She Hangs Brightly

She Hangs Brightly
Studio album by Mazzy Star
Released May 21, 1990
Genre Alternative rock, dream pop, psychedelic rock, shoegazing
Length 40:28
Label Rough Trade, Capitol
Producer David Roback
Mazzy Star chronology
She Hangs Brightly
(1990)		 So Tonight That I Might See
(1993)So Tonight That I Might See1993
Audio sample
"Halah"
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She Hangs Brightly is the debut studio album by American dream pop band Mazzy Star. It was released in 1990 on Rough Trade Records, following the demise of David Roback's previous band Opal. The album was rereleased by Capitol later that same year. The first track "Halah" was released as a single and reached #19 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.[1] It showcases the band's trademark effect with haunting guitar work and lyrics, and Hope Sandoval's detached vocals. David Roback's Robby Krieger-inspired psychedelic blues slide guitar style can be heard on the song "Free". "Ghost Highway" is another psychedelic rock track, with a fast rhythm. This song dates from the band's days as Opal and was initially slated to be the title track of Opal's second album. While not a commercial success, this album did establish Mazzy Star as a unique band with a unique sound.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA[4]
Los Angeles Times[5]
NME8/10[6]
Q[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
Select5/5[9]

In a review for Rolling Stone, Gina Arnold praised She Hangs Brightly as being "coldly beautiful".[8] AllMusic's Jason Ankeny described Hope Sandoval's vocals as "more sultry" than those of Opal's Kendra Smith and praised "Halah" and "Blue Flower" but criticized the album's lack of focus, calling the remaining tunes "unmemorable".[2] Kurt Cobain listed it in his top fifty albums of all time.[10][11]

Notes

The album cover is a shot of the interior of Hôtel Tassel in Brussels.

"Ghost Highway" is part of the soundtrack for the 1994 film called Love and a .45.

"Blue Flower" is a Slapp Happy cover from the 1972 album Sort Of.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Hope Sandoval and David Roback, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Halah" 3:16
2."Blue Flower"Peter Blegvad, Anthony Moore[12]3:35
3."Ride It On" 3:01
4."She Hangs Brightly" 6:24
5."I'm Sailin'"Minnie McCoy[13]3:13
6."Give You My Lovin'"Sylvia Gomez[14]3:50
7."Be My Angel" 3:17
8."Taste Of Blood" 5:36
9."Ghost Highway"David Roback[15]3:28
10."Free" 3:11
11."Before I Sleep" 2:10
Total length:40:28

Personnel

Adapted from the AllMusic credits.[16]

Music

Technical

  • David Roback – producer
  • Marlene Rosenberg – photography
  • Mazzy Star – cover design

References

  1. ↑ "Mazzy Star chart history". Billboard (magazine). Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  2. 1 2 Ankeny, Jason. "She Hangs Brightly – Mazzy Star". AllMusic. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  3. ↑ Kot, Greg (June 14, 1990). "Mazzy Star: She Hangs Brightly (Rough Trade)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ Sandow, Greg (May 25, 1990). "She Hangs Brightly". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  5. ↑ Cromelin, Richard (June 9, 1990). "Mazzy Star Debut a Fine Fix of Velvet Blues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Mazzy Star: She Hangs Brightly". NME: 27. July 31, 1993.
  7. ↑ "Mazzy Star: She Hangs Brightly". Q. 1990.
  8. 1 2 Arnold, Gina (September 6, 1990). "Mazzy Star: She Hangs Brightly". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  9. ↑ Cavanagh, David (July 1990). "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Select (1): 104.
  10. ↑ "Top 50 by Nirvana [MIXTAPE]". Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  11. ↑ Cross, Gaar, Gendron, Martens, Yarm (2013). Nirvana: The Complete Illustrated History. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-7603-4521-4.
  12. ↑ "ASCAP Repertoire Database for "Blue Flower"". ASCAP.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  13. ↑ "I'm Sailin'". MazzyStar.nu. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  14. ↑ "BMI Repertoire Database for "Give You My Lovin'"". BMI.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  15. ↑ "BMI Repertoire Database for "Ghost Highway"". BMI.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
  16. ↑ "She Hangs Brightly > Credits", Allmusic, Rovi Corporation, retrieved September 13, 2010
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