Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I think Psychocandy is the only JAMC I need in my life, but I enjoyed this. I thought two of the songs were "Head On" because they sound almost exactly the same, but that's on another album. 6.9 Fav track: About You Least fav: On The Wall
I liked Psychocandy better.
It is OK. I am familiar with their stuff, they sound similar to other music I like and cool, but don't really stand out too much. Good song writing.
This feels to me (though I’m no music historian), like a bridge between the Velvet Underground and Seattle grunge. I know that a very un-grungy Seattle native, Ben Gibbard, was such a Jesus and Mary Chain fan that he referenced them in Transatlanticism. I’d listened to Psychocandy in the past and I remember liking it a lot. Darklands, today though, didn’t quite light me up. These songs are dreary in a dull and sick sort of way, referencing rain and falling, over and over. Darklands came out in the year I was born, and one of the songs references April skies. That’s the month of my birth. I wonder if this was written just around the time I was born. If so, I wish it had been a bit glitzier! I’m nearing the halfway point on this list. Every day, I use the prompted album as a launch pad for listening to other albums in the same vein or by the same artist. So, over the last year and a half or so, since I’ve been keeping track, I’ve listened to about three thousand different albums. What’s really striking me during this immersion, is that I don’t like dark, dreary, brooding songs. As a teen and through my twenties, that’s all I listened to. Darkness equated to profundity. Now, I find myself often feeling bored, rolling my eyes, and telling the brooder to get over themselves. Life needs joy, and I want to feel joy, so I spent most of Darklands shaking my head. I especially might feel this way now because for the last month, I’ve been living at my in-law’s house, caring for my father in-law with Parkinson’s. The final song on Darklands, About You, references people dying in their living rooms. The JAMC sing that warmth can be felt in every situation, and I take that to mean that even in a deathbed scenario, one must look for the positive light. We’re here helping this guy when he needs us, and we’ve been here for a while. I guess that’s a good thing. Even in the Darklands, look for warmth. All in all, with the creepy harmony between the lyrics and my life, and the fact that this was written around the time I was born, I can’t help but feel the generator found the optimal time to dish this one to me. Did I like the pill? Not really. Did it make me question whether reality itself is rigged by an omnipotent mover? Maybe.
- bändi on ollut nimenä tuttu jo pitkään mutta en oo tutustunu musiikkiin - iha hyviä biisejä mut meil on niinku the cure jo
6/10
I probably didn’t listen as closely as this deserved, but it was decent brooding gothy stuff
Another new band for me, this album is buyable.
Very Bland. Not bad, just kind of forgettable
感觉像从远处传来的演唱会噪音，还是好听的
pretty similar to psychocandy. Little less abrasive, not sure if thats a bonus or a detriment. It's a cool formula.
Feels like a cross between new wave and grunge. A lot of sameness though.
your potential has been squandered
There's a lot to enjoy about this album—the production and guitar tones in particular, and I'm all about a delicate balance between new wave and garage rock. But it loses steam real fast once each song repeats the exact same chord progression.
Gut in dem, was es ist. Haut mich aber nicht vom Hocker.
Derselbe Eindruck, den ich auch live von Ihnen hatte: Angenehm langweilig.
I don't like or dislike it. Kinda boring but not annoying. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
= the Beatles
At first I found out his album very boring and repetitive, but then it just clicked. It was interesting to hear how many future bands they influenced.
This was my first Jesus and Mary Chain experience. Enjoyable listen but no singular standout.
Boring but alright I guess. Background music for an angsty sitcom scene
Я не можу виділити якийсь перелік претензій до цього альбому, але він мені чомусь не дуже подобається. Непогана музика для радіо, рок під меланхолійний настрій.
Не знаю, ніколи не фанатів.
Alternative Post-Punk Folk-Rock. Meh!
Unexpected. Like the Cure - goth undertones. Relatively mono-cadence.
Va y viene. Tiene algunos temas muy lindos y otros que decís WTF BRO PARA TRANQUILO LOCO
Top songs: Happy When It Rains April Skies
Nothing special in my opinion.
What I wished Velvet Underground ACTUALLY sounded like. Slow, deliberate, moody. Good rainy-day music, even if the heavy reverb gets old after a while. A solid 6/10.
Favorite Track: April Skies
Much better than “Psychocandy”. Still really depressing music though.
Goth pop with haunting beach boys vibes
Ok, now we're getting somewhere. I'll be honest, I HATED Psychocandy, I found the whole experience of listening to that album to just be a 40 minute wall of noise. Every aspect is so heavily distorted and doused in reverb that you can't even tell one intsteument from another. But this, this I can get behind. This feels like making actual progress in the shoegaze genre, having actually audible guitar riffs and heavy post-punk influence. I still think that for such a primitive album in its genre, a lot more improvements and refinements would come in the following years, being most evident in bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. But for its time, this is still a solid effort that solidified the groundworks for shoegaze really becoming itself.
Spooky
Average
No matter how I try to appreciate this type of music it just don't work for me so far. Even if it's well written, played and recorded. It makes me gloomy and not in a good way, not a melancholy gloom, but weariness gloom.
Never heard of these guys before but I really liked their sound. 17 year old me would’ve loved this album. This was also so pleasant to listen to compared to some of the STINKERS we’ve gotten recently. Favourite song is April skies. I will probably revisit this one in the future The instrumental on the first song sounds like "its a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now". April Skies was also my favourite. Definitely an album I would listen to again and was refreshing after a bunch of bad ones
I feel like I SHOULD like this more than I actually did honestly. It checks the theoretical boxes of other styles I typically like (morose shoegaze-y post-punk) but there's just something lacking in the execution. Some great songs to be sure, particularly Happy When it Rains and April Skies, but I think my problems are partially with recording quality (hardly any bass/low end?) and the drum machine just taking away from the overall energy of many of the tracks. The guitar work is a little too rudimentary in places as well, on some tracks it sounds nice and full but on some it just sounds thin. I think I was expected more based on what I knew of this band and was just a little let down.
“happy when it rains” & “down on me” were my favs but halfway through the album all of the songs started sounding the same 4me :c which is not bad but it’s just not my cup of tea for an album
Not a bad album by any means, but not one that I really want to revisit. It just didn't grab me at any point and I wanted to just get through it to get onto something else.
Had trouble listening: youtube wouldn't find the album or the links from here. Was still able to find a couple of songs: fond memories of the 80's!
Favourite Songs: Nine Million Rainy Days April Skies
3.5
Always a good chill vibe from The Jesus and Mary Chain but sometimes they are lacking energy. I’ve noticed sometimes I prefer their songs covered by other artists.
3.5
I started out liking it, but it got old after the first few songs for me. It was a little too much reverb-pop, probably because there wasn't really any change in style between each track. I got lost along the way a few times. I just found it kind of bland as an entire album even though I didn't think there were any bad songs on their own. I started coming around to it again toward the end, for what that's worth. As an album, it falls into the familiar category of "not bad, but not great". I'd likely enjoy the songs more individually or in small batches rather than when listening to the album as a whole. It might be one I need to revisit. For now, it gets an OK. Overall: 2.8/5
Mid
Nice and relaxed groove.
Like it
Alright.
Enjoyable, retro sound now. Probably could've got into this at the time but it passed me by. Can hear essence of bands they clearly influenced, like spiritualized who I love. Enjoyable hour and a half (deluxe version) but likely won't revisit.
This album is notable for its impact on the noise pop and shoegaze subgenres. After listening I had to play Only Happy When It Rains by Garbage
Shoegaze. I didn't really find it interesting enough to really keep my attention. I can see how she might enjoy it. Just isn't for me.
"Darklands" is the second studio album by Scottish alternative rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain. Alternative rock, post-punk and folk rock are the Wiki-listed genres. It was their first album using a drum machines after previous drummer Bobby Gillespie left to form Primal Scream. The band is brothers' Jim and William Reid. Commercially, the album reached #5 in the UK and #161 on the US Billboard 200. It also had decent reviews. The self-titled "Darklands" opens the album. Hey, a melodic guitar with no feedback and clear vocals. There's that drum machine. A heartfelt song about love and friendship. No, "Happy When It Rains" is not a Garbage cover but their own. More poppy with loud guitars. Yeah, those drums are really sounding like their next album "Automatic." Finding solace in a gloomy place. "Nine Million Rainy Days" is slower. This is a bluesy stoner song. Acoustic and Velvet Underground-esque guitars. Reed's vocals ooze dread as he sings about a toxic relationship. The first single "April Skies" is more upbeat. Drums in the forefront. Ringing melodic guitars. Good song. Another one about a toxic relationship. The album ends with a ballad "About You." Yes, a ballad. Acoustic guitar and a whispering, soft voice. This time it's more about the beauty of love. The band took a direct left turn from their feedback-drenched, drug-oriented lyrical debut album "Psychocandy." Clear vocals. Mostly clean guitars. A drum machine beat which was not quite at the loud-level of their next album "Automatic." This album has a solid bunch of songs, even a ballad. The songs are mostly about relationships. I have to admit I lean more towards their debut but this is decent and worth a listen.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Nine Million Rainy Days Right out of the gate, this album (Expanded Edition and regular) are not available on YTM, so I have to listen on YouTube thrown together by some rando on the Internet. Quality of the upload was dubious. Sucks to suck I guess. Not being able to listen to high quality audio tracks really sours my mood and probably contributes to bias. This kind of reminded me of My Bloody Valentine - the Shoegaze genre - and like, The Cure's Seventeen Seconds. Maybe Sonic Youth. I enjoyed a few songs, but it was quite samey throughout the album.
Not sure I 'get' JAMC. I gave Psychocandy a 3. I said it was nice but it put me to sleep. I liked this more than Psychocandy, it felt more earnest and melancholic. Not sure this band is really for me but they're not bad or anything, like I still enjoyed this all the way through.
I have no attachment to this, but it was perfectly fine
Maybe I just have the wrong opinion on what “shoegaze” sounds like cause I didn’t really get that vibe too much from this album compared to MBV or Slowdive or Ride. I did like the use of drum machines on this album, added a nice contrast to it! Nothing fully grabbed me tho
For the shoegaze lovers out there, this album is a nice listen to that delivers a great mood throughout. Not my cream of the crop but it does a good job at what it is.
It's okay I guess
Alright listen and I liked some songs here and there, but the album was just too mellow. I’d usually go for albums with moods like this, but there’s something about this one that I didn’t enjoy overall.
This album is pretty alright for background listening but nothing too exciting, it was just a chill experience. Overall, a bit meh, but it's definitely not bad.
Haven't given these guys much time in my rotation, so it's nice to see them show up on the list. While I can't say I loved this album, it caught my attention and will prob dig in a bit more. Thinking we may also get Physchocandy. Sounds like their live shows back in the day were...something. Just walls of sound, feedback, no emotion and peeps not knowing what was going on. Good stuff. Eff the man, man. 3.25/5
Mundane Album cover 1/5
Short, melancholic and a bit heartfelt. You can draw a straight line from this to insufferable pricks talking about In the Aeroplane Over the Sea when I was in highschool, so that might be a mark against it.
"80's music. Not bad, but nothing stands out too much on this album. Pitchfork: 7.8 Rolling Stone: Best Songs Darklands Happy When It Rains April Skies About You"
I almost drove off the road it was that dull. I'm forcing myself to give it a second listen. Huh. What an odd glow-up. Wasn't expecting a long day of work to change how music sounds but here we are. I get it now? This is no "Pump Up The Jam". This is "Closing Time". Still not a fan, but I get it. Also found it hilarious that their wiki says their shows were plagued with fights and riots. Imagining a bunch of goths getting riled up to the musical equivalent of porridge just tickles me.
With Darklands, the Jesus and Mary Chain swap out the jet-engine feedback of Psychocandy for something moodier, smoother, and—depending on your tolerance for gloom—more quietly hypnotic. The Reid brothers lean hard into their Velvet Underground fixation, trading distortion for a dusky jangle that can feel a bit samey and undynamic, yet still pulls you into its slow-motion orbit. “Darklands” sets the tone with a somber shimmer, while “Happy When It Rains” turns a downcast love song into a perverse form of pop sunshine. “April Skies” and “Cherry Came Too” keep the midtempo jangle-pop streak alive, proving the band can sound genuinely tuneful without sacrificing their trademark moodiness. And on “Nine Million Rainy Days,” those ghostly “woo-woos” drifting in the background nod to a decelerated “Sympathy for the Devil,” reminding you that even when the guitars aren’t screaming, the Jesus and Mary Chain still know how to haunt a room.
OVERALL THOUGHTS - 3.25/5 Definitely enjoyed listening to this and wouldn't be mad if someone threw this album on but I don't think I'd go out of my way to listen to it. Despite how mopey the lyrics were, there were some fun lines there! I can see where they were going with the washed out sound and I found it largely effective but it could serve to be more 'lush', it often gives it the appeal of background music rather than an all encompassing bliss. Think it's another 'they did it first but not best', I would rather listen to the stuff it inspired like MBV or Slowdive. STRAY THOUGHTS - Softer sound than I was expecting, apparently their previous album was the more proto-shoegaze sound I associate them with and they went in a more subtle approach for this record - "plug into her electric cool" - Did Garbage rip off "Happy when it rains" from them??? - They liked the rain so much they got 9 million of them! - I thought we were depressed now but they were really going through it in the 80s damn - "Life in a sack is coming back" - Rain as a motif on this album?? They would've loved Matt Reeves' 'The Batman' FAV TRACKS: April Skies, Happy When It Rains, Fall, LEAST FAV TRACKS: N/A
i buckled in and thoroughly enjoyed this ride
This one was ok, just not my favorite style of music.
I loved Psychocandy when it first came out, but for some reason this one didn’t grab me in quite the same way at the time. The obvious difference is that the feedback and distortion from the first album is now gone, but there’s still the same dark, brooding atmosphere with that resonant guitar and drums booming somewhere back in the mix. It struck me for the first time how much this now reminds me of Lou Reed (in a good way) - I hadn’t listened to him back in 83 and certainly not heard Metal Machine Music which is another obvious influence on this wee band from East Kilbride. I’ll definitely be listening to this again and sending a Time Machine back to 1987 to tell past me to give this album a chance.
Dark and moooody, just the way you like it. The Tampa Bay Lightning are not very goth, but these guys are.
Average
I liked it, but it didn't knock my socks off.
This was perfectly fine and lightly enjoyable, but also a bit dull. 3.4
Probably a better record then their first, but less cacophony and more song styling might make it less important
War anfangs langweiler synthypop aber wurde dann immer dunkler und somit auch interesanter
Darklands fena değil, sonbahar vibes deep one perfect morning, iyi girdi zayıf bitti happy when it rains + down on me, karıştı gitti çok bişe yok nine million rainy days, fena diil april skies, en ünlüsü bu ama tırt Fall, şimdilik en iyisi cherry came too, mehh on the wall, güzel
Solid
The first couple are as good as it gets. Sadly followed by 20 songs which can only be described as noise
This was fun.
Ok
It's fine, nothing special. Completely forgettable but I didn't mind listening to it
2,5/5
Nothing unique about it, but it wasn't bad.
Really really pleasant. Not usually a shoegaze/dreampop kind of guy, but they do it very well here (probably because they were some of the first to do it), and it made for a great meditative driving experience. At the end of the day it's still a pretty simple record, but I was not upset at spending 36 minutes this way. Fave tracks: - Darklands - Happy When it Rains - Down on Me - April Skies - About You
Pretty good
Now this is The Jesus and Mary Chain sound I recalled from college. Glad they turned a hard corner from that debut album of noise pollution.
slightly boring but still enjoyable
Hintergrundmusik, meiste lieder eher ruhig und dunkel
Good opener
Hometown heroes from the Land of the Free. I liked this one too. I’d rather listen to this again than a lot of this other shit.
I’d heard of the band, but had always assumed it was some sort of 60s hippie band (based on the name I guess?). Instead, to me, they sound a lot like a 2010s indie band. Kind of like Kurt Vile was going through a Springsteen phase. Really solid front to back, I’ll definitely listen again. 3.7
3.5 Good, not great, although influential to others
Ok
Good. They have an appealing and unique sound. It didn’t jump out and grab me though. A 3.
Back to the eighties. I like the vibe but it’s a bit same-y. I want to give it a four because the vibe almost carries it through. But I couldn’t remember any songs in particular so it’s not very catchy. It’s more a three and a half.
Sad 80s alternative. Meh.
Was ok. I expected it to rock harder though
I liked it but not as much as Psycho Candy
Solid, shoegaze precursor - easy listening pop
Bon mais sans plus
This is mood music more than songcraft. Big guitar space, simple progressions. It’s a short record. Easy to drift into, hard to recall after. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Darklands - Happy When It Rains - April Skies
I expected not to like this. I’ve been a fan of the dandy Warhols a long time and can see some very clear influence from TAMC on them. Liked the laid back, psych pop vibes on the more chill songs on the album. Overall I probably won’t come back to it, but I enjoyed it while I listened.
I remember the band from my old goth days. I listened to them back then, but my focus was on other bands. I quite liked the album. However, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. Maybe I'll listen to it again. 3/5
Some enjoyable tracks but not enough to justify the extended edition. Tempted at times but not quite a 4.
"Darklands" doesn't have the fame or impact of Psychocandy but still a very good album.
This thinks it’s sooooo cool.
perfectly gloomy
Another 3.5 for me. Was really getting into it until I realised songs just blended into each other.
I liked this album better than Psychocandy, but not by a whole lot. Their stuff really falls flat for me. I did enjoy "Happy When It Rains" but the rest was pretty mid. It all sounds a bit the same and bland. This is closer to a 2.5 but I'm rounding up because I didn't have quite the same visceral reaction that I did for their other album on this list.
Liked it!! Liked Darklands and Nine Million Rainy Days
Ok. I love the jesus and Mary chain. But i ain’t listening to the same song 33 FUCKING TIMES HOW MUCH DOES CANDY HAVE TO TALK SHUT UP AHUT UP AHUT UP SHUT UP (respectfully, I’ve seen them live and everything. love the band, but Christ, it’s so tiring)
3.5
I thought I loved the Jesus and Marty Chain (or "Jesus and the Mary Chain" to the agony of a friend) more than I do. Sure it ticks the boxes for me... I like New Wave and a bit of dream pop. shoegaze, whatever this is. The sound is great, and filmic. But this does not move me at all, it's mostly really nice background music and too poppy. But they were influential, I was going to give it a 4, but listening to this, at face value, in 2025, it's a 3 for me.
This clearly influenced Britpop, so I definitely enjoyed it.
Good enough
Fairly good shoegaze
Since I had the impression that shoegaze was difficult to get into, Darklands was my first real listen, and it turned out to be much more to my taste than I expected. The famous “April Skies” stood out, but I also like “Nine Million Rainy Days.” Then I listened to Psychocandy, and it was a real shock—truly noisy. I prefer Psychocandy and can understand why Darklands might not leave as strong an impression. It’s interesting how it is so noisy yet still strangely nostalgic. I’d give Darklands 3/5 and Psychocandy 5/5.
Not as dark and brooding as I remember. Still, a very good album.
A middling album as far as I’m concerned. Definitely thought it was fine but didn’t really wow me.
A neat listen but nothing stands out too much
I'm not in love but it sounds soothing. It kind of reminds me a little of the smiths mixed with the cure or the pixies.
This album really benefits from how much I like Psycho Candy because its just more Psycho Candy.
this was mostly chill and fun, but i didn't like the beach boys impression towards the end of the album
This was fine but mostly made me want to go listen to Automatic
26/08/2025 Definitely different, Definitely okay. Never heard of them before and I doubt i will hear them again. Spotify listeners: 779.7k
songs decent. as album, boring
I mean its good. I liked listening to it, just wont revisit it again honestly. Had some good songs. Not any super memorable imo.
Great music for when you're peeling out a 20 year old cat piss stained carpet from the basement of the house you were born in. Masked up, sweating, and thriving. 3.5
Echoey pop
It was good, some I really liked but a bit samy at the end of the day. Not wheel reinventing by any means, but good
I don’t necessarily dislike JAMC, but they are a band where all of their songs, regardless of which album, sound the same. I guess they have a “sound,” as they are very easily distinguishable, but at the same time, nothing really stands out here.
A perfectly fine album with dark elements Highlights: - Happy When It Rains - Darklands - Fall
Would have been better if they let the feedback rip
great album great band
I often respect bands for trying something different. This album offers a completely new sound compared to their iconic debut, but it often fails to hit the mark. Quite a few of these songs are just straight up boring. “Fall” and “Down On Me” are pretty good, but they probably would not make a Jesus And Mary Chain top 10. The singles are passable, but not too memorable. Nothing here is terrible per se; it’s just a bit dull. A few half decent tracks, an honest attempt to shake things up and some decent rhythms make this an okay album. Thankfully, the Reid boys transform their sound again on the follow up “Automatic”, easily one of the best British rock albums ever recorded, so I can forgive this misstep.
It was fine. Nothing standout.
OK
Enjoyable quick listen, album flows well and I enjoyed the vocal style with the instrumentation, set a very 80s/90s tone in a good way
3
Fine but immediately forgettable
Every one of these songs is some alt kids dream "last song" in an 80's prom, but they never played it. It was always simple minds there
Not a bad album, I could forget it, but I certainly would like having any of it appear again out in the wild. April Skies does hit the mood of that era and genre so well. It's got this hazy 80s ambiguous rock vibe that would be fitting for a movie soundtrack. It did make me wonder... when will Guns N Roses be coming up... because it MUST be on the list. Turns out Appetite for Destruction was released the same year as Darklands.
Fine not amazing
I liked it overall, but got pretty bored halfway through.
this album is what happens when a band that used to sound like static and breakdowns decides to get a grip and put on clean clothes. unfortunately, i liked them better when they were a little feral and possibly unwell. not that the album is bad, because it's not. it’s kind of beautiful. the melodies are clear now, and the lyrics spiral softly instead of screaming. there's melancholy here, romanticism, a weird little longing that’s almost sweet. i get why people love it.. it’s introspective, restrained, and full of moments that ache in that soft, poetic way. but for me? it never quite unravels. and if you’re gonna make me feel something, i want it to leave a mark.
Solid 80s alternative rock album. Great guitar tone.
# Album Name: Darklands # Artist: The Jesus And Mary Chain # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Honestly, this album just passed me by. Very average. Very forgettable. Thankfully, it didnt pierce my eardrums. # Top Tunes: No idea # Would I listen to it again? No
Nothing really exceptional, but musically sounded alright. The vibe was brooding (I mean, there's a song literally titled Nine Million Rainy Days. WE GET IT GUYS!) which is not what I really want on a Friday. It picked up some steam at the end, but not much to change my opinion. Low 3.
Only songs that stood out were April Skies and On the Wall. Otherwise this one has mostly washed over me without grand effect. It makes for some nice background music if nothing else. Fine enough 3 in my book.
This one was a music album for sure. Not a single thing stood out about this album. There were some moans and groans which was noticeable.
Kind of reminded me of a slowed down Dandy Warhols maybe? Overall not too bad for me.
Softer than I remember, sounded good.
6/10 Evokes no emotion.
Good album to chill to
Joseph could’ve made this more interesting (2.5/5)
Was very good background music, and pretty decent pay-attention music. Rock, 80’s rock. I enjoyed it.
guter alternative rock, mit etwas wenig ecken und kanten. aber geht.
This album kind of foreshadows the grunge movement in a lot of ways, with the some of the darker themes you see in Soundgarden, Nirvina and Alice in Chains. It doesn't have the heaviness or energy though--this is pretty depressing. That doesn't mean it's bad, some of the songwriting is pretty good. I just don't think I'd listen to this a bunch.
More droney 80s nightclub music
It was okay. Nothing great, nothing bad.
I was expecting something I wouldn't like but, while it's not the sort of music that I gravitate towards, it wasn't without merit. As with a lot of albums of genres that I don't usually listen to, there were no standout tracks that made me sit up etc. It was all just a bit monotonous.
Honestly just felt like another Jesus and may chain album. I'm a bit of a fan of them but I didn't find anything better about this album than others
Quite enjoyable, but nothing outstanding
Ah sweet. A huge name I've not really listened to. Expecting something solid. Solid seems absolutely right. Really nice relaxed feel. Cool songwriting, nice diatonic feeling chord progressions. Tones are reverby in a really interesting way. I feel like this sound has been appropriated for some lukewarm indie that I really don't like but the cool feel here reassures me that's not what's happening here. Bass sound in particular feels like it has been used elsewhere for evil. About you has an interesting quirk on Spotify. I wonder if it's part of the track on all formats? Seems like the first 0.2 seconds of the track has been put at the end. Like a chill ramones.
It's fine. It's the noise rock/indie rock type of album.
I never really knew the Jesus and Mary Chain. It sounds like other 80's bands: Cure, U2, etc. The sound is OK but none of the songs hook me.
Like MBV if they traded in some of their wall of sound esthetic for a little more pop sensibility. I think there's legit arguments for that being both a positive and negative. For me, this was a good, solid, enjoyable album that never really grabbed me and convinced me of it's greatness.
This exercise has been interesting for illuminating influences in music that's (somewhat) more recent - e.g. Bowie on Janelle Monae, Kate Bush on a lot of contemporary women artists, the Beatles and every British rock band in the 70s. I knew Velvet Underground had influenced a *lot* of bands, but it was hard to hear Jesus & Mary Chain without constantly thinking of Lou Reed's droning, heroin-spaced-out style (and I mean that in the best way.) This might have ultimately also been a little too influenced by my bloody valentine as well, because it mostly droned over me. Not unpleasant but despite multiple listens, it's just not really sticking.
Very cool, haven’t heard it before.
Moody. Will listen again
oh, these guys again? okay. a plus side to this album is that it's not under layers of static, which is pretty refreshing. despite the clearer sound, it's pretty identical to the last one i've heard. mumbly drawled vocals, very fuzzy and with that typical echoey "alt" 80s sound... at this point i have to wonder why there's so many of this dreamy, weird groaning alt new wave "jangle" slop on this list. it's not a genre for me at all. sorry.
Blahhhh it didn’t sound bad it sounded like nothing
Not bad. One of those late 80’s early 90’s bridge albums that doesn’t quite fully fit into either decade’s style. I can see this being well known among record store clerks and with the “cool kids” who smoke cigarettes and hate anything popular. 3.5 ⭐️
Not great...but not bad. Truly middle of the road for me. 2.5 rounding up because I would listen again.
Evolutionary biology does not enjoy popular opinion. Popular opinion does terrible things to necessarily complicated ideas. It clings to linearities, teleologies and binaries; it isn’t that popular opinion makes of a mountain a molehill, but that it fails to care about the beauty in either phenomena. Evolutionary biology is always asking you to think rhizome. Neat visualisations of apes picking up their dragging knuckles and walking toward a good posture are, flatly, the preserve of imbeciles. Life doesn’t sit on tracks. Life is a tangle of roots moving in every direction all at once. Life is perfection snatched at, momentarily gained, then lost in however long it takes to be lifted from the ground, carried high and then dashed against the rocks by a somehow now slightly faster predator. Life is brutal and always, always taking something from you. Evolutionary biology thinks a concept like the “missing link” is a naïve fiction suitable only for soothing the contemptuously loud and dangerously inept. And it’s for that reason that I’ll say that Darklands is the transitional fossil linking The Velvet Underground and the Stone Roses. I will say that while such evidence of evolution is clear and obvious, the extent to which it branches out – every direction all at once – can be fiendishly difficult to pinpoint. And I will say that the high cost of the taxes we pay to time is something TJAMC seems to understand in their very marrow. What might sound like a bit of jangly guitar and some whimpered vocals is, if you look at it within its full historical context, really a sort of musical Archaeopteryx. A complex word for a complex thing. And while it’s unlikely that TJAMC and a bird-like dinosaur from 150 million years ago ever crossed paths, I’d be willing to bet that if they did there’d be mutual respect flowing in every direction. Shame that popular opinion can’t keep up; but then again, life is brutal.
Strummy! Much respect.
Meh
Enjoyable. Would benefit from multiple listens. Work from home.
Average 90s fare. Worth a listen or two.
Enjoyed it. Standout songs: Deep one perfect morning Nine million rainy days
J’ai aucun souvenir de l’album, seulement un arrière goût pas déplaisant. 🚨Clément, j’ai répondu à ton message sur ma critique d’Hunky Dory!🚨
Never heard of this band. I liked it! No particular songs stood out good or bad, nice vibe throughout. Listened while driving which was great.
I don't remember thinking much of this back in the day, but I actually quite liked it this go around. Nice little post new wavy rock thing.
Solid album. A bit too downtempo and ultimately monotonous across the full album, but still a good listen. The title track was my standout here.
This was solid rock. It was a little "dark" for me at times. A little grim if that makes sense. Not bad tho. There are some solid tracks here. I LOVE the guitar tone. The vocalist tends to drone on and on tho. Liked Songs: "Deep One Perfect Morning" , "Happy When it Rains" , "Down on Me" , "April Skies" , "Fall" , "On The Wall"
Darklands is everything that Psychocandy should have been. I always thought that Psychocandy had some pretty good sounding guitars and melodies but that album was mainly held back due to it's very poor production but this album fixes that exact issue. Gone are the awful ringing noises while this album still has the guitars and melodies i liked from the prior album. This album obviously is not perfect, it's generic nature does kinda make the songs feel a little sluggish but i never thought that the songs were bad. This album still is an enjoyable listen and is quite a massive step up from Psychocandy. Best Song: Happy When It Rains Worst Song: Darklands
Great record and great songs.
Honestly? Was pretty bored. But this is the problem with rushing day by day . This of the kind of album that I'd probably love with many multiple listens. Maybe. So it can have a 3 but I found little i enjoyed first time.
Not sure it will crack my regular rotation but good intro to a band I had heard about but never listened to. April Skies is a standout.
Needs more listens, but can see how 90's indie bands would have been influenced by this
There's some highlights here and there for me but I'm not too crazy about The Jesus and Mary Chain sound or song structure. Reminds me of when I listened to that dark moody gothic vibe on Pornography by the cure. And I get the aesthetic is there, but it just feels watered down, and far more repetitive. Like a depressed Bruce Springsteen. Idk, not a bad album by any means, but I'd rather listen to other artists in this field like the cure, the smiths, new order or whoever else. Also it gets bonus points because the album cover is so sick
Good but the sound was a little repetitive.
The first track reminded me a bit of U2 (not a compliment) but it grew on me a little from there. I don't think I'd listen to it again, but it was ok,
While I am familiar with this band (and have seen them live) it's the first time I have listened to one of their albums in detail. I was surprised by the convergent evolution (I guess) with Brian Jonestown Massacre in this album, especially songs such as Ninety Million Rainy Days - hadn't picked that before.
Nothing stood out to me. If you told AI to make an 80s album this would be it. But maybe because it’s iconic and created the 80s sound?
Фоном слушается, в принципе, нормально, спокойный такой рок (иногда даже слишком). Несколько однообразно и монотонно, правда и ни одна песня не цепляет, если вслушиваться. Поэтому только 5,5 из 10.
Enjoyed this actually. To my surprise
What a name for a band. This was alright
This is nice. Not very catchy, but a pleasant listen.
Very not what I was expecting
boooorrringggg
Meh
30 seconds in I thought, ‘this sounds like Primal Scream’. Then I found out Bobby Gillespie used to be in The Jesus and Mary Chain and thought it made sense. Then I found out that he was the drummer in JMC and actually left before this album. So who knows. I guess he just sings a lot like Jim Reid. Quite enjoyed this a few times but I can also take it out of rotation now and probably won’t really miss it. I liked the vibe without actually getting attached to any of the songs in particular.
the jesus and mary chain is a hard ass name for a shoegaze band. Too bad this is just another alt rock album, albeit a good one. why is this even listed as shoegaze??? This album is good but their previous album psychocandy is so much better and far more interesting. This such a downgrade
Very nice. All sounded like different versions of "Head On".
Lekker hoor!
Grunge precursor in many ways. I don't enjoy it as much as the music that it inspired later, but it isn't bad.
Sad indie rock that wasn’t really doing much for me.
Mixed bag on this album for me. While I like the album as a whole, it's not something that I go back to and say, this is amazing. Actually, I like their 21 Hits compilation better, it's got more stuff that I like on it. This is a good album though and deserves to be on this list. 3.25/5
I like a lot of parts of this album and I really don't like a lot of parts of this album.
3.4
3 stars
Good album. Seems to be a pretty typical album for the time.
Feel good pop, pretty good, nothing really to say about this as there’s nothing crazy unique about this or anything, although I will say this seems a bit ahead of this time, it feels like something from the 90’s like Cocteau twins but it comes a few years before which is cool. Standouts for me are pretty much the singles and the fall.
Decent new wave, slightly boring
Oddly enough, when this one popped up, I realized it was never a go-to for me. It's in the exact spot that triggers me to daydream. It's not bad, but it means I never really hear the songs. I think it's the vocals that are often soft and airy.
Not too bad
Bueno
Really enjoyed this one. Those late 1980s UK bands like J&MC that followed the Smiths and The Cure and others really carried the sound into the 1990s. 3.75
I feel like it's the same song written 10 times
Another alright album Musically, it was fine. It sounded familiar in parts - probably heard a song on an advert or something. Nothing to write home about Sadly sounded like a lot of other albums I've heard on here so far. Nothing unique or memorable for me personally 3 ⭐️
Pretty good. 80s production both helped and hurt the album. Very goth and gloomy. It was alright.
I had never listened to this before. It was basically what I thought. I didn’t mind it.
okay, yeah
One of the things I love about this project is trying to understand why I like the music I do. What things are universally good, and what things are subjectively good just to me? I still can't quite work it out. Why did I enjoy this album more than the other alt-rock albums I've had to listen to? Is it slightly more crisp? Is the singing slightly more melodic? Did it just feel a bit less whiny? I don't know, but I'm enjoying the process of working it out. 3.5/5 stars.
there are some pretty decent moments on here, but overall, i was pretty unimpressed. to be clear, there was nothing truly awful here. mostly just too dull for me. no real highs, no real lows. very in the middle. the highlight to me was 'down on me' which i thought was a fun song that reminded me a little bit of the replacements. but otherwise, not much going on here for me.
The descriptions calling this post punk, shoegaze etc had me expecting something much noisier but it's more an indie rock/power pop style. The guitars are a bit shoegazy at moments, like on Nine Million Rainy Days A bit morose and moody but in an easygoing kind of way. Nice as some chilled out background music. Full of nice vocal harmonies and guitar hooks I can imagine this being really nice on a rainy day, which makes sense since they're from East Kilbride 3.5 Highlights: Down On Me, Fall, Nine Million Rainy Days
Yeah, ok.
7/10. Would play this while driving alone at night. Dated but interesting
Chill
какой-то скучнолэндс, вроде вайб присутствует но я почему-то потяжелее ожидала звучания
It took me three listens to really understand what made this album/group unique. Great, deep vocals, and some interesting song structures and hooks. Some of the songs are pretty basic and uninteresting, and generally this album sounds like more of a 'vibe', but not bad. 3/5
Energetic but not too energetic. When the guitars get going, the sound gets richer, the feel gets going, the album gets going. Drags with the endless rain--we get it. Not quite enough variety to the rain. When they depart from it, they kick.
Some songs sounded too similar for me to rate any higher even though I somewhat enjoyed it
i might just not get it but i didnt like it as much as some people on here.
This reminded me of high school, but at the same time, I haven't listened to it since high school, so I'm not sure that it was all that revolutionary that it needed to be listened to people before they die. It's a good example of late 80s alternative, but as with a lot of music of that era, it's a bit repetitive and thematically one-note. Good for the era, but nothing I'm seeking out on the reg.
Mid 3
Good stuff!
They are like the sad stone roses. Too many songs that sound the same. Overall good sound and some good songs
Its just Ok nothing special I can point out.
Gorgeous sound on this album.
Lækre sange, selvom jeg foretrækker deres debut som er lidt samme slags sange bare med meget mere støj
Cool sounding album. Love the style.
2.5 really
чилловый
Good stuff from a good era. I'm in.
Really surprised me how much I enjoyed this album. I had never heard of JMC previously, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I had read some reviews comparing them to the Cure or Joy Division, who don't get me wrong, I love a song or two, but couldn't really face into listening to a whole album. The opener is really strong, sort of familiar? I don't know enough about JMC if they were influencers or the influenced but either way, great opening track. Only reason for the 3 (maybe a 3.5 but, I'm gonna round down) is that based on my own rating system, I can't see myself revisiting the whole album on a regular basis but still a few songs will definitely make their way into my rotation again.
Sounds like a mixture between "Sisters Of Mercy" and "Travis" to me😉 Nice listen but I´m missing at least one banger.
This sad boi music is trynna gaslight me into thinking its happy
This was pretty good. Haven't listened to this band much but they aren't bad.
First track is good with all the duh duh duhs Album got better with every listen tbh. It was a lot more hopeful and happy that I thought it would be. Started off scratching a 3 but definitely on the higher of the 3s for me now
Enjoyed this ...remember their name from back in the day but none of their music. Trippy and relaxing... Good background music when you're trying to work. Not good enough to warrant for stars... Try harder Jesus.
Better than their first album. Jesus and Mary Chain should have been as popular as Joy Division or the Cure
I fell asleep whilst listening to this album, but I don't think it's the album's fault... in fact, I'd say the album does a lot of great things, despite abandoning the noisy elements of their first album. It has a solid alt-pop sound, and fits right in at the time of jangle innovation. It feels a bit too wishy washy at times for my taste, and that led to an album with a lot of "almosts," but I can still see the appeal as a picture of bands changing with the times, and in that aspect it isn't amazing, but it is neat.
Quedé agradablemente sorprendido con este trabajo de The Jesus and Mary Chain. Una estética oscura ejecutada de forma perfecta como una mezcla adelantada a su época entre rock gótico, shoegaze y new wave. En ciertas partes del disco puedo notar la tremenda influencia que New Order tuvo en esta agrupación, con extractos del LP sonando bastante parecido a "Brotherhood" de la banda que se desprendió de Joy Division. Recomendable, pero si me tuviera que quejar de algo es que a pesar de ser corto (con su tracklist original de 10 pistas), puede tornarse repetitivo a veces. ¿Debería estar en la lista de los mejores álbumes de todos los tiempos? Creo que sí. Pixies, una de las bandas más influyentes de finales de los '80s no podría haber encontrado su sonido sin la influencia de The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Enjoyed it, but the shocking sound of the debut has gone away.
Nice and melancholy.
Not bad. Like it better than Psychocandy
Sounds like very modern but just mid indie rock.
Not bad - very mellow and easy to have on as background music. Not really what I expected, much quieter than anticipated.
Some nice songs
Well that was a pleasant surprise! I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I might have to come back to it.
I didn't dislike it, but I don't know if it was the mood I wanted.
Liked some of this, was bored by a lot of it. I suspect it's a "grow on me" kind of album so I'll bump it up from a 2 to a 3. Wish I had more energy for a dedicated listen of it on first go, but I got a bit behind while a friend was visiting for a week and I am wanting to work on catching up so this unfortunately is just going to get the gut reaction. Who knows though, if it is a grow on me type of album like I suspect I could maybe see this being as high as a 4 for me.
not bad
Moody alt shit. Somewhere between Velvet Underground and The National. I dig it, even if it didn’t blow me away
It was pretty chill. The faster songs have a 60s sound to them, but just the right amount
I would have so hired them to play at my school's dance in 1987. Unfortunately for The Jesus and Mary Chain, I am no longer judging music by 1987 school dance standards.
slow, dark and dull rock. So many bands seem to use this mantra as a magic wand to make boringly written songs sound ”deep”. I guess it somewhat works
saw shoegaze and was expecting some smashing pumpkins-like stuff but its very popish and even though the lyrics are sad most melodies are happy, i guess its just the 80s effect... anyway not a bad album, but not impressive either
It could be a four star album with a live drummer.
I think 13 year old me would have loved this, but it's a little too of it's time for me now.
Melodic and easy to listen to but not something I'd seek out
I like the sound and feel of this album, but after 2 listens it doesn't really stick with me. I'm guessing if someone put this on one side of a long play tape for me with a Smiths album on the other side back in 1989 I would defend it to the death.
3.5
Darklands is much like the last offering we had from TJAMC, where I said it's hugely atmospheric and has some impressive guitar work and composition, but I can't get on with the vocals. Think this is better than Psychocandy but it's still a shade of 3.
This is quite a cool sound, but it never quite gets going for me. Another that ends up on the pile of influential and inspirational for better stuff that comes later, really. Definitely preferred it to the previous album, but doesn't quite take hold. 3/5.
Had only ever heard Psychocandy and I think it caught me off guard that this sounds like.. the Smiths? Velvet Underground? It’s a solid alt rock album with good vibes but did not meet my expectations fully I’d have to say.
Not particularly inspired by this but enjoyed it still!
as a guy with a newly broken heart this was not fun to listen to
They were fine.
This was an interesting listen. I didn't love it, but it had some cool sounds and was pleasant enough in the background. Three stars.
This album is as dull as a Sunday Catholic mass. The livelier songs sounded overproduction.
It's not bad-bad but it's pretty boring 2.5
Somber sound but with a groove. 80s rock isn’t my thing usually, but because this has a darker vibe to it, I can dig it. I’d revisit this one.
Scottish rock band - 80s shoegaze, noise-pop. It ain't bad, just ain't my bag
J'ai clairement plus aimé que l'autre que j'ai eu, mais il faudrait vraiment que je redonne une chance à ce band et l'autre album considérant l'impact de ce band sur la scène shoegaze. Généralement j'ai trouvé ça s'écoutait bien, meilleure production que sur l'autre, plus de variété de son. 7/10
Plenty of rainy-day gloom within this album. Despite being released in 1987, Darklands would certainly fit the mid-90s sound. While this album is seemingly innovative, my ears are so accustomed to the various grunge and alternative bands of the 90s, that this record unfortunately sounds like a pale imitation of them. This is not to say that Darklands was a tortuous listen, though. This record still carries the dark and carefree spirit of post-punk, and a song like “Fall” demonstrates this. Overall, this album merits a 3.5.
Good goth
Haven't listened to much of this band's music before although I knew of them. I enjoyed it. Good guitar sounds throughout, good vocals. Worth a listen
Calm, soft, chill, and with some nice harmonies to top it off. This record was a bit of a sleeper but in a good way. Good vocals, solid production, and some decent lyrics. At some points I felt it was a bit too calm and soft that it got a little boring but not to the point that I'd just fall asleep. Very good background music if imma keep it a buck. Would listen again tbh. Best - Happy When It Rains, April Skies, and About You (MPF) Worse - No bad songs 3.25-3.50/5
Ég hafðu aldrei heyrt um þetta band áður en ég hlustaði á þessa plötu og þótt bandið og tónlistin sé mjög ljúf og þægileg áheyrnar þá mun þessi hljómsveit fljótt falla í gleymsku meðalmennskunnar
Ganske ait 3.5
It's not bad. Not great either.
Okay this is something different than the last one. Much much more gentle and approachable. Maybe too much so. But I'm nodding my head at some of this and it's all quite nice. Not great, but good.
Overall pretty good, but a little forgettable. I found myself having to listen a few times just to remember most of the songs. I liked "Happy When it Rains" and "Fall"
I didn’t give them enough credit back when I got Psychocandy. Good stuff that fits a mood. Probably would give a 3.5. Favorite songs are Darklands, Happy When It Rains, and April Skies.