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Mazzy Star


Formed: 1988
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Genre: Alternative Rock
Years Active: 1990 - 1997; 2012 -
Meaning of the Name: Never explained
Core Members: Hope Sandoval, David Roback
Way of Working: Led by Sandoval and Roback
Associated: Opal, The Warm Inventions

Essential Releases

Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See

So Tonight That
I Might See (1993)

Seminal album. A dark dream of psychedelic folk rock.

Mazzy Star - Among My Swan

Among My
Swan (1996)

Quieter. Darker. More brooding.


Mazzy Star perform in total darkness; a song emerges as a silhouetted singer becomes lit by a dim backlight. It's Hope Sandoval, her face obscured by long hair that might as well be a shield. In an act of courage, she reveals herself despite crippling stage fright. For the Santa Monica-native, such scenes were a regular occurrence. She battled severe shyness in order to make herself heard over a career lasting more than three decades... and rarely gave interviews.

Amidst the media vacuum, fans speculated wildly about the meaning of their melancholy songs, especially 'Fade Into You'. Many falsely believed it detailed a romance between Hope and her bandmate David Roback but they were just friends. In fact, Roback was an established figure in California's thriving, neo-psychedelic Paisley Underground scene of the 1980s. His music with bands such as Opal and Rain Parade rebelled against the era's rampant commercialisation by focusing on lo-fi atmospherics, hushed vocals, and hypnotic tones instead of catchy pop melodies and synths. However, this philosophy wasn't only limited to the 80s.

Carrying the sound into a new decade, Mazzy Star tapped into the same anti-consumerist sentiment that fuelled the rise of grunge. Both Paisley and grunge began on the West Coast of America in response to similar social conditions: the rise of neoliberal capitalism and the consolidation of many small businesses into a handful of behemoths that limited creative freedom. Despite differences in sound, both had the same underlying do it yourself work ethic, as well as a shared desire to make something "real", free from the malign diktats of rich executives.

Providing a softer alternative to the energetic fury of bands such as Pearl Jam, Mazzy Star catered to less aggressive people with similar sentiments. Their music was a wistful sorrow carried on the breeze instead of a shotgun for breakfast.

In the history books, Mazzy Star will go down as a group who put everything in their songs. They succeeded without having a strong media presence because their music was imbued with every part of themselves. While quiet with the press, on the stage, Hope Sandoval bravely shared her humanity with each of us.


Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?
90

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.
60

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.
70

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.
55

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?
90

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.
65

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.
65

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.
80

Singing

i Technical attributes.
85

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.
90

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?
20

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.
30

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.
85

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?
60

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.
60

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.
20


Commercial & Critical Success

Awards

Certifications >>>

  • So Tonight That I Might See: Platinum in USA; Gold in UK

Charts

Critics >>>

  • Pitchfork: She Hangs Brightly - 30 Best Dream Pop Albums: #29
  • Pitchfork: So Tonight That I Might See - 30 Best Dream Pop Albums: #2
  • Pitchfork: So Tonight That I Might See - Best Albums of the '90s: #116
  • Rolling Stone: Blue Lines - 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020): #241
  • Rolling Stone: Mezzanine - 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020): #383
  • Rolling Stone: Protection - 100 Best Albums of the 1990s: #51

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