Rumored For Two Decades, My Bloody Valentine’s New Album Finally Arrives

After two decades of rumors, the Irish band My Bloody Valentine has finally released “m b v,” a follow up to its landmark 1991 album “Loveless.”

Back in the day, the Dublin quartet—Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher on guitar and vocals, drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig, bassist Debbie Googe—could blow you with away with their sonic boom while their distorted melodies overwhelmed your heart like a new crush.

Their second album “Loveless” was a masterpiece of the so-called shoegaze scene, dubbed for the bands’ subdued almost shy live performance styles, despite the cranked volumes of their drones. The influential online music magazine Pitchfork.com named “Loveless” the second best album of the 1990s (after Radiohead’s “OK Computer”). Many tried to imitate its affectingly wobbly underwater guitars and breathy vocals. But the band itself fell apart in the mid 1990s.

Frontman Kevin Shields talked in various interviews over the years about work progressing on the album. But nothing. Even though the band reunited and began playing together in public again in 2007. Last December, the band announced on their Facebook page that they’d finished mastering the long awaited music. It was so tantalizing. Was it too good to be true?

Then suddenly, thrillingly yesterday the new album “m b v” was available on the band’s website. They also posted every track from the album to YouTube. The band’s website lists tour dates in Asia, Australia and Europe through May, but no U.S. dates are mentioned.

The sound of “m b v” is much like “Loveless.” And it’s very good. Hello again, old flame.