Finally, some 20 or so weeks after the first "Obscure Band of the Week" post, here is the second. This time, I'll be focusing on 90s "shoegaze" band Ultra Cindy.
The shoegaze scene was named, rather lazily by music journalists of the time, for the tendency of the guitarists to stare at the floor for the duration of their introspective performances. Shoegaze featured a guitar-driven "wall of sound" style that was simultaneously noisy and melodic, employing many guitar pedals to get the desired effects (another reason that they tended to stare down). Inspired by garage rock, psychedelic music, and dream pop, this sound started in the UK during the late 80s, quickly carrying over to the States.
Despite shoegaze's quick eclipse by grunge, America produced its share of quality shoegaze bands, such as the Drop Nineteens and Swirlies. While shoegazers in the United States typically had a more straightforward sound markedly influenced by their American indie rock contemporaries, their sound was no less ethereal than their counterparts across the pond, a great example of this sound being found in the music of Ultra Cindy.
If I remember correctly, I first discovered Ultra Cindy on a "mixtape" of shoegaze and dream pop music that I downloaded from a music blog. (I regret that I don't remember what it was called or where it was, because as I also remember, the rest of the compilation was quite good, and I discovered quite a few other lesser-known shoegaze bands.) Unfortunately, my research on this band has turned up empty. As far as I know, they released only 1 LP, 1993's The Mermaid's Paradise, though this album is certainly a worthy contribution to the genre.
Toeing the line between the dreamy and noisy ends of the shoegaze spectrum, Ultra Cindy had a smooth sound that provides a nice introduction to the genre, yet fits nicely with the rest of the American indie scene. From faster numbers such as "Fever Pitch" and "Crinoline" to slower tracks such as "Near Perfect," the swirling epic that served as my introduction to the band (which you can download below), the album's sound from song to song is pretty consistent.
That's not to say the album gets boring. There's enough variation to keep the album interesting from track to track, yet it remains comfortably familiar throughout. After one listen to the album, you should be able to pick out an Ultra Cindy song wherever you are (that is, if you do hear them anywhere else) and smile as you do so, for the sounds you hear are bound to be pretty sweet.
The two tracks I've included for download here are "Hoyt," the rather upbeat album opener, and "Near Perfect," a beautiful midtempo dream of a song that lives up to its namesake.
Download here:
Ultra Cindy: Hoyt
Ultra Cindy: Near Perfect
