Isn't Anything
Studio album by My Bloody Valentine
Released	November 1988
Recorded	Spring/Summer 1988
Genre	Shoegazing
Length	37:48
Label	Creation (UK), Sire (US)
Producer	My Bloody Valentine
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Entertainment Weekly (A) August 1993 pg. 55
My Bloody Valentine chronology
You Made Me Realise (1988) Isn't Anything (1988) Feed Me with Your Kiss (1988)

Isn't Anything is the debut studio album by My Bloody Valentine, released in November 1988 after three years of exclusively issuing extended plays and mini-LPs. Distributed by Creation Records in the United Kingdom, the album is currently available on Sire Records in the United States.

Contents 1 Background 2 Style 3 Track listing 4 Personnel 5 Awards 6 References

[edit] Background

When the band's original vocalist Dave Conway left, to be replaced by Bilinda Butcher, Kevin Shields returned to their avant-garde roots, and began to explore the possibilities offered by the studio facilities available after signing to Creation Records.^[1] The first fruits of this experimentation was the single/EP You Made Me Realise, released in July 1988. Uncut writer David Stubbs called it "one of the most important, influential British rock albums of the Eighties".^[1] While recording the album, the band got by on about two hours sleep a night, something which has been suggested is reflected in the vocals.^[1] "Several Girls Galore" has been described as "a cubist take on the Jesus and Mary Chain".^[1]

[edit] Style

Displaying strong influence from Cocteau Twins, Dinosaur Jr, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, Isn't Anything established My Bloody Valentine as one of the leading forces of the shoegazing movement.^[2] The album comprises burned-out torch-style songs ("Lose My Breath", "No More Sorry", and "All I Need"), jagged guitar anthems "(When You Wake) You're Still In A Dream", "Feed Me With Your Kiss", "You Never Should") and dream-pop melodies ("Several Girls Galore", "Sueisfine"). The titular word in "Sueisfine" was always sung as "suicide" live, but the pronunciation is ambiguous on the album.

A music video was shot for the song "Feed Me With Your Kiss." This video is mainly noteworthy because neither Shields nor Butcher play their usual Fender Jaguar and Fender Jazzmaster respectively in it, instead opting for a Gibson ES, Charvel Surfcaster, and a different Fender Jaguar.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Kevin Shields, unless otherwise noted.

1. "Soft as Snow (but Warm Inside)" (Shields, Colm Ó Cíosóig) – 2:21
2. "Lose My Breath" (Bilinda Butcher, Shields) – 3:37
3. "Cupid Come" (Butcher, Shields) – 4:27
4. "(When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream" (O'Ciosoig, Shields) – 3:16
5. "No More Sorry" (Butcher, Shields) – 2:48
6. "All I Need" – 3:04
7. "Feed Me with Your Kiss" – 3:54
8. "Sueisfine" (Shields, O'Ciosoig) – 2:12
9. "Several Girls Galore" (Butcher, Shields) – 2:21
10. "You Never Should" – 3:21
11. "Nothing Much to Lose" – 3:16
12. "I Can See It (but I Can't Feel It)" – 3:10

The initial vinyl LP copies came with a free bonus 7" which was packaged in a plain white sleeve. The songs on it were titled "Instrumental A" (3:19) and "Instrumental B" (4:36). "Instrumental B" featured a Public Enemy drum loop (from "Security of the First World").

[edit] Personnel

• Kevin Shields – guitar, vocals
• Bilinda Butcher – guitar, vocals
• Colm Ó Cíosóig – drums
• Debbie Googe – bass
• My Bloody Valentine – production
• Dave Anderson – engineer
• Steve Nunn – engineer
• Alex Russell – engineer
• Joe Dilworth – photography

[edit] Awards

• #22 – Pitchforkmedia: Top 100 Albums of the 1980s
• #46 – Alternative Press: 99 Best Albums of 1985-1995 (July 1995 issue)
• #110 – Stylus: Top 101-200 Favourite Albums Ever

[edit] References

v • d • e My Bloody Valentine Bilinda Butcher • Debbie Googe • Colm Ó Cíosóig • Kevin Shields Dave Conway • Tina Durkin • Joe Byfield Studio albums Isn't Anything • Loveless Compilations Ecstasy and Wine EPs This Is Your Bloody Valentine • Geek! • The New Record by My Bloody Valentine • Sunny Sundae Smile • Strawberry Wine • Ecstasy • You Made Me Realise • Feed Me with Your Kiss • Glider • Tremolo Singles "No Place to Go" • "Sunny Sundae Smile" • "Feed Me with Your Kiss" • "Soon" • "To Here Knows When" • "Only Shallow" Related articles Discography • Angus Cameron