Mazzy Star - A Rough Guide
"Mazzy Star was an American alternative rock band formed in 1989."
[Wikipedia]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazzy_Star>
"When guitarist David Roback wraps his shards of feedback and drawn-out
crescendos of re verb and distortion around Hope Sandoval's laconic vocal
delivery, the results can indeed be trance-inducing. But their music is as
much a disengagement from real life as an investigation of alternate
realities, and the druggy states they evoke are comfortably numb rather
than euphoric."
<http://www.mazzystar.nu/web/biography.html>
For a more in-depth history of the band, see this website:
<http://www.mazzystar.nu/>
The links in the guide below are to YouTube movies. The band released
only a handful of official videos, so many of these movies are fan-made.
If the links are blocked, you can try listening to snippets of songs at:
<http://www.mazzystar.nu/web/sound-clips.html>
The "rough guide" ...
1. "Fade Into You"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=IWvEXChflEE>
I've chosen this song to start things off, as it's the song that
introduced me to the band. It was a "surprise" hit single from the
band's second album, "So Tonight That I Might See", released in 1993.
2. "Halah"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=nnne6N0c9ho>
The opening track from the band's debut album, "She Hangs Brightly",
released in 1990. It was also the only single from the album.
3. "Ride It On"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=8TSu4L9Nh94>
Another standout, acoustic guitar-based song from "She Hangs Brightly".
4. "Be My Angel"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=g7JQ0dM6VqE>
Another song typical of the band's style, this time with some slide guitar.
From the debut album, "She Hangs Brightly".
5. "Blue Light"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkm1Mp5Uyrc>
Another solid song from the band's second album, "So Tonight That I Might
See". This is a very basic fan-made video.
6. "Wasted"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Glz6gyp7_QM>
Every Mazzy Star album has one or two heavier psychedelic songs, in the
style of "The End" by "The Doors". This song from the second album isn't
one of those, but it does feature some great electric guitar playing.
7. "Into Dust"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SiO_7LhPZFM>
Another simple song from "So Tonight That I Might See", featuring Hope
Sandoval's haunting voice over an acoustic guitar.
8. "Disappear"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sHk-J4I3Fjk>
The opening track from the band's third and final album, "Among My Swan",
released in 1996.
9. "Flowers in December"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uiEouyRrWII>
The band didn't change its formula much on the final album. But on a
couple of songs, like this one, the first single from "Among My Swan", the
band added some harmonica.
10. "Look on Down from the Bridge"
<http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=uqFEbT5DJF8>
The closing track from "Among My Swan". The use of an organ gives the song
a hymn-like quality. Hope's vocals are haunting and beautiful as usual.
