Illuminated 1989 is the original Robin Guthrie mix and production of the Veldt's debut album that the bands label Capitol Records refused to put out in 1989. The Veldt are a shoegazing band formed in Raleigh North Carolina by twins Danny and Daniel Chavis along with Japanese bassist Hayato Nakao with Marvin Levi, Joseph Hue Boyle, Lionel Fong and special guests Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie.
The album jangles out of the speakers on Aurora Borealis on a slightly wistful jangle pop song that has echoes of Prefab Sprout.
C.C.C.P. doesn't take us to the frozen tundra, but is a love song for a Red Pet they are longing to spend time with, as they want the full cultural exchange, of the sort I experienced in 1985, this has soaring guitars with shimmering percussion.
It's Over is a classic anorak indie song pleading for that girl not to dump you, he bleats on in all the traditional ways of young spurned lovers, who may have transgressed once too often, causing her to walk out, now they are bereft, well of course they are in the way only jangly guitars can show that pain.
Shallow By Shallow sounds like Simple Minds stripped of the bombastic 80's production values, this is lean indie rock with echoes of Easterhouse.
Pleasure Toy has a pulsating bassline and beat as they dream of the pleasure to be had with that toy that threatens to get histrionic in places.
Angel Heart has an intro that is pure Cocteau Twins as they slow things down to promise us no more sad songs or teardrops, they get all romantic as they try to sooth the anguish of the Angel Heart sobbing close to them, only close high harmonies can heal that heart.
Willow Tree shimmers like the branches, while not having any echoes of Alton Ellis, the sweet strings rising glissandos with interjections from the searing guitars enveloping the sound.
Git Up has a more strident upbeat sound, the guitars attack giving this more of a college rock edge, with a chorus perfect to pump your fist too in a Living Colour meets the Soup Dragons kind of way, but not quite, as again the vocals remind me of Jim Kerr.
Heather is sung to the sort of girl you'd make a film about, radiant guitars smile down on her, they are entranced, begging and pleading her to be the one.
Daisy Chain is a cool little love song for someone they want to Daisy Chain with, this has a really cute synth breakdown with soft vocals as they dream of making that Daisy Chain with her.
The Everlasting Gobstopper of the sort you could barely get in your mouth as a little kid now has a building wall of guitars cascading around you as you dream deeper as that Everlasting Gobstopper slowly disappears in your mouth, although you would need to play the song 3 times to finish it off.
The album closes with the Remix of Aurora Borealis that adds hip hop elements to it along with Elizabeth Frasers backing vocals making this a really odd fusion single, sort of shoegaze hip hop soul with an indie edge.
