On October 15th, 1990, Ride released Nowhere, one of the most beloved Shoegaze albums of the all time. The full length LP followed the issuing of the band’s first three EP’s Ride, Play, and Fall, and was recorded live-in-the-studio with producer Marc Waterman. Waterman had a mental breakdown, which resulted in Alan Moulder mixing the recordings at Swanyard Studios, London.
The album’s sleeve uncrested wave photographed by Warren Bolster, with the band’s name subtly embossed in the upper center of the artwork. This did not translate to the CD and Cassette releases, which added to the mystique of the record, ultimately adding to it’s iconic legacy that would lead to noted Shoegaze fan Gregg Araki naming his surreal 1998 film Nowhere after the album.
Nowhere the album launches into harmonious reverie with both vocalists Mark Gardener and Andy Bell singing lead of the flawless first two tracks “Seagull” and “Kaleidoscope”.
While Gardener dominates much of this remarkable album up until the the final two tracks, something magical happens when Bell takes on the lead vocal duties for the record’s closing. Of these two songs, the last could be considered the band’s signature work. Indeed, “Vapour Trail” is a song that certainly would make the top 5 in a list of the greatest shoegaze songs of all time.
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