Shoegaze is a lot like love: “If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that [shoegaze] actually is all around.” (Please don’t sue me, Richard Curtis.) But what if you don’t know if you like shoegaze? That’s not a problem.
Shoegaze can feel like an intimidating genre. The music can be overwhelming at times, and the fans can be pretentious. But I want you to have the best chance and figuriing this out for yourself, so let’s look at some bands and sounds you might already like who incorporate shoegaze.
Then I’ll introduce you to a band you maybe aren’t familiar with to give you a jumping-off point. Hey, I’m loving this journey for you. Have fun with it.
“Minerva” by Deftones
This is a great place to start, because if you like the Deftones, you almost definitely like shoegaze and just didn’t know it.
I have long argued that the iconic Sacramento band has way more in common with shoegaze than with nu-metal. We do probably agree on, though, that they broke ground on the nu-gaze subgenre.
Throughout the years, the Deftones have built a massive following by blending loud, sense-assaulting shoegaze dynamics with big riffs and gorgeous melodies. The song “Minerva” is a perfect example of how they do this. So, I’ll say it again: if you like the Deftones, you probably already like shoegaze.
“Mayonaise” by The Smashing Pumpkins
This is a bit of the same as the Deftones, considering the Smashing Pumpkins really paved the road for grunge-gaze. Certainly the band’s earlier material leaned very gazey. But, yeah, if you are a fan of the Pumpkins, shoegaze has already been in your orbit.
It’s also no secret that the band, especially founding frontman Billy Corgan, were fans of early shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. Those sounds really come through in the band’s first few albums, and certainly in their sophomore project, Siamese Dream (1993)
The track “Mayonaise” is a balanced example of how they forged a new sound by mixing grunge guitar with wall-of-sound shoegaze elements.
“April Skies” by The Jesus and Mary Chain
Jumping back further, let’s talk about a band who literally shaped the genre of shoegaze: The Jesus and Mary Chain.
In the mid-80s, these New Wave evolutionists helped cultivate a whole new sound with their debut album Psychocandy (1985). Then, two years later, they perfected it with the follow-up. Darklands (1987), featuring the song “April Skies”.
If you love 80s music, specifically the new wave sounds of bands like New Order and The Cure, it is really not a leap to get into shoegaze.
“Gauze” by Gleemer
We’ve worked our way back up to this point and also focused on bigger bands who carry either an invisible or the most visible shoegaze torch.
No, let’s do a kind of Back to the Future Part II thing and jump from the 80s to the 2010s. Meet Gleemer. If you’re curious about shoegaze, then this Colorado band is a great way to gauge your interest.
Taking a more indie rock or post-hardcore approach to the genre, Gleemer emphasizes rhythm in a way that a lot of shoegaze bands forgo. And they do while never sacrificing melody or the ever-important swell of distortion.
I cannot recommend them enough, and I urge you to start with the song “Gauze,” which you can hear above.
Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images
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