Just for a Day is
Slowdive's first album, and it shows; when one listens to the magnificent sound of
Souvlaki or the brilliant experimentation of
Pygmalion, it becomes clear that
Just for a Day was only a step toward the greatness they would later achieve. Its sound is quite like
Souvlaki's -- swelling waves of flanged guitars, layers of wispy vocals floating in and out of the mix, and sweet lazy pop songs -- but the production sometimes turns the band's plush, sweet sound into the sort of cheap and cheesy pleasantness one might expect from a new age artist. A few tracks hint at the sound that would be fully achieved on
Souvlaki ("Celia's Dream," "Erik's Song"), and the album as a whole must have sounded wonderful before anyone knew what great things the band was capable of -- but
Just for a Day is really
Slowdive in their infancy. ~ Nitsuh Abebe