In 1991, My Bloody Valentine released Loveless. This was many people’s first introduction to this different sound of the 1990s. This sound is known as “shoe gaze.” It is called shoe gaze because the guitar player is constantly looking at their shoe to change the guitar peddles, which gives it the iconic distortion and feedback.

The first track is Only Shallow. The song’s vocals are very smooth and calm, while the instruments feel very rough at times. It feels like there is a strong wind blowing in your face, and then when the vocals start up again, the wind calms down. It’s an amazing way to start the album. I would rate this song 9/10; it is one of my favorite songs. If you like Only Shallow, you will like Untitled Demo 1997 by Panchiko.

The next song on the record is Loomer. The vocals are much more muffled compared to the fuzzy, harsh, and distorted guitar. The song is slower than Only Shallow; it reminds me of feeling overwhelmed and wanting to escape. This song is a solid 8/10; it’s not better than Only Shallow, but it’s still very good. If you liked Loomer, then you will like Deftone’s cover of Wax and Wane by the Cocteau Twins.

The third track is called Touched. There are no lyrics; the song cuts between what sounds like car racing and these beautiful synth loops that make you feel like you are rising. This is a one-of-a-kind track on the album, and I would give it a 6/10.

To Here Knows When is the next track on the album. It reminds me of that feeling you get when you wake up in a cold sweat on a summer night with the TV playing static. The instrumentals have this hazy feel to them; it builds tension. This song reminds me of when you are listening to the radio and you don’t have a great connection, so there is a lot of static between the words. Only for a second can you hear this beautiful voice singing, and then it gets muffled by the static. This song is a 6.5/10 kind of forgettable but still enjoyable.

When You Sleep is by far the most iconic and well-known track off Loveless. When You Sleep is very light, and it feels like a dream. There are more lyrics than the other songs, so it kind of feels like the other songs were a build-up to this one. The vocals act as if they were another instrument. The lyrics in this song tell a story about being in a relationship where the singer is being used, and this hurts him. He has given this girl all the love he could give her, but it just isn’t enough for her. He looks into her eyes, and every time he does, he falls in love more and wants to give her more, but she just wants to use him. Without her, he feels lost; he doesn’t understand the world around him. This song is perfect; it’s a little overplayed, but it’s not hard to figure out why. This is a solid 10/10. If you like this song, then I know you’ll like Leave by Whirr.

I Only Said is the sixth track of Loveless. The music makes the listener feel like they are being pushed up and down, like on a swing. The lyrics are short but abstract; they act more like instruments than words. My favorite lyrics from the song are “To lay underneath the red sky there/To lay under it, I want her there.” This song is a 7/10.

Track number seven on Loveless is Come In Alone. The lyrics are far more clear in this song than in others. It gives off this feeling of waking up so early that it’s still dark outside for the first time. The soft haziness that goes on throughout the song isn’t overwhelming, but calming. You really can’t understand what the lyrics are saying, but it feels nice. It starts with a burst of energy that plays throughout the song and then ends with a fade of that energy. This song is really good; it’s a 9/10. If you like this song, then you will like Happy Day Are Here Again by Starflyer 59.

The eighth track off Loveless is Sometimes. The song’s lyrics act more like a typical song; instead of being instruments that create an atmosphere, they tell a story. Sometimes tells the story of chasing someone who feels out of love. He is so in love with her, but she just doesn’t love him. The guitar is soft and gentle but is covered in this tense, ambient fuzz. You don’t understand what’s going on but you feel this wave of emotion wash over you as his words sink in. The longer you listen, the more empty you feel. The song hollows you out and makes you feel like you’re living through the singer’s heartbreak. You feel like you’re alone, and all you can hear is a slight echo of you’re voice. You really loved her, but it meant nothing. It feels like you’ve wasted your time trying to make her happy, but it was all in vain. This is my favorite song from the whole album. Easily 10/10. If you liked this song, then listen to Dagger by Slowdive.

It’s really hard to one-up that last track, and sadly, Blow A Wish isn’t better than Sometimes, but it’s so good. It starts really weird and strong, but it grows on you over time. It takes that feeling like a husk and being hallowed out you get from Sometimes and makes you feel whole again. Sometimes it rips you into shreds and crushes you, while Blow A Wish makes you feel whole again. The voice is so clear and isn’t covered in any way. It reminds me of the feeling you have when you start rocking back and forward while hugging someone for a long time. The guitar is light and hazy, and the vocals are calm and soft. This song is a light 10/10. If you like Blow a Wish, then you’ll love Nervous Young Inhumans by Car Seat Headrest.

Track number ten is as if the past two songs were combined. What You Want has the sound of Sometimes with the upbeat nature of Blow A Wish. The guitar is more present than before, which makes it feel like it’s part of the background. It’s really in your face and gives off this hazy sound that echoes around while the voices act as background sounds to show off the guitar. At the end of the song, you can hear this synth piano, which reminds me of the first couple of songs. This song shows how much the sound of Loveless has changed. The song makes you feel like the singer has accepted the way he feels and understands she doesn’t feel the same. He has accepted the world around him and is willing to grow and move on. This song is an 8/10—not the greatest but not bad.

The last track on the album is Soon. The start of this song doesn’t sound like anything we have heard of this album before. Then bam, it hits you with this familiar sound of distortion and static before going back to how it sounds at the start. The words and lyrics hide behind the distortion, so every time the song cuts in between this synth-pop song and this distorted guitar feedback, you start to get the urge to restart the album and listen to it all over again. This album puts you on this emotional rollercoaster that you want to ride over and over again. The urge to restart the album again is what makes this song so good. Knowing what the past songs were about and why the relationship was so unhealthy, you can’t help but feel the sadness that hides under this upbeat, cheery song. This song feels like the singer wants to go back to the person who hurt them. They want to try again with this person, even though they have started to move on. The relationship is unhealthy and broken, but the singer’s mind is so clouded. This song is a 9/10, and this album is a 10/10. Even with all the weak songs, it feels like it’s part of the ride.