A re-release of
Should's seminal 1995
A Folding Sieve, the 2002 update adds seven tracks to the critically acclaimed original and expands upon the obscure grandeur surrounding this sadly forgotten band. With pulsing sheets of guitar distortion and the ethereal interplay of Tanya Maus and Marc Ostermeier recalling the best of the early-'90s shoegaze movement, the trio added an understated pop sensibility to its carefully constructed sound sculptures. Even if the tracks sound a little dated by modern standards, as these sounds can be seen as the embryonic stage of a multitude of indie rock offshoots, they doubtless have historical relevance, even if the band probably never reached a large enough audience to be truly massively influential. Songs taken from the band's lone single and a set of previously unreleased tracks lean ever so slightly toward dream pop and generally offer proof that
Should had a substantial amount of quality material at their disposal and may have moved the whole shoegaze movement in new and interesting directions had they found better luck. [A further reissue on Captured Tracks (as part of their
Shoegaze Archives series) adds two additional previously unreleased tracks as a bonus.] ~ Matt Fink