The Optic Nerve - What's Been Missing

from The Optic Nerve -Forever and a Day.


It is incredibly unjust how the Optic Nerve did not achieve a similar success to contemporaries R.E.M.; who, to begin with, owed a great deal to the jingle-jangle chimes of mid-'60s Rickenbacker-fuelled bands. Forever & a Day's ten songs were recorded in 1988 in the music building just off Times Square. And why a label didn't pick them up is unbelievable. Okay, admittedly, in 1988 there wasn't a huge market for Dylanesque rock & roll, but still, the quality of the compositions and performances on these recordings are immeasurably good. If there had been such a thing as the "no depression" or "alt-country" movements in 1988, the Optic Nerve would have definitely been one of the leading bands. It just happened that they were playing this music before the media had caught on to it, and their blend of the Byrds, Guthrie, Michael Nesmith, ballads, R&B, and pop would have been viewed by label executives as interesting, but unworthy of signing. Through the passing of time, the Optic Nerve's wonderful melodies should be appreciated far more than any other band to spring up from the '80s garage/psych movement.

Enjoy this wonderful and underrated gem!