Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Spanish Air
2. Celia's Dream
3. Catch The Breeze
4. Ballad Of Sister Sue
5. Erik's Song
6. Waves
7. Brighter
8. The Sadman
9. Primal

Disc 2:

1. Slowdive (1990 Single)
2. Avalyn 1
3. Avalyn 2
4. Morningrise (1991 Single)
5. She Calls
6. Losing Today
7. Golden Hair (1991 Single B Side)
8. Shine
9. Albatross
10. Catch The Breeze (Peel Session 21.4.91)
11. Song 1
12. Golden Hair

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64111 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Running time: 104 minutes

CD Description
One of the most influential albums of the early-1990s British "shoegazer" movement, Slowdive's JUST FOR A DAY is awash in the style's trademarks. Here waves of reverb guitar linesebb and flow over spare grooves, while Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell's whispered, sometimes chant-like vocals drift high above. "Celia's Dream" and "Brighter" are light, aptly titled tunes that float along on gauzy textures and unwind at a leisurely pace; "Catch the Breeze" lifts a page from My Bloody Valentine's densely layered LOVELESS, and "Erik's Song" ventures into minimalist, ambient territory. Although these tracks rely on atmospherics much more than structure, Halstead, the quintet's main songwriter, would go on to create progressively tighter melodies on 1994's SOUVLAKI, his subsequent band Mojave 3, and his solo work. Though it's not as focused or adventurous as later Slowdive material, JUST FOR ADAY provides a shining template for the revered group's airy, spacious sound.

Customer Reviews

Expanded reissue of debut album...
'Just for a Day' was Slowdive's debut album released on Creation after their three initial single/e.p. releases 'Slowdive' (1990), 'Morningrise' (1991) and 'Holding Our Breath.' As with Ride's debut LP 'nowhere' it seemed to pretty much offer an extended take on the work found on their singles - hardly an earth shattering debut it did set up the diverse directions taken on their classic second LP 'Souvlaki.'

This reissue of 'Just for a Day' is worth getting as it presents the complete picture of Slowdive's early work - the second disc including those e.p./single releases as well as a 1991 Peel Session featuring the otherwise unreleased 'Song1.' The debut single 'Slowdive/Avalyn' is excellent setting the tone for 'Morningrise' and 'Holding Our Breath' - the lead track from the latter ('Catch the Breeze') made the album, but the cover version of 'Golden Hair' and the otherwordly 'Shine' are just as great. While the LP proper didn't blow minds, it did include plenty of great songs, alongside the aforementioned 'Catch the Breeze' there are such joys as 'Brighter', 'Spanish Air', 'Erik's Song' and (classic shoegazing title alert!), 'Waves.'

While 'Just for a Day' isn't a classic album and 'Souvlaki' is the one I'd suggest first, the two-disc expanded version of it including the early releases makes it excellent value and a worthy purchase. Fans of Cocteau Twins, Galaxie 500, Low and My Bloody Valentine should find plenty here to appeal - while it certainly predicts territory explored by Explosions in the Sky, Gwei-Lo, Jeniferever, Mogwai,Radio Dept., Sigur Ros and Silver Mt Zion - this could probably be released today and get Secret Machines-style hype from ze music press! Worthy of investigation - though if you're less into soundscapes and more into songs, I'd direct you to such the post-Slowdive releases by Rachel Goswell, Neil Halstead and Mojave 3.