Darklands

I liked this better as the album went on. The title track is probably the worst on the album

A great example of simple, no frills, amazing and influential stuff. So good.

Sounds like more distorted Pulp. Eh. Not a very exciting or memorable shoegaze record, if you can even classify this as shoegaze. Maybe something to come back to later because I barely remember any song from it.

Ooooh I had never listened to this band before and I don't know why (I always thought the name was dumb, maybe that's why?) But this was just what I wanted today. Will be coming back to this one and checking out more.

Not that great. I had heard of this band talked about in high regard, but I just don’t get it.

Dark shoegaze; very droning and simple. My favorite track was the last one on the album, but there's nothing here that I'd like to revisit.

I liked the overall feel of this group.

Kuuntelijalle suodaan mahdollisuus uppoutua kahdeksankymmentä luvun rokki pömpötykseen joka on hienosti koottu.. album cover osviitan antajana toimii mainiosti… Mahdollisuudesta kun ottaa kiinni.. on siellä biisiä joo on hyvää darkside heh.. JAHA JA SUOMALAISIA KOPIOITU.. blind channel bandia nimittäin… 4 tähden albumi ja nautin.. mutta tähdet plagioinnista tippuu… ei voi ykköstä.. eli nollille laittaa YKKÖNEN TARKOITTAA NOLLILLE.. EI VOI VÄHEMPÄÄ ANTAA… niin… ei voi siis nollille laittaa koska hyvä album art,, matches music,..elikkäs.. ei selvää saa,, mutta ymmärtäö mistö biisit kertoo kuulemmattakin.. siihen tarvitaan taitoa että heh………2…….

Kinda boring, but also entertaining. Somewhat original, but not exciting. 3/5

Love the opening strains of the opening song. But by the middle of the second song I was starting to get exhausted. I just got back from a weekend trip to Edinburgh yesterday and Scotland is perfectly nice; buck up boys. I don't hate this album, it's pretty, but I don't know when I'd ever feel like listening to it again. 2.5

Very listenable, but nothing really caught my ear either.

Very chill, easy listening but nothing ear catching

Cool

This might be my favourite brand of this shoegaze mumblecore fuzziness style.

It’s just kind of… dull?

Reasonable.

Before listening to this, I knew this band only by name. I was pleasantly surprised - the songs on this album are really good. Nothing earth shattering, but real good songs from the rock-realm (with a pinch of pop mixed in here and there). 4/5

Nostalgiskt. Håller fortfarande men inte som Psychocandy. Borde varit en tiogradig skala men jag är ju snäll.

This is one of those bands that sounds really cool and interesting on their own, but starts to become really significant when you think about all the other bands that employed a similar sound after them. You can hear so many other songs on this album, and yet I can't think of many examples of hearing similar sounds that came before this album. It's a truly iconic album that doesn't often get the respect that it deserves 5/5

This band made better music but also the shoegaze genre has better folks out there. It is all a bit too similar for my taste.

Like the cure but sadder

Perfect droney guitar pop.

This was okay. Definitely better than a 2, so 3 stars it is, I suppose.

Beautiful melancholic shoe gaze. It's raw & emotional. This band reminds me that guitar is my favorite instrument & they're masters of their work. I adore JAMC, but I've never seen them live despite having the chance last year...I have a regretful feeling I'm never going to see them. Excellent album & band.

I've always known about Jesus and Mary Chain, and was familiar with a few songs, but never really sat down and listened to them. I definitely got into this one.

Quiet pleasant album to listen to while winding down on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Vocalist has a calming voice. Feels like an album to be highly regarded and recommended by purveyors of taste and played in cool record stores.

Very cool early shoegaze. Felt very punky and gave off some joy division vibes (mainly the singer). You can really hear the roots of shoegaze here with the very noisy moments and the layered yet shrouded vocals. Overall a great record and one that i probably wouldn't have found if not for this list 4.4/5

I am very indifferent about this

What if you were too bored to actually play any music on the day you were meant to play music but then in a serious of hilarious coincidences you accidentally recorded yourself being bored and then the recording studio saved it, pressed it, released it, and then 35 years later some dickhead put it on a list?

This was really lame

This is what I expected all British music sounds like. Bland and uninspiring, much like their brekkies. I mean come on guys - beans, mushrooms and whole tomatoes?? Those have absolutely no business being eaten in combination with each other, let alone at 8am.

C- Darklands - 2 Deep One Perfect Morning - 2 Happy When it Rains - 2 Down on Me - 3 Nine Million Rainy Days - 2 April Skies - 2 Fall - 2 Cherry Came Too - 2 On the Wall - 2 About You - 3

Origineel, en divers. Je hoort de invloed op anderen. Ga ik vaker luisteren.

I didn’t hate this but I found it pretty dull and monotonous.

More of the same but when the formula works…

I was looking forward to listening to this album, but was deeply disappointed. The tracks are OK, I can listen to the whole album, but it was all a bit boring, and that's not how I remember these guys from back in the day. It all seemed a bit preprogrammed rhythm from a computer rather than previous stuff they did.

Good album and probably my favourite band from this genre. The album gets a bit repetitive/samey but that's my only criticism.

I have never been that sold on Jesus and Mary Chain before but I was all in on this Maybe it felt more jangly and accessible than some of their other stuff Really, really good. I'm giving it a 4 but it's a really high 4 and I could possibly be convinced to go to 5 with a few more listens

I've only heard the debut previously. This is a lot more radio friendly (as they say) Keeps the Beach Boys type melodies. Keeps the dour lyrics but drops the waves of hissing feedback. Pleasant.

This album is fine, it just doesn’t really do much for me.

Really loved this. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to the band. This kind of pointers in new directions is what I am here for. First album I know I will return to a lot. Clearly inspired other stuff I like.

Alright, Darklands. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Surely an album with a name like 'Darklands' must be awesome!" Well, let me tell you, this one is a doozy - if you listen to the original album and not the extended version, which unfortunately is the only one available on Spotify. Because while the first 10 tracks on the original album might lull you into a false sense of security with their catchy riffs and moody vocals, things quickly take a turn for the worse if you keep on listening. The extended album drags on and on like a never-ending audition for a vampire movie. It's like they took all the energy and excitement that went into the original album and replaced it with a handful of sleeping pills. So, my advice to you is this: If you're looking for some great music listen to the first 10 tracks, but if you need to rock out for a longer time, stay far away from the extended version. Unless, of course, you're having trouble sleeping and need a lullaby to help you drift off. In that case, put it on repeat and let The Jesus and Mary Chain sing you to dreamland.

3,5

It sounds like a soundtrack to an 80s teen movie

More pop oriented and less noisy than the debut but still sounds like same band. Some might object to the higher degree of sheen and it certainly doesn't, to me have the impact and shock and awe effect of Psychocandy, but is it good album? Damn straight, 4 stars

Its...okay, not really much to say about it

Pretty decent early alternative rock.

More like a 3.5 but it was a bit too same-y and for me. I can see how this could be your favourite album though!

listened to this on a 4 hour bus ride. perfect road trip album. makes me wanna stare out of a window and ponder shit.

Pretty good 80’s music. Not super essential, but enjoyable.

HL: "Happy When It Rains", "April Skies", "About You", title track 3 for the dreamy atmosphere, but pretty much every song follows the same formula, also heard in the one J&MC song I was familiar with prior, "Just Like Honey"- root chord, 4th, root, 4th... March 27, 2023

I’ve known of this band for a long time, but never really knew their music. Just Snakedriver from The Crow soundtrack. I expected something more industrial and pretentious. This was actually pretty good. A little monotonous, but there’s a lot of monotonous stuff I love. Crazy they were doing this in 1987. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding

I know the opening track is supposed to be sad but it's way funnier to think that he's talking about The Lorax. That aside, I did really enjoy this album. It felt kind of Goth sounding in a way. I'm not sure if they really are but to my armature ears they are.

Unoffensive but nothing special. Kinda meh.

Much better than Psychocandy, but still not my favorite work. Fairly repetitive and doesn’t keep me engaged.

Hmm. I'm sure it was groundbreaking and cool and they use the F word. Now do all bands sound like them, or do they sound like all bands?

Ok. So, I didn't know that I am apparently emulating the Jesus and Mary Chain when I dink around and try to compose downtempo rock music for myself. No idea how these guys made their way into my consciousness. This is the first time I've listened to this song. I've known about this band, but never knowingly listened to them. And yet, here I am, listening to an album that sounds like the stuff I'm trying to make, feeling as familiar as if I've been listening to them for my entire life.

I really like The Jesus and Mary Chain. Gloomy, jangly, post-punk definitely hits for me.

5/5 would listen while sleeping again

A great example of how you can use mood and noise and guitars and still remember that songs need tunes. Really good album m.

Nice soothing vibes, makes me remember of pink floyd and despache mode

Yes! Quintessential indierock. Superb noisy mix of catchy grooves and hook-lines and solid guitar work

Decent, some good vibes and songs, would need to be in the right mood for it as it has a very droning sounds.

Definitely won’t be putting this on any gym playlist. A real moody feel. Normally enjoy my 80’s music a bit more upbeat and cheesy. But I could see this being enjoyable on a calm rainy day.

Music is decent, but to me the vocalist just sucks the air right out of this album. Turns this into a very dreary, depressing listen that takes any enjoyment out of these tracks.

Very 90s. Not great, but not horrible! Won't listen again though. I'm like the clock on the wall.

Did someone swap out my coffee for decaf this morning? I am not super angsty today, might try this again another time!! I think I get it though!! Some decent songwriting overall. When you think back to Tuesday this week, at least we can all say we listened to Darklands, right?

Not really my jam.

The Jesus and Mary Chain, what to say About You? I’ll say that I’m Down On you. This record is versatile in the sense that it’s just as perfect to put on when shooting heroine as it is when cleaning your heroine spoons the day after. The writing is pretty clearly On The Wall for me…it’s not great. I found the songs incredibly uninspired and boring. It may connect with some people, but not me. I don’t have any favourite tracks from this album. I noticed a few Bruce Springsteen-esque guitar riff rip-off’s, which was comical to me. So maybe those songs because they made me feel SOMETHING at the very least. In this genre, there were better songs created before this and after this. After the album finished on my Spotify it automatically went to some songs from The Cure, and it was Nine Million times better than this. And I don’t even like The Cure. Not quite sure how this makes its way onto the list. It must have been #1001. Quite unremarkable.

Similar to Primal Scream... not my thing. NEXT!

Some of this music is fine. But generally it's a real snooze. Not a good album to try and stay awake to while at work. None of the instruments are very interesting. The songwriting is ok, but the sound is so consistent here, it's like listening to one long song with some gaps.

Boring.

Good enough

Rain: The Album. Mint.

Better than I expected, but not really my kind of thing. Happy when it rains is a cracking tune, and they get a wee extra 🌟 just for being Scottish! 4 🌟 => 5 🌟

Mellow, jangly guitars and nice vocals

The 80s didn't believe in vocal range. It all sounds like the same song over and over.

was ok

Underrated gem, this album gives you moody but melodic songs with subdued indie charm long before it was ever a sought after commodity in music. Great listen.

Their debut album, Psycho Candy, was a brilliant display of proto-shoegaze if it ever existed. The follow-up, Darklands, cleans up the sound a bit so it loses the shoegaze-y edge, but still writes catchy songs for the modern alternative man. I think I prefer Psycho Candy between the two, but this is still worth checking out if you liked Psycho Candy.

it was alright. first couple songs hit then it gets boring

Fun … like if I had a dream that seemed really cool, then suddenly ended …. Sudden ending working major in favor. Would rather listen to this alone over hearing it played out anywhere else or live.

perfect album

About You is *such* a good ending to this album. This is, IMHO, *way* better than Psychocandy. This one has aged like fine wine... It doesn't reveal all of its character on first listen, it's a very layered album that I don't feel like I've plumbed the depth of more than 20 years and dozens of listens after hearing it for the first time. So much goodness packed into 36 minutes! One of my top 5 albums of the 80s, easy 5/5.

This is type of good album that can be enjoyed in many different contexts and allow the listener to pick up on the layers of the music I enjoy a healthy dose of shoegaze to the earbagels 4/5

mid

Liked but not enough to buy

Boring as hell, but influential and noisy some times

[Editorial note: Having tested positive for covid this morning, it may not have been the best idea to try and objectively review an album today] I don’t know man, i’d rather listen to “Vehicle” by The Clean. Maybe it’s the covid talking but these records feel similar, with the Clean being more upbeat and less “everything’s a bit shit, innit?” (Is that a Peep Show or The Thick of It reference? I can’t remember. Either way, it’s a show that Jesse Armstrong wrote on and I’m pretty sure it’s not Succession. This feels like an Ollie line from The Thick of It, like maybe he’s mocking Robin or Terri or something. That’s what I’ll do with some of my covid down time, rewatch the The Thick of It and then maybe Peep Show…but Peep Show’s like 9 seasons, I don’t think I can plow through that entire show while fighting off covid. I mean that would take a while and I’m hoping this is done within a few days.) Holy fuck, does my head hurt.

good

Was nice in the background but no songs stuck in any capacity. one song sticking feels like minimum for 3 stars

i love this genre

Mesmerising sound, a bit monotonous but still a great album.

catchy!

Influential like nothing else in the genre and really early to the Party. Groomed a steady and loyal fan base that spread over generations. Although tight and with melancholic tunes you like to listen to the album stays a bit to close to being a Velvet Underground cover thingy. 2.5

3.5 stars. Enjoyed this record. Felt like it started to emerge from the 80's and bring in some 90's alt rock influence. Standout is "April Skies."

OOH I might like the opening track. Its like a favourite song I forgot. ( I dont know htis band) Sounds like Rat Cat mixed with Joy Division. Compelling - I will listen again. Big moody presence <--->party ish vibes. [seems to be the range] P.s. I look it up - apparently I already love the song "just like honey" so maybe i knew this band, hence the familiar sound. and the energetic tracks do it for me ...

I actually listen to this more than Psychocandy.

Meh. Nothing too exciting in my opinion.

Should come with a free rope

Overall I really liked the aesthetic (big drum machine sound, jangly hollow-body guitars, broody vocals, bells/tambourine on everything) - it sounds like something that would have played at Central Perk! But there were really only 2 tracks worth listening to again: - Happy When It Rains - April Skies

Fine enough. Something I’m coming to realize is that I really don’t come close to grasping the canon and evolution of music. This album probably represents some major link in the development of and influence in more contemporary, indispensable genre/band. And because I can’t see this interconnected matrix of growth, most albums stand alone in my mind - and this album stands alone as fine enough, not gonna add any of these songs to a playlist.

Ei oikeastaan millään tavalla erikoista

3.5

Never heard about them before, but wow - but at least part of the album was great.

I knew they were Scottish from the first chords, although I hear echoes of Hoodoo Gurus and The Church (both great Australian bands).

Moody 80s alterna-rock. Before goth was goth.

The easy listening version of JAMC

Tf is this?? Actually this is pretty good!!

“Is this still Jesus and Mary Chain? I like this.” pops in from the next room. Always nice when you and your cohabitant like the same music. “…this is so enjoyable”. I think the bass is really good throughout, grungy guitars, and lyrics and vocals really give an attitude. Life is hard but just keep kicking your way though it.

Acceptable alt rock. Interesting to see the use of a drum machine because their old drummer left to form a different influential band.

Good stuff. Esp like Happy When It Rains

They have a great sound. If I try to find and listen to the extended version, I'd live forever!

enjoyable, haunting, jangling, echoy and driving. very alternative pop. easy to like.

This is not something I will ever be interested in

Nice and sad

Re escuchar

Before today, I had never heard of The Jesus and Mary Chain before. They are a indie rock/shoegaze band from Scotland. One thing I am learning through this 1001 albums exercise is how much I hate shoegaze. If you aren't going to be enthusiastic about playing your instruments or singing, then why the fuck are you making music? This is depressing, brooding music which is sung by someone who seems bored to be there. The guitar is played shittily with tons of distortion (maybe to try and cover up the lack of talent, but it doesn't work). Overall, this was a shitty album by a shitty band that I will never visit again. Only reason it's 2 stars is because at least it isn't fucking Joy Division. I have no idea what this could have influenced. Why it is on this list, I don't know. Different strokes for different folks I suppose. Favourite songs: Happy When It Rains, Cherry Came Too, Darklands Least favourite songs: Nine Million Rainy Days, On The Wall 2/5

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.

I remember hearing this band’s name a lot back in the 80s but never listened to them until now. They sound like they’re appealing to a certain demographic that leans towards the goth side. Not really my thing. I gave it two listens but there really wasn’t anything that caught my attention or made me want to go back to it or check out any of their other albums. Moving on.

Fave songs: Deep one perfect morning, Happy when it rains, down on me, about you Just a bit one note and monotone 2/5

Another band I think I've seen the name before but never listened to. Didn't know what to expect and really enjoyed it.

Slaps.

Doesn't quite resonate with me in the same way Psychocandy does, but it's a good moody album

The band name is familiar, but I couldn't tell you any songs from The Jesus and Mary Chain. The music sounds like it would have been something I would have listened to when Darklands was produced. If you listen to the Cure, you might listen to this - a somber entry in Brittish alternative. I liked the album enough to listened to the extended edition. "April Skies" was my favorite track from the album.

A bit more nothing than I was hoping for. A pretty perfect three. My favourite song was About You.

3.5

Very very good

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.

I remember when we asked my long hairs form teacher at school in early 90s what his favourite band was and he said The Jesus & Mary Chain and while we had heard the name, we knew nothing of the music itself and kinda dismissed it as some hippy crap. It is a sound that would be much more prevalent a little later into the 90s. Maybe ahead of their time!? At points it reminds me of something by The Vaccines…. Stand out tracks for me.. Down On me & April Skies

If the beach boys stopped practicing and they showed up to the studio and the velvet underground left their equipment.

Pop drenched in distortion, to misquote someone else. I enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone.

I really love JAMC, and this is their 2nd best album. Its great, but I don’t take away much new from this record other than a different approach to very similar songs. But still, this Scottish goth rock approach to American ‘50’s doo-wop/pop groups is an amazing formula, brain-melting feedback or not.

Meh, I liked the radio that played afterwards

I like it still. Now I realize how they were winding down the 80’s sound and sliding into 90’s grunge.

It's difficult to rate records or bands that you already like. That being said this is a great record.

LAright listen

This album is really very very good! All the songs are excellent!

Already listened.

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.

Meistarastykki

Dope

Had a listen at volume and it’s OK.

Great stuff, fuzzy, shoegazy with some pop aspects peppered in. I really enjoyed this. Listened to this one two times over in succession. It just sounds cool, simple as that. Will listen again! 4 stars

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

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Hat mich nicht begeistert. Die Lieder haben etwas zu wenig Energie um es mir öfter anzuhören.

Enjoyed it; really moody and laid back album with lush intrumentals.

god that opening guitar riff sounds so cool do do do DO DO DOOOO album has a great vibe to it, like it's gloomy but rowdy and ready to kick ass at the same time. just fuzzy guitars and gothic muttering. not a lot to say really, album is mostly mood and texture but it's a great mood so i can't complain

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 is a 3.5 rounded up, for some reason this album felt a lot longer than it was to me but it was in a neutral way. was a fine listen that i don’t have a lot to say about, first half was my favorite.

[George enters with a yellow flannel on] I just want to preface by saying I fucking love this kind of music. Whatever the hell this is called, I'm into it. I've listened to Psycho candy before and was told it was "essential listening", and while I actually do prefer Psycho Candy over this, it's still a really solid album. - Darklands was a great opener, upbeat but still slow. - Deep one perfect was OK - Happy when it rains was really good. It reminds me of a Billy Idol song. I too love it when it rains. (Relatable!!) - Down on me was good - Nine Million rainy days was very good - April Skies was REALLY good - Fall was - Cherry came too I love, its so sweet - On the wall was very good, another banger - About you was good Overall I really enjoyed it! There were only a few tracks I felt impartial to. I'm feeling a strong 4 to a light 5. Y'all know this is just my opinion right?

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

Every time one listens to TJ&MC, one wonders why one doesn't do so more often. The balance of sweetness and sonic fuzz makes for a deceptive softness – yes, dark and soft and sweet is quite an apt description of this record. There's a likably consistent mood and tone across the whole thing that easily transcends any sense of sameness.

Bit of a ho-hummer here for me. At times it sounded pre-grunge, which was a welcome change from the otherwise forgettable balance of the album.

I thought it was good, not particularly memorable though, in my opinion. Favourite: Fall

After reading some glowing reviews I was convinced that this was not going to be my thing. Really don't like the idea of a drum machine and someone called them ""miserable Glaswegians" so I thought ok, some more music that i really don't feel like listening to. Well! Right away I liked what I heard! I found the music to be soothing, floating lithely through the air like on a magic carpet. It became more intriguing with each new track, in other words, each new song contrasted with the previous but mostly retained the same soothing quality. Such a pleasant surprise. I will have to give it another listen and see if it will be a keeper.

This album is a very well produced. It’s a bit more pop like than their first album but there’s a maturity that really shines through. The songs are crisp and the beats are almost laconic in how they trudge forward. Overall a very good listen.

very solid.

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

This album fits perfectly in with the best of post-punk that was coming along in the late 80s...it's dark, it's a bit mopey, and in that musical sweet spot that draws in goths. Also, when comparing to other post-punk acts, this album was really very inoffensive and easy to listen to. These guys are far less gimmicky than other bands in this style. This album has a very cool atmosphere about it that I don't really have words for. Compared to other post punk acts, this band is not nearly as well known or celebrated, but they should be. I think I'd put this at a 3.5, so I will go ahead and round up.

I enjoyed this

Did not enjoy. Tried to listen to the album could not get through it.

Sometimes it is a good album sometimes it is a bad album

yeah no yeah, it's OK - nothing wonderful in here though

Áheyrileg tónlist svo sem, ég ætti að fíla þetta alveg sæmilega, en hér er stærsti gallinn að ég fíla ekki þessar raddir. Bara alls ekki. Sorrý með mig. Þetta er eins og Courtney Taylor-Taylor án sjarmans. Skiptið um söngvara og talið aftur við mig.

Jangly guitars, driving bass and drums, whispery vocals - Jesus and Mary Chain are the 80s alt sound. Always enjoyed their sound and look. Really enjoyed this album and kept listening to other tracks from them all day.

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.

It's a little slow for me. Like the antithesis of Grunge really.

3.75

nära en femma. stort pluspoäng för längden på albumet

J'aimais bien au début, puis après j'ai eu l'impression d'écouter la même chanson 10 fois. 3,5/5

I might need to add this to my list of favorite bands. I have no idea why I never came across them before.

'Deep one perfect morning' seems a citation to Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, but they were published the same year, so who is citing who? Being Scottish, they certainly have a passion for rain and skies. The entire album is so good.

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.

One has always enjoyed the melodious sweetness herein, which contrast with dense, sonically fuzzy backdrop not nearly as dark and certainly not as heavy or screechy as Psychocandy. The sincere non-morbid yearning is well articulated in the singalong chorus (“Du-du-DUHdu-du”) of the opener. The tension between the tunefulness and drone-y walls balance provides the energy. There's a likable simplicity here, too, as if basic, relatively innocent ‘50s songs were updated with a more metallic sonic palette and near-industrial-strength production effects, pushing coolness from white t-shirts, leather jackets and cigarettes to the post-new wavey angst of torn, all-black clothes, thick boots and harder drugs. In the end, a highly evocative and richly satisfying pop record thanks to sweet, solid hooks within pleasantly dark shadings.

Eh

Cool

When your first encounter with The Jesus and Mary Chain is filled with scraping metallic shrieking feedback all the way through, it's a little daunting to get back on that horse. But happy I did, since I really enjoyed this album. It has a nice 80s alternative sound with 60s influences. It was something I would be glad to revisit again.

Oh man, not these guys again... But wait, this doesn't sound the same as I remember them. This album was totally listenable...even pleasantly so...

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

The JAMC pop album - I think universally acknowledged as not as good as Psychocandy but still pretty great. There's some foreshadowing of JAMC-do-Billy Idol-'Head On' here. And more stuff that sounds a bit like Just Like Honey, rather than a drill boring directly into your soul. These are not necessarily bad things, there is a place for both, and how do you top the debut?

Great album.

This album is a reaction to the reviews of the earlier Psychocandy. The wall of sound is gone, but the "style" is still there. Songs are a little more drawn out and the band explores the space - it doesn't sound empty at all. I don't like this album quite as much as Psychocandy or Automatic, but there are some killer tracks and it's still a great record.

I like the aesthetic a lot but nothing here stands out as a classic. If only it was just a little more... something. Anything. Louder, quieter, sadder, prouder.

Encore une belle découverte

encore un album écouté par mon subconscient cependant il m'a laissée de bonne humeur et pourtant j'étais dans un oui go

Happy When it Rains and Down on Me are both very good feel good songs. A very pleasant listening experience. The mellow rock is both calming and uplifting

Melancholy rock sound.

Unlike a mole, I still like this one.

***

Vous connaissez malheureusement la règle ; quand au lendemain d'un album on n'en a plus le moindre souvenir, c'est que sa qualité laissait à désirer voire qu'elle était lamentable.

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.

Taken in isolation, some quite good songs, especially Some Candy Talking. But as a whole, it becomes hard to distinguish one track from another. little variation makes this a dull and forgettable experience

I don't know, not a bad listen. Didn't blow my skirt up or anything. Wasn't objectionable either.

Nije psychocandy ali je super

Typical 80s alternative. Nothing stood out I wouldn't skip if it showed up in one of Spotify curated playlists.

Pretty solid guitar rock/indie. Their choice of sound and instrumentation instills a certain sense of timelessness in the music - really only the use of an 80's drum machine here is what dates them.

An absolutely excellent sophomore outing and a rare one that follows an iconic debut. This album is a whole mood. Brooding and goth in all the right places. I loved it.

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.

not bad.

not my favourite but good .

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

With my last review, I found myself tackling dream pop via the Cocteau Twins' Heaven or Las Vegas. Now, who should turn up at the front door but the cousin of dream pop, noise pop? The distinction between the two isn't exact: both tend towards bubblegum melodies and walls of sound, with dream pop emphasising texture more and noise pop focusing on noise (funny that). So, more feedback and distortion, but both could open an Adam Curtis documentary on how the Biafran War directly led to TikTok. I expressed a mild guardedness for dream pop, as its style could slip into gimmickry with diminishing returns over the course of an album. Noise pop makes me similarly wary for similar reasons. It's nice to have a clear style, but a style is not a philosophy, and overexposure can reveal a scantiness to the substance. That said, I tend to prefer noise pop to dream pop: dreams are meaningless, noise is not. Darklands is the Jesus and Mary Chain's second album, and their second most acclaimed. Their debut album, Psychocandy, is now seen as one of the definitive albums of the eighties, especially in British indie circles. However, the two brothers behind the band, William and Jim Reid, had grown resentful of the rabid image the press had painted of them (the tabloids called them the new Sex Pistols due to the violence that tended to erupt at their gigs). Along with this, their drummer Bobby Gillespie left to pursue his own band Primal Scream, with the Jesus and Mary Chain employing a drum machine for this album. So, Darklands features much less of the guitar squeal of Psychocandy and, let me commit heresy, better-structured songs. I prefer the best songs on Darklands to the best songs on Psychocandy. You could argue that Psychocandy is meant to be treated as an album rather than a collection of songs, but I will point to my earlier criticism that an album of one noise can swiftly become wearying. Also, Darklands is less overtly record-collection rock, meaning you don't spend the entire album just ticking off references to the Velvet Underground (although you do spend some of it on that unimpressive activity). But anyway, whilst there are fantastic songs on Darklands, I wonder if it's momentous enough. Darklands is a fine album, but it just misses by a pubewidth in making me truly giddy. I don't feel my heart bursting when I listen to it, and that's surely the effect one desires. Maybe further listens will induce that full sense of bliss, but I have other things to do as well. Such as your mum.

Another day, another average album

Me regustó

This one was a miss for me. Just a lot of generic alt rock sounds and the use of drum machine definitely made it feel more hollow

3.75

This band and album went under my radar. So happy to finally get the privilege to listen to it. Amazing

Dull. I don't mind depressing music, but not dull depressing music

Interesting album with links to to the shoegaze/dreampop scene. The bass is strong and the drums somewhat refrained. The singing does not go into big crescendos or spectacle, but rather forms an atmosphere. At points reminds me of My Bloody Valentine's "Isn't Anything" album, but with a lighter wall of sound, allowing more room for the melody. I have been curious about this band, but never had a chance to listen to one of their albums in full. I think this was a great introduction and at 36 minutes, is not a demanding listen. Genre: Rock, shoegaze, dreampop. Year: 1987 Track highlights: Darklands, On the Wall, Nine Million Rainy Days

pretty mid ngl

Not really my vibe

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

Given my dislike of shoegaze, this isn't as horrible as I'd expected. But not something I'd choose to listen to, and not something I'll finish listening to today.

Didn't like it, quite dark.

Nice songs, cool sound, but nothing really stood out 3.5/5

Boring. And really basic. These guys have a pretty unmoving songwriting formula. Flip between two chords endlessly for the versus, and maybe a third for the chorus. And pretty much each song uses the SAME pattern. Didn't really enjoy this very much.

Kind of interesting, but very same-y throughout the whole album. Shoegaze isn't really my jam. Kind of fun alt-rock guitar (kind of like REM?) but the droning vocals were getting tiresome by the end of the album.

Better than Psychocandy and Automatic

idk yet

perfeito

Not a remarkable album but I did enjoy a few songs to warrant a 4z

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.

Very nice album, good vocals, good lyrics, nice guitar tones. Listened to it twice on a walk and it was a great way to clear my head. Favourite tracks: Happy when it rains, about you

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.

catchy and moody, the best combo. favorite tracks: darklands, happy when it rains, april skies

I like this album. I already knew just like honey and love it. their sound is so cool and comforting and familiar. I like the noise and the feedback, it feels like main character music, i can see it in so many films. i like darklands, april skies. it just feels like you should be driving down pch at sunset with the windows down or at a party with your friends having drinks. I will definitely relisten and revisit. i want to give this a 5 so i will. :)

1.5

Solid 80s vibe sound with notes of Bowie and Sting. A little boring and repetitive at times, but not bad

Unexpected but wonderful!

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.

Like SHARPE leading his men in to battle.

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.

Needs to be included in the next season of Stranger Things, so Gen Z can all wet the bed about it and discuss the pronouns used by Jesus and Mary. They/them

epic

Unexpectedly good, albeit a little boring sometimes.

I want to give it a 3, but it's just a bit "lacking something" for me - maybe will improve over time, but I can't see myself wanting to choose this

Strong 2, liked parts of it

Bit dark and deep, enjoyed it more than most rock - 3.3

This is kind of a monotonous and brooding album, but it is totally listenable in the background. Not much breaks through the hum. It is exactly what I think of when I think of this band.

First time hearing and listening to this band. I dont mind 80s stuff but this album was quite boring.

Pretty good tbh. Reminds me of common garage bands now and wonder if they served as the foundation for modern music now.

Washy goodness - I love the sound, and each song blends into another to make up a great record from start to end. There are standout tracks, but this is an album to enjoy in it's entirety.

Great album. My favorite of theirs will always be Automatic. Really underrated band though.

+++

Pretty good

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.

ok for the first five songs but they all sound the same

6/16/2022 - ALBUM #140 Today's Album: "Darklands" by The Jesus and Mary Chain - These album reviews are starting to take a bit longer due to my busy schedule (which will hopefully eventually clear up), but the worst part about it is when I get these really fantastically layered albums that take me so much time to properly unpack. The instrumentals, lyricism, storytelling, songwriting, and even mood and sonic landscape of this album are all so layered and the instruments in particular are incredibly impressive when considering they're using a drum machine throughout the entire album. The album really gains a lot of it's personality through it's blaring distorted guitars that create a really rich sounding background to some really great moody vocal performances. The lyricism, although a bit hard to decipher on first listen, actually tells a really great story of feeling a lot of anger and injustice in the world and projecting it onto a relationship and all of the heartache that comes with it. By the ending track, About You, they sing about feeling better about the world and feeling something warm in the rain, warm in everything, and finally warm about "you". The lyrics can be a little heavy handed and hard to understand at some times, but I also think it's totally possible to just tune them out and enjoy this project for the great soundscapes it creates. This album overall just strikes a really awesome balance sonically by having a really structured automatic beat, that honestly sounds convincing for a drum machine, and then having a lot of effects on the guitars, melodic basslines, and somewhat strained vocals to incorporate a really moody atmosphere. They then incorporate a lot of conventional song structure to make this sound really appealing. A lot of the stuff in this album has become very worn out in the alt-rock genre, but for 1987, this still holds up today and sounds so incredibly fresh. The mix is also pretty solid, putting the vocals in the background of these blasting guitar chords. The songs April Skies and On The Wall stand out to me as all of these ingredients combining to create something that ascends the rest of the tracks. I also think the sequencing of this album is really solid, with the few songs that weren't as good being sprinkled throughout the track list. Overall, this album deserves a listen with a really good pair of headphones because most of the greatness in this record comes from the soundscapes they create, but at the same time...I really love that shit. Give this one a listen if you like an album with a moody alt-rock tone to it or like an album that gives you some great sonic moments and experiences. Highlights: Darklands, Happy When It Rains, Down On Me, April Skies, Fall, Cherry Came Too, On The Wall Score: 8/10 Pretty fantastic and unique alt-rock experience

This might be the most tedious album I've ever heard. Most of these songs are indistinguishable because they're mainly comprised of two chords: a root chord and then its major 4th chord, which they switch between ad nauseam. Once in a while there's a major 5th chord. Those are the 3 most basic chords in all of history. And they're played so lazily too. This album just oozes mediocrity. The singing is lackluster and the guitar playing is so dull; a below average 9 year old guitar student could've have written this music for all I know. I think I'd rather have no guitar at all than have to listen to this unimaginative, unimpressive trash. These guys have MORE THAN ONE album on this list, which is unfathomable. There is better alternative music from the 80s than this.

Tämä on taas jotain kakkosen ja kolmosen välistä. Eipä tätä tule varmasti enää uudelleen kuunneltua niin painetaan kaksi*.

Aika diipadaapa yhdentekevä

Meh

I didn't really care for this. It was a real snooze. Sometimes sounded like boring pixies.

Didn't really catch my full attention but it was some fine melodic post-punk.

I never really got into the Jesus and Mary Chain when I got into post-punk. They always just kind of passed me by, and I never got around to listening to much of them in the years since. Spinning this now, I can see the appeal of their jangley sound, but I think I missed the window to totally get on board with them. This is good, but I’d rather put on Depeche Mode or Slowdive or something. Gonna say C+

Nice listen. Great Scottish pop/alt/punk.

Much like a lot of the mid-80s goth rock NOT made by The Cure, I want to like this more than I do.

I loved JAMC when they first started out, and saw them live around the time this album was released. But they never seem to have captured that initial noisy soundscape by the time they started making records. They have since written some great rock n roll tunes without all the feedback, but this seems to fall between both stools - none of the whirlwind of sound of their early live stuff, and no standout tunes on here to compensate. This washed over me, I’m afraid, which was a bit of a surprise. I expected to enjoy this more.

A wonderful album. I love the sensitive nature running through the songs, masked by the macho rock 'n' roll posturing. It's the songs that win through, all delicate and in danger of breaking into tears at any moment. The black leather hides the emotions well.

My initial thought was: Aargh! Shoegaze again - what for? Happy to find it's much softer and more melodic than the previous impenetrable offering. Just like normal music, in fact. 'Some Candy talking' written in 10 different ways, plus a bit of the Beach Boys unexpectedly thrown in. I like it - but not enough to ever play it again.

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

Warm and nostalgic sound, just like honey!

Niet zo memorabel album, maar wel goeie muziek

it’s aight

It's a vibe I could certainly settle down into. Fave: April Skies

Not that bad

I just don't understand why some albums make it into the top 1001 whilst other less trendy singers/bands are out in the cold. Not even a sniff. Heavily biased selection in my view towards the 80's onward and towards glamorous groups with a few 00's Spotify plays. I don't mind this band but this album is just derivative and bland.

really good, definitely easier to listen to than Psychocandy but I really love both I really enjoyed the fuckin shit out of this album - 10/10

In which the JAMC showed that under the pyros they had a sturdy songwriting chassis and (squabbling aside) were in it for the long haul. Flawless collection different from the amazing debut.

Classic walk through the 80s musically.

I recently got 'Psychocandy', which had a stronger single (Just Like Honey), but overall 'Darklands' is a better and more accessible album as it's more poppy and the fuzzed-out guitars are toned down a bit.

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