I’ve been a huge fan of My Bloody Valentine for at least three years now. They are one of the most unique, transcendent, beautiful bands ever to enter a recording studio. And they only got round to releasing two albums, 1988’s Isn’t Anything and 1991’s Loveless, before essentially vanishing right at the cusp of stardom. Needless to say, every scrap of their genius we have is worth seeking out and treasuring. To that end, I found a crapload of rare and awesome MBV stuff on another blog last week, including quite a few things I didn’t have before, so I have to share it with our lovely readers. Thanks to Barfout Dolls.

These downloads are all from out-of-print EPs and singles that were never released in the US.

1987: (65.2 mb)
Includes Sunny Sundae Smile EP, Strawberry Wine, Ecstasy mini-LP: This set is quite jangly and up-sounding. It’s audibly inspired by the C86 bands, but by November’s Ecstasy, you can hear the beginnings of MBV’s unique sound beginning to germinate on songs like “Clair.”

1988: (69.6 mb)
Includes You Made Me Realise EP, Feed Me With Your Kiss EP, Peel Sessions 1988: This set is essential, full stop. I don’t much care if you download the first one, but everyone should hear the songs in this ZIP file. You Made Me Realise may be the best EP ever, for reasons I’ve expounded upon here, and the band’s Peel Session includes a deliciously heavy take on “I Can See It (But I Can’t Feel It).” The Feed Me With Your Kiss EP is slightly less awesome, but it features “Emptiness Inside,” which is one of the band’s best pre-Loveless tracks.

The band’s pre-1987 work is vastly different, to put it nicely, but I have links to that if you wish to check it out (I wouldn’t). The Glider and Tremolo EPs that preceded Loveless are both in print and widely available, so you’ll have to obtain those yourself. Of course, it should go without saying that you should own both of the band’s full-length albums, Isn’t Anything and Loveless, both of which are on the 1001 Albums list, and both of which I wholeheartedly recommend without any reservations.

The band have a few tour dates in the United States next month, including one in my city of Dallas (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), but I won’t be able to go due to the sucky economy.

Here’s “You Made Me Realise,” which in my opinion is still the band’s defining moment (and a strong contender for Best Song of the 80s, in the humble opinion of this 90s-kid):