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Thursday, Apr 23 2020, 6AM
Good morning Seattle, and welcome to the annual Shoegaze edition of The Morning Show. According to the dictionary, shoegaze is, "A style of rock music characterized by a sound in which the distinctions between separate instruments and vocals are blurred." Its origins are from the 1990's, and due to the supposed tendency of the performers to look down (especially in order to operate guitar effects pedals) rather than at the audience.
The "black sheep of the shoegaze family" according to this list in Pitchfork of the 50 greatest shoegaze albums of all time: pitchfork.com
This long-running English shoegaze act was the very last band to perform in our old Dexter home. Watch their performance from 2015 here: www.youtube.com
Happy 30th birthday to this EP from My Bloody Valentine, released on this day in 1990!
The origins of Lush began with a friendship between Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson at the age of fourteen in London. The 'Blind Spot' EP was the band's first new music released in 10 years by the time of its release in 2016.
Support the dreamy sounds of Australia's Hatchie here: hatchie.bandcamp.com
Known best for the hit "Bittersweet Symphony", this English band has broken up three times since their inception in 1989. 'A Storm in Heaven' is their debut studio album, released in 1993.
Taking their name from a character's name in the book "To Kill a Mockingbird," The Boo Radley's formed in Liverpool in 1989. This track can be found on their second album 'Everything's Alright Forever', released in 1992
Here's Oxford shoegaze band Swervedriver performing live at KEXP in 2019: www.youtube.com
This Boston shoegaze band only made two full-length albums (with 'Delaware' being the first) before breaking up in 1994.
Off the third album from this gothic shoegaze band out of England. They would open for the Cure on their world tour in 1992.
Found on the debut full-length from this more electronic shoegaze group out of London
This double-dose of Curve comes courtesy of a request from Russ, and also just because Curve rules.
New shoegaze band out of New York! Find this second full-length from them here: peeldreammagazine.bandcamp.com
Widely considered one of the forerunners of the shoegaze genre, this song was released on a March 1985 EP from the Scottish band
"Hope you are well this morning and thank you for keeping us all company and keeping us all sane nowadays. It’s so appreciated—especially here in Queens, adjacent to the epicenter of the epicenter.
I was hoping you could play Kitchens of Distinction’s “Gone World Gone”, and if not that, any of the shoegazier KOD would be awesome for a grey morning in NYC. Thanks again for all the music and all the solace." - You got it, thank you for the request John!
Find this 2019 album from the Indiana shoegaze band here: whimsical1.bandcamp.com
Colin from Chatham Rise wanted to hear this one that comes off a record label started by a "John Richards" voyagerone.bandcamp.com
Swirlies request for Ben!
Another Boston shoegaze band that got their start by first being a Go-Go's cover band called Raspberry Bang
Scotland's JAMC was a precursor band to the shoegaze genre, and a huge influence for many. "Blues from a Gun" is off of their third album, 'Automatic', released in 1989. The track stayed at No 1 on the US Modern Rock charts for three weeks
Find this new one from the Austin shoegaze band here: orcd.co
Elizabeth wrote in this morning asking for something from French shoegaze band Dead Horse One!
Off the debut album from L.A.'s Deserta. Find it here: deserta.bandcamp.com
Stay out of sight
We're fossilized
We'll be alright
If only for a while
Find this dreamy band from Beirut here: postcardsmusic.bandcamp.com
Mazzy Star request for Leslie in Sammamish
You're tuned into the annual shoegaze edition of The Morning Show, where dreamy and distorted matter!
Happy 30th birthday to this EP from My Bloody Valentine, released on this day in 1990! "Soon" also appears as the closing track on their 1991 album 'Loveless'
A forerunner of the shoegaze genre, "Lorelei" is found on the third album from the Scottish group
Spacey shoegaze from Chapterhouse, formed in England by drummer Ashley Bates, bassist Jon Curtis, guitarist Simon Rowe, and vocalists/guitarists Stephen Patman and Andrew Sherriff in 1987
Off the triumphant comeback album from England's Slowdive. This was their first song in 22 years back in 2017, and you can watch them performing it at KEXP later that same year here: www.youtube.com
In an interview with Forced Exposure in 1988, the band said about their name: "The "3" came about completely by mistake. We did a poster which was just for The Spacemen, which we were for a while. But it was "The" Spacemen and I hated that, it sounded like a 50s rock 'n' roll group – that's all very well, but we didn't want to be imagined as…one of those surf bands. So we stuck the 3 on afterwards – that came about from a poster we did which had "Are Your Dreams At Night 3 Sizes Too Big?" with a very big 3 on it and it really worked as a logo, it just fell into place. It's really for the third eye."
Check out our exclusive interview with this Indian shoegaze band here: www.kexp.org
Found on the debut studio album from L.A.'s Medicine, who formed in 1991
English band that formed in 1986 after singer and guitarist Guy Chadwick saw The Jesus and Mary Chain performing at the Electric Ballroom in London
Sacramento shoegaze, support them here: softscienceband.bandcamp.com
Leeds shoegaze band that 4AD records signed early on. They released three full-length albums, 'In Ribbons' is their second.
Seattle shoegaze band that you can support right here! newagehealers.bandcamp.com
Here's the Welsh band performing this one live for KEXP at Bumbershoot in 2013 here: www.youtube.com
Off the second full-length record from this Minneapolis shoegaze band. Support their work here: chathamrise.bandcamp.com
Melbourne band that formed in 2011, inspired by classic shoegaze groups Ride and Slowdive
flyyingcolours.bandcamp.com
In an interview with Impose, singer Chad Peck said about this one: "I'm an English teacher, and last year in one of my classes we had spent a bit of time talking about the moon landing after the movie Room 237 came out. I had also read “Moon Palace” by Paul Auster before writing the lyrics, and the moon just seemed to be everywhere. I don't filter myself very much when writing lyrics, so the words have some impressionistic qualities."
Find the Halifax-based trio here: kestrels.bandcamp.com
This Brooklyn-based band stopped by The Morning Show in 2019, watch their live performance here: www.youtube.com
More Seattle-based dreamy distortion for you here on the annual shoegaze edition of The Morning Show.
Find Black Nite Crash here: blacknitecrash.bandcamp.com
This one is for first-time KEXP listener Mark in Southport, who tuned in to shoegaze morning today thanks to a heads up from his son Adam in Vancouver and his friends Scott and Jeff! Glad to have you all here today.
Happy 30th birthday to My Bloody Valentine's 'Glider' EP, released on this day in 1990.
This has been the fourth (?) annual shoegaze edition of The Morning Show! We'll see you all again tomorrow at 6:00 AM for our regular Friday programming. Stay well, friends.