Review by Geoff Jenke
It’s been 19 years since The Jesus and Mary Chain’s last album, Munki. The band disbanded after that album and while they have been touring since 2007 there has not been a new album till now. There seems to be a truce between the dysfunctional Scottish brothers, Jim and William Reid although they sing on the song Facing up to the Facts, “I hate my brother, and he hates me/ that’s the way it’s supposed to be” However one gets the feeling they don’t mean it anymore.
Fortunately the band has picked up where it left off 19 years ago with buzz saw guitars and beautiful stoner like songs. They are joined by producer Youth who also fills in on bass, along with their touring drummer Phil King. Although half the songs on the album are re-recording of songs that have been released in various guises over the last 19 years, they sound fresh and current. Some are from Jim Reid’s solo career and his sisters Linda’s Sister Vanilla ventures, as well as a revised version of their song All Things Pass.
Opening track Amputation is classic Mary Chain with a savage guitar bleeding into a stoner sounding song with the chorus “I’m a Rock ‘N’ Roll amputation”. This song was also chosen as their first single.
They play War on Peace at the start so slow one wonders if it is at the right speed. As it builds the guitars are a simmering smouldering sound. Nice!
All Things Pass is the one song the band had recorded before, for the TV show Heroes soundtrack, but this is a new revved up version with nice psychedelic guitar riffs.
When the female vocalists join the album, it shifts a gear upward and luckily for us this happens on six tracks. Some of these songs have an almost Phil Spector Wall of Sound to them. Sky Ferreira, Isobel Campbell (ex Belle and Sebastian), Linda Fox (Jim and William’s sister) and Bernadette Denning all contribute to the album. It is hard to pick the best tracks from these girls, as they all deserve your attention. The Two of Us, Song for a Secret, Los Feliz, Always Sad, Black and Blue and Can’t Stop the Rock are all surreal dreamlike classic songs.
On Simian Split, William confesses to killing Kurt Cobain on Courtney’s orders. He then clarifies this by singing “I’m a big fat lying slop”. Shock value? While the lyrics are interesting it is probably not one of the best songs on the album.
19 years is a long time between drinks but as they sing on Get on Home, “My soul is Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Interestingly the last song on their last album, Munki was titled I Hate Rock n Roll. The last song on this album is Can’t Stop The Rock.
While Damage and Joy is not a new Psychocandy, it is a good album and deserves to be in your record collection. There is far more joy here than damage.
Available now.
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