A music-obsessed, retired San Francisco lawyer, and author of the rock & roll memoir Jittery White Guy Music (available on Amazon)... picking a random album or song in his collection every day or so and sharing a few thoughts.
The Jesus And Mary Chain's 1985 debut, Psychocandy, was an absolute monster, its merger of sugar-sweet pop songs with an onslaught of reverb and distortion still being imitated today. And while they could have easily continued to milk the gimmick for a few more records, it was a pleasant surprise when the 1987 follow-up, Darklands, demonstrated they could deliver compelling material even with some of the wall of sound pared back. Not that Darklands didn't still wield some buzzsaw din; but for the most part, the reverb & feedback served more as atmospheric accompaniment, the songs much more in the foreground.
Beyond the sonics, the band also got a little darker, with some moody goth in the mix. Still, they were a pop band at heart, most notably on "Happy When It Rains," a perky power pop tune which masks the song's darkness in shimmering layers of glee. It also set the template for the next few albums, insanely catchy hooks and booming production serving as a counterpoint to the heavier themes.
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