Opal - Early Recordings

Opal: Early Recordings is a highly regarded 1989 compilation that gathers EPs and singles from David Roback and Kendra Smith’s neo-psychedelic Paisley Underground band, acting as a direct predecessor to Mazzy Star. It captures a more intimate, acoustic-folk, and melancholic atmosphere than their later Happy Nightmare Baby album. The compilation is characterized as "plaintive and stark," focusing on acoustic-folk influences and a dream-pop, "lysergic haze". It showcases a "hauntingly beautiful" and "serendipitous" sound. Featuring tracks from the Fell From the Sun and Northern Line EPs, it spotlights the band’s songwriting and quieter side, featuring standout tracks like "Empty Box Blues" and "Harriet Brown". Smith’s deep, husky, and sometimes "distracted" vocal style is a highlight, often noted as a compelling alternative to Hope Sandoval's later work with Roback.  The collection is frequently viewed as a "lost classic" that bridges 1980s Paisley Underground with 1990s dream-pop, influencing bands like Beach House. 

Early Recordings (1989) is a hauntingly beautiful time capsule that captures Opal at their most intimate and stripped-back. While their only full-length album, Happy Nightmare Baby, leaned into heavy, distorted psychedelia, this compilation of EPs and rarities highlights the "subdued, acoustic-folk side" of the band. It serves as the definitive bridge between the jagged jangle of the Paisley Underground scene and the velvet-draped dream pop that would later define Mazzy Star.

The chemistry between David Roback and Kendra Smith is the record's primary engine. Roback’s guitar work is masterful in its restraint, opting for "plaintive and stark" melodies that feel both timeless and deeply lonely. Smith’s vocals are the perfect foil; her "deep, husky voice" carries a "druggy-chic" indifference that many critics compare to Nico. Together, they create an atmosphere that feels like a sun-faded photograph—beautiful, slightly frayed at the edges, and heavy with nostalgia.

Standout tracks like "Fell From the Sun" and "Northern Line" exemplify the album's unique "lysergic haze." These songs skip the flashy tropes of 60s revivalism in favour of a "mystical" and "distracted" energy that feels entirely their own. The songwriting is remarkably disciplined, stripping away unnecessary layers to let the "beauty and grace" of the melodies breathe. It is a record that doesn't demand your attention with volume, but rather pulls you in with its quiet, gravitational intensity.

Decades later, Early Recordings remains a "sublime" and "essential" listen for anyone interested in the roots of modern indie-folk and slowcore. Its influence echoes through the work of contemporary artists like Beach House and Big Thief, yet the original remains peerless in its "stark emotional complexity." Though it is notoriously difficult to find on physical formats today, it stands as a legendary document of a band that burned briefly but left a permanent mark on the alternative landscape.

Ripped to MP3

A1 - Empty Box Blues 4:18

A2 - She's a Diamond 2:58

A3 - My Only Friend 4:00

A4 - Empty Bottles 2:01

A5 - Grains of Sand 5:48

A6 - Brigit on Sunday 5:13

B1 - Northern Line 4:39

B2 - Strange Delight 1:42

B3 - Fell From the Sun 4:36

B4 - Harriet Brown 3:59

B5 - Lullabye 7:07

B6 - All Souls 2:21