the jesus & mary chain
love/hate rock'n'roll
by Count Bruga
The Jesus & Mary Chain kick off their new album Munki with "I Love Rocknroll" and close it with "I Hate Rocknroll," which seems fitting. Their songs usually revel in the rocknroll cornerstones of girlgroup pop exuberance, fuzztone guitars, and sneering adolescent nihilism, while at the same time disowning the indulgent cliches of most blues- and r&b-based rocknroll. Their penchant for noise and minimalism puts them on the art/Velvets end of the rock spectrum, and luckily for us, they seem content to stay there.
While some of their other releases have maintained a sort of low-key, dark steadiness, Munki is comprised mostly of seemingly off the cuff rockers, and almost all are right on the money. "I Love Rocknroll," "Stardustremedy," and "Cracking Up" are all especially cool songs, instantly likeable in their simple grooves, with enough energy and enthusiasm to ensure some longevity. The J & M Chain rarely challenge their own style, but there are enough surprises along the way through Munki to keep things fresh and interesting: someone named 'Sister Vanilla" is credited with singing the lead on "Moe Tucker," but if it isn't Moe using a fake name, you'd never know the difference. Hope Sandoval makes an appearance on "Perfume," and while the combination worked perfectly on Stoned and Dethroned,the results here are less interesting. I usually enjoy her indulgences on the Mazzy Star discs, but in this setting it's much more fun to hear the Reid brothers say things like "I was just a teenage jesus freak" over some basic pop changes. "Perfume" does provide a brief respite, however, from the poprock onslaught, and saves the record from falling into Ramones-like predictability.
One of the continuing charms of the Jesus & Mary Chain is that they are unafraid to steal recognizable quotes and use them shamelessly, as with the "Tomorrow Never Knows" drum pattern in "Supertramp". Another is their shamelessness in the lyric department - they're happy to rhyme 'black' with 'black' four lines in a row, and don't hesitate to sing
I think I'm goin' back to school The amazing thing is that they have just the right lowkey delivery to pull it off.
'cause I'm tired of being a fool
and I'm tired of playin' it cool
I think I'm goin' back to school
I saw the J & M Chain play live a number of years ago, in a pretty big outdoor venue, and it was easily one of the most boring shows I've ever seen. They were totally anonymous, drenched in dryice. I gave up ever seeing them a second time. But with their move to SubPop, and the energy displayed on this album, it could be a really fun night to see them in the right club. This album is highly recommended.
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