of what's already come before!" But it's true. Most new singers and bands sound like they're trying awfully hard to sound just like someone else who's already done what they're doing, but better and before. Other new bands are just completely idiotic, since there's actually a large fan base for that sort of thing right now. In other cases, quoting my grandma again, "They sound like trash cans banging together!"

This all serves to introduce my very first posting of a record created within the current decade—this 2013 release by The Stargazer Lilies. I found this lovely (pink vinyl!) album at Everyday Music when I traded in a couple of bags full of records and CDs last weekend. While I admit they do remind me of the early music of Lush, but played at 23 rpm through an extra layer of gauze, The Stargazer Lilies do their thing equally well and they sound different enough, I say. They certainly ain't no trash cans. You can visit the band's website here.

[ The Stargazer Lilies ]