Veteran Scottish Indie artists Jesus and the Mary Chain mark 40 years in the music business with the release of their eighth album, Glasgow Eyes. The album follows their 2017 release, Damage & Joy, which initiated a musical renaissance for the band.
Brothers Jim and William Reid have always been at the centre of the action as the driving force for the band. On Glasgow Eyes, yet again, the brothers deliver their proprietary brand of brash cacophonic sound, sneering aggrieved attitude with bits of melody and chaos thrown in as a challenge.
Glasgow Eyes was recorded at Mogwai’s Castle of Doom studio in Glasgow. Along with the brothers Reid, the current lineup of JAMC in the studio comprised Mark Crozer on bass, Scott Von Ryper on guitar and Justin Welsh on drums. The creative approach is still the same as when the brothers began in 84′ with the overriding attitude being, “Just hit the studio and see what happens.” Often walking in with half-formed songs and loosening the Kraken. The band has always seemed to lead with their guts rather than their head, but time has slightly mellowed the band, cutting back ever so slightly on the acidic bile and adding some sprinklings of heart. The most surprising element of Glasgow Eyes is the presence of jazz inspirations and, dare it be said, brighter pop glimmers.
Glasgow Eyes opens with “Venal Joy Fest”, a fast-paced motorik intro that twists into a much darker feeling. The lyrics continue the “who gives a shit in your face lyrics” the band has always been famous for, with the scorching quip “I was so addicted to love, so we can fuck on the table”. This clarifies that time might have gone by, but the brothers are still as direct as they were the first time they stepped up to the mic.
“American Born” slows things down a bit, but not the acerbic nature of the message. Here, the band takes a Middle American rock sound and processes it through JAMC’s approach to speak out against the Americanization of everything. The track is loaded with Jim Reid’s trademark sneering vocals.
A definite stand-out track on the record is “Mediterranean X Film”, which blends an intense bass rhythm with Vaporwave and Shoegaze, an alchemy only JAMC can create. On the song, Reid’s abrasive vocal contrasts with the female chanteuse vocal, harkening back to the early works by the band.
The first single off the album, “Jamcod,” short for Jesus and the Mary Chain overdose, has all the elements of a classic JAMC song with added techno flashes, including abrasive guitar explosions with lyrics to match. The track develops a miasmic atmosphere of danger, flashing a lantern illuminating the seediest corners. Long-time band fans will find a lot to love in the selection. “Discothèque” continues similarly to “Jamcod” with a tour of nightlife’s dark and dank corners.
“Pure Poor” is another noteworthy point in the release. It begins with a heavy explosion of sonic goodness channelling the band’s inner Mogwai. It is no surprise, considering the studio the album was created within. “Pure Poor” delivers another healthy chunk of Shoegaze goodness, adding a ponderous crawl to the edge of hell lyrically, tossing in discordant guitar play and hallucinogenic dread, producing a winning offering. The Reid brothers lighten the mood with the nostalgic “The Eagles and the Beatles.” The track is a departure from the Reids’ usual fare. The duo walk through the rock world they grew up within, name-checking several bands. The result is more light-hearted fare.
Of the twelve tracks that comprise Glasgow Eyes, “Chemical Animal” is one of the most notable on the back half of the release. The Reids return to form with their iconic muffled vocals and blazing guitars. Their best lyric on the track is, “I fill myself with chemicals to hide the dog shit I don’t show”. The brothers offer up their dirtiest thoughts and feelings about themselves. They take their listeners through their attempts at confessional, examining their original sins, poverty, drug abuse, and impure thoughts all over an abrasive, guitar-attacking sound. Nowhere on the album is this more apparent than “Chemical Animal”, a must-listen offering on the release.
“Girl 71” is notable for the growth shown by the brothers in their examination of romantic relationships. The guitar-driven track flips from their typical bad relationship song, “Girl, you got me, you’re getting nothing,” to “Hey, you’ve got me, we’ve got something.” Positivity about a romantic relationship from JAMC, quell surprise, is a marked departure. If only for the flip-flopping sentiment, the track is worth a listen.
The album ends with “Hey Lou Reed.” It is the longest song on the release, filled with feedback guitar and a tribute to Reed and the Velvet Underground. It has a compelling structure as it honours the complex Reed and his gifts that still inspire today.
Glasgow Eyes displays a band that continues to seek brilliance in their work, delivering their uncompromised point of view. Over four decades, the Reid brothers have offered up their own distinct thoughts, feelings, and experiences, never letting go of their Scottish orneriness. They have refused to compromise their unique vision, and they have become legendary godfathers of Shoegaze. Glasgow Eyes is another worthy addition to their discography.
Be the first to comment