Isn't Anything

Because My Bloody Valentine's next full-length, 1991's Loveless, would be rightfully touted as one of the greatest rock albums of all time, the band's 1988 debut long-player, Isn't Anything, has lived in the shadows for years. Yet there was a time when Isn't Anything stood as MBV's definitive statement, encapsulating the sound of what became shoegaze and standing as a radical departure from the group's earliest recordings. The whooshing dream state of "All I Need," the cacophonous blur of "(When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream," and the pop buzz of "Several Girls Galore" prove that this album is no slouch. While much credit is deservedly given to band leader Kevin Shields, Bilinda Butcher's vocal turns expanded the group's dimensions exponentially. Just as Sonic Youth did in America, My Bloody Valentine did in the U.K.: pushing forth alternate tunings and an overwhelming sound that was simultaneously heavy and weightless. This may not be a masterpiece like Loveless, but it's nearly perfect in its own exploratory ambitions.