October is behind us and so is the nonstop onslaught of new releases but it’s still another packed week. The Cure‘s Songs of a Lost World is gonna get most of the ink from publications with week (that and Tyler, the Creator) but I review six other records this week, including great new UK shoegaze act deary, plus the latest from Underworld, Katrina Ford (Celebration), NYC garage rock legends The Fleshtones, Mystery Tiime (Ayman Rostom aka The Maghreban) and THUS LOVE.

This week’s Indie Basement Classic is the 1990 debut album from underrated Manchester group New Fast Automatic Daffodils.

Over in Notable Releases, Andrew reviews the great new Tyler, the Creator album along with new ones from Planes Mistaken for Stars, Mount Eerie, Freddie Gibbs, and more.

Keeping things short up top this week. Head below for the reviews…

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: The Cure – Songs of a Lost World (Lost Music / Universal)
A doomy, gloomy, near-perfect return to form for Robert Smith and co

The Cure’s first album in 16 years is finally here and it’s good. Really good. Here’s a bit of my review which we posted earlier this week:

The desire to call Songs of a Lost World The Cure’s best album since Disintegration, or at least Wish, is there. That can be debated — Bloodflowers and 4:13 Dream may have gotten better with age (their Ross Robinson-produced 2004 self-titled album has not) — but this is definitely the most cohesive and concise since their 1989 masterpiece. It’s their shortest since 1985’s The Head on the Door and while the songs are long, the fat has been trimmed, with a fully realized dark atmosphere permeating every second, and nothing to lighten the mood. (If the album is to be dinged, the songs are also uniformly mid-tempo.) Smith called it “merciless” when the band were still working on it in 2019 but unlike Pornography, this isn’t unrelenting despair. These eight songs are thoughtful, heartfelt ruminations of mortality and loss and remembering those who are gone, not a lost soul wondering “why I am still here?” Songs of a Lost World feels like Smith is both giving Cure fans what they want while making the album he needed to make.

Read the whole thing here.

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EP OF THE WEEK: deary – Aurelia (Sonic Cathedral)
Fantastic EP from the best new shoegaze band around

London duo deary are my favorite of the new wave of shoegaze bands that have sprung up in the last few years, and it’s in part because they feel like they could’ve existed in 1990, with the same indie influences that band like Slowdive and Ride had. It’s also because underneath all that beautiful haze are great songs, and their new EP has six shimmering examples of this. Three of them have been released as singles throughout this year: the blissed-out “The Moth” which sets the guitar haze against baggy beats; the swaying “The Drift” which owes a little to Slowdive, whose drummer, Simon Scott plays on much of this EP (and mastered it too); and “Selene” that floats on arpeggiated synths, layer upon layer of guitars and one of their best melodies. The other three tracks are nearly as good: “Aurelia” is a perfect slow-building intro to the EP, with the song getting bigger, heavier and more beautiful as it goes, “Dream of Me” drifts into downtempo trip-hop territory, “Where Are You?” is pure ethereal atmosphere. I consider the EP the perfect shoegaze format, and deary offer up a fantastic example of their own.

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Underworld – Strawberry Hotel (Smith Hyde Productions / Virgin Music)
If you have “choral music by Underworld” on your bingo card, it’s time to fill that square. The electronic duo’s 11th album is terrific and surprising.

“Please don’t shuffle” is the only note that comes with Strawberry Hotel, Karl Hyde and Rick Smith’s 11th album as  Underworld. It made me laugh — I used to write the same thing on mixes I posted to my old blog in the early 2010s — but it also works as a statement of intent. After spending 2019 releasing a new song a week as part of their Drift series, Underworld are back with a purposeful work, a double album that is meant to be listened to as a whole. Since the ’90s, when Smith and Hyde shed off the pop trappings of Underworld’s doggy synthpop early years in favor of serious rave dance music, they’ve excelled at stadium-sized techno. With Strawberry Hotel, they widen their scope with more emphasis on melody and choral-style vocal arrangements via Smith’s daughter, opera singer Esme Brownen-Smith, who also gets co-producer credit on much of the record. The album also has a deliberate flow, opening with the delicate hymn “Black Poppies” and its “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL” chorus, before dropping onto the dancefloor for a series of throbbing bangers.  “Denver Luna” is cut from the same cloth as their mid-’90s Trainspotting techno smash “Born Slippy”; “Techno Shinkasen” pulsates with Giorgio Moroder-esque synth arpeggiations; and “And the Colour Red” (released as a single in 2023) is an undulating, unsettling beast.

From there things start to mellow, and the second disc of this double LP seriously chills out. Esme provides spoken word vocals on the vibey “Ottavia,” and that is immediately followed by a choral a cappella version of “Denver Luna” (equally good as the dance version), and the euphoric and nearly 10-minute “Gene Pool.” The album comes to a close with “Iron Bones,” featuring Nina Nastasia, and finally, unexpectedly, a classical guitar piece, “Stick Test Man.” That Hyde and Smith are still going new places while delivering what we want from an Underworld album is impressive given these two have been making music together since 1982 with no signs of slowing down. Just don’t shuffle.

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Mystery Tiime – Maudlin Tales Of Grief & Love (Vicious Charm Recordings)
The post-punk of his youth inspired The Maghreban’s Ayman Rostom for his first album as Mystery Tiime

London’s Ayman Rostom has been making beats for the better part of 20 years as a hip hop producer and dance music artist under aliases like Dr. Zygote and The Maghreban. His latest project is Mystery Tiime where he reconnects with his post-punk/new wave past and sings for the first time. “The title speaks for itself,” says Rostom. “Maudlin means emotionally sentimental. Tales, these songs are stories to me, about different times. Grief – there is much sadness and darkness in it, and Love – there is some light there too, a bit of joy, to frame the shadow.” Maudlin Tales Of Grief & Love is heavy stuff with lyrics that play like the darkest inner monologue at a low point in somone’s life, and Rostom’s flat (not pitchy), sing-song vocal style is perfect for music that sounds like the walls closing in. (He says friends told him he sounds like Robert Wyatt, and I can hear that.) “A Cruel Trick” is pure paranoia, and “A Summer Sunday” is not a picnic in the park but “the beginning of an end.” It’s all very Young Marble Giants, The Cure, Throbbing Gristle, but his beatmaker side also comes through on “Thank You Deeply” and “The Humour Is Not Lost On Me.” Rostom clearly understands that like dance music, post-punk should start with the bassline and he’s got a few here worthy of Simon Gallup, Dave Allen or Barry Adamson. On “Long Distance Runner.” Rostom takes house rhythms down a pitch-black alley as he questions why someone would be attracted to him. “Why you chase me for? I’m just an idea in your head.” The album can be a lot, but the honesty works in his favor, the music is terrific, and you can feel the love alongside the grief.

ADDENDUM: Maudlin Tales of Grief & Love is out via Vicious Charm, the new label from Damian Harris who founded Skint Records (Fatboy Slim, Lo-Fidelity Allstars) and revived it briefly in the late-2010s. Good to know he’s still got his good ears to the ground.

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Katrina Ford – H.E.A.R.T. (Violin Films)
Former Celebration and Jacks singer goes widescreen on her assured debut solo album

Katrina Ford has been making music in the underground indie scene for 30 years as part of gothy Michigan noisepunks Jaks, ’00s-era groups Love Life and Celebration, and Mt Royal. (She has also sung on records by TV on the Radio, Future Islands, Unkle and more.) Most of those groups also featured Sean Antanaitis who is also her collaborator and producer on her full-length solo debut. Ford has always possessed a voice big enough for Bond themes, and with H.E.A.R.T. (which stands for “Heart Ember Abuse Resin Trend”), she and Antanaitis have created music to match. “We’re maximalists,” Ford says. “I love all kinds of music — the vocals and recording techniques of Phil Spector and girl group pop, the weirdo pop of ’80s legends like Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel, and the punk and goth that’s in my bones.” Songs like “World on a Wire,” “Tender Nest,” and “Adonai” are wonderful dreampop creations, rich with layers of synthesizers, strings, guitars, real drums and drum machines. H.E.A.R.T. may not have the unbridled intensity of Jacks or Celebration, but the mellowed maturity suits these songs and arrangement and there are elements of everything Ford has done before here, now with a richer color palette. The mix of elements are not beholden to any scene or era and really allow for her versatile, acrobatic voice to soar.

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THUS LOVE – All Pleasure (Captured Tracks)
Brattleboro, VT band expand lineup while tighten up into a lean, mean rock band on their second album

Previously a power trio, Brattleboro, VT group THUS LOVE debut as a four-piece on their second album and somehow feel leaner, meaner and tighter. They’ve shed a lot the post-punk sounds found on their debut album and replaced them with swaggering, raw rock. A lot of that comes from frontperson Echo Mars whose powerhouse vocal delivery drips with attitude, but the power chord riffage and big anthemic hooks are essential as well. Meanwhile, new bassist Aly Juleen bring brings both melodic playing and nice counterpoint vocals to the mix. THUS LOVE are still best experienced on-stage, but All Pleasure does a good job keeping things sounding live and electric.

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The Fleshtones – It’s Getting Late (…and More Songs About Werewolves) (Yep Roc)
The NYC “Super Rock” greats keep the party raging nearly 50 years into their career

Last week we had zombies courtesy the Pixies, and now The Fleshtones are here with More Songs About Werewolves. Halloween I guess, and I digress. The NYC band have been honing their patented “Super Rock” sound (R&B, soul and garage rock) for nearly 50 years and while I’ve lost count as to what number album this is in their discography, it sounds as energized as Hexbreaker! from 1983, if a little woolier. All the Fleshtones earmarks are here: freakbeat drumming, fuzzed-out bass grooves, farfisa and other vintage keys, Keith Streng’s wild guitar riffs, and frontman Peter Zaremba bravado-filled vocals. Two songs on the album, “The Hearse” and “Wah Wah Power,” were made with French band The Limiñanas and have extra stomp. As always, The Fleshtones bring the party and even though it may be Getting Late, they’ll keep going till the last reveler drops.

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INDIE BASEMENT CLASSIC: New Fast Automatic Daffodils – Pigeonhole (Play it Again Sam / Mute)
Underrated Manchester band’s bongo-fueled 1990 debut still stands apart from their baggy brethren

When I go to pick an album for the week’s Indie Basement Classic, it’s often inspired by one of the new albums found elsewhere in the column, an anniversary, or some other bit of news. That sort of holds true with this one but in a much more random way. I was watching the music video for Mystery Tiiime’s “Thank You Deeply” and, as is ofter the case, I switched tabs at some point to do something else with the song still playing. The song ended and on came an awesome bassline, shades of Liquid Liquid, and I was instantly all “what’s this?” But when the guitar riff and vocals kicked in I realized YouTube’s algorithm had served me New Fast Automatic Daffodils’ “Big,” and here we are. Formed in Manchester during the “Second Summer of Love” (1988), New FADS stood out from the baggy scene with a sound heavy on bongos and dubby post-punk while still being friendly to the loose fit indie ravers. Pigeonhole was their debut album, released in 1990 via Play It Again Sam / Mute, and as the title suggests they actively brushed off comparisons to their Manchester neighbors. The album is full of many of their best ever singles, including “Big,” “Get Better” and spaced out “Fishes Eyes,” which would fit right in between Happy Mondays’ “Wrote for Luck” and The Stone Roses’ “Fools Gold,” but nobody else sounded like New FADS. (Their cover art also stood out, much of it designed by Brian Cannon of Microdot who’d go on to do sleeves for The Verve and Oasis.) They were too weird to have hits — no “Groovy Train” or Madchester covers of ’60s songs in their repertoire — but their uniqueness has aged very, very well. Start here but if you dig, check out the Bong EP and 1992’s Body Exit Mind too.

Looking for more? Browse the Indie Basement archives.

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Top 20 Shoegaze EPs of the Early-’90s

20. Bleach – Snag (1991, Way Cool Records)

Formed by brothers Neil and Nick Singleton, Ipswich, UK's Bleach unfortunately ran out of songwriting steam before they released their first album. (Hey, it happens, just ask Elastica.) The band managed to deliver one terrific EP that showcased their moody style, with guitarist Neil providing the haze and bassist Nick providing the mood. Like a lot of shoegaze groups of this era, singer Salli Carson's ethereal vocals seemed more like an equal element of Bleached's sound, as opposed to a focal point. "Bethesda," with its tom-heavy drumming is especially good, as is "Dipping." Extended listening: the cover art is the most distinctive thing about Bleach's 1992 album Killing Time, but it's the only one of their releases on streaming services.

19. Medicine – 5ive (1993, Creation)

Led by Brad Laner, who spent time in the '80s in L.A. cult post-punk band Savage Republic, Medicine were arguably the U.S.'s best shoegaze band, with a firm grip on melody, noise and dynamics, and they weren't afraid of sampling or dance culture. They also had rare bonafides for an American band; they were signed to Creation in the UK. (Rick Rubin's American Recordings put out their records at home.) The 5ive EP, also known as Come Here to Drink Milk, takes the tremolo-heavy title track (originally on their debut album) and pairs it with the ragged version of "Time Baby" (not the version with Liz Fraser & Robin Guthrie), searing slow jam "Lime 6," and the quasi-industrial "Wrought." Extended listening: The Sounds of Medicine EP has the Cocteau-ized version of "Time Baby" from The Crow soundtrack, plus "stripped and reformed" versions of other songs, but the 1993 sophomore album The Buried Life is Medicine at their best.

18. The Telescopes – Flying (1991, Creation)

Having got their start in the mid-'80s, The Telescopes predate shoegaze but were part of the dark neo-psych scene that included Spacemen 3 and Loop (who they shared a split 7" with in 1988). By their fourth EP for Creation, 1990's Flying, The Telescopes had blasted off most of the white noise in favor of groovy psychedelia that put them somewhere between The Stone Roses and Ride, but frontman Stephen Lawrie was always on his own sonic plane. With layers of 12-string guitars -- acoustic and electric -- Flying's title track is one of their best pop songs, while "High on Fire" heads deep into outer space and "The Sleepwalk" showed they could confidently compete with their Creation labelmates that were getting much more ink in NME. Extended listening: 1990's Celeste EP features an amazing 10-minute version of the title track that's worth the price of admission.

17. Blind Mr. Jones – Eyes Wide (1992, Cherry Red)

Their fondness of flute gave Blind Mr. Jones the reputation of being the shoegaze Jethro Tull, but this band from Marlow, UK were one of the more underrated groups of the era, with a distinctively British sound, a decided goth streak, and consistently memorable, melodic (New Order-esque) bass lines. There are no wind instruments on the Eyes Wide EP but it does feature Slowdive's Neil Halstead who gifts the record with some of his transcendent guitar cloud cover. All four songs are terrific. Is your favorite Ride song "Decay" from Nowhere? You should definitely investigate Blind Mr. Jones further. Extended listening: Compilation Over My Head collects everything Blind Mr. Jones recorded, including the Crazy Jazz EP that featured Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood.

16. Adorable – Sunshine Smile (1992, Creation)

While they owed more to Echo & the Bunnymen or House of Love than My Bloody Valentine or Ride, Adorable were signed to Creation Records, peppered their very catchy songs with guitar noise and got not entirely unfairly lumped in with the shoegaze scene...even if frontman Peter Fijalkowski bristled at the word in interviews. One thing's for sure: "Sunshine Smile" was a hell of an introduction that sounds like its title, a wonderful guitar-drenched pop song with a slinky slowburn intro that gives way to a massive guitar riff chorus. The two b-sides -- melancholy-drenched ballad "A to Fade In" and the Madchester-leaning "Sunburnt" -- are great, too, as is the cover art which uses imagery from The Passion of Joan of Arc. Extended listening: The Sistine Chapel Ceiling EP takes its title track from Adorable's debut album, Against Perfection, and adds three good b-sides, especially "Everything's Fine."

15. Catherine Wheel – 30th Century Man (1992, Fontana)

Released in the last week of 1992, this limited edition EP was a step up, sonically, for Catherine Wheel who had never sounded so confident and powerful, giving fans a taste of what they might get with 1993's Chrome. This is probably a controversial pick, given that three of the four songs here are covers, but Catherine Wheel seriously deliver the goods with these killer takes on Scott Walker's "30th Century Man," Husker Du's "Don't Wanna Know if You Are Lonely" and Mission of Burma's "That's When I Reach for My Revolver." Their cover of "30th Century Man" is particularly inspired, while the other two merely rip (while they make them their own). The EP's original, "Free of Mind," is great too. Extended listening: If you just want great Catherine Wheel songs, the Black Metallic EP has four of them, including the title track which was a Modern Rock Radio hit in the U.S.

14. Kitchens of Distinction – Drive That Fast (1990, One Little Indian)

Kitchens of Distinction would probably be classified as dreampop these days; Julian Swales was up there with Robin Guthrie and Neil Halstead for being able to coax out gorgeous waterfalls of sound from his guitar, but bassist/frontman Patrick Fitzgerald was a confident frontman who had a lot to say. (They were probably closer to The Sound or The Chameleons than to Ride or Lush.) Released as a precursor to their second album, Strange Free World, "Drive That Fast" is one of KoD's best-ever singles and the EP's other tracks are all good, with the dark, boozy "These Drinkers" and a piano rendition of single "Elephantine" being standouts. Runner up: The Elephantine EP has the full-on swirling version of the title track, plus three worthy other tracks.

13. Lilys – A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns (1993, spinART)

Kurt Heasley has reinvented Lilys a few times over the last 30 years, but the group began as noisy indie rockers who pulled equally from late-'80s Creation Records and Dinosaur Jr's freak scene. This wonderfully titled EP has some of Lilys' catchiest songs, including "Ginger" (which inexplicably ended up getting used in a 2007 Cadillac commercial), "Any Place I've Lived" and "Jenny, Andrew and Me." It's one of their best releases and, sadly, also one of the rarest...out of print, not on streaming services, and used copies are hard to come by. Extended listening: Lilys' debut single, "February Fourteenth," is a real ripper.

12. Verve – All in the Mind (1992, Hut)

Before they became Britpop stars with “Bittersweet Symphony” and “Sonnet,” The Verve were just Verve (they had to add the "The" after legal threats from Verve Records), a band from Wigan, England who made out-there, super-groovy psych rock. The group pretty much disowned the title track of their debut EP moments after releasing it, but what do they know? “All in the Mind” is a propulsive space-hopper jam that really shows off Nick McCabe’s incendiary fretwork, Simon Jones’ deeply melodic bass, and the indispensable, jazzy style of drummer Peter Salisbury. The other two tracks -- the beautiful “One Way to Go” (featuring a great vocal from Richard Ashcroft) and dreamy “A Man Called Sun” -- are more indicative of where The Verve would go on their debut album, A Storm in Heaven. Extended listening: The Verve E.P. was the band's introduction to the U.S., taking tracks from their first three singles/EPs, including "A Man Called Sun," and edits of their tripped-out A-sides "Gravity Grave" and "She's a Superstar."

11. Swervedriver – Duel (1993, Creation)

Another band who got better when they burned off some of that haze, Swervedriver made a massive leap between their first album, Raise, and their second, Mezcal Head. A big part of that was a new lineup of the band -- which included a much-improved rhythm section of drummer Jez Hindmarsh and bassist Steve George -- that could really rip. But it was also better songs and more muscular production courtesy producer Alan Moulder who was very busy in the early '90s. (He probably worked on half the records in this list.) The soaring, roaring "Duel," arguably the album's finest moment, is backed with two killer B's: the majestic "Planes Over the Skyline," and starry eyed "Year of the Girl," both of which have Jez going full Keith Moon. Extended listening: Standalone single "Never Lose That Feeling," which would be tacked-on the U.S. edition of Mezcal Head, was actually the last record the original lineup of the band made. The EP version melts into the dubby "Never Learn," making for a very worthy 11 minutes.

10. Chapterhouse – Mesmerise (1991, Dedicated)

In the UK, there was a lot of cross-pollination between shoegaze, acid house and the Manchester scene, and few groups pulled all those together as successfully as Chapterhouse. Coming just a few months after releasing their debut album, Whirlpool, the four-song Mesmerise EP -- which is is sometimes listed as a single -- features two great examples of their blissed-out style: the title track, which blasts out thick waves of synthesizers against a piano hook, was as much a Madchester anthem as anything else; while “Precious One” rides a bongo-fueled groove. There’s also the swirling, ambient “Summer Chill” and the windswept guitar haze of “Then We’ll Rise.” Extended listening: 1990’s Freefall EP falls a little more into space rock territory, but “Falling Down” -- which uses The Soul Searchers’ "Ashley’s Roachclip" drum break sample heard in Eric B & Rakim’s “Paid in Full,” Milli Vanilli's “Girl You Know it’s True” (and on many, many, many other records) -- pointed to the direction they would soon be heading.

9. Curve – Blindfold (1991, Anxious)

Curve were an interesting group, as both Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia had been around for a while in the industry; Dean was a live member of The Eurythmics in the early-’80s, and they were both in short-lived ‘80s band State of Play, who made one record and then broke up. Dean played on Toni’s 1989 solo album, and then they decided to take another whack at a group, perhaps taking My Bloody Valentine’s “Soon” as an influence, mixing hazy guitars with dance music. With Halliday’s powerful pipes it was an alluring combination. Alan Moulder, who they’d worked with in State of Play and on Halliday’s solo album -- and who was THE shoegaze engineer -- was the de facto third member of the group. Curve released three EPs in 1991, all of which are great but the first, Blindfold, is the best with the seductive single "Ten Little Girls"  featuring something no other record on this list has: rapping. Extended listening: Curve’s second EP, Frozen, is also killer, featuring “Coast is Clear” -- one of their best-ever tracks. All three of their 1991 EPs were collected onto the Public Fruit album.

8. Velocity Girl – Velocity Girl (1993, Slumberland)

While mainly known for its influential punk scene, Washington DC also had a thriving indie rock scene in the late '80s and early-'90s that was heavily influenced by the UK's C-86 scene and labels like Creation, Cherry Red and 4AD. Velocity Girl, in fact, were named for Primal Scream's song on C-86, and played a similar style of very fuzzy janglepop. The group included former Black Tambourine member Archie Moore and, originally, Bridget Cross who, when she left to focus on Unrest, would be replaced by vocalist Sarah Shannon. The band's gift for melody, and love of shambolic, noisy guitars, is evident on this EP that collects songs from three early 7"s. "My Forgotten Favorite," which would turn up a few years later on the Clueless soundtrack, is the obvious standout (and arguably VG's best song), but the other five songs are equally stellar. Extended listening: Velocity Girl were more fond of 7"s than EPs, but their 1993 debut Copacetic (released, like all their albums, on Sub Pop) has held up well, and gotten better with age.

7. Ride – Today Forever (1991, Creation)

Released just a few months after their debut album Nowhere, the Today Forever EP takes Ride out of the hazy murk and into cleaner production without sacrificing their signature swirl. The EP also shows a growing confidence in songwriting and arrangements, like with the powerful, deliberate “Sennen.” Today Forever was never released in the U.S., and is unknown still to a lot of fans, though three of its four tracks found their way onto the American "Vapour Trail" CD maxi-single...but it leaves off one of Ride’s prettiest songs ever, “Today.” Extended listening: Ride’s 1989 debut EP contains classics “Chelsea Girl” and “Drive Blind.”

6. The Boo Radleys – Lazarus (1992, Creation)

Like a number of shoegaze bands, The Boo Radleys spent a couple years hiding their musical skill and good songwriting behind a wall of MBV-inspired noise. This resulted in some great music but when they came out of their shell, they got even better. Released not long after their wilfully dissonant Everything’s Alright Forever LP, the Lazarus EP felt a bit like seeing the band with a new pair of glasses. The signs had been there all along for The Boo Radleys, but all four songs here are a step up in every way. “Lazarus” would show up on 1993’s Giant Steps, but without the long, dubby EP intro that pays off so well when the song roars into focus. It's also amazing they'd delegate songs as good as "Petroleum" and "At the Sound of Speed" to b-side material. Extended listening: 1991’s Every Heaven EP is pretty fantastic with a nice balance of melody and roar, and has one of the Boos’ best-ever songs, “The Finest Kiss.”

5. Slowdive – Holding Our Breath (1991, Creation)

While clearly influenced by the Cocteau Twins' shimmering style, Slowdive didn’t really sound like any other group from the original shoegaze era, with an oceanic guitar swell that remains unique and mysterious. “Catch the Breeze,” which would also show up on their 1991 debut album, Just for a Day, is an all-time classic but the rest of this EP is just as captivating. Rachel Goswell’s ethereal harmonies on “Shine” will never not send shivers down your spine, and their cover of Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair" is rather titanic. Extended listening: Slowdive’s debut EP, Morningrise, nods to the band’s ‘80s goth youth while pointing toward the direction they’d soon head.

4. Moose – Jack (1991, Hut)

If it wasn't for Moose, this list might have to be called something slightly different, as the word "shoegaze" was first used in a Sounds review of one of their early gigs. That is probably enough to warrant an inclusion here, but luckily Moose were a great band who carved out a distinct corner in The Scene That Celebrates Itself. Their first of three 1991 EPs, Jack, was as dissonant as they got, but underneath the bandsaw guitars were melodies rooted in a classic songwriting style that owed as much to Burt Bacharach as the Velvet Underground. That would bubble up to the surface more as the band progressed, but you can hear it on both "Ballad Of Adam & Eve" and "Boy." The EP kicks off with the awesomely drony title track, and wraps with moody ballad "I'll Take Tomorrow." Extended listening: By the release of their third 1991 EP, Reprise, they were already halfway to the breezier style they'd adopt for XYZ and subsequent albums, and it features the gorgeous, country-ish ballad "This River Never Will Run Dry." Songs from Moose's early EPs were cherry-picked for the Sonny and Sam EP, the only record Moose ever got released in America. Criminally underrated, I

3. Pale Saints – Flesh Balloon (1991, 4AD)

In between their first and second albums, Pale Saints added singer-songwriter-guitarist Meriel Barham to their lineup, changing the dynamic of the group for the better. She made her debut on this EP, singing lead on a playful, dreamy cover of Nancy Sinatra's "Kinky Love." The whole EP is fab, though, with the sprawling, dramatic "Hunted" -- which would show up on second album In Ribbons -- and is one of the best examples of the group's unique mix of beauty and noise. There's also a demo of "Hair Shoes," which shows up in full studio version on In Ribbons, but the real standout here is spectacular instrumental "Porpoise." Extended listening: 1990's Half-Life Remembered is pretty great too, especially "Half Life" which toys with Madchester beats. The title track is great.

2. Lush – Mad Love (1990, 4AD)

Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie was behind the boards for this four song 12” that remains the perfect distillation of everything Lush did so well. Quintessential Lush song “De-Luxe” leads the EP that also includes the equally wonderful dreampop track "Thoughtforms" both of which feature Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson's signature guitar and vocal interplay. plus great minor chord slashers “Leaves Me Cold” and “Downer.” Lush made many great records during their brief run, but if you can only have one, make it this. Extended listening: Lush’s debut, the six-song Scar mini-LP is excellent too, if a little rough around the edges. You don’t have to choose, either: Gala compiles Mad Love and Scar, plus a couple other tracks, on one album. It's also hard to argue with picking up Ciao! Best Of Lush which includes their dabblings in Britpop (like the title track which was a duet between Miki and Jarvis Cocker).

1. My Bloody Valentine – Tremolo (1991, Creation)

While My Bloody Valentine’s 1990 Glider EP features their danceable classic “Soon,” the 1991 Tremolo EP has an overall higher hit-count, and sees Kevin Shields and the rest of the band continuing to break new ground. Tremolo features the swirling, transportive “To Here Knows When,” the beautiful “Swallow,” glide guitar ripper “Honey Power” and the churning, Brian Wilson-esque “Moon Song.” Nearly 30 years later, listening to this dazzling EP's four songs will have you wondering "How did they make this?" and "are my stereo speakers functioning properly?" A must-own companion to Loveless. Extended listening: Then again, Glider does have “Soon.” Get them both!