There’s not much to say about My Bloody Valentine’s 1991 masterpiece Loveless that hasn’t already been said. It’s widely regarded as one of the best albums of the 1990’s for its groundbreaking guitar work, meticulous orchestration, and for generally laying the foundation of the shoegaze genre. In addition to being a landmark album, Shields’ dedication and perfectionism to his craft made “Loveless” exceedingly difficult and expensive to produce, being recorded in over 19 studios before being dropped from their label after its release. Tension in the band due eventually signaled their breakup in 1997. They released their follow up album, mbv, in 2013, 22 years after the release of Loveless. They have been touring and recording new material since then.
Juxtapoz Sound and Vision is a new segment on our platform dedicated to exploring one piece of substantial album artwork every Sunday/Monday. Album artwork is one of the primary ways that musicians and visual artists are able to collaborate, and many iconic album covers are simultaneously iconic pieces of pop art. It’s also an excuse for us to share some of our favorite albums and the visual component behind what makes an album groundbreaking and fun.
My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
Cover photography by Angus Cameron
The Loveless album cover is a fine example of perfectly synchronized simplicity. The cover artwork is a photograph of a guitar taken by Angus Cameron, heavily distorted and obscured with the band’s name barely visible in the bottom left corner. It may seem unremarkable at first glance, but upon hearing the music it comes together in perfect harmony as a completed piece.
My Bloody Valentine is on tour through August 1, 2018.
