Articles

Mazzy Star With Aceton

by Miles Rosenberg, March 18, 1994

When: Next Thursday, March 24
Where: The Blind Pig Co.
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10

This long winter has just begun to break, only slightly giving way to warmer weather. For those of us who enjoy the cold for the introspection and excuse to sleep it provides, this might be a tough time. Luckily, the hypnotic sounds of Mazzy Star will saunter into the Blind Pig next Thursday to ease the transition.

At the core of this group are singer Hope Sandoval and guitarist David Roback. In the '80s, Roback was a member of the psychedelic L.A. bands Rain Parade and Opal, which were unfairly lumped into the so-called "Paisley Underground" scene. This was essentially a media creation, a way of categorizing a group that was playing something other than much of the punk and glam that marked L.A.'s music scene.

When Opal's lead singer quit in 1987, Roback asked Sandoval to join. They soon decided to break off and collaborate on new material.

What resulted was She Hangs Brightly, Mazzy Star's stellar 1990 debut. Combining folk, blues and country with psychedelica, they created simple mid-tempo grooves that swirled around Hope's effortless vocals.
For instance, a four-chord bassline and guitar provide the rhythm on "Be My Angel." As she tells her lover "Don't leave me lonely/Don't leave me unhappy," Roback's licks are almost questioning, contrasting with each new lyric.

A jangly, countrified guitar paces "Ride It On," whose production is so clear that you can hear the squeaks of Roback's chord changes.
Still, a few tunes break the somberness with heavier, more atmospheric jams. The title track has a haunting texture, as Roback's high-tones swirl in and out, melding with the tripped-out organ and deep bass drums. This piece would have fit in perfectly with the desolation of Scorsese's wasteland in Taxi Driver.

Their read of Slap Happy's "Blue Flower" jolts you, using overlapping layers of fuzzy guitar chords. Here, Sandoval's inflections show more purpose than usual.
However, Roback and Sandoval have made some subtle yet notable stylistic changes on their latest release, So Tonight That I Might See. The new tracks move like the pulse of a slumbering beast, with slow-rolling melodies that seep beneath the skin.

The ballads are deceptively simple, with a keen use of sparse sounds that create dense, rich pieces. "Fade Into You" opens the album with folk-like strumming and deep bass tones, as a mournful slide guitar wraps notes around the melody.

A pristine, '50s guitar sound gives the melody of "Blue Light" a transcendent feel, and short guitar flourishes accentuate the plodding tune.
Nevertheless, Roback's use of the blues gives this album a rough feel, especially on "Wasted," a muddy romp that balances the Doors-like keyboard. And "Mary of Silence" resonates with crashing cymbals and hollowed drum tones while stinging riffs create a vast soundscape.

Lastly, Sandoval's voice leaves behind any inflection from their debut. This is none more evident than on the title track, where her lyrics are breathy, almost spoken over Roback's searing guitar washes.

There will be a slightly different lineup from the one that played on So Tonight... taking the stage at next Thursday's show. Although Keith Mitchell and William Cooper are retained on viola/keyboards and drums, respectively; Suki Ewers will play keyboards and guitar, and Jill Emery will sit in on bass. As a result, the mixed textures of the new release might take on a rawer feel.

Acetone is set to open the show. Hailing from Los Angeles, Guitar World recently described them as "...what early Cream might've sounded like if they'd really done all the drugs people say they did...." Well put.

With Acetone's deliberately wild live performances, and Mazzy Star's alluring, entrancing sound, this show has some mind-enhancing possibilities.