When you’re bloody bored or just feels like you’ve got it all, you stair down to your shoes and spit off something “new”. So, what the heck is shoegaze?! Shoegazing (also known as shoegaze) is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. The name was coined in a review in Sounds of a concert by the newly-formed Moose in which singer Russell Yates read lyrics taped to the floor throughout the gig. The term was picked up by the NME and Melody Maker and they used it as a reference to the tendency of the bands’ guitarists to stare at their feet—or their effects pedals, seemingly deep in concentration, while playing. So, it’s not quite a subgenre, we’re just re-labeled something. Just like nobody’s emo anymore, everybody are metalcore, perhaps it sells better. I’m just scared to ask what the fuck is Nu gaze? 😆
Back in 2007 I kind of like “Strange House”, the debut album by The Horrors. It wasn’t about “shoegazing”, it was punk rock with horror and gothic rock shades and aromas, it was raw. I’m not gonna lie to you, I think I missed “Primary Colours” in 2009, or I just can not remember it in that mindless grinding of releases. I’m getting too old for this.
So, in the dark drawers of my mind, The Horrors were a punk (revival) band. Listening to “Changing the Rain” quite made me staring at my shoes. Things didn’t get better with the next song “You Said”, just more boring. Things get a little bit more interesting with the next “I Can See Through You” and “Endless Blue”, but actually it’s not getting further than the Beady Eye for instance, quite reminds me of The Seahorses (the band of guitarist John Squire following his departure from The Stone Roses) as well as a bunch of other bands having that same retro-like approach brit-indie rock sound. “Moving Further Away” brings back something from the charm of The Stranglers, but guys, there’s “No More Heroes” only “Peaches”… Still, this might be the best moment of this album, a pale copy of The Stranglers. Pity.
Numerous music publications confirmed it would be their album of the month in their upcoming issues including Mojo and Q. Well, I’m not surprised at all. The single Still Life has gained far more media exposure and mainstream radio airplay than previous releases, reaching the Radio 1 B list while reviewing the album for BBC Music, Mike Diver wrote: “There’s no fault to be found with Skying – truly, every song here hits its mark… From the most incongruous of beginnings, The Horrors have become national treasures in waiting, and now possess the ability to realise any ambitions.”
Robots and morons staring at their shoes. This is the future we’re in.
The Horrors – Official Site
XL Recordings
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFnj-Tto-J4&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3]
