To me, the term shoegaze is as annoying as it is apt, yet another catch-all for lazy music journalists to abuse à la grunge. If there is a case to be made for the confines of the term, Alison's Halo is a textbook example and the best American purveyor of the subgenre.Eyedazzler is about guitars and the tasteful use of effects to add color, richness and mood to its wonderfully crafted tunes. Adam and Catherine Cooper's layered, effected guitars are the focal point and dominate the proceedings providing languid waves of beautiful noise over the entirety of this amazing recording. The composition and arrangement are superb with the drums and bass accentuating the flow from beginning to end with one highlight song after another. Every single song on Eyedazzler is a standout with “Slowbleed”, “Sunshy” and “Chalkboard James” being my personal favorites.The vocals are light and airy and a perfect accompaniment to the music, but Catherine Cooper is no Elizabeth Fraser as suggested in the liner notes. Not many vocalists are in Fraser's class. Cooper is most certainly in the Rachel Goswell/Meriel Barham range, and that is good company because fans of Slowdive and Pale Saints are sure to enjoy AH.Kudos to the fine folks at Manufactured/Captured Tracks for releasing this great sounding press with lovingly classy packaging. If this would have been released in '94 on Creation Records, it would have been the absolute pinnacle of the shoebox of shoegaze.

This is in dire need of a vinyl release, such a good band.

Happening on MFG ! ! ! ! ! ! !