Though it's often seen as just a precursor to their magnum opus 'Loveless', in its own way My Bloody Valentine's 'Isn't Anything' is nearly as groundbreaking as their 1991 masterpiece. Not only was it the most lucid, expansive articulation yet of the group's sound, it virtually created the shoegazing scene and spawned legions of followers. The album's tightly structured songs still bore traces of My Bloody Valentine's previous incarnation as jangly indie popsters, but Kevin Shields and company crafted wide-ranging experiments within those confines. With the bruising guitars of 'Feed Me with Your Kiss' and it's mix of sensual boy-girl vocals defining MBV's signature sound and 'All I Need's weightless guitars and vocal melodies melting into a heady haze. Shields' unique tunings, tremolo, and miking techniques stand out on 'You Never Should' and 'Nothing Much to Lose'. Many of the disturbingly beautiful highlights though come from Bilinda Butcher. "Your septic heart and deadly hand/Loved me black and blue," barely audible over a swarm of fragile yet menacing guitars, as though she's whispering in your ear outside of a blaring nightclub. Isn't Anything captures My Bloody Valentine's revolutionary style in its infancy and points the way to Loveless, but it's far more than just a dress rehearsal for the band's moment of greatness.
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