Slowdive

[BRoswell]

Slightly surprised there wasn't a thread for this band. Anyway, they just released their first bit of new music in twenty-two years.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCih4OavoY

[Swykk]

Good song. I'm really excited for the new album. I tweeted them awhile back to ask about the live album too and was told it is coming as well.

[Exocet]

I really like their first few EP's...Alan Moulder produced them...Morning Rise is a masterpiece. Alan Moulder was like the Phil Spector of the British Shoegaze movement. Of the early 90s.

But i didnt love the first Slowdive album..Just For A Day......it has its moments though.

Brian Eno produced Souvlaki is one of the most tear jerking albums of all time..and just a masterpiece.

And Pygmallion is wildly underrated. And what got me into them..

They were one the bands of the 1990s.

[thevoid99]

Those 3 albums they made are just incredible as Pygmalion is one of those few records (such as the albums by This Mortal Coil, the Cure's Disintegration, R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People, and Still) are among the albums I listen to in its entirety on long rainy days. I thank Gregg Araki for introducing me to that band.

[onthewall2983]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjr6esFXJl4

[xmd 5a]

I strongly second the above recommendation to check out the demos / outtakes. "Joy", "Untitled #2" and "On the Horizon" are some of my absolute favourite Slowdive tracks.

Trying to keep my expectations in check for the new album. Slowdive is my favourite band of all time and their discography is entirely flawless as far as I'm concerned. The new track sounds really promising but it seems unfair to expect another untouchable classic.

[thevoid99]

The Doom Generation, I presume? :D

That movie is equal parts beautiful, comical and vulgar. It should definitely be considered a part of Slowdive's legacy..

Yep. I liked that film and still do. I wish that entire Teenage Apocalypse trilogy would be part of the Criterion Collection.

[thevoid99]

"Blue Skied An' Clear" is also my favorite Slowdive song. That film definitely captured the essence of the times. I really do wish Araki would release not just those 3 films but also The Living End in a remastered DVD/Blu-Ray release through Criterion. He is an important filmmaker as I think he hit his peak with Mysterious Skin which surprisingly played at my nearest local art-house theater for 2 months which is kind of rare these days.

[Swykk]

Shout Factory would do a great job too with the Teenage Apocalypse trilogy.

[halo eighteen]

May 5 - Slowdive (self-titled LP) (http://slowdive.lnk.to/slowdive)

new song Sugar for the Pill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxwAPBxc0lU

[xmd 5a]

May 5 - Slowdive (self-titled LP) (http://slowdive.lnk.to/slowdive)

new song Sugar for the Pill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxwAPBxc0lU

I adore this track.

[blackholesun]

Really excited for this. Gave the new track a listen today.

[Rdm]

sugar pill is a very good song, super impressed

[richardp]

I haven't listened to either of the new singles yet, and won't until the album is released.

What do they sound like? Pygmalion, or what came before it?

What came before. They're both really really good and remind me of Souvlaki but with much better production and mixing.

[perceptionnexus]

I get to see them at the new palace theater in mnpls the week the album comes out. havent been this excited for a concert in a long while now. Itll be a great show to smoke a bowl before.

[bobbie solo]

Sugar for the Pill is pretty dang nifty

[Jinsai]

WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with the "Shoe Gaze and Nu Pop" group I'm following, and the fact that they sneer at this?

THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING

[xmd 5a]

It's really really good. More than worthy of being in the Slowdive canon.

[richardp]

I fucking love this album. Go Get It is just fucking astoundingly great.

[Swykk]

I finally listened to it and it's truly fantastic.

This may be premature, as the first time I heard it was live this past Wednesday, but "No Longer Making Time" is the best. It fucking kills live.

[xmd 5a]

I fucking love this album. Go Get It is just fucking astoundingly great.

"Slomo" and "Go Get It" have quickly become two of my all-time favourite Slowdive tracks.


One thing I really appreciate about the album is how effortlessly cohesive it is. All the classic elements are there, but it doesn't sound like a nostalgic cash-in. You can hear how much the band has matured and each member has brought elements from their respective side-projects/solo efforts into the mix.

[Swykk]

I really want lyrics.

[richardp]

"Slomo" and "Go Get It" have quickly become two of my all-time favourite Slowdive tracks.


One thing I really appreciate about the album is how effortlessly cohesive it is. All the classic elements are there, but it doesn't sound like a nostalgic cash-in. You can hear how much the band has matured and each member has brought elements from their respective side-projects/solo efforts into the mix.

Exactly. It's such a completely natural sounding continuation of their sound, compared to that shitty ass ATDI album that came out the same day.

[perceptionnexus]

Their concert was absolutely amazing last week. I left it feeling that up until that point I had not fully experienced Slowdive only listening to them on record. Not so much with the new record (astounding, completely), as those songs seemed to be represented closely to how they sound on the album. The old songs, though, came across so much more powerfully to me in a live context. And LOUD, too! I think it had a lot to do with the drums not being subdued in the mix.

The lighting was was great also. Lots of back lighting worked really well, and the projections were trippy. I regret not bringing my pipe along, but it was a long drive and I did end up encountering law enforcement, lol.

[Swykk]

Here's a link to the Japanese bonus track, "30th June."

http://www.spin.com/2017/05/slowdive-30th-june-stream/

[Ruined]

Been really into their latest eponymous album. Sugar for the Pill is an amazing song. I can't wait to see them live, later this year. :)

[blackholesun]

Anyone who is remotely a fan of Slowdive should listen to their episode of Song Exploder. (http://songexploder.net/slowdive)

[richardp]

Here's a link to the Japanese bonus track, "30th June."

http://www.spin.com/2017/05/slowdive-30th-june-stream/

Does an actual cd-rip of this exist anywhere?

[bobbie solo]

I grabbed a d/l of it off the private torrent site I'm a member of (waffles....back & better than ever!)

[Soma]

Just grabbed tickets for Nov 3 in KC. The new record has been on constant repeat since it came out & I am ecstatic to finally see them.
Radiohead & Roger Waters have topped out my favorite concerts for this year but I won't be surprised if Slowdive surpasses. Anybody else seeing them on this next run?

[Amaro]

Just saw them last night in Columbus. Excellent stuff, as expected, though I drank too much beer.

Cherry Glazer was a cool opener!

[Amaro]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwgq-IWtcPE

[henryeatscereal]

I just discovered them, they just were in Glastonbury and i was hooked with them, i already know a couple of songs but i want to get more into them, which album do you recommend?

[Something Underneath]

I just discovered them, they just were in Glastonbury and i was hooked with them, i already know a couple of songs but i want to get more into them, which album do you recommend?
Souvlaki or Self Titled

[frankie teardrop]

i'm of the minority who thinks just for a day is their masterpiece, but you can't go wrong with those recommendations ^. the early EP tracks are also crucial.

[henryeatscereal]

Souvlaki or Self Titled


i'm of the minority who thinks just for a day is their masterpiece, but you can't go wrong with those recommendations ^. the early EP tracks are also crucial.

Will check all of them, just saw an "Album classics" on Amazon, already ordered!

[Jord]

Self Titled is one of my favourite records of all time. Much more so that they came back after so long and produced such a deep, stunning body of work.

Saw their Glasto set on Sunday and it had me welling up at times. I've luckily managed to bag tickets to see them later this years so can't wait.

[october_midnight]

VERY nice.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWtlDuzHc4g

[BRoswell]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiQUd6F6_kw

[richardp]

New album is amazing. Might even be better than S/T.

[BRoswell]

Pretty solid album, although I still prefer S/T. That's a really hard album to beat though.

[Something Underneath]

Pretty solid album, although I still prefer S/T. That's a really hard album to beat though.
Yeah S/T is the greatest band revival album I've ever heard,personally speaking.

[richardp]

Yeah S/T is the greatest band revival album I've ever heard,personally speaking.

That distinction goes to HUM's "Inlet" for me, personally. So sad that they never got to tour for it, too.

[Jord]

Spending the weekend absorbing the new record, so far a very different animal than S/T which itself goes down as one of my favourite albums of all time. I really welcome the addition of electronic elements this time round, ‘shanty’ is absolutely colossal, and although weirdly placed as track 2, ‘prayer remembered’ is just all the things I love distilled musically into a beautiful piece.

Super hyped now for the Halloween gig, and it seems they’ve announced another UK tour for early next year which I hope to attend too.

[Jinsai]

I like the new album, but it hasn't blown my mind yet. Might take a couple more listens

[Swykk]

I am liking Everything Is Alive but not loving it. There’s no “No Longer Making Time” level song found here but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it. I very much do. And I can’t wait to see them next month and hopefully hear some of the new songs live.

Maybe it’s just that S/T was so damn good. I don’t know.

[Jinsai]

S/T was so damn good. I don’t know.

The self titled album is the best Slowdive album. It's amazing

[burnmotherfucker!]

The self titled album is the best Slowdive album. It's amazing

Umm, Souvlaki wants a word with you...

But yeah, I love s/t too. Falling Ashes? One of my favorite tracks of the last decade. I like how everyone in this thread is mentioning different tracks from it. That's the mark of a great album isn't it?

I have not heard this new record yet but hopefully I can soon. I'm not going to listen to a Slowdive album casually the first time I hear it though so I gotta make time for it. They are one of those bands that I genuinely love every single record they make.

Come to think of it, a couple weeks ago I was trying to tell a friend of mine that Souvlaki is, in fact, the best shoegaze record of all time and not Loveless. Yeah, Loveless is the bigger cultural touchstone, and might have the best track of shoegaze with "Sometimes." But I think I'll take the album with Sing, Here She Comes, Souvlaki Space Station, and Dagger for the win please.

And don't even get me started on Neil Halstead's Palindrome Hunches solo record from 2012. It's a perfect record.

[Jinsai]

Umm, Souvlaki wants a word with you...

My favorite still goes to the Self Titled. Nobody's gonna deny how great Souvlaki is, least of all me.

[frankie teardrop]

I'm one of those Just For a Day guys, for me it was the first I heard, and super formative for me in college. Otherwise, I think they have a perfect discography...

[Swykk]

Drab Majesty have been announced as the opener for a good amount of the US dates.

[BRoswell]

Drab Majesty have been announced as the opener for a good amount of the US dates.

Oh man, now I'm definitely going to have to make it to a show.

[burnmotherfucker!]

Ok, so after a couple of listens, this is yet another great record. Slowdive seems to be on my shortlist of bands that can't seem to make a bad record.

This one feels a bit like Pygmalion and a bit like S/T while also doing it's own thing. It doesn't feel as immediate or poppy as S/T did but I think this thing is going to hold up really well to repeat listening. Already caught much more the second time around. Really like the textures on this record.

And other's have already mentioned stand out tracks. But I'll just say, Andalucia Plays anyone? Is it just me? lol

[Jord]

So I've sat with the record some more and had repeated plays and I've realized the only thing that stops it from being near enough on par with S/T is the sheer amount of fade outs - it kinda kills things a bit for me when a few tracks (Shanty & The Slab especially) could be left to develop a bit more. I suppose it's a good thing that I get into the music that much that I simply don't want it to stop, but I really feel they overly-fade out quite a bit on this record.

Prayer Remembered could do with a bit more building up too, Golden Hair style - but it goes out a little mildly.

[Swykk]

“Chained to a cloud” and “The Slab” are the stand outs to me. I really like “Andalucia Plays” and “Shanty” as well.

[poinoup]

I never really listened to Slowdive, but "Skin in the Game" is immediately in my top songs of the year. Is Souvlaki where I start?

[imail724]

I never really listened to Slowdive, but "Skin in the Game" is immediately in my top songs of the year. Is Souvlaki where I start?Safe bet

[burnmotherfucker!]

So I've sat with the record some more and had repeated plays and I've realized the only thing that stops it from being near enough on par with S/T is the sheer amount of fade outs - it kinda kills things a bit for me when a few tracks (Shanty & The Slab especially) could be left to develop a bit more. I suppose it's a good thing that I get into the music that much that I simply don't want it to stop, but I really feel they overly-fade out quite a bit on this record.

Prayer Remembered could do with a bit more building up too, Golden Hair style - but it goes out a little mildly.

I used to feel the exact same way you do about fade outs in general. I thought it was lazy or overused. A lot of older music has it in spades. Bowie definitely used it a lot I think. I've since completely changed my mind on it. Sometimes hearing a track come to a complete stop, even softly, actually seems to change the meaning of the music somehow. And it for sure affects the pacing of an album. Of course, it can be misused, so maybe you are right after all but it didn't stop me from enjoying the music on any of my listens.

I do agree with you 100% in regards to Prayer Remembered. And above, you mentioned it is oddly placed at track 2 and I agree completely. If anything, it's kind of a perfect closer. Like, if I had any say in the sequencing I would have simply slid it down to being the last track as I don't really like The Slab as a closer even though I do really dig the track itself. Those are of course just nit picks at the end of the day and Slowdive still fucking rules.


I never really listened to Slowdive, but "Skin in the Game" is immediately in my top songs of the year. Is Souvlaki where I start?

If I had never heard anything by them I would for sure start with Souvlaki. "Machine Gun" from Souvlaki actually reminds me a little of "Skin in the Game" for example. I think they have a similar groove, just with Machine Gun being a bit slower.

Then I'd probably check out S/T as I think that is the more accessible record post-reunion, in the same way Souvlaki is the more immediate of their three early records.

I'd also highly recommend Blue Day. It isn't an official record but rather a compilation of their early EP's, but I consider it pretty essential.

Just make sure you are ready to chill out when you put on Slowdive. It's physically impossible to listen to them without becoming calm and relaxed.

[GulDukat]

This new album is fantastic, one of my favorites of 2023. I have a few of their albums but haven't listened to them in ages.




Just make sure you are ready to chill out when you put on Slowdive. It's physically impossible to listen to them without becoming calm and relaxed.

Goes good with a few edibles.

[Jord]

https://threequarterskies.bandcamp.com/track/on-fire

New track from a forthcoming album by Simon Scott. This has blown my mind tonight - absolutely new and fresh, ready to pre order the album.

We've really been blessed by these guys this year. Got tickets to both UK tours booked and cannot wait.

[bobbie solo]

They're playing the formerly very nu-metal heavy Sick New World festival in Vegas next April. Still has alot of nu-metal, but not like this year's one did.

[BRoswell]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmSrHCUBLQ0

[thefragile_jake]

Excited to potentially see them again in May but mainly cause Drab Majesty is opening.

[frankie teardrop]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWKRw67G5fk&ab_channel=BretHelm%27sLifeOnThisPlanetBlog

New ranking video, starring yours truly + friends. <3