MBV’s Kevin Shields and Patti Smith release an album

My Bloody Valentine has a distinctive sound, which largely comes from Kevin Shields haunting guitar work. While MBV fans will probably always keep their fingers crossed for a solo career, Shields fans have a new album to check out. The AV Club just reviewed (with rather high marks; B+ ) a collaborative effort being poet and punk songstress Patti Smith and Shields. The Coral Sea is definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of either of their work, or of famed photographer Robert Mapplethrope.

The album is all about Mapplethrope’s life and tragic death from AIDS while still in his 40s. Smith roomed with Mapplethrope while they were younger, so this is her very poetic (and stunningly beautiful) way of remembering him as an artist and a man.

It’s worth checking out. If you’re just here because you say Kevin Shields’ name in the title, maybe you’d be interested in seeing him live. Consider getting My Bloody Valentine tickets, or other concert tickets, at Stubhub.com.