Kendra Smith hurled her guitar to the stage. She had had it. The constant, tedious grind of touring. Being worshipped by strangers. All of it. It was too much. She didn’t want it anymore. “Fuck this mousetrap”, she mumbled to herself. ”I’m going to live off the grid.” And you know what? She did!
And that was probably the best thing that ever happened to David Roback’s already fairly stellar career. Because he had already found “HER” - discovered her through a friend of a friend playing on a demo tape as part of some unheard of local folk duo that still no one’s heard of (Going Home if you’re really curious. But, they never even released an album! I mean it’s the indie rock equivalent of American Idol). The youngest of 60 some odd siblings, Hope was a pint sized, exotic Mexican beauty with pouty lips to die for. Let’s put it this way. Jimmy Reid - & I know you're reading this, brother - You’re a lucky, lucky man!
Quite simply, Hope Sandoval was born to be a rock star. She just had that indefinable IT. And her timing entering the scene was pitch perfect. She was the perfect diva for early 90s grunge. Part of her charm was she really, truly didn’t give a shit. It wasn't some calculated move. She really, truly didn’t give a shit. And she came to epitomize the “it” fashion statement of the day. The fashion look that had the prepubescent, waif looks of the Kate Moss & Jamie King staring down at us from like a hundred million billboards. Heroin chic they called it. And the singing of Hope Sandoval and music of Mazzy Star was its soundtrack. Because Hope sang Rip Van Winkle style - a lazy, laconic cotton mouth drawl as if as if each note was going to be her last before falling a slumber for a hundred years or more. A true sleeping beauty if there ever was one.
I can see why Albummaster recommended this to me when I volunteered that I’m a sucker for laconic & hazy albums. (Considering I’m a born manic monkey, a laconic lion is what I strive to be).
At any rate she was the missing ingredient. Don’t get me wrong. Opal were good. Damn good. (especially check out their earliest recordings compiled on, you got it it - Early recordings.) And Kendra Smith had one more beguiling solo album in her - the aptly titled Five Ways of Disappearing - before blithely disappearing into the California woods to organic farm on her country cabin with nothing but her music and her cats. (Yo! Kendra! If you ever want company… well, you know who to call! 😉 )
But Mazzy Star were far better. Hope was just the perfect compliment to Robach’s Doors meets Velvet Underground sound rufied just a bit with that Jesus & Mary Chain’s classic wall of fuzz. We’re talking drugs here boys & girls! Druggy. Laconic, hazey, etc… And Mazzy Star were druggy as hell.
And So Tonight That I May See (rightly) became THE album of the Heroin Chic scene.
And just as impressive as the sound they perfected on this album is the sheer scope of it. No two songs sound the same. It was as if Robach was determined to make THE grunge palette on these ten songs. Whether it be Hope channeling her inner Kirsten Hersch on “Into Dust” (my personal fave among an album full of them) or the duo going primal & full on Pub Rock on the positively AC/DCian Wasted.
Grade: A. It’s no coincidence that Mazzy Star and Julee Cruise were recommended to me within hours of each other. Just as I was to start binging on Twin Peaks (yet again) to get ready for season 3. Because both are the perfect Lynchian artists. Both would be the perfect band to catch at The Roadhouse on some Saturday night. And So Tonight That I May See was the epitome of heroin chic. Alice’s In Chain’s Dirt comes damn close, but this is easily the best. Channeling The Velvet Underground’s debut and The Door’s psychedelic lazy debauchery into the grunge aesthetic. No other album quite competes. And make no mistake about it. This is grunge. Classic grunge. One of the essential grunge albums that solidified the scene while expanding its palette as far back as Mazzy Star’s debut She Hangs Brightly with its feedback laced guitars. Music that fell into itself. Imploding as opposed to exploding. And this album laconically drawls it way oh so sleepily to number 25.
Thanks for the rec, Albummaster! Sorry it took so long. As always, thanks for providing a home for “all us fucked up children of this world”. Peace!
The Essentials
20. A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Winged Victory for the Sullen
21. Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
22. Gene Clark - No Other
23. The XX - XX
24. Harold Budd - Pavilion of Dreams
25. Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I may See
26. John Phillips - John, The Wolf King of L.A.
27. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
28.Various Artists - The Harder They Come
29. Beach House - Thank Your Lucky Stars
30. Townes Van Zandt - High, Low and In Between
This album is really good. One of those early year records that actually shows a lot of charm and heart.
That one was okay, i like Dial M For Monkey and Black Sands better though. I guess that one is a little more "mellow".
. I will agree that I do feel that Black Sands is a better record but the hour with Migration felt very quick as well as welcoming. Still need to listen to his other records as well but I do need want to spin Migration again real soon.
This album is really good. One of those early year records that actually shows a lot of charm and heart.
Oh yeah. It just take me a long time sometimes for them to gel in my mind. Ask Albummaster. lol. But I eventually get to everything. At least I intend to.
This one sounds great! Never heard of Bonobo i don't think so psyched to check them out. 😁
I see how you mention Donovan's From a Flower often, so I listened to it again. For some reason I thought I didn't used to like it compared to his other ones from the 60s. But I actually enjoyed it. And then I listened to his 1973 album Cosmic Wheels, which I also thought I didn't like. And I found I like that one too. It's kind of Guru crazy, but the music's pretty good. The only song I remembered from it was the title song which still sounds really good.
It turns out this one isn't half bad either. I've had it for about 20 years, but this is the first time I've actually listen to it.
It's even more Guru-mad but the music is kind of nice
I see how you mention Donovan's From a Flower often, so I listened to it again. For some reason I thought I didn't used to like it compared to his other ones from the 60s. But I actually enjoyed it. And then I listened to his 1973 album Cosmic Wheels, which I also thought I didn't like. And I found I like that one too. It's kind of Guru crazy, but the music's pretty good. The only song I remembered from it was the title song which still sounds really good.
Yeah. I pretty much love all his 60s stuff. I really think Sunshine Superman and A Gift From A Flower to A Garden are two of the best albums of the entire 60s with AGFAFTAG being his best. Now that I'm sorta guru mad (well I at least SHOULD be lol.I'm working on it!), I'll definitely give those other two records a spin. I've never even heard them!
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