Psychocandy

I don’t know, I feel like this album could use a little more reverb.

Am I insane? This album makes me so fucking angry. The distortion is so OTT it makes most songs unlistenable. Seriously, I had to switch my earphones to make sure my speakers weren't broken. If they blasted this in Guantanamo Bay it would be classed at cruel and unusual punishment. What makes it worse is the songs under the added effect sound pretty decent.

I have already heard this a million times. Anyone who has never heard this before will probably rate it a 1, but back in 1986 this sounded like nothing I had ever heard before. My friends as I were obsessed with this album. Some hard bands were noisy, but this was just noise as music. But under the noise, there are genuine pop songs and hooks buried in there. This is the record all the showgazing bands of the 90s cited as an influence. In short, a masterpiece.

this must've been hard to understand in 1985. i love it. the howling proto-guitar-wash running underneath everything, the kinda holdover-from-punk-rock tone they have, all mixed with the super calm, almost dead vocals, make for a fantastic soup of noise and love. it's like if daniel ash went to sing with lou reed, and i love it.

4.2 + I've revisited this record several times over the years, and have consistently left confused. There's hardly a music critic that doesn't fawn over it. Several things are immediately apparent and good: (a) the blown out guitars give a dry brightness, providing a fuzzy texture that swallows up most other contrasts in the middle, it makes me feel like standing in a desert at high noon with the sun illuminating everything in hot white with no shadow, (b) the songs themselves are simple, happy and poppy, almost 1950s bubblegum, which I suppose explains partly how they're able to keep the sound from going completely off-kilter, (c) it's impossible not to hear this album's fingerprints on "Loveless" and other shoegaze albums that would follow. Within the context of 1985, this album probably felt like a juggernaut and 35 years later it still sounds so fresh. For me, I feel like JAMC lean too heavily on the fuzzy, trebly, squealing guitar sound, and at turns I find it unpalatable. Songs like "In a Hole" hurt my ears. Still, I get why critically this album's a stunner and in small doses there is so much that speaks to me personally. It's a record that I currently admire more than love.

thrashing around on your guitar is shit. Play...more...slowly stupid rock cunts

I have always enjoyed music by artists who really know how to use noise. I don't mean simply being noisy or being loud, which anyone can do. I mean artists with an ability to take noise - notes, feedback, fuzz, distortion - and employ it as a musical instrument in its own right. On Psychocandy, The Jesus & Mary Chain really embraces noise in beautiful and unsettling ways, always pushing against what we think we should expect from music. A lot of artists have done this to varying degrees, but J&MC is beyond next level in their talent for it. This music is unabashedly noisy and somehow also gorgeously melodic when they want it to be. To be sure, this isn't meant to be an easy album. It's piercingly dissonant and probably has induced quite a few earaches over the past 35+ years. But the cumulative effect of what they've created really is like an inverse of the wall of sound idea. It's difficult, noisy to be sure, but surprisingly beautiful if you can just let the sound wash over you. I loved this album when it came out and am pleased to see that it has held up beautifully over time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Hardest Walk, Just Like Honey, You Trip Me Up, Cut Dead, My Little Underground, Something's Wrong, Sowing Seeds, Taste of Cindy, Taste the Floor, Inside Me, Never Understand, In a Hole, It's So Hard, The Living End

I’ve heard just like honey. But not much else from this band. Now I know where Black Rebel Motorcycle Club gets their schtick. I feel like this is perfect post punk, heavily distorted, the vocals blend like an instrument almost taking a back seat to the guitars. It’s like slow motion Ramones—“you trip me up” literally sounds like “blutzkrieg bop” in half time. The distortion and heavy vocal reverb makes for a hypnotic feel as the band jump a back and forth between soft and heavy. You can see the roots of shoegaze here, it’s like Sonic youth without all the avant garde shit. Only complaint is that it was a touch repetitive, could’ve cut like 3-4 songs. Loved it. Added to Spotify library.

Both gave me tinitus and sounded like i had tinitus. There is something about this style that i can't grasp.

Classic debut by the Reid brothers - their use of feedback crossed with 60s Spector girl groups was pioneering and was a major influence on noise rock and shoegaze. Future Primal Scream vocalist drums on the album. This album is not for the faint of heart - the feedback sometimes dominates the instrumentation so if you have sensitive ears, proceed with caution! The album opens with the classic Just Like Honey (used memorably in the film Lost in Translation) and also contains Never Understand and You Trip Me Up. Some versions include Some Candy Talking, another of their best songs, though this wasn't on the original tracklist. So if you like your pop songs noisy, turn this one up loud and enjoy!

Ah, The Glasgow Beach Boys, love the abrasive use of Wall of Sound techniques to give that '60's feel with a grittier 80's post punk realism. Love "Just Like Honey" & "you Trip Me Up" A good choice for the list seeing as what the lads went on to do with Bobby G! I would have this in my collection

On hearing this when it was first released I was a little disappointed that I wasn't blown away quite as much as I was with the first two singles. But they were such highs that it would always be hard to compete. This was a game changer when it came out in 1985 and has stood up to the test of time. JAMC never consistently reached these heights again.

Probably one of the worst things I've heard maybe ever? This actually made me angry honestly like some of the most grating shit lmao.

Texture can be a very powerful thing. Sometimes texture can even overpower the underlying structure. As in food, where you might enjoy the flavor of something, but if the texture is off-putting, it can ruin the whole experience. With that analogy in mind, I can see why this album causes some people to have strong reactions. I for one enjoy the combination of abrasive texture and bubblegum hooks. If they were purely abrasive through and through, it would simply be repellent, but, since they pair it with such sweet, vaguely nostalgic melodies, it becomes a really compelling mixture. I admire their ability to take these almost skeletal little ditties and build such dense atmospheres around them that they feel practically cavernous.

Such a nice blend of noise and hook

"Just boost everything above 3k 10dB." - Producer (probably). Mix was tough to listen to, vocals were buried behind instruments and swimming in fx. Not a fun listening experience

Like a more depressing Stone Roses. Nothing to get excited about and nothing stood out. I’m being made feel like the guitar playing is progressive and ground breaking. Am I so out of touch? No. It is the children who are wrong. I found myself quite agitated by the end of this album. It was a laboured slog trying to get thru it and the ambiguity around where one song ended and the other began really added to frustration. One of the worst yet.

A pinnacle of noisy music that led the way for countless alternative rock subgenres through its employment of high feedback. These songs are creative and exciting, influenced mostly by post-punk contemporaries but also greatly by 60s bright sunshine pop music with its soft drawn-out vocal style and jangly instruments. But for sure their fusion with high feedback is modeled after the Velvet Underground. It's echoey and features subtle effects and instrumental shifts (very reminiscent of shoegaze) which makes for a fun and engaging listen. There are soft beautiful songs and harsh abrasive songs, and although I'm a fan of both styles, it sometimes catches me by surprise, like the sharp transition from "Cut Dead" to "In a Hole". Possibly my only complaint, but a wrong track order is not enough to tear apart my experience here. I'm a fan of nearly every song, which is surprising considering there are 14 of them. But they're short enough that you become intrigued by each concept before moving on to the next, yet none of them sound rushed. They're cute short pop songs full of creative ideas.

Psychocandy is the kind of album music critics tend to fawn over. Why? Because it's really basic rock 'n roll, so they don't have to talk about music or deal with any complexities. In Psychocandy's case, they can prattle on about the innovation of drowning the songs in echo and distortion and how brilliant it was to fuse Beach Boys melodies with Velvet Underground sonic violence. Even better, they can laud the album for setting up shoegaze, etc. The thing is, for once, I basically agree with the critics. These basic, basic songs, which would sound like nothing if they were recorded straight, are like a warm bath for me. I luxuriate in the swirl of noise. I wouldn't blame anyone for dismissing Psychocandy as style over substance and repetitious to boot, but to me, for what they're going for, it would be hard to improve on. One last point: this came out in 1985, arguably the nadir of Anglo music, so Psychocandy gets points simply for not sucking.

First impression: I think Lost in Translation could be a top 5 all time movie for me. Sure it's touching, funny, understated, but the unsung hero is the soundtrack. Was enjoying but halfway through knew I was missing something...it was volume. Once the bluetooth speaker was off and the headphones were in, this album transformed. Rich reverb soaked wall of guitar. Simple poppy melodies. Perfect. Done. "A" record. P.S I think there's a musical family tree that seeds with the Ramones, branches to The Jesus & Mary Chain, leafs to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and ultimately dies and drifts to the ground with BRONCHO.

If you took Phil Spector’s wall of sound and replaced the lead instruments with wood shop machines you might get something like this. The opening beats to “Just Like Honey” sounded like a 60s girl group was about to sing, but instead we hear an ethereal male voice and a distorted, jangly guitar. I kind of liked “Just Like Honey,” but my ears started squinting almost immediately. “The Living End” continues on in this vein… I’m guessing the recording session went something like ‘DO YOU HAVE TO RUN THE TABLE SAW WHILE WE’RE TRYING TO RECORD OUR ALBUM?! Yes? Oh well fuck it go ahead and roll the tape.’ I’ve been known to enjoy distortion effects but I was not enjoying this much. I will say that listening on a good pair of headphones actually helped a little on a few of the songs. There are plenty of catchy hooks, beats and bass on this that I enjoyed (“Never Understand” was catchy - if someone would only turn off the grinder in the background). At times the distortion was more tolerable (“The Hardest Walk”, “Cut Dead”, “Sowing Seeds”), but I don’t see more of this in my future.

Just reverb and droning voices that I though was never going to end.

The revolution of Noise Pop has begun and it did with this album. The Jesus and Mary Chain were some of the first to combine dark Post-Punk with noisy Pop melodies that feel like a mix of the Beach Boys and Sonic Youth but ultimately better than both (except Pet Sounds of course, you can't beat that one). It's a raw, dense, atmospheric and romantic mix of genres and ideas that ultimately pathed the way for a whole new thread of music including genres like Shoegaze. Opening track 'Just Like Honey' is a beautiful and psychedelic Noise Pop song that pretty much embodies what Noise Pop is: incredible Pop songs with Noise put on top. Here, they create a lovingly made and romantic song that just screams "1960's" with the songwriting as well as the performance. Latter of course to a degree because there is a lot of reverb added but that doesn't stop the song from being absolutely beautiful and perfect. The Deathrock inspired Noise Rock and Post-Punk 'The Living End' goes into a much heavier and even noisier direction that still shows a lot of beauty in both production and songwriting. I really love the vocals that seem to linger above the noisy ground with a finesse that feel like it comes directly from a (male) angel. It's absolutely perfect and there is no doubt in my mind. This is how you do Noise Rock. It gets even noisier on 'Taste the Floor' which has as much Noise as possible before it's considered Harsh Noise. But it's done beautifully and of course, the vocals help a lot. For my personal taste, it might be a bit too much Noise but "oh my god", the songwriting is absolutely perfect which makes up for every bit of discomfort from the instrumental. The verses as well as the chorus are perfected to the most. The dreamy and psychedelic aspect of their music is worked out even more on 'The Hardest Walk' which again, is absolutely beautifully written and because the instruments are a bit more distinguishable, the parts where the vocals are a bit more "basic" work much better. I absolutely love the song but it isn't a perfect track, sadly. There are bits here and there that I'm not the biggest fan of but still, incredible. Interestingly, 'Cut Dead' isn't noisy at all. There's still a lot of effects and reverb which gives it a typical Dream Pop feeling which works absolutely well with the rest of the tracks but there's nothing Noise Pop about this, only psychedelic Dream Pop. It's beautiful but a bit out of place and even if I really like the vocal delivery, the rest feels a bit "empty" on the album. But even this way I love it. In total contrast, 'In a Hole' goes as Noise as probably possible back then. It has a very well made Post-Punk track buried beneath a thick layer of Noise. Sadly, this Noise isn't really put together all that well and just repeats a tad bit too loud. The songwriting is absolutely incredible but that bit too much Noise is enough to ruin a good portion of it. It's great but not more, sadly. The still noisy (but less noisy) 'Taste of Cindy' closes the first half of the album with a pretty Jangle Pop and Post-Punk track that feels very much like something from The Smiths but with a ton of Noise and reverb. It's lovely and absolutely wonderful to listen to. The bass really sticks out here and even though there's a ton of Noise added, it's integrated much better. Side B opens with the Post-Punk track 'Never Understand' which has some very stinging Noise added which is at a point where it helps the song but isn't too loud or too distracting. It may a bit too high-pitched but in the end it adds to the strange feeling of the record. The "actual" song is a really sweet and catchy 80's pop song and even if I really love pretty much everything about the song, it just isn't perfect even with so many great details like the screams that add so much more darkness. 'Inside Me' mixes the Noise Pop Rock with the vocal and instrumental performance of Gothic Rock which just fits the song perfectly. The songwriting and vocal delivery leaves nothing open and it just flows through the stages of dreamy and beautiful vocals with dark and blistering Noise. The mix of genres here is absolutely wonderful and perfected. On 'Sowing Seeds', the Noise is tuned way down and let's the Dream Pop side shine through much stronger which results in a hypnotic and beautiful listen that sounds like the best possible mix of 60's songwriting and production with that of the 80's. The song is an emotional rollercoaster that seems to spiral down to longer it plays. This nearly made me cry... Perfect. The more Punk inspired side returns with 'My Little Underground' which still has much less Noise than some previous tracks but it also still has some beautiful moments with the Noise Rock that is there. What a catchy track it is too. I don't understand half of what he's singing but the delivery is enough for the song to stick with me so much longer than I'd had thought. Absolutely perfect. The more strong audible Noise comes back into the centre on 'You Trip Me Up' which again has some absolutely wonderful songwriting that would be incredible without the Noise but damn, it adds so much. Such a hypnotic and beautiful listen that makes you forget everything for a second and just drones you with half beautiful half angsty but absolutely incredible overall. No, perfect overall. 'Something's Wrong' might have something wrong with it because the vocals are mixed to quietly and all the rest of the song just isn't as catchy. Now don't get me wrong, this is still a good song and I really, really enjoy it but held against the other songs, it is a bit duller and less perfected. Some moments are just not interesting at all with only some really helping it up. On top, it is the longest song on the album and you definitely feel that. They just aren't that good at making song longer than 3 minutes. Sadly. The closing track 'It's So Hard' brings in some Industrial, similar to something from Einstürzende Neubauten but with their Noise Pop songwriting which is really interesting and more Post-Punk especially with the vocal delivery but there's something that kind of keeps me from fully loving it which is why I think that it's "only" incredible but not perfect. favourites: The Living End, My Little Underground, Just Like Honey, Sowing Seeds, Taste the Floor, Inside Me, You Trip Me Up, Taste of Cindy least favourites: Something's Wrong, In a Hole Rating: strong 9 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Weird, what about all this feedback, and the sound of vacuum cleaners I thought once, listening to the album for first time. By now every single note is part of my brain. The romance in Just Like Honey, the aggression in Never Understand , this is such a brilliant album it makes you think: why "1001 albums" to listen before you kick the bucket, 1 is enough! A very dear one had psychcandy as her email address when I met her and now already for many years is dead, at the funeral I wanted to play one of the songs of this album and I selected the most accessible one, Just Like Honey. All other funeral-goers found it tough to listen too (-:

It's pretty bloody great all said and told.

Yes! YES! Blast me with feedback! Wash away my consciousness with squalls of jagged noise! Sonically flatten me! I like this more than "Darklands", which I replayed so as to compare and contrast. "Darklands" is much more conventionally sounding post-punk, but this - tis is gorgeous noise pop. Fave track - "You Trip Me Up", followed closely by "Just Like Honey"

Distorted dreampop done dirty

Beautiful crafted 1950s and 1960s style classic pop songs slathered in epic walls of white noise. Cool as they come indie perfection. Must be played loud enough to make ears and eyes bleed.

This album is expansive in a way that I wasn’t expecting from an 80s post punk/alternative band. The melodies were well developed and memorable as well. This album provided the groundwork for the shoegaze movement as well, which I’m a huge fan of. The guitars are over distorted and fuzzy but the vocals are clear. Though this album can be characterized as noise rock, it’s strong melodic tendencies elevate it to something else entirely.

Classic!

This album caught my ear from the very start. The opening beats were straight from the Ronettes' Be My Baby. But then it transition into what almost sounded like a '60 psychedelic song. The whole album had a '60s fuzz sound to it. It almost seemed like they were emulating their favorite bands from the era on different songs with a little punk mixed in. But they executed well. I almost want to give it a 5 because of my unexpected enjoyment of it. But I can't put it on my list of absolute favorites. So it gets a 4. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Melodies, noise and a sense of danger. This album is bloody brilliant. The Spector inspired production teases you with the melodies that are hiding away underneath all that feedback. Psycho Candy was responsible for the reverb on amps being fucked around with in teenage bedrooms throughout the mid 80's. Guilty. At the root of the record are some beautiful songs. The Mary Chain are classic rock 'n' roll: flicking the finger but tearful behind the shades.

Psychocandy announces itself with a bang with Just like Honey a psychedelic pop masterpiece. And there is some, but just a little, fall off from their. These guys turn up the distortion from time to time, but never such that the melody lines are lost. The more you listen the more get lost in their psychedelic jungle. This band and album countless trends to come; shoegaze and brit pop to name but two. Other highlights; Never Understand with its driving beat and distorted noisy guitars, The Hardest Walk harkening back to the best of the 60s pop and I just love the feel of Cut Dead. Great stuff. 4.5 stars

Extra special Scots band featuring a very young Bobby G.

Wow. It’s like a cross between the velvet underground and nirvana. Pretty unique. Their sound isn’t pleasant per se, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I haven’t really heard anything like this.

Very good, and clearly very influential, sometimes a bit much on the ears though.

The first track of the album 'Just like honey' is the most played track of the album and this band all time, but it does no justice to this album and what it has to offer to the listener. The album was cohesive and the noise and monitor feedback sounds used as an extra layer and helping the album keep this cool and 'I don't care' sound. I really like it!

Liked it a lot. Very vibey, easy to get lost in the distortion and reverb. Some highs, some lows, some inbetweens, good for fair weather and foul.

Already knew a few of these. Famously ripped off the Fall on a number of tracks, but I'm not sure those were the ones I particularly cared for.

This is another record that had inch thick dust on my hard drive, one that ricocheted off me thirty years ago: I was disappointed by the promised noise (how could this be compared to Sonic Youth?) and unimpressed by the tunes (sounds old so very old). I'm charmed now, especially by the opener, but something about its self-consciousness reins in my enthusiasm. To a Velvets' Candy, we add a Cindy; we hear a motorbike; we see a creepy Spector behind the desk. I know he was just a Ringo for hire, but perhaps the knowledge of what Bobby Gillespie was to become has tainted my appreciation of Psychocandy.

Fully turned distortion pedals gnash into a wall of dream pop soundscapes. Songs call back to Troggs, Kinks, and Turtles hits. Contrast of harsh fuzz and bubblegum pop feels like listening to a Phil Spector album while a dentist fills in cavities.

It was fine, not my taste

not bad, but fairly bland to me. had a hard time really differentiating these tracks or getting into them on a larger level...could be bad headphones though

It took a while to get through this. I've listened to Darklands a lot and enjoy it, though this is less moody and a lot more fuzz feedback. It it interesting to have it blended with pop harmonies, so I give them props even though it isn't an easy listen (i feels longer than 39 minutes).

This is not an album that I feel should be one of the albums anyone needs to hear before they die. I have nothing against noise rock or lo-fi, but this album is not one of the best examples of that. The band obviously takes their inspiration from punk and the sound of groups like Velvet Underground and such, so it's not like they were the first or the last, and this album is not the best example of it either.

Sounds like it was recorded with a potato. It's a shame because I could detect the strains of decent music beneath the horrible static. I had to skip some songs because it was just...too much. Like listening to feedback.

better than Darklands, still the most over-rated band of their era

I wanted to like this but Christ, they included some unpleasant noise in there.

Thought something was wrong with my headphones

Suicide watch music

even the boring songs are perfect

At first I had a hard time with the feedback sounds on some of the tracks, but the more I listen the more I love this! Tended to enjoy the dreamier showcase tracks more but the more punkish songs grew on me.

Solid

What a debut this release is. Jesus & Mary Chain bring a pop sound with some fuzz and we get such a pleasant listen on Psychocandy. Along with their fellow Scots, Cocteau Twins and Siouxsie and The Banshees, Jesus & Mary Chain are a pioneer of the wonderful genre of shoegaze. Pop music at its core is glossy, which is totally great in its own right but what J&MC demonstrate here is that the fuzzy distortion can bring depth to the music and there’s emotion in the harshness of it. There’s beauty in the imperfections and this album is a beauty for sure. 5 stars

Love me some JAMC - this is a classic.

East Kilbrides finest

Oh, I get it.

Would you press the button: the album is peak, but it nearly gives you a migraine with every song

This album is wild. It's no easy feat to combine softness and harshness with melody and dissonance and come out with a masterpiece. To my ears, that is exactly what's happened. I listened to this album, then Darklands, then this one again. The melancholic, ethereal vocals are very pleasing to me. There is brilliance in this album, if you take the time to find it. I spent a lot of the day listening to their catalog. The song with Hope Sandoval was a banger. The rest I heard is solid.

Fantastic, singular record. Nothing sounds like it. Especially some of that chainsaw feedback stuff like In a Hole and Never Understand. The latter almost takes off the runway in the second half. Definitely not for everyone. But it is for me.

Good vibes

A thick layer of sludgy noise over some 80s songs. The missing link into Nine Inch Nails.

Great... Definitely influenced by the Cure.

Just love ‘em. Such a distinct vibe.

Deliciously distorted and alternative. Me likey. Me likey A LOT.

Inventive as anything in 1985. Guitar tone is golden, low volume bit highly distorted, lashings of reverb and fuzz. A joy to behold, and interesting pairing with such catchy simple melodies. Jack this into my veins and give me all you've got.

This has probably been the hardest album to rank so far. I was quite off put by how noisy this album was on the first listen, and felt that the noise and pop structures were disjoint. For a few songs, I thought the noise was too strong, and the melodies too boring. I was ready to give this album a 2 or 3 at best. But then I gave it another listen. And another one. Now, I hear the noise and instrumentation mix together beautifully (most of the time), because I hear these opiate tones drag on behind it all. For the first time, I felt like I understood what draws people in with shoegaze. So many songs manifested this melancholic, numbed out, blacked out, sound that I couldn't pull away from. The noise and various effects really reframe the purpose of the pop oriented rock, and caused me to reinterpret entirely the emotionally felt senses that pop goes for. You know those cringey memes where people say something along the lines of "happiness is listening to the music, sadness is understanding the lyrics"? This album feels like the band wanted to bridge that gap, to create the body that feels the weight of the words it hears sung to it, while still remaining familiar at its core. I truly still don't know how to rank this album. In some ways I don't see myself listening to this regularly, and I still think the album as a whole is a little rough around the edges and simplistic at times. But at the end of the day, Psychocandy unwrapped some unexpectwled, brand new appreciation for a music genre I've been otherwise unsuccessful at getting into, and that feels well worth rewarding on it's own. I think I'll look back on this album as fondly as my other 5s so far, but it really stands out on its own for the effect it had on me. TL;DR I'm Frank Reynolds saying "oh my god, I get it"

For me, this was the peak for TJAMC, before they toned down the feedback and distortion a little. The simple song structure over a wall of white noise never fails to satisfy. I can hear so many influences, but more importantly, other bands who were in turn influenced by this sound. Spacemen 3 were probably closest for me, with Sound of Confusion coming out just a year later. There was also MBV, and a host of other shoegaze bands that followed on from where this album left off. Obviously it's a 5 star album, it's also a great discriminator, as people giving this album 1 stars obviously have a totally different idea of what music actually is.

Love this album. Post punk vibes on top of the wild guitar feedback distortion makes this album hit for me. Make sure to turn it up.

pop rock songs emerging from goopy noise

Perfect noise for a rainy Tuesday morning. The sun came out just at it was ending and ruined my mood.

Spacious and dreamy throughout. I'm a big fan of this kind of shoegaze.

Best album

Piercing noise, swooning melodies, and caveman drums performed by the coolest Scots to ever walk the Earth

First time hearing this full through but I think I’ve gotta go 5. Just Like Honey is a killer debut opener. Love the high pitch noise in several of the songs. The Hardest Walk and Taste of Cindy were other faves. Kind of proto shoegaze. Need to soend more time with it but a great way to start the week.

Gets a bit samey towards the end, and not as polished as Darklands, but an absolute classic

Released in 1985, "Psychocandy" by The Jesus and Mary Chain is a landmark album that significantly contributed to the evolution of alternative and shoegaze music. This revolutionary work marries a unique blend of noisy, distorted guitar soundscapes with hauntingly sweet melodies, creating an album that remains influential and relevant to this day. 1. Lyrics (Pros and Cons) Pros: The lyrics of "Psychocandy" are often overshadowed by its groundbreaking sound, but they play a crucial role in conveying the album's themes. The lyrics are cryptic and abstract, evoking a sense of disillusionment, alienation, and desire. Tracks like "Just Like Honey" showcase the juxtaposition of sugary-sweet melodies with darker, introspective lyrics, creating a compelling emotional contrast. However, the cons lie in the album's intentional obscurity. Some may find the lyrics too enigmatic, making it challenging to decipher their meaning. Yet, this ambiguity adds to the album's mystique, allowing listeners to interpret the words in a way that resonates personally. 2. Music (Pros and Cons) Pros: "Psychocandy" is celebrated for its innovative use of noise and feedback, which was revolutionary at the time. The amalgamation of the Reid brothers' distorted guitars, reminiscent of The Velvet Underground, creates a dense sonic landscape. The album opens with the intense "Just Like Honey," instantly introducing the unique wall of sound that defines the band's style. The incorporation of classic pop melodies into a chaotic and dissonant sonic environment is a notable strength. This fusion of sweetness and dissonance, exemplified in tracks like "The Hardest Walk" and "Never Understand," sets The Jesus and Mary Chain apart from their contemporaries. Cons: The deliberate overuse of feedback and distortion may be an acquired taste. Some listeners might find the abrasive nature of the music challenging to digest, especially those accustomed to more polished production. This intentional rawness, while central to the album's aesthetic, may alienate some listeners. 3. Production (Pros and Cons) Pros: "Psychocandy" showcases a groundbreaking approach to production. The album was produced by John Loder, who successfully captured the band's vision of combining pop sensibilities with a cacophony of noise. The deliberate choice to saturate the tracks with feedback and distortion contributes to the album's visceral impact. The unconventional production techniques were ahead of their time, influencing countless artists in the alternative and shoegaze genres. The production also cleverly balances the dualities within the music – the soft and the harsh, the melodic and the dissonant. The result is an immersive listening experience that defies traditional expectations. Cons: The intentionally lo-fi and abrasive production might be off-putting to listeners accustomed to cleaner, more polished soundscapes. The decision to push sonic boundaries, while groundbreaking, may limit the album's accessibility to a broader audience. 4. Themes "Psychocandy" explores themes of love, disillusionment, and existential angst. The juxtaposition of sweet melodies with harsh noise reflects a nuanced commentary on the complexities of relationships and the contradictions of human experience. The album's title itself, a portmanteau of "psycho" and "candy," encapsulates the duality of its themes – the sweetness of life tainted by a darker, more unsettling undercurrent. The album's thematic richness lies in its ability to evoke a range of emotions. Tracks like "Just Like Honey" capture the bittersweet nature of love, while "You Trip Me Up" delves into the volatility of relationships. The overarching theme of disillusionment permeates the album, making it a cohesive and emotionally resonant work. 5. Influence "Psychocandy" stands as a pivotal influence on the alternative and shoegaze genres. The Reid brothers' innovative use of noise and distortion paved the way for bands like My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Ride. The album's impact is evident in the sonic experimentation that characterized the late '80s and early '90s alternative music scene. The Jesus and Mary Chain's fusion of pop melodies with noise laid the groundwork for the shoegaze movement, where the emphasis on atmospheric soundscapes and dreamy textures became a defining feature. The album's influence extends beyond its contemporaries, shaping the trajectory of alternative music for years to come. Conclusion "Psychocandy" by The Jesus and Mary Chain remains a groundbreaking and influential album, pushing the boundaries of alternative music with its unique blend of noise, melody, and introspective lyricism. While its intentionally abrasive production and cryptic lyrics may not appeal to everyone, these elements are integral to the album's lasting impact. The duality of sweetness and dissonance, explored thematically and sonically, creates a timeless work that continues to captivate and inspire new generations of musicians. As a seminal piece in the alternative music canon, "Psychocandy" deserves recognition for its role in shaping the sonic landscape of the late 20th century.

suprised at how much i liked this music. didn't know it existed

A quite brilliant debut, up there with the best debuts of all time. Just Like Honey showed that beneath the noise there was a sturdy songwriting chassis that would enable them to evolve (a bit!).

This just rules. I have always thought that this band’s music is deceptively simple. Lots of simple, 50s style rock and roll, but through a unique lens. On this listen, I stated to think of what Suicide did and I think there are a lot of similarities, even if the sound is not a one to one connection. Anyway, great album.

i love noise. just walls of sound. just pure sound waves going into my ear snail.

Surprisingly good, thought it was going to be lame but i love the distorted sound combined with the 80s kinda goth vocals. Liked tracks: Just Like Honey, The Living End, Taste The Floor, In a Hole, You Trip Me Up

Oh what a beautiful record. End to end sparse and lush. Love it and loved it again after all these years.

If an aspiring rock n' roller in 1965 decided to take a twenty year nap, wake up in 1985 and booked a ticket to Glasgow, Scotland, this is what he would sound like. Psychocandy is a fever dream and then some put to wax. In a quest to spot and secure the future, it was fit to best represent the past and then-present with drainpipe jeans, leather jackets and unruly hair. All the while crafting music that mixed Phil Spector, the deepest depths of feral rock and roll and Glasgweian force. It is no surprise that Psychocandy is what many think of when they hear of The Jesus and Mary Chain. All you need to hear, when it comes to why, is that first song. Perhaps the finest and most pivotal hour for one of Glasgow's finest bands. Play it loud as nature intended.

One of my personal favourites. I can still remember how it was to listen to it for the first time. And it still amazes me

Wonderful grungy punk

I'd heard some of these tracks, didn't know who they were.

With (most) of the rest of you. 5/5. I remember when it came out and it sounding like nothing else out there. Still holds up.

Brilliant noise pop.

Fuzzy, swirly, lovely, screechy, goodness. Hugely influential to me. 5 / 5 stars.

An absolute classic, beautiful noise rock that paved the path for so many great bands the following years.

Sublime

OMG - takes me right back!

"Pyschocandy" is the debut album by the Scottish rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain. It is considered a landmark recording of guitar and noise with a pop melody. That's a good description. It was also influential for the future genres of shoegaze and alternative rock. More on that later. The band was brothers Jim and William Reid (guitar, vocals), Douglas Hurt (bass) and Bobby Gillespie (drums and soon to be leader of Primal Scream). There were many bands listed as influences/influential including The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, The Stones, Einstürzende Neubauten but the band standing out for me is Suicide. The drum bang and those anthemic guitar chords strike up "Just Like Honey." Jim Reid almost whispering. Great backing vocals at the end by Karen Parker. An 80's alternative classic. Is it about the difficulty of going back to someone and admit you're wrong or oral sex. Let's say both. I have to admit the first song that got me into this band was hearing "The Hardest Walk" in the movie "Some Kind of Wonderful." Let's hear it for John Hughes in the 80's. It's more melodic pop: the best example of this on the album. A searing guitar solo. Obviously about walking away from someone. "Taste of Candy" gets us back to the echo, constant white noise, feedback and a simple beat. A darker tone probably about taking speed. A lot of these songs are about taking drugs or at least you could draw that conclusion. The first single "Never Understand" starts with feedback but goes to a pop melody. About drugs and self-abusive behavior. A screeching, white noise, feedback, long ending. Suicide in the studio. The second single "You Trip Me Up" continues with the feedback and a guitar sounding like a buzzsaw. It's about....well, you know. The album ends with the Suicide-esque "It's So Hard." Haunting and whispering vocals. Mechancal noises. More feedback. There's a lot to like about this album. Short songs, none longer than 14 minutes, get to the point. The mix of guitar being louder than the vocals almost making them indecipherable but more mysterious. There is an obvious direct line from Suicide to The Jesus and Mary Chain to the shoegaze genre. And I'm a big shoegaze fan. I like their subsequent albums but none reach "Psychocandy" heights.

Excelente

Totally basis review as it’s a Scottish band but also love this album, love the distorted guitars the shoegaze sound and the vocals.

Rated Dark Lands as 4 due to a somewhat unfortunate comparison it to this album. Influential album (think Raveonettes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club etc). Strong pop songs, buried under a big dosis of dust. Due to all the 60s pop references, it has a bit similar feel as those Ramones songs except that Psychocandy is no punk rock.

One of my all time fave albums

Thought this was going to be a 4 before listening to it again today, especially after Darklands proved to be plodding in places 35 years on. But this sounds just as sharp as it did when I bought it on release. A superb blend of the most basic elements, and I should listen to it more often.

Weird and noisy, and uncomfortable to listen to at points, but also awesome and unique. An influence on loads of bands I love, and interesting as the first album by one of the great, but underappreciated, Scottish bands.