Slowdive - Souvlaki

Artist: Slowdive
Album: Souvlaki
Year: 1993
Genre:Shoegaze,Dream Pop
Country:United Kindom











S
lowdive were a dream pop/shoegazing band formed in 1989, lasting until 1995. The band was formed in Reading, Berkshire, England.Souvlaki is an album released in 1993. Widely regarded as their best album, it benefits from synthesizer contributions from co-producer Brian Eno on "Sing" (which he co-wrote) and "Here She Comes."According to interviews with the band, the album was titled after an explicit skit on the first album by telephone pranksters The Jerky Boys, containing the line: "My wife loves that Greek shit. She'll suck your cock like souvlaki."

This is one of the best albums of it’s kind and should not be missed by anyone who wants to know anything about shoegaze. Wonderful album and so unbelievably dreamy!!

*****Reviews*****

"Slowdive are, for me, the band that most defines, and are the best representative of, the genre "shoegazer." The name "shoegazer" was originally a derogatory term (like "impressionism" for that French school of late-19th-century painters, interestingly) coined by some snotty British music journalist to apply to a crop of bands such as Ride, Lush, and My Bloody Valentine, that appeared in the early 90's and whose sound was defined by dense layers of guitar textures and that tended to effect a distinctly introverted stage presence. While in the main, shoegaze music tended to be melodic as well as loud and textured, part of what set Slowdive apart is how much more both sweetly melodic and densely layered their music was compared with their contemporaries. They hit their stride with Souvlaki, their second full-length LP, and made the most sonically ravishing and unforgettable album of their ilk. An important part of their sound and unique charm is the male/female unison vocals of singers/guitarists Neil Nalstead and Rachel Goswell, which sounds like it could have been lifted from some sixties folk/pop outfit, only... it's not. It fits in beautifully with the expanses of sound and color wash that fill out this music, though. It all soars and lifts magnificently. There's a good dynamic range between the songs, too, from the yearning, searching "Alison," delicate reverbed-guitar picking of "Here She Comes Now," overwhelming wall-of-sound tsunami of "Souvlaki Space Station," and haunting, faraway, acoustic "Dagger"; the album never gets samey or washed-out as is the distinct danger with this kind of music. Fully-realized and a complete and satisfying experience, Slowdive's _Souvlaki_ is a real treasure. "(Micah Newman)

"Souvlaki is a pretty incredible album, and it certainly contains some of the most beautiful guitar sounds set to tape. Had this record not fallen victim to the usual label nonsense back in the day thanks in part to SBK records (their U.S. label), it might have garnered some more attention. But unfortunately, My Bloody Valentine's classic Loveless overshadowed many great shoegazer records of the day, including this one. Yes, Loveless is the epitome of the "shoegazer" trend, easily the best record the movement produced. But Souvlaki is a very close second, focusing on creating a lusher soundscape than Loveless' onslaught of white noise. Mixing the dreamy guitar patterns of MBV with the ethereal ambience of the Cocteau Twins, Slowdive were brilliant in their creation of surreal soundscapes. "Alison" deservedly gets attention as a brilliant pop single, but "When The Sun Hits," "40 Days," and the Eno-touched "Sing" are all not to be overlooked. The strangely-titled "Souvlaki Space Station" is another highlight, a brilliant mixture of white noise, delay, layering, and instrument manipulation creating a perfect soundscape that nobody's really been able to duplicate."(Paul H. "rmj84")

"To call this album merely a fine example of dream pop or shoegazing would sell it short. The guitar work is a cascade of sound. At times it's subtle and sonic, at times it even ventures into Western-esque slide. Underneath is some extremely solid and driving bass work. Goswell and Halstead's male/female vocal mix actually comes off beautifully unlike many efforts of the like. The result is a beautiful wash of spirit that will sweep you into a strange and beautiful place...highly recommended.( Matt Wilson)"

"This album combines the talents of Neil Halsted (singer and songwriter) Rachael Goswell And my favorite Brian Eno who played Keyboards for David Bowie. The album is a mixture of beautiful melodies and Harmonies in the keys of D,B,A & E. The vocal harmonies of Neil and Rachael flows beautifully and it is very colorful in it's unique guitar texture. The song, Melon Yellow has these beautiful cymbals in reverse and the minimal bass lines make this song sound dark and mystical. My personal favorites on this album are 'When the Sun Hits','Dagger'& '40 Days'. Brian Eno recorded this incredible album but he also co-wrote two songs on this album and he played keyboards on 'Sing'. This band is one of my all time favorite bands. I saw Slowdive, live two times before they broke up and the talent in this band is just amazing. They wrote so many beautiful songs and made so many major contributions to the ShoeGazer scene but in England they never were as big as they were here in the U.S. If you have a moment and love Brian Eno's music or even David Bowie, listen to this album. It's a great influence on any aspiring musician."

...and something special for u:-)
SOYVLAKI FOOD REVIEW!! "The most elusive of Greek foods available at your local gyros joint, souvlaki is seldom ordered because it just takes a bit more time to prepare and is just a little more expensive than that chili cheese dog or Italian beef that you could also order. The extra change and minutes add up though, and this ends up being filling, delicious, and satisfying, way more so than anything else on the menu. It is a fairly simple dish though. Souvlaki is seasoned meat, usually pork but sometimes chicken or some other meats, sometimes shredded or as dumplings, either cooked on a skewer with various other vegetables or in a pita sandwich like gyros with onions and tomatoes. What struck me about this dish when I first tasted it was how dense and satisfying the meat was. After eating a souvlaki sandwich (which cost me just under five dollars), which was portioned about the same as a gyros that would hardly fill me, I was completely full and unable to eat anymore, and it took some work to put those last few onions down. This deception proved to be a great surprise, and after eating it only at five in the afternoon, I woke up the next morning around six not really that hungry. Which was bizarre. In any case, it is the kind of meat that is easy to pig out on within the confines of your tray. It’s the meat that you love to bite and taste the marinade off of the rough outer edges on your tongue, it’s the type that you chew more than you need to just to savor how juicy and dense it is, and it’s the kind that you like getting stuck between your teeth. There is just something about this that I love. There is just something about it that leaves me longing for more though… It’s not that it isn’t delicious, it just isn’t interesting. On the other hand, a chili dog is less filling but more exciting. It is worth getting though, and it is way better than Gyros or Italian Beef. A good fast meal the next time you stop by an Greek joint."