Bowery Electric (shoegaze + trip-hop beats)

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-- Bowery Electric (shoegaze + trip-hop beats)

Posted by MrJiveBoJingles on Jul-30-2008 14:36:

Bowery Electric (shoegaze + trip-hop beats)

I found out not long ago about Bowery Electric, a band that was active mainly in the '90s. Their music combines the style of My Bloody Valentine -- heavy distorted guitars often with wobbly pitch and lots of reverb plus light, "airy" vocals -- with heavier beats and basslines reminiscent of trip-hop. Here are a few of their tracks:

Fear of Flying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5kRrLmGJho

Empty Words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZAjeYRdIgA

Freedom Fighter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9s4WMA9uI0

Highly recommended for those of you who like My Bloody Valentine and similar bands.

Posted by SMC on Jul-30-2008 15:03:

Great stuff. I've heard of them but i've never listened properly to any of their work.

Posted by PETRAN on Jul-30-2008 17:18:

Amazing band, i remember listening to "Beat" album, what a great combination of fuzzy soundscapes and gentle rhythms. The first two albums are the best IMO (as long as i remember the first one was the best and more "underground" and "dark" one with some huge, psychedelia-influenced soundscapes but unfortunately it is very hard to find today), the third one (which "Freedom fighter" comes from) has a more mainstream, clear, trip-hop influence which i think takes all the magic away (but still good). Thanks for reminding! Bowery Electric is another mid-90s American (as far as i remember) underrated shoegaze band, together with other mid-90s American underrated shoegaze bands/projects such as Bethany Curve and Loveliescrushing. Some amazing but unfortunately hard to find music.

SMC, The Chameleons are superb, probably the best 80s new-wave/post-punk, despite the fact that their music was/is much more than that. Great guitar-lines and atmospheric synths (plus the philosophical lyrics). "Script of the Bridge" is a classic one, but "What Does Anything Mean? Basically" and "Strange Times" are even better IMO, they are oustanding.

Posted by SMC on Jul-30-2008 18:17:

quote:
Originally posted by PETRAN
SMC, The Chameleons are superb, probably the best 80s new-wave/post-punk, despite the fact that their music was/is much more than that. Great guitar-lines and atmospheric synths (plus the philosophical lyrics). "Script of the Bridge" is a classic one, but "What Does Anything Mean? Basically" and "Strange Times" are even better IMO, they are oustanding.

I agree, they're fantastic, however Script Of The Bridge is my favorite. There's a magic about it that i don't think they quite managed to replicate on the following two albums (which are not at all bad). Songs like "Second Skin" and "Less Than Human" equal goosebumps every time. Atmospheric dream punk.