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The Jesus and Mary Chain - Automatic Audio CD

A fair review of the The Jesus and Mary Chain "Automatic" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Jesus and Mary Chain reviews here, or go back to the The Jesus and Mary Chain tabs.

The Jesus and Mary Chain Band: The Jesus and Mary Chain
Title: Automatic
Rating:
Release Date: 1995-07-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Here Comes Alice 2: Coast to Coast 3: Blues from a Gun 4: Between Planets 5: Uv Ray 6: Her Way of Praying 7: Head On 8: Take It 9: Halfway to Crazy 10: Gimme Hell 11: Drop 12: Sunray

Unjustly neglected
"

If only your "ordinary hard rock" record sounded like this. AUTOMATIC has been unfairly dissed over the years as a "sellout," a "disaster" or, as the Spin Alternative Record Guide said in 1995, an "ordinary hard rock record.

Yes, there are drum machines. But guess what, DARKLANDS had them, as did a bunch of JAMC albums in the future. On the one track here with live drums, "Gimme Hell," the drums sound exactly the same as on the other tracks. The brothers Reid were going for a specific sound, and they got it either through live drummers or not.

Lack of feedback? I invite you to listen to "Coast to Coast," "Blues From a Gun," "Between Planets," "Her Way of Praying," "Head On" or "Gimme Hell" at full blast and defend this opinion. No, it's not the proto-shoegazing feedback of PSYCHOCANDY, but even proper shoegaze bands dropped those tricks after their first record or two.

As always, the Reid brothers are amazing songwriters. It doesn't matter if they drape their songs with PSYCHOCANDY style feedback, DARKLANDS type gothness, or the grace and beauty of the mellow STONED AND DETHRONED. The genius of their songwriting shines through, and any true fan will tell you that AUTOMATIC is just as awesome as anything else the band did.


You gotta kick it while it's on
The disk inside Nirvana's In Utero wasn't quite the Steve Albini-produced stompathon I expected either, but rather a best of Blondie compilation! Sick bag please. Bought nine records secondhand on Saturday and eight of them turned out to be the wrong trousers altogether--got so blame irritated with Flood by They Might Be Giants I snapped the bleddy thing in half and then, for good measure, in quarters. The ninth album, this one, I actually own already but couldn't resist getting all over again. Love that U. V. Ray--reminds me of acting the maggot in Sunnyside in Queens for some reason. All twelve tracks motor along though and having two Automatics now doesn't seem the least bit odd to me--in fact I can't honestly say I won't buy this wee beastie again at some point.


The Mary Chain (in the style of Billy Idol)
A fairly predictable set of brainless rock'n'roll cliches set to drum machines, it sounds very much like the band were trying to break into the American market at the time by sugar-coating their gloomy alternative-rock. Automatic is probably the last Mary Chain album to put on your shopping list- you certainly shouldn't even think of getting it unless you already have Psychocandy, Darklands, or Stoned and Dethroned. The result is a far more palatable album than either Psychocandy or Darklands, but a markedly inferior one- it sounds like Primal Scream and Billy Idol collaborating on a film soundtrack from the early 90s. Although its a fun listen, its rather formulaic and samey- most of the tracks blend into each other by the end. As such, its far from an essential purchase. .


ZZ Top+JAMC +PSB= Automatic
That was a fine album, a thing of disturbing beauty that could captivate or make you hurl due to the sheer amounts of feedback. Let the indie snobs soil their pants as they get off to 1985's Psychocandy. Fine. Now, could we look at another Jesus & Mary Chain album and not compare it to their debut?

On this 1989 album, one can actually hear the band. The mountains of screeching feedback have been largely subdued. In addition, the sound now boats a wily drum machine and a synthesized bass. Some have said that this album sounds like the Jesus & Mary Chain backed by ZZ Top, circa 83-85. Personally, I'd say this sounds like covers of Beach Boys songs, with overdriven Clash-like guitar work stapled over mid-80s Pet Shop Boys beats. You know that's a winning combination.

The album itself is one amazingly consistent listen. Each song is as thrilling as the last. The vocal delivery is actually distinguishable under these production values, and the edge that they add to the sound is marvellous. For my money, there are no weak tracks throughout most of the album. The only track that seems out of place is the second to last one. "Drop" is a rather uncharacteristcally chilled song, with acoustic guitars and a lone synth going along with the vocals. Things pick up with the closer, "Sunray," with beats similar to PSB's "A Man Could Get Arrested" and a tinge of Psychocandy-esque feedback. Another fantastic album from 1989.

Highlights include: "UV Ray," "Coast to Coast". . . ah, heck, all the tracks have the same great dynamics about them!

I'd suggest that, if you run into this album, you fork over the dough needed for you to get acquainted with this work. Just remember: ZZ Top J&MC & PSB all rolled into one.


you don't care
the Reid brothers oozed effortless cool and icy cold detatchement, but these songs flow with a warm touch and an obvious love for pure melody. pop songs layered with a glossy sheen of beautiful hazy distortion. the music could be described as a cross between the Velvet Underground meets ZZ Top. there's lots of noise and wild guitar feedback piled ontop of cool and confusing vocal lines like this excerpt from album opener, "Here Comes Alice" : "don't let your life be the butt of a joke, get your lips 'round a cool black pepsi coke. " but when he sings it. . . you don't care, because you know it sounds right.


You can see a complete list of all The Jesus and Mary Chain discography, or go back to the The Jesus and Mary Chain tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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