Various Artists
Never Lose that Feeling Vol. 1
(Club AC30)
release: September 12, 2005
rating: ***

I've got mixed feelings about Never Lose that Feeling. On one hand, it's interesting to hear an interpretation of early '90s shoegaze classics by a newer band. But like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or War of the Worlds, is a re-do really necessary? Although I'll be the first to admit that I love playing songs by these bands and would even love to record them and be on the next volume of this comp, do we want to fool with songs that have been so close to our hearts? Oh, such a dilema. Nevertheless, you gotta give it up for Club AC30 (which is also a club nite in London) for assembling this tribute to the original shoegazers. Most of the bands doing the covers are relatively unknown (at least in the U.S), but most of the songs you will know if you're hip to Slowdive, Curve, Swervedriver (the comp's title is a song by them), Medicine and the Pale Saints. Some tracks are reconstructed, some are stripped down. Some are a complete revision, some are nearly carbon copies. Nothing here really blows my mind, but hey, when you're 16 years old and Ride or Lush is the best thing since INXS and U2, you've got a lot with which to compete. -Kenyon