1991＜限定盤/Grey Vinyl＞

For underground music, 1991 was a year on the brink. Not only was it the tipping point of alternative rock as a whole breaking into the mainstream, it also marked shoegazes first peak, with Slowdive releasing their debut album, Just for a Day, and My Bloody Valentine issuing the genre-defining Loveless. Across the Atlantic, Drop Nineteens were also part of shoegazes cresting wave, and 1991 gathers remastered versions of the demos they recorded that year for their first-ever official release. The pair of cassettes they put out that year, Mayfield and Summer 1991 Demo, were good enough to prick up the ears of labels like 4AD and fuel a bidding war that ended with the band signing to Caroline, which released the entirely new songs that made up 1992s debut album Delaware. By that time, Drop Nineteens were emphasizing the influence of American bands like Sonic Youth on their version of shoegaze and incorporating ideas that showed up in the work of artists years later. If Delaware wasnt shoegaze enough for purists, 1991 certainly is. Far from being rough sketches, these demos are full-fledged songs with all the hallmarks of shoegaze 1.0, albeit with an endearingly hissy sound quality that only enhances their nostalgia. A Melody Maker Single of the Week, the darkly swelling "Mayfield" rivals what was coming out of the U.K. at the time. On "Kissing the Sea," Drop Nineteens channel Cocteau Twins gliding bliss as well as the likes of Lush and Ride, while "Another Summer"s galloping beat and breathy strumming could be kissing cousins with Chapterhouse. Drop Nineteens influences may be apparent on 1991, but so is their own personality. On "Soapland," rumbling tribal drums make for an unexpected -- and welcome -- contrast with its sighing harmonies. This song and several of 1991s other highlights come from the Summer 1991 Demo, with "Daymom" and "Song for JJ" reflecting the bands growth with some of their most beautiful music. At times, it feels like Drop Nineteens are searching for their own sound on 1991, but over 30 years later, the way they combine their influences approaches a platonic ideal of shoegaze -- and on Delaware, they made their willingness to try anything their signature. Shared by fans for years online, the songs on Mayfield and Summer 1991 Demo are nearly as well-known and loved as the bands debut album. On 1991, theyre rescued from limbo in a time capsule that captures the feel of the era as well as Drop Nineteens early days. ~ Heather Phares