Even before the release of Loveless in
1991,
Kevin Shields became known as a
perfectionist. After 1988's
Isn't Anything and a brief tour, the band returned to the studio. However, they didn't come out for over two years!
Rumors say Shields became obsessive, sometimes taking single chords and manipulating them for months. The record making process was so long that MBV's label, Creation, nearly went bankrupt. Reports state the album cost $500,000 for Creation, money which it never made up. Subsequently, Creation booted MBV from the label.
However, this didn't stop the unanimously positive reviews from critics. Even immediately after the album release in November 1991, predictions of the follow-up were made. Intense speculation came as to if a sequel to Loveless could ever equal the original.
As for the album itself, the best way to describe it is as noisy ambiance drowned with guitars. The sonic texture is amazingly lush, almost dreamy, but gritty at the same time. Truly it was a revolutionary sound comparing to the previous desolate age in music (the 80s). It's no wonder that the pressure on Shields to create a follow-up to Loveless drove him into isolation. Despite a few singles here and there, MBV (Shields) continues to be mum.