Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Acceptable alt rock. Interesting to see the use of a drum machine because their old drummer left to form a different influential band.
They have a great sound. If I try to find and listen to the extended version, I'd live forever!
Nice and sad
Re escuchar
Quite pleasant. For some reason I always thought they were heavy. The name sounds heavy?
Pretty nice sounding. Not super exciting or anything but just solidly pleasant to listen to.
The last album we listened to this band (Psychocandy) was so drenched in feedback I couldn't hear anything. Fortunately this album is less atonal. Maybe since this was the second album? I don't know. Still, it's a step up. There's that jangly guitar on a lot of the songs, though. Ugh. Vocal range for a lot of the songs is not much, a slightly more melodic Lou Reed? Again, not saying much there. So yeah, it's better, but I was hoping for a little bit more range in the vocals, and I am not hearing it there.
I thought this was going to be better. In reviewing their debut album I noted how later albums like this one were less abrasive. But listening to it in full, it's missing an edge or uniqueness. I don't need all the feedback and experimentation from their debut album but this album feels a bit average. I know it's a link between shoegaze and grunge alternative but I think there are better or more ambitious versions of that to put on this list (Catherine Wheel maybe?). I don't dislike the album and its three singles / more popular songs (title track, Happy When it Rains, April Skies) are still solid, but nothing really to write home about.
Doesn't quite resonate with me in the same way Psychocandy does, but it's a good moody album
A bit more nothing than I was hoping for. A pretty perfect three. My favourite song was About You.
3.5
I listened a bit and it was fine. probably worth listening some more
Very atmospheric and anthemic in a compellingly-low-energy kind of way. But the singing and drums do get a bit boring sometimes
Meh.
LAright listen
This album wasn’t bad but it wasn’t mind blowing either. Just felt bland in every song. This is the type of music that I would put as background noise while I’m doing something. It didn’t catch my attention in anyway. But they did good with the whole vibe they wanted to create.
Bit too dark and brooding for me. But was different to what I was expecting.
Had a listen at volume and it’s OK.
Atmospheric Rock music clearly inspired by the Velvet Underground and New Wave music. While not the most original or unique sound, it is a valid representation of the genre and style.
Couldn't get through the whole album, not my bag of chips. I can definitely hear how it influenced the sound of early 90s alt rock though so that's neat
Enjoyed it; really moody and laid back album with lush intrumentals.
this was cool. darklands was a fitting title, it had a nice dark vibe, i liked the moodiness and the parts that were noisier. cool album art april skies was prob the most catchy but i did like the sound on some of the others, like happy when it rains and fall
This album starts off really boring in a way that the corny-wanna-be-loud-but-failing-at-it 1980s was, but about halfway through the groove seems to change and before one knows it, they are on a second listening. The sound starts to capture the classic hangout films of the decade, where now the album earns it place as a wonderful backdrop to work, or just easy listening. Sure, there is nothing mind-blowing here, but what there is, is what became an album worth listening to at least twice and being okay with that.
Not bad, very listenable. Bit slow
Sort of easy listening soft rock. Fine as background music, the sort of thing you would hear in fashion boutiques or trendy wine bars, but not something to actually sit and listen to, nor something to sing along to. Some of the music as highly reminiscent of other better known songs, but only reminiscent. Painless and, for me, uninspiring
this album's genres are hard to pin down. punk always has a very distinct sound, so even though this album isn't pure punk, that comes to the forefront for me. despite the punk, darklands is very easy to listen to--i'd go so far to call it charming. there's just a general rock/pop vibe. "cherry came too" has such a sixties pop sound, similar to the beach boys. the jesus and mary chain explored and pushes genres, and it made for an enjoyable listen. 3.5
I enjoyed this
Sometimes it is a good album sometimes it is a bad album
Similar to a few other albums, I had never heard this album or this band, but it still feels nostalgic as sounds of my childhood. It's like gunge pop? In the late 80s and early 90s it was cool to do less and not try. This sounds a bit like that. Also, the song Darklands sounds very similar the David Bowie song Heroes.
3.75
Meh. Wouldn't immediately turn off if playing in the background. Pleasant sound but completely forgettable. Would watch their amphetamine-fuelled backs for 20 minutes. Extra points for About You. Many negative points for god-awful rhyming.
Eh
Cool
Hm. I think I miss the grinding. I found this kind of boring and generic. (Sorry.)
After PsychoCandy I had no desire to hear another Jesus and Mary Chain album again. I was not happy to see this appear. On the plus side, it seems like they were able to record during the machine shop’s off-hours to avoid most of the horrific grinding and screeching that drowned out the music on the preceding album. Now that I could better hear them, these tunes have a sort of dark beach vibe to them. Some of them were downright catchy. There were a few highlights but it also seemed a bit drab for me. Much improved, but still not enough to make a love connection.
i liked the sound and it was a pleasant listen, I will not be revisiting 6/10
Melancholy rock sound.
C'etait sans surprise un album dénué d'intérêt. Petit point sur l'avancée du projet JBL. Je vous rapelle que j'ai pour projet d'installer une enceinte de 4 mètres par 3 dans les locaux de mon entreprise, et ce juste derrière mon poste de travail. Après de longues négociations, le projet a finallement été accepté par mon manager. Les premieres mousses acoustiques ont été posées hier dans la journée, et j'attends aujourd'hui l'arrivée de deux énormes basses de 2 mètres de diamètre.
I don't know, not a bad listen. Didn't blow my skirt up or anything. Wasn't objectionable either.
minne ein del om galaxie 500, ganske nice
Wish I’d known about this rock-band-with-drum-machine when forming one with Simon & friends back in the day! As for now, a pleasant enough listen but nothing to bring me back for more.
I was a big fan of their debut album, Psychocandy (1985). I loved their use of feedback. I remember a friend visiting me while I was playing that album on a portable cassette player and advising me “why don’t you tune that radio properly?” For a while they could do no wrong. Darklands was what would have in 1987 been called their very difficult second album. Never easy to follow a classic release. It never thrilled me like Psychocandy did. Not sure how much that had to do with the replacement of their drummer with a drum machine (one of the 80’s notable scourges), but it probably didn’t help. It’s still a good listen. I always liked April Skies.
A pretty good, more mature and certainly more restrained album than Psychocandy. But, for me, it doesn't have the visceral thrill of their amazing debut album.
They were ok. Typical 80’s not a bad album, just uneventful for me.
It was okay
Not bad, in fact very enjoyable. Never really listened to TJAMC, I might revisit them in the future. First Listen?: Y Fav. Tracks: Deep One Perfect Morning, Happy When It Rains, April Skies Rating: 3.3/5
Another day, another average album
pretty mid ngl
How dull. It seems to move in the same circles as things I would like and the sound is reasonably ‘clean’ (last album by them was a real mess) but it’s all a bit miserable. The Smiths auto played after this finished and felt much more fresh and uplifting - which is really saying something.
first listen sleeeeeepy
Nice songs, cool sound, but nothing really stood out 3.5/5
Just a plain average album. Not bad but nothing really stood out in any way
Not the worst 80s music I've listened to, but certainly not the best. Overall, I would say it's average, kind of boring.
I really enjoyed this album. I wasn’t familiar with The Jesus And The Mary Chain. Dig that velvet underground vibe. Jim Reid has a cool playlist of his current favorites on Spotify.
Much more pleasant than I was expecting from the reviews of ear splitting squalling feedback at Jesus & Mary Chain gigs in their early days. I remember the April Skies single quite fondly against the usual pop trash of Top of the Pops and the UK top 40 charts. Interesting to see where Bobbie Gillespie has been influenced with his more laid back guitar-led songs. I’m not a converted fan, but the album is ok indie jangly guitar music that’s not so heavyweight.
As the sweat pours from my brow due to raving along to this for the past hour, I find myself very, very excited. I haven't felt this way since I lived on a farm in North Yorkshire with my good friends Mickey the Paedo and Brian Bracewell-Richards. We had a lot of farming adventures involving animals and ploughing. We ploughed animals. We had sex with farmyard animals. Every day. For 13 years.
Bit dark and deep, enjoyed it more than most rock - 3.3
+++
Interesting sound and very moody. I feel like this album would benefit from repeated listens and I feel I'd enjoy it more if I were able to pay more attention to it (Doesn't feel suited to a background album). Nice variety in sounds throughout surprisingly.
Eh, felt a bit like it missing something. Songs are fine but nothing too catchy and memorable.
Didn't really catch my full attention but it was some fine melodic post-punk.
Quite a pleasant album to listen to. Quite liked the softness, but not boringness of it. Wasn't blown away though. Contemplating between 3 and 4, veering slightly more to a 3 at the moment.
This was pretty good, but overall it just didn't really grab me. I might revisit it in the future, but for now it gets 3 stars.
Era molt difícil definir una continuació d'un disc com 'Psychocandy'. Els anglesos ho van fer de forma intel.ligent, canviant de concepte, mantenint l'actitud, però amb unes cançons més accessibles, tot i conservant l'essència de la banda. Part de la màgia es va perdre, però el disc és digne i va mantenir a la banda en primera línia
it’s aight
Not that bad
Not bad, not great, really just makes me want to hear the Head On cover...
pretty cool
Good
A pleasant album. Not much else to add, just that I enjoyed listening to it
Drudge drudge drudgey
My friend in high school had a weird obsession with this band and would basically never stop listening to them. I thought they were ok then and ok now.
Solid, betri en ég átti von á. Fengi 3.5 ef það væri hægt en slefar ekki upp í fjarkann hjá mér
I'm a fan of the dark environment they create in their music. Sometimes you need a little darkness in your life, and this one hits the spot.
I had heard of them, but don't remember hearing their music. This album was released when I was in college, so I probably did hear some tracks given the band's college-radio-friendly sound (that's not meant as an insult; just reminds me of the music I'd hear back then on college radio stations). Not only am I glad I got to hear them, but it's also cool to learn things like this band is primarily a pair of brothers from Scotland. I like Jim Reid's guitar playing, especially when he plays clean - sounds like a Tele to me, and I love clean Tele sounds (not so much chicken-picking, but arpeggios and melody lines), but honestly, I'm way too much a beginner to really know; I'm just going with what's familiar to me. I mostly love that he doesn't overdo it on his guitar. The restraint is admirable and totally enhances the atmosphere of the music. Truly nails it. They write very well. Nice sense of melody, good balance of light and dark, and smart use of harmony. Not so broody and moody that they sound like tons of other broody and moody 80s and 90s bands, but enough dark texture to draw my ear's interest. Some of the songs get downright experimental, and if the whole album were like those tracks I doubt I'd like it so much, but I hear it as part of the overall feel and it's fine with me. I really like this album. So glad I was introduced to it!
Decent vibes
A rare 80's pop rock album that isn't incredibly dated. It's also not super memorable in any way. Best track: Darklands
It was ok. Not as bad as expected
3.5/5 This one is more accessible then the other album I rated. The sound trough out the album stays somewhat the same, but it’s good. Favourite songs: - Darklands - April skies
3,5; classic and smooth rocking, great guitars, nice vocals, I enjoyed it very much
some good melodic tunes, too long and too many songs sound the same.
This album was short and sweet and captured some of the essence of J&MC. "April Skies" is a standout, but the overall tone, earnestness, and emotion of the album is strong. Yes it's a bit mopey and emo, but what do you expect?
Ну неплохо так, задорно
pretty forgettable
I remember seeing The Jesus and Mary Chains at Loopaloza 1992. They were a middle of the day act and I believe Ministry came on after them. They had a much more edgier style which makes since with this album being their second release and in the 80's still. I was not in love with the first few songs of this album but started to feel more like the band I saw as we got past song number 10. Not a bad album but I think that out of their whole catalog there may have been a better representation of the band.
Reminds me of velvet underground but not as good
De va swag!!
Pleasant soft noise pop tunes
Kinda swag... men galninggodis ärbättre
This is absolutely decent. But I really can't wrap my head around what could make this album relevant enough to warrant inclusion on the list.
7/10
Boring but not bad.
A solid proto-shoegaze LP filled with lush chord vamps and looming vocals. Spoiled this one a bit by knowing J&MC's later work - this album does feel a bit stuck in second gear when every song is centered at the ~90 bpm mark, especially when this band can really crank it out on uptempo tracks.
I used to listen to this band and had one of their albums back in the day. I probably would not have ever looked them up to listen again. Not that I disliked them. They were a product of their time and were influenced by 60s and 70s rock and roll as well as late 70s punk. They produced a decent sound and generated some excitement but not enough to get to the next level.
Huge Rolling Blackouts vibes from track one and then scattered throughout.
I really dig this, totally a vibe. Will have to check out more of their stuff.
A pretty decent alt rock album. Never listened to this band before but their sound wasn’t too unfamiliar. Their choruses were pretty good on some of the up best songs. The lyrics are a bit deeper and darker. Some of the songs felt a bit too melancholy and gothic but overall it had songs I’d listen to again. 6.4/10
A bit of a surprise that this album is from 1987. It clearly was early and/or inspirational for some of the 90s sound. Shoegaze is an appropriate category.
JAMC resonoi kyllä vahvasti oman musamaun kanssa ja tälläkin levyllä parhaat biisit ihan huikeita. Kuitenkin n. puolet vähän heikompaa.
ok
Rock alternativo.
Solid alt rock.
Nothing particularly exciting but enjoyable
It was pretty boring. Enjoyable enough to not skip but having it on in the background nothing really stood out and made me stop and think about it.
I was waiting for something exciting to happen on this album and it never did. I certainly didn’t mind listening to it, I don’t think I’d go back to the whole album though. Darklands was good and finished up nicely with About You.
Pop tranquilo. Pocos acordes. Tranquilo de escuchar. Buena voz. Muy de la década de los 80.
Not quite fun for all the family. I never quite figured out the fuss about JaMC in the "mature" music press back in the day. Older and "mature" myself now, I sort of get it. Sort of.
Brings me back to high school. Not the greatest album but I enjoyed listening to it.
3.5. Pretty good.
Certainly a lot better sound than one that I was imagining, quite pleasant to listen to. I certainly hear overtones of the Beach Boys in some of the tracks which came as a bit of surprise. One I would possibly listen to again
3.5/5. I mean, it’s a vibe I guess but they didn’t have to make Just Like Honey every song
pretty good introduction to new wave/post punk.
Inevitablemente surge la comparacion con psychocandy y queda claro que se nutre de ese, sin embargo, este es mucho mas pop sin dejar de ser oscuro, como seria de esperar
Decent album. Bloody loud live!
Another unknown, and another cool album. It's similar in spirit to the two '80s alt rock albums that we started this week with, but it feels more refined. I enjoy the singing more on here and some great melodies. I swear I've heard "On the Wall" before, but it may just have been a similar tune. This one was really enjoyable. Favorite tracks: Darklands, Happy When it Rains, April Skies, On the Wall. Album art: Really solid framing/text, and the picture is decent. Not super memorable but I like this one. 3.5/5
Doesn't hit the heights of Psychocandy for me.
It was ok. I enjoyed the original release tracks more than the 2011 expanded additions. Stand out track: Happy When It Rains
New wave 80s, not impressed.
Dreary and Moany. Interestingly enough, while that usually strikes me strongly, this one missed me to some extent.
When you listen to this you realise how influential they have been. So many bands today, especially American indie bands, Sound like The Jesus and Mary Chain. Enjoyed this album.
No, this is not doing it for me. Wouldn't mind having it playing in the background, but it sounds lethargic at times and overall leaves me cold.
Sleepy, sparse, and subdued. Short, I was surprised when it was over. Has that 80s/90s production that I hate, where everything sounds like it was recorded in a tunnel. I like the ideas, but there's nothing I'm crazy about here. Favorite tracks: "Nine Million Rainy Days", "Fall"
Not very memorable
Slow, sad 80s. It was fine, not my favorite.
Not a massive fan but it ain't bad
Feels like one continuous song called "Rainy Day" and It's one really nice day :) Nothing special imo, but at least it's not punk
An album with a proper start middle and finish. Came to love the Jesus and Mary Chain in the last few years bug never got to hear it when its contrast to Kylie and Jasons shite was the mainstay of popular music in the UK
Pleasant enough to listen to, but monotonous in some ways and somewhat simplistic, laid back, but just kind of average
When I was a naive, church-going 13 year old, I thought this band and The Jesus Lizard were probably satanic. They seemed way more out of reach than Metallica or Slayer to me. Pretty funny to find out they're pretty much just dark pop. There isn't a standout to me on this album, but I do like listening to all of these.
I’ve always wanted to like this band because they are undeniably cool. The music itself though… I could kind of take or leave. In hindsight, I feel as if I should have listened to it much louder than I did. Suspect it would make a greater impact. Also, I saw them live at Lolapalooza the same year as the Chili Peppers. They played at like 3 in the afternoon which felt wrong on every possible level.
30th September 2021 Listened in the morning while getting ready for work which I'm finding is the best time to listen to these. I knew GMC from just like honey and thoroughly enjoyed this. Pulp meets the National.
Cool dreamy vibes, grungy but melodic. Was very surprised they're Scottish as it's a very American sound - nice guitars and vocals.
Good but samey. Prefer PsychoCandy
Klint nogal vaag
Inoffensive 80s Indy. Nothing overly catchy. Good background slower pace music
Not sure
It was alright, more good than bad but not thrilling
Decent music for a cloudy rainy day.
Rating: 5/10
nice to listen to but a little too simple
Als tiener ooit al eens begonnen aan deze band, maar terzijde geschoven om toen onduidelijke redenen. Die blijken nu ineens veel duidelijker te zijn; gewoon te saai!
Niet heel goed kunnen luisteren, maar wat ik ervan mee kreeg was niet onaardig.
Aanvaardbaar.
Ok .., hear the Scottishness in some of the melodies …. More pop than i thought it might be
Top 3 1. (1) Darklands 2. (8) Cherry Came Too 3. (6) April Skies
Eh. Nothing about it catches my attention. It's inoffensive, though, so not a terrible grade. Just nothing special.
If this were the first rock album I’d ever heard, I’m sure I’d love it. But it isn’t, so it shall be added to the ever-growing pile of OK basic-rock albums I’ve heard and forgotten about. Fav track: About You
3 1/2
Decent but nothing out of the ordinary
Old school 80's melancholy alt-rock
Best Song: Down On Me Worst Song: Nine Million Rainy Days
New to me, neutral
very meh neither bad nor good yk
Decent.
I suspect JAMC might be a little too cool for their own good. I appreciate that it's got some teeth, and there are a few real standouts on this record. It's not quite as good as Psychocandy and a gets a little repetitive at points, but still an enjoyable listen I'll likely come back to. Top notch driving music. Favourite songs: "April Skies", "Happy When It Rains"
3.5 thanks
I liked it.
Better than expected
Hm. Had some cool moments but was a bit boring overall. 6/10
Guys where’d the edge go...
Sounds like a cross between Primal Scream (even though Bobby Gillespie had left by this point), Dinosaur Junior, New Order and the Stone Roses. It has an overall gloomy vibe but on occasions builds to more euphoric moments. I would prefer more of these. Quite a few of the songs seem to be about, or are evocative of, bad weather. An acceptable album but not one I will revisit. 3/5.
Szkocik z kolejnym albumikiem, klasyczne rokowanie bandy braterskiej, bo glownymi czlonkami sa bracia Reid, nazwisko chyba skads kojarze, ale skad nie potrafilbym powiedziec dokladnie, albumik w orginalnej wersji, to klasyczny epek 36 minut, 10 trackow, ale spotifajowa wersja zawiera ultra miod delux, gdzie sa jakies czwarto wymiarowe strony vynyla i nigdzie indziej nieujawniane traki i trwa to wszystko godzine i 44 minuty, ale nadal trzyma poziom i nie ma sie uczucia, ze jest to meczony odsluch, niektore surowe, niekonwencjonalne wersje odkrywaja dany utwor na nowo, swietnym przykladem tego moze byc otwierajacy i zamykajacy darklands, w orginale jest to stonowany kawalek oparty na dwoch gitarkach, ale po dodaniu tam dodatkowych smyczkow i nadaniu surowosci wokalu przez jego lekkie podbicie kawalek wchodzi na nowy poziom, dlatego znajdzie sie dla niego miejsce na plejce, jedynymi kredytowanymi artystami sa gitarkowo wokalni bracia Reid, za drumy odpowiedzialna byla drumiaca maszynka, wiec tez wplywa na to jak je slychac, dobra pozycja na sluchansko nastawione na gitarki, ostatnim trakiem jaki jeszcze plejkuje to on the wall, jakos wiliamowe wokale bardziej przypadly mi do gustu, ale najczesciej obaj pojawiaja sie na traku jako back upy jeden drugiego
Better than I expected, only heard 1 of their albums before
Nothing bad but just boring. 6
A little slow in tone but a easy vibe
Eh it's a pretty good pop album but it's so much worse than Psychocandy. 7/10
Never heard this before. I like how they created a ‘sound’.
Decent but not life changing
Was not aware of this band. Thought it was ok. Their guitar sounds made me think if the Raveonettes, the way they almost sound uplifting if they weren't soaked in reverb as if playing from a dark empty dungeon.
middling
Never heard of Jesus and the Mary Chain before, but really liked this album for its 80s-fused feeling to a lot of the instrument sounds and vocals, with catchy lyrics. Spotify continuous play introduced me to "Orange Juice", which is another great 80's band with some great tracks. Highlights: -Darklands -Happy When It Rains -
I enjoyed this. Never listened to them before.
early albums way better...
80s rock
Meh was ok
Pretty chill but was just sort of "there" for me, I do like the slow-dark delivery though.
Great sound!
A nice album from this (alternative) rock band. Music I can listen to. Maybe I wil listen to it again.
Another classic 80's rock album, liked it but nothing particularly outstanding about it.
Appropriate for the time, not a bad album, just slightly tough to recall at the moment
A little too mellow. Not really sure I get it. I like the couple hits on the album, the rest fell a little flat.
A cool alternative discovery.
Pretty interesting stuff. Kind of laid back and easy to listen to. A solid 3.5 stars.
This album surprised me, actually enjoyed it.
Nice album, love the genre. However, I didn't manage to 'fall in love' with any specific song...
Steady, liked some parts better than others but felt like loud noise for the most part.
Hm...this is a tough one. I enjoyed it for the most part, but nothing really stood out. I'd have to give a second listen, but would be welcome to check out the rest of their discography since "Just Like Honey" caught my ears first. 3.5?
Not my Jam, but ok
I hate it when I like gen x nonsense like this. it's catchy and every song feels like I've heard it heaps of times, but it's also complete gen x crap. lol.
Nothing bad about but not very exciting to me
It was ok. Soft rock album
Wasn't horrible, but wasn't very engaging either. Was easy to lose focus. 2.5/5 Won't listen again
Alternative / new wave? Idk didn't like them that much
I thought that I'd enjoy this more than I did. This band is adjacent to others that I like. I found it fell pretty flat overall.
eh, not offensive, totally forgettable
Meh
잘 모르겠음
Meh
This is true to what it is.
It was okay. Captures that 90's indie vibe but a bit too on the nose. Darklands and About You were the standouts.
Taki britpop kolejny. 2
Alternative rock. Monotonous
Hard for me to write something, as this is not bad music, but very generic. To me, it was very unremarkable and made no impression. I feel like I have heard similar song before.
Okay
Generally pleasant noise pop. They sound the same, some slower, some faster. Background music. Not very good guitar solos.
I think everything The Jesus and Mary Chain had to offer was covered by their first entry in this list.
There’s just enough of this stuff like this that is so weird for me, I don’t think I’m a fan of post punk. Anytime I hear this kind of music, most of it is just not for me, not sure exactly what about it. Two stars.
It’s become quite pathetic how this list pushes every have asses UK band that happened to make an album as if they’re essential listening when they’re nothing more than just another band. Minus one for being boring.
It’s like the Beatles meets u2 but not in the best way
I’ve heard of the band, of course, but I’ve never actually listened to their music. I don’t really think it’s that great, to be honest. Two stars...
Found myself not paying attention
Never heard of em - very generic pop sounding. Meh.
boring, the same every single song.
i mean... not really much here in my opinion. feels like kinda a filler album for this list
Not for me. Too dated.
I enjoyed the first part of this album - but with no songs standing out, it all just started to blend together. There was no variety, really, which slightly disappointed me. However, I did enjoy some individual songs. The lyrics are very melancholy from top to bottom, setting a very common theme for the album. I have not heard anything by this artist before, but I may give them a listen later on. However, I feel that you have to be in a very specific mood to listen to this genre. Favourites: Darklands Happy When It Rains April Skies
Dull and dreary. No thanks
Ahead of its time (derogatory)
It has some hits and a consistent mood, but kind of to its detriment. Feels kinda lifeless on the whole. Much prefer Psychocandy
booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring
it got very uninteresting very quickly
По крайне мере, это музыка
a very meh record for me, felt repetitive
Not my cup of tea
Warm, feelgood, but ultimately extremely 80s-esque Britpoppy nonsense. Even the Scotsmen can't escape from their Britpop callings. They use some of the worst parts of the genre, though – from the horrifically airy 80s production style to the hyper-blurred guitars, to the vocals that are difficult to make out because everything's on full stadium-blast... And yet I also get the sense that The Jesus And Mary Chain just aren't putting in any effort, and the production team is working with the meagre scraps of quality tossed to them during recording. As another reviewer wrote: "'Dispassionate’ doesn’t work, for that implies strong emotion. ‘Disinterested,’ ‘impassive’ seems to work better." Darklands, the title track, commits to using this one "dit-dit-dit-dit" hook, which is good for the first three or so minutes, but gets a little stale after that. For a track of this length, I would have much preferred just a simple instrumental to end the song. Still, I can't deny that it's pretty catchy. The same cannot be said of Deep One Perfect Morning, which is the first of a disappointingly large number of weaklings. Flops. The vocals can take a lot of the blame here: they sound kind of like the empty shell of what was once a great ripping punk voice. I don't know if it's due to the strange mixing, but the vocals are somewhat drowned out by the other instruments – and that's probably for the better. "Down On Me"... they're not exactly trying to be subtle with this one. The song Fall is the closest thing we have to classic rock, and hence it's pretty good. Relatively speaking, of course. On the Wall is just Heroin (by the Velvet Underground) without the tempo changes. 2/5 Key tracks: Darklands, April Skies, Fall
hella mid
Eipä oo mitään spessua tässäkään, perushuttua.
meh
The second album is never easy, here limitations of the band are exposed and it seems to have lost it's edge. Maybe it was the Honey but more likely it was Gillespie leaving 2 for me
Why on earth did these people replace their drummer with a drum machine?
não tem nenhum motivo pra álbum durar quase 2 horas; ainda mais quando todas as músicas vão soar a mesma coisa. as músicas não são ruins apesar disso.
okay
2 1/2
Tranquilo, deep one perfect morning me ha gustado
Love the band name. That’s about it. Music for the Slacker generation. Don’t hate it, but won’t make the rotation.
I liked it at first, but as it went on, I forgot I even had it on. It's fine; it is nothing extraordinary. It is boring in some places. I don't even have much to say because it didn't leave that much of an impression. It's just so inoffensive that I can't say much about it. There is nothing much going on, honestly.
I don't get it. This is the kind of album which simultaneously makes me want to buy the book so I can understand exactly why this particular boring ass album is included, but also makes me pissed off enough that this is included over scores of better albums to refuse to give them my money. It's a conundrum.
The noise was the only interesting thing about Psychocandy so without it this is pretty boring
This album just sort of blended into the background for me on my listen. It felt like something I should really dig but didn’t quite get me there. Maybe I’ll go back to it someday.
Aikas laahaavaa. 2,5⭐️
This was such an underwhelming album that I will surely forget in the coming days. It is just everything I’ve not only heard a 100times before (gloomy new wave) and even heard several times on this list already. I’m not sure if this album is more interesting when yo know the backstory around this album cause I know nothing. I don’t know the artist, and I’ve never heard their music before, and worst of all nothing about this album makes me want to look into more of their work. It didn’t get under my skin and upset me enough to get a one but it’s also wildly forgettable. This is another album that could’ve been replaced with a Primus album and it would’ve benefitted everyone more cause even if you didn’t like the Primus album, it at the very least would be something COMPLETELY different that would’ve brought something new to someone’s life. This was an actual waste of my afternoon.
This is hard for me as it sounds like something I should love but I’m just not connecting with it. I like a few JAMC tracks but I prefer it when they’re noisier, this feels very weedy and dreary without the emotional resonance to back it up. Seems like a more boring version of what Pulp were doing a few years later. Also I swear these guys only know two chords. Couple of moments that were decent. Lush production too.
Droney, a bit one paced. Doesn't sound as old as it is. But not really my bag. There is something here, but it would require significant investment to get at it.
I knew absolutely nothing about this group except that the older cool kids were into them. Consequently I wished I was into them and may have represented myself as such. Having now *actually* listened to them I am prepared to make a judgement. In the age-old dichotomy of taking or leaving, I'm gonna go ahead & leave it
Bezveze, ali nije katastrofalno. 2/5, 3/10
I feel like it's a way different experience than in Psychocandy and I don't like it. Like I'm sober trying to understand someone who is inebriated and I can't make some sense of the things they are trying to convey.
388/1089 - The Velvet Underground and its consequences were a disaster for music.
Sehr unspektakuläre und ustuschbare 80er Rock. Chönti jetzt 3 geh aber willi da nüm innlose wird machemer mal wider zwei Stränge Ave Marias und Hail JC Junior
When I fall asleep, I sometimes have auditory hallucinations (e.g. a door opening). Those tend to be more exciting than this tepid, lethargic album.
This is an over-produced, cleaned up album, compared to their debut. I like the raw, less produced version of them better.
Dunno, just sounds like a more boring Joy Division
Pretty enjoyable, not sure it’s aged too well though. Some songs are good, some okay, some bad. Again, I’m not really sure why this is on the list - it feels very safe and not that groundbreaking… 4/10
Älskar shoegaze men detta är lite för tidigt för min smak. Lite för långt in på 80-talet
My second JAMC album after Psycho Candy, which didn't grab me at all. The songs are, again, repetitively samey. The overuse of reverb remains. But the background feedback has gone. They still remind me of the Stone Roses (of course I know they came first) with a bit of upbeat Leonard Cohen thrown in. Better than Psycho Candy. But not much.
makes me wanna get shaggy bangs
Either too dark to not dark enough.
Unbelievably boring. I guess this would be nostalgia value if I were unfortunate to have to listen to this in the 90s.
No me generó mucho. Deben haber mejores albumes de la banda y del género. 4/10
Waiter waiter, more mediocre 80s new wave please!
This was pretty boring to me. I couldn't get into it. 2
2.5
Not for me. I remember nothing from this listen and I just listened an hour ago. It seemed dark and depressing. 2/5
Bored
Some parts are okay, but it is really quite boring. 2 stars or D+.
Slow rock has a time and place when it fits well. Maybe unfortuenately for this album today wasn't one of those days for me. While I can't point out what is bad about it nothing draga me in and makes me want to keep listening.
2/5
I remember 'not thinking much of' these in period. Things change, so let's see. By the end of track two I am bored and feeling vaguely uncomfortable, I'm not sure why. One side done. The album has failed to engage. The band don't sound like they're trying. It's all a bit 'music by numbers'. 2/5.
Another '80s alternative rock band. Not standouts, gets boring quite fast.
Best Song: April Skies. It has a kind of dad-rock quality to it, that isn't unpleasant. Worst Song: Nine Million Rainy Days. Just dripping in a corny melodrama. Overall: Who is getting excited about this music? Admittedly, it's marginally better than the other album of theirs on this list, but goddamn if it isn't monotonous. Every song is the same as the previous one.
494/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Sounds so definitively 80s. Man there was such a strong sonic signature on this era. For better or for worse. Everything soaked in reverb, gated drums, that crunchy guitar tone. Even the alternative stuff has that same sonic palette but a little rougher around the edges. This is very much a vibe record, where nothing really sticks out to me, but the energy is nice enough to keep on in the background. The songwriting isn't very compelling for me. I likely won't revisit it.
Wait is this a joke. Psychocandy took some real liberties in recycling the same song over and over again. And then Darklands, their follow up album starts, and its the same song again?! Next track, Deep One Perfect Morning, starts with the Just Like Honey drumbeat. Happy When It Rains is finally a new song, hooray. We manage to get through a few songs that don't smell like honey until April Skies which can't resist an oscillating two chord progression that mirrors JLH. Its kinda funny at this point - I go into each new track hoping it will be another JLH clone - Cherry Came Too is another one - slow strummed guitar chords, the same chord progression, basically the same drum beat. How did they get away with this?! TJAMC are really one of the least creative bands I've ever heard. Which is truly a shame because I really do love Just Like Honey. I'd say there's a bit more diversity on Darklands compared to Psychocandy, but there isn't the OG JLH, so it loses marks for that. Neither of these albums should be on the list. 2.2/5
The best part of the 1001 album challenge is listening to stuff I would have never listened to otherwise and broadening my music knowledge. This one definitely broadened my knowledge. I don't listen to this genre ever. This sounded like Billy Idol as a lead singer of Midnight Oil or something. Unfortunately his voice sounds like my white noise machine that helps me fall asleep, and the repetitive drumming makes each song instantly forgettable. I do appreciate that they have a unique sound and it does feel different from the mainstream. I wouldn't be able to listen to it again, although the guitars were enjoyable.
Never sounded like it got out of 1st gear to me
I feel like I am just a clock on the wall ... the time ticking away through another day and another mediocre album.
The Jesus And Mary Chain are one of the most overrated bands I’ve had the misfortune of seeing live. Thankfully it was at a festival and I could go watch something else. Just boring as hell, and I’ve no idea why they’re held in such high regard.
might be good for its time but it felt bland. sorry
I've never listened to this album (52). A bit too flat and whiny for my taste.
Get a drummer that knows how to do more than that one set of banging lmao. Once I heard it, could not unhear.
1987. Decent enough English rock band.
Steeped with 80s production with a vocal delivery and mix full of premonition. I'm old enough to have lived through the 80s,but I have no connection to this at all. And it doesn't work for me, listening in 2025.
Darklands Happy When It Rains April Skies
meh...
- guitar rift reminds me of "are we the waiting" by green day - du du du du du dooo , fluffy, chill - ("hit") what am i listening to what - everything has sounded so chill and samey up until this point huh - i was just thinking damn i would've loved this album in 2014 during my indie rock obsession but now it just falls flat for me - but maybe things will change from here after this track? - "kill surf city" HUH same thing it goes from a guitar riff to distortion? things are spicing up - now we in the demonic screams part of the album - is it weird that its making me like this more - demonic cumming now - how did we get here - and then we go full circle back to indie chill - okay - this was.... an album lol
2.5
too slow and intimate
2.1
2ка, защото On the wall е копие нa Heroin на Velvet Underground. Не може така да се копират чужди песни и да се редят някакви тъпи текстове по мелодията
Slow and boring af
A snooze fest, honestly. I still don't know how to define "shoegaze." I'd never heard of the genre before embarking on this project, and I have had several albums that fall under that label since. I can't define it, I don't know its origin, but I know I don't like it. This wasn't a whole lot different, except that it was largely boring. Vocals from a guy who sounded like he doesn't care about what he's singing and who was kinda hard to understand. Guitars soaking in reverb and pedal effects that they lose coherence and intrigue. Most songs were at the same tempo. The whole affair was just largely boring and felt like a slog. It's a bummer, because these guys are/were probably a solid act. But this album can't be the best representation of their work because it was a snooze fest. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Down on Me, Nine Million Rainy Days, April Skies.
Ok
A typical artifact of a bad period in recorded music. Was everyone really so smacked up? (rounded up to a 2 because of the sound quality in the mix)
Very dull and repetitive
Didn't do anything for me. Average.
Definitely out of my Q zone, this one's not for me
Has not aged well.
It was meh. I liked it but nothing really popped for me.
I would definitely consider this an 80s emo band/album, and it turns out I'm just not a fan
A little too downbeat for my tastes, I'm afraid. Plus, I recently became aware that there are no Warren Zevon albums on this list. That albums like this should make it while Warren gets overlooked is a travesty!
This album is ok. It’s a little drab and bland to be honest. I get where it was the bridge between post punk and elements of grunge, and I hear that, but it just doesn’t strike me the way I thought it would. It’s kind of like a history lesson. It’s interesting, but it’s not as fun as recess.