I was a Teenage Shoegazer

The Breeders – Pod

Russell Hiscox — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:39:33 +0000

This album may have been born from the torrid professional and personal relationship of Pixies Frank Black and Kim Deal. The later was a founding member of the Breeders. The Breeders may have been concieved when Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses) while drunk and dancing together at a Sugarcubes concert in Boston.

The songs are sexual in nature, and have very unsettling content. Glorious describes an adult who has vague but pleasant memories of being molested as a child by an aunt. The song Hellbound describes a fetus that survives an abortion. Fertility is also a recurring theme not only in the song content, the bands name, the album title and album cover. The cover art was designed by Vaughan Oliver and portrays a man performing a fertility dance while wearing a belt of eels. The imagery has been described as having a “raw” feel that matches the album’s production, which was handled by Steve Albini.

Released in 1990 and produced by Steve Albini produced Pod in 1990. It is skeletal, strange, and deliberately uncomfortable. Albini was immensley influential in the making ofthe album. His production is bone-dry and confrontationally natural. The drums sound like they are played in a teenagers bedroom room. The guitars scrape rather than soar. Famously, Kurt Cobain cited it as one of his favourite albums, praising its rawness and honesty, which maybe one of the reasons that Albini was hired to produce the Nivana album In Utero.

The Breeders : Pod

Glorious
Doe
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Oh!
Hellbound
When I Was A Painter
Fortunately Gone
Iris
Opened
Only In 3’s
Lime House
Metal Man

Lush – Nothing Natural

Russell Hiscox — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:08:17 +0000

As a self-cofessed completist, I purchased Lush’s Nothing Natural US Maxi single despite already owning the Black Spring EP. While known as the Black Spring EP in the UK, the US version emphasized Nothing Natural as the lead track, and was released as a US single, achieving a peak position of 22 on the US Alternative chart. Nothing Natural was to target the US market. Its release served several strategic purposes for the band’s American presence. The band’s management advised a heavy concentration on the American market. Because earlier UK-only EPs had been difficult for US fans to find except as expensive imports, dedicated US releases were created to build a domestic fanbase.

The lead track Nothing Natural, showcases Miki and Emma’s vocal harmonies and the way that their voices intertwine and rise above the, the song is propelled by a surging bass line. The mounting pressure in the track is finally released in the latter part. God’s Gift deepens the band’s introspective side, with a darker tone and more deliberate pacing. Monochrome is more minimal, focusing on mood and repetition in a way that highlights the band’s interest in atmosphere over conventional song structure. Nothing Natural (Version) presents an alternate take on one of Lush’s defining early songs, offering a slightly different perspective on the band’s layered, atmospheric approach. While it retains the core structure of the original, this version places greater emphasis on texture and space, subtly shifting how the song feels without radically changing its identity.

Lush : Nothing Natural

Nothing Natural
God’s Gift
Monochrome
Nothing Natural (Version)

Belly – Slow Dust

Russell Hiscox — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:56:48 +0000

This EP is treasured by Belly fans. Despite being only four tracks long, it showcases everything that Belly would become. This was their first release, and three of the four songs ended up on Star. Even though Dusted, Slow Dog, and Low Red Moon were re-recorded for the debut album, they remain very faithful to the original recordings.

Dusted and Slow Dog are very energetic pieces of indie rock, while the latter songs are starker and more unsettling. The closing track, Low Red Moon, has a hidden track at the end. It is not credited on the EP sleeve, but on Discogs it is listed as Dusted (Slow Version). Played at half the speed of the original, it loses its pop snap and gains weight.

Throughout the EP, Tanya Donelly develops her distinctive vocal delivery — breathy yet assured — and she holds sole songwriting credit. This was the first time she had full creative control, unlike her previous projects with Throwing Muses and The Breeders.

Belly – Slow Dust

Dusted
Slow Dog
Dancing Gold
Low Red Moon

The Mock Turtles – 87-90

Russell Hiscox — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 09:02:29 +0000

This compilation draws from The Mock Turtles’ early singles, B-sides, EPs, and various tribute albums, documenting a band still in the process of becoming itself. At the time, they were signed to Imaginary Records, a label fond of commissioning its artists to contribute to tribute compilations celebrating 60s and 70s icons. These included No Good Trying (Syd Barrett), Big Sky and Shangri-La (The Kinks), and Time Between (The Byrds). The Mock Turtles appeared on almost all of Imaginary’s tribute releases, though many of those tracks are absent here — most notably their versions of Pale Blue Eyes (The Velvet Underground) and Big Eyed Beans from Venus (Captain Beefheart).

This period finds the band deep in a psych-revival, or neo-psychedelic, phase, one that suited these cover versions well. Yet despite the obvious reverence for the past, The Mock Turtles never aligned themselves with any single 60s band or movement. Instead, they absorbed influences freely, filtering them through a distinctly late-80s indie sensibility.

The chiming, jangly guitars recall not only Byrds-esque 60s pop but also the spirit of C86 indiepop. At this stage, the band were still searching for their identity, sounding uncertain at times but rarely uninteresting. The swirling string arrangements on John O’War are a particularly bold choice for a first-ever recording, while further string embellishments on Fionnuala and Oh Helen How (Strings) hint at a growing confidence. The latter is the sole track here to later appear on their debut album, offering a clear glimpse of what The Mock Turtles would eventually become.

Vocally, No Good Trying leans heavily into a Gary Numan-esque delivery, while Big Sky and sections of Shangri-La channel a Miles Hunt-style swagger reminiscent of The Wonder Stuff in their Hup! era.

As a release, this compilation is a valuable document of the band’s formative years, gathering together material that might otherwise be overlooked. While many commentators cite The Smiths as a key influence, repeated listens suggest that The Waterboys and The Wonder Stuff loom larger.

The Mock Turtles : 87-90

John O’War
No Good Trying
Bathing In Blue
Watching The Waning Moon
Big Sky
Fionnuala
Oh Helen How (Strings)
Shangri-La
Time Between
Calm Before The Storm
Magic Boomerang
Take Your Time

Loop – The World in his Eyes

Russell Hiscox — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:27:23 +0000

The Loop compilation The World in his Eyes started off life in 1987, release between Heaven’s End and Fade Out. It was collection of early singles and EPs that did not appear on the albums, not unlike Smile by Ride. By 2009 it had morphed into 3 CD release of out-takes, alternate versions, demos and surprisingly reverent covers of songs by the Pop Group, Can, Neil Young, and even Nick Drake.

It features Loop’s great lost single Arc-Lite in three versions. It was considered lost because of a lack of reissues after the band had split and not appearing on any of Loops three many albums.

The Loop half of the Loopflesh/Fleshloop split single they did with Godflesh is included on the last disc. Loop covered the Godflesh track Like Rats on their side of the single and Godflesh covered Loops Straight To Your Heart on theirs. The bands previously toured together, most notably for co-headlining dates in 2014, they would take it in turns to headline.

Loop who were named after an obscure Velvet Underground track, and as their name implies, they were all about the trance-inducing power of repetition. This record is melodic, heavy, droning, and hypnotic. A quiet incessant engine-thrum is throughout.

Loop : The World in his Eyes

16 Dreams
Head On
Burning World
Spinning (Parts 1&2)
Brittle Head Girl
Deep Hit
I’ll Take You There
Brittle Head Girl (Demo)
Burning World (Demo)
Spinning (Spun Out)
Collision
Crawling Heart
Thief Of Fire
Thief (Motherfucker)
Black Sun
Circle Grave
Mother Sky
Pink Moon
Cinnamon Girl
Arc-Lite (Sonar)
Arc-Lite (Radar)
Sunburst
Arc-Lite (Radiated)
Afterglow (Live)
Got To Get It Over (Live)
Burning World (Live)
Like Rats

The Belltower – In Hollow

Russell Hiscox — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 10:45:55 +0000

In the early 90s shoegazers from the States were a rarity. In the preinternet era, relying on the music press and radio, the only US shoegazers I had only heard of were the Drop Nineteens, Galaxie 500 and The Belltower. Even now The Belltower is only referenced as Britta Phillips and Jody Porter’s starting point before they moved on to Luna and the Fountains of Wayne respectively.

I saw The Belltower on tour when they opened for Five Thirty and Chapterhouse. I was impressed with Britta’s voice. In the title track (Lost) In Hollow she shares vocal duies with Jody and I feel that this lessens the appeal of the song.

The Belltower : In Hollow

(Lost) In Hollow
Plastic Man
Mercurial
BElements Of Place

The Sweetest Ache – Jaguar

Russell Hiscox — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 13:47:15 +0000

The Sweetest Ache started life in Swansea in the late 80s as The Spirals, initially fronted by guitarist, Stuart Vincent. Upon joining the band, Simon Court, took over as frontman. The Spirals changed their name to The Sweetest Ache, possibly to avoid confusion with Inspiral Carpets who had attaracted much attention and were the indie flavour of the time.

Jaguar is the debut album from the Welsh six-piece and they only had six days to record it. The opening track Briaris is my favourite from the album, it is unlikely the rest of the album and features a female vocalist with an ethereal voice (reminiscent of Alison Shaws, from the Cranes, childlike vocals). Only known as Louise who was a friend of the band. Louise’s time in the band was cut short because she was due to go to university that year. The song is darker than the rest of the album with cymbal clashes and a pulsing beat.

The rest of the album is the epitome of a Sarah release, jangly minor chords, lyrics about unrequited love and that lovely twee feeling. This is an album that sadly, I was unaware of at the time of release, Jaguar received no reviews in the music press at all.

The Sweetest Ache : Jaguar

Briaris
Capo
She Believes
More Than This
Jaguar
Bitterness
Climbing
Selfish

Heavenly – Operation Heavenly

Russell Hiscox — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:27:40 +0000

Heavenly goes out with a bang, creating arguably their best LP with Operation Heavenly. Most members of the band consider this their best album. But, tragically, it’s release in 1996 was overshadowed by the sudden death of drummer Mathew Fletcher. The promotional tour was cancelled, and the surviving members went into hiatus. Released a decade into their career and at the tailend of Britpop, Heavenly were already considered veterans of the indie scene at this time. They were obviously influenced by the current trends, Ben Sherman sounding like Parklife era Blur. Operation Heavenly was the band’s first release on a label other than Sarah Records.

The album is more twee and melodic than the Atta Girl single, which was released earlier. Serge Gainsbourg cover Nous Ne Sommes Des Anges. The vocals in K-Klass Kisschase are similar to Bow Wow Wow’s Annabella Lwin.

Heavenly : Operation Heavenly

Trophy Girlfriend
K-Klass Kisschase
Space Manatee
Ben Sherman
By The Way
Cut Off
Nous Ne Sommes Pas Des Anges
Mark Angel
Fat Lenny
Snail Trail
Pet Monkey

Belly – Star

Russell Hiscox — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 20:10:57 +0000

The folky, whimsical. dreampop debut from Belly was released in 1993. Formed by ex-Throwing Muses, one-time Breeder; Tanya Donelly. The strength of singles such as Geppeto and Feed the Tree, propelled Star to number 2 in the UK Albums Chart.

It also was one of the popiest albums to be released by the arty 4AD label, Slow Dog was definately played at the local indie disco in the 90s. While Feed the Tree was an MTV staple.

Low Red Moon features foreboding organ and could easily be used score of a horror film, it is a dramatically towering song. Which is a stark contrast to the sweet, infectious pop hooks that appear through the album.

Belly : Star

Someone To Die For
Angel
Dusted
Every Word
Gepetto
Witch
Slow Dog
Low Red Moon
Feed The Tree
Full Moon, Empty Heart
White Belly
Untogether
Star
Sad Dress
Stay

Darkside – Jukebox at Munster’s

Russell Hiscox — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 20:31:38 +0000

The penultimate Darkside release, a single comprising entirely of covers. The A-side, When Fate Deals Its Mortal Blow, was originally recorded by Australia’s Scientists. It features “Agent Ugly” on guitar, who is actually fellow Northampton/Rugby resident, Spacemen 3 associate, member of Cogs of Tyme; Gavin Wissen.

The B-side is a take on Suicide’s Frankie Teardrop, it is a different version to the version that was released when the Darkside contributed to the Suicide tribute LP, Your Invitation To Suicide (A Tribute To The Songs Of Martin Rev, Alan Vega).

Darkside : Jukebox at Munster’s

When Fate Deals Its Mortal Blow
Frankie Teardrop (Meets the Spaceman)