-=- SHGZ -=-
* Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal *
ARTIST..: Closedown
ALBUM...: Nearfield
GENRE...: Indie
STYLE...: Shoegaze, Post-Rock, Ambient
YEAR....: 1994
LABEL...: Silent
ENCODER.: FLAC 1.3.1 -8 -V
BITRATE.: 832 kbps avg
QUALITY.: 44.1kHz / 2 channels
SOURCE..: CD
TRACKS..: 12
SIZE....: 327.84 MB
- TRACKLIST
1 Ring 4:01
2 Red Oval 7:02
3 Decryption 2:54
4 Kilobit 1:15
5 Mouth 4:31
6 Sunangel Summer 5:16
7 Solifluction 3:29
8 Transmission 4:16
9 Bumblebee 7:42
10 Empyreal 3:38
11 Aquila 3:28
12 Moon 6:24
Total Playtime: 53:56
Closedown was a shoegaze band from Los Angeles, CA, United States. They
existed for only a few years in the early 1990s and released their sole
album, Nearfield, in 1994 though the label Silent Records.
There is a fair amount of chill electronic/ambient material throughout the
album, but in a few ways Nearfield reminds of the brilliant album Quique by
Seefeel that managed to be successful in being sort of a crossover success
among the underground. Nearfield takes on the same approach using waves of
light distortion off and on throughout it, slowly and meticulously
introducing layer upon layer.
*
Though Silent was mostly known during its early '90s existence for ambient
keyboard-based explorations, it did also get this trio's debut effort out,
one of the first and best American responses to U.K. shoegazing bands. The
opening keyboard atmospherics and reverberating bird calls may seem more like
typical new age, but when the first heavily processed and delayed guitar wash
suddenly wafts into view along with bells and chimes, it's enough to catch
the ear of any Cocteau Twins or My Bloody Valentine fan. With further obvious
inspiration from Slowdive and a name taken from a Cure song, Closedown
admittedly wasn't one for total innovation. Still, those who love the serene
psychedelia that such names can conjure up will be entirely in their element
here. Bandleader Jerry Battle, who handles the guitar and vocals, knows
exactly where he needs to aim at with both -- vast and echo-laden with the
former, withdrawn and whispered with the latter. The rhythm section, with one
James on drums and a Fernando on bass, also similarly does what needs doing
-- steady, early Pink Floyd style pacing and fills, Simon Gallup-influenced
low, moody tones and so forth. It's all fairly obvious, but it's such a
wonderfully good obvious as well -- better this than yet another of the
wannabe alternative groups cluttering up 1994, at least. Another member,
Cesar Betancourt, gets credits for treatments -- whether this means taking
Battle's work and further going nuts with it or simply adding further studio
tweaks is unclear, but there's a healthy flow of dreamy texturing throughout,
along with murkier offerings like "Kilobit."
-=- SHGZ -=-
P.S.
** Thanks ***
*** BCC FNT IPC SSR ***
*** For Knowing Where The Music Is At ***
*** Props to CaHeSo, awesome Asian Indie/Shoegaze ***
*** And to FANG/HOUND for supporting all the Indie lovers out there ***
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* NuHS we miss you! *
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