I am back from a two week break to start my very own music blog. There will be at least one music blog a week, and it will be weekly music topics during the week. The weekly music topic this week is a band review on The Jesus And Mary Chain. I listened to them at the end of April and what an interesting band that I discovered.
Before I go into my full review on them, here is a little background on The Jesus And Mary Chain. In 1983, brothers from Scotland, Jim and William Reid, who were influenced by Lou Reed's Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop's Stooges, and the Phil Spector's Wall Of Sound formed a band with bassist Douglas Hart, and drummer Murray Dalglish. Murray Dalglish would be quickly replaced by Bobby Gillespie, before recording their debut single, because of an argument over money. They became known as The Jesus And Mary Chain, and would release their first album in 1985 titled "Psychocandy," as the album featured a balance of light alternative songs and grimy rough punk songs, which they then became big in London. Fun fact is The Jesus And Mary Chain recorded that record with a drummer that was a singer and a bass with only three strings. Gillespie would leave after the first record to focus on being the lead singer of Primal Scream. John Moore would take over on drums and they would release "Darklands in 1987 and "Automatic" in 1989 with the same tone as the first record, but more polished than "Psychocandy." John Moore would transition from drums to rhythm guitar in between "Psychocandy" and "Darklands," but would leave shortly after.
Dave Evans would replace John Moore on bass and Richard Thomas would join as the drummer. Although as all great brother bands, something happened. It is what I like to call the Oasis effect. When Noel and Liam Gallagher had music differences and had a big feud, well the same thing happened to Jim and William Reid. They would get tired of one other as years of working on music together became too much. Then the revolving door of drummers, bassists, and guitarists continued to happen. Before the release of 1992's "Honey's Dead," Thomas and Hart left the band, and the Reid brothers replaced them with Mathew Parkin and Barry Blackler. "Honey's Dead" would be the band's first commercial success in the United States with singles like "Reverence" and an appearance on the Dave Letterman Show. The Jesus And Mary Chain would get their next rhythm section as Blackler and Parkin would leave and be replaced with Ben Lurie and Steve Monti. They would release "Stoned and Dethroned" in 1994 and "Munki" in 1998, before breaking up and William and Jim Reid went on to do separate music projects. The Reid brothers not like the Gallagher brothers would eventually reunite in 2007 and they started to tour. 10 years later, they would come out with a comeback album called "Damaged And Joy."
Now my overall opinion of this band is they really stand out from other alternative and punk rock bands. I know it surprising, because you probably expecting me to talk about how much I love this Christian band from the mid 80's and how much they remind me of Stryper and Skillet with a name like The Jesus And Mary Chain. Anyway, I think I weirdly enjoy their music so much, because they experiment with involving their influences with their sound. Their sound in the majority of their album especially in their first three albums is very full. What I mean by this is they only have guitars, bass, and drums, but it sounds more than 4 and 5 guys playing and more like 10 guys playing. The heavy guitar distortion fills in the spaces of dead air in the song. It really reminds of Phil Spector's Wall Of Sound, which it was recorded to blow the listener away with tons of different instruments playing a big massive sound blasting in their speakers. Then I enjoy part of their sound as it reminds me of early 70's punk rock like Sex Pistols, The Runaways, The Stooges, The Clash, and The Ramones, but much heavier. I can only describe it as Marilyn Manson and The Sex Pistols having a kid and the kid was no other than The Jesus And Mary Chain. Although that is only half of a Jesus And Mary Chain record with heavy rough punk songs, and the other half is light alternative songs. I can only describe that side of The Jesus And Mary Chain as if Weezer had an emo phase. I think with a balance of punk and alternative songs with Wall Of Sound vibes that they have a really cool sound.
Darklands (album)
When listening to their first 6 albums, I think their best work was their first three records, even when they had their commercial success with "Honey's Dead." These three records just are so true to their sound and roots, when the next three records were enjoyable, but didn't have the same magic touch like the first three did. I think feud between the brothers really effected their sound. My favorite record by them is "Darklands," because I think their sophomore album is the album, when they figured out who they were as a band. I think they really perfected and polished their sound of a big sounding punk and alternative band. It has a lot of my favorite tracks like "Darklands," "April Skies," "Happy When It Rains," and two covers of The Beach Boys' "Surfing In The USA," and George Thorogood's "Who Do You Love." Then it has a beautiful version of "Darklands" with strings and a great acoustic version of a first album song, "Taste Of Candy." Now, I do enjoy their debut record, "Psychocandy," so much, because it is a rough and grimy alternative punk record, but it definitely had a lot experimentation stuff that they did that sometimes I love it or sometimes I am scared by it. My favorite song off their debut album is the "The Hardest Walk," because it sounds like dark beach music, and it is a song that grabbed my attention right away. My least favorite record by The Jesus And Mary Chain is their 5th album called, "Stoned and Dethroned," because it stood out like a sore thumb from their other records. This album abandoned their roots and sound from previous records. It is a good record as a regular alternative record, but I can see die hard Jesus And Mary Chain fans being turned off by it as it not a true Jesus And Mary Chain sounding record. Although, I do understand maybe why they did an album like this, because bands like to change it up and get tired of playing the same stuff over and over. They experimented with this album and even wanted this album to be all acoustic, but they threw out that idea in the thrash. I wish they never threw out that idea, because I think I would find it more appealing acoustic, than electric. This is an good album by them, but I think it could have been better.
Automatic (The Jesus and Mary Chain album)
Here is a sample of The Jesus And Mary Chain with the links below of some of my favorite songs by them. If you're interesting to check out more of their music, it is available on all music platforms. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Also, put in the comments of a time that you discovered a weird band. The Hardest Walk - YouTube Darklands (With Strings) - YouTube The Jesus And Mary Chain - Surfin' USA - YouTube The Jesus And Mary Chain Who Do You Love - YouTube The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (Official Music Video) - YouTube The Jesus and Mary Chain - Taste of Candy (acoustic) - YouTube
Here is a sample of The Jesus And Mary Chain with the links below of some of my favorite songs by them. If you're interesting to check out more of their music, it is available on all music platforms. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Also, put in the comments of a time that you discovered a weird band. The Hardest Walk - YouTube Darklands (With Strings) - YouTube The Jesus And Mary Chain - Surfin' USA - YouTube The Jesus And Mary Chain Who Do You Love - YouTube The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (Official Music Video) - YouTube The Jesus and Mary Chain - Taste of Candy (acoustic) - YouTube
