Top 10 Songs by My Bloody Valentine

1."Only Shallow" (available on Loveless): Both of My Bloody Valentine's full lengths start with a drum loop. But where "Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)" descends into a sultry bass line, "Only Shallow" kicks you in the face. Their most intense track on any of their releases.

2."Honey Power" (available on Tremolo [EP]): A classic shoegaze track for that warm guitar, but this time with an added edge that doesn't compare in many of the band's album tracks. The last minute of this track is practically a completely different track, and this bit of filler stands better on its own than complete tracks by many imitators.

3."I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It)" (available on Isn't Anything): The different parts of the whole on this track don't seem like they should fit. The acoustic rhythm guitar seems like it could be played by a singer-songwriter. The electric lead guitar clangs something awful. The bass is actually…groovy…But the way everything meshes together makes this song not only a great example of what they band were capable of, but also a great introduction to the Valentines for the hesitant.

4."When You Sleep" (available on Loveless): Is it possible that My Bloody Valentine wrote a straight love song? In a rare example of lyrics with a detectable theme, guitar with a basic yet catchy progression, and a keyboard lead nothing short of amazing, "When You Sleep" is guaranteed to end up your mix tapes.

5."You Made Me Realise" (available on You Made Me Realise [EP]): The breakthrough track for My Bloody Valentine. To understand everywhere the band went, you need to start here.

6."Off Your Face" (available on Glider [EP]): Some of Belinda Bucher's best vocals because it allows her to just be sweet. Nothing is masked, nothing is buried beneath endless feedback (mind you, the feedback isn't a bad thing), but this track is lots of vocals, and, in typical shoegaze style, is using the voice as an instrument. Also, you have to love the rare treat of acoustics from this band.

7."Loomer" (available on Loveless): The second track off of Loveless, "Loomer" slows things down enough to let you catch your breath keeps the album moving. The best way to describe this song is to think of it as the sound of spinning.

8."I Only Said" (available on Loveless): It's fairly well known amongst fans (and others up on their trivia) that frontman Kevin Shields is a perfectionist to a fault. While this trait meant that production costs for Loveless reached £250,000, that Creation Records boss Alan McGee nearly had a nervous breakdown waiting for a finished product, and that a follow up album was never completed, there are some benefits for the fans. While the main keyboard line is unforgettable, the guitars are a warm rush, and the lyrics can actually be sung along to, one can never underestimate the value of mixing. In this case, it's the detail in the drumming - in particular, that little tinkling bit you can hear especially well at the end - is one of those nuances Shields was aiming for.

9."(When You Wake) You're Still In A Dream" (available on Isn't Anything): Less disjointed than "Feed Me With Your Kiss," more cohesive than "Sueisfine," but just as brilliantly frantic. The driving pace and crunchy guitars of this song and sense of melody that still comes through makes this their strongest garage track.

10."Sometimes" (available on Loveless): The guitar on this track is admittedly weak. But what makes this song great is the Celtic influences that come through. Lest we forget, the Valentines are all Irish, and their heritage comes out loud and clear in the keyboard version of the Irish flute tunes for the outro to this song.