7 inch Singles Collection: The Jesus and Mary Chain - Blues from A Gun

Menaces with melody it's...

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

A: Blues from a Gun

B: Shimmer

(Blanco Y Negro 1989)

I do very much enjoy the Jesus and Mary Chain (hereafter JAMC), so this is not going to be an unbiased piece of writing, so expect no scathing review here.For me the worst that can be said about them is that some of their stuff sounds a bit samey - but as I happen to like that sound that doesn't actually bother me much.

I think that the best description of JAMC that I ever read was in the Melody Maker (RIP) probably in the late 80's; maybe even at the time of this record or it's parent album. They described the sound of JAMC as "The Velvet Underground meets The Beach Boys" - well, not only are they two of my favourite bands, but I think that's a pretty accurate description. They have beautiful memorable pop melodies, whilst simultaneously being dark and fuzzy, and giving the impression that given have a chance those melodies will knife you in dark back alley without compunction. The JAMC is probably the ultimate example of brothers in bands falling out with each other - forget the petty squabbles of Gallaghers in Oasis, or the Davies brothers in The Kinks, Jim & William Reid seemed at times to only millisecond away from killing each other, and whilst I imagine that was quite debilitating to them, it fed into their sound giving it an extra layer of darkness and depth. 

 

Blues from a Gun was the lead single from their third album 'Automatic', by which time there had been a little polishing of some the rougher edges to their sound, but not enough as to neuter it.It starts with a fuzzy, swaggering guitar, and a rattling drum beat that underpins the whole song. The vocals are as expected, cocky, and self-assured, arrogant even, perfectly matching the feel of the music. Lyrically it's about depression and despair, but  delivered in a such a matter-of-fact way that that's just how the world is, that it adds to the overall menace of the music. It's that menace and darkness that oozes out of the song that actually makes it appealing.

Flipping the record over we get a track called Shimmer, and, you know what that's not an inappropriate name. The tempo has dropped from the a-side, and instead of chugging the guitars and chiming and indeed shimmering.It doesn't have the hooks of Blues from a Gun, but instead just kind of hangs there - crucially though it's short enough that I don't get fed up with it. It's there, and I like it when it's there, but when it's gone, I probably won't think about again; unlike the a-side which is still in my head as I am typing this.

I'm not ever going to say bad things about a JAMC record - so not much point in summarising this, other than - that was good. I enjoyed it, and I know I will enjoy it next time I listen to again.

Next time we paddle in the early shallows of Britpop giants...