Reviews

She Hangs Brightly

by Leucadian - for Amazon.com

Still Recall the Day.....

My best friend Tony and I piled ourselves and our surfing gear into his old Fiat to begin the hour-long drive to the beach for a day of surfing He says, "here,I'll take care of the music", and puts in a cassette of someone called Mazzy Star. I'm not one of those people who makes snap judgements about music, for better or for worse. Whatever the end result may be, There are a few exceptions, and She Hangs Brightly ended up to be just such an exception. No more than 90 seconds into Halah, the opening track, I found myself saying to Tony, "Who is this?? I REALLY like this....whoever it is."

So that was the first day I ever heard the completely unique sounds of Mazzy Star, and I can still recall the exact moment well over 10 years later.

I went on to spend the entire decade of the '90s calling Mazzy Star one of my favorite bands whenever the topic came up in conversation. Even though I give this one five stars, I actually prefer the other two a bit more I think, particularly So Tonight That I Might See, their second release. There's just something about that album. It's like their sound overall...I can't really put my finger on it. Maybe that's the whole point. Yes, Hope Sandoval's blissfully enchanting voice has alot to do with it. And as much as she no doubt hates hearing it, it was easy to fall in love with her vicariously through her dreamy vocals. But a sexy frontwoman alone does not a great band make. The musicianship of the rest of the band is equal in its ability to enchant the listener. In other words, Mazzy Star was always more than just a pretty face. The band had an elusive quality about them, an element of mystery. You can get lost in their music. If you were a drug user, you no doubt spent many memorable moments letting the swirling sounds overtake you and your senses (and I suppose an equal number that aren't so memorable). While I've done my share of experimentation, I always found Mazzy's music plenty powerful to put me into that special state of mind even when stone cold sober. One just needs to be in an introspective mood (and a good pair of headphones doesn't hurt). This isn't the sort of album you put into your Walkman when heading out for a jog though, clearly.

Recalling my first exposure to this wonderful band - seemingly now defunct - is a pleasant memory. If you've read other reviews of their albums, you should by now have an idea whether or not Mazzy Star is up your alley. If you have even the vaguest feeling that it is, don't hesitate to give them a try right away.