The Jesus and Mary Chain - Automatic poll

listened to this today and it still holds up but listened to my remastered version of it.

Oh "Between Planets" no question. Love it so much.

going to have to go for 'Head On'

Voted "Here Comes Alice" but it could have easily been any one of half a dozen songs. There aren't many wrong answers here.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

But let me hasten to share my non-challenging opinion that, while I like this record, it really is a step down from Psychocandy/Darklands/BWK.

"Honey's Dead" was a step back up again

First J&MC album I bought and my third ever gig so I can't help but overrate it. It's a good dance record.

Previous poll otm: Head On > Blues > Between Planets

went to see automatic tour at leicester (de montford?). but we missed the train and only made the encore.

oh they did encores by then?

"Honey's Dead" was a step back up again

I liked it much more at the time, now I think I have them about even.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

best verse on the record:

some things are so hard to say
even though you'd say them every day
don't let your life be the butt of a joke
get your lips around a cool black pepsi coke

hrm always disliked the forced rhyme to make "pepsi coke"

that is what elevates it to bernard sumner level awesome.

plus it's not advertising if you mention both brands

I missed this poll, but I'm glad to read people were stanning for Between Planets.

listened to this whole album yesterday and man this is just not a good album. the drum and synths sequencing get really grating to my ears. think they regained a bit of ground with Stoned and Dethroned but this and Honey's Dead are really the nadir.

I prefer this to honey's dead, the drum machine is a bit shit but somehow suits their music more than monti's drumming, which works in the curve context, but not with jamc. the drum machine has a certain jarring brutality I can appreciate, like on peppermint pig. honey's dead (hate the name) is somehow even more corny. best song anything off the first side. sidewalking would have fitted nicely on this album.

I like the shittiness of the drum machine - it's so greasy and hostile and obnoxious.

Jesus is there no newer jamc thread? Anyway the new song (chemical animal) is awesome and I like it a lot. Really great details in the mix. The first single (jamc overdose) was cool too. Glad they are still here moaning and groaning.

I associate this album very strongly with driving in my car wearing sunglasses and smoking cigarettes hence it is the best JAMC album

Automatic rules.

I heard one of the new songs, JAMCOD. I'm a huge fan of bands that more or less do the same thing over and over, or variations of the same thing, and yet somehow always rule.

I put a bit about you new album here:
Jesus and Mary Chain Mania!

Xxpost

I saw them live in November, quite a few songs off Automatic at that one, nothing off the new album though

the sound was bloody awful for the first few songs, loads of people were shouting turn it up, the sound person eventually did do that

how my car was wearing sunglasses and smoking cigarettes i'll never know

I saw them on the Damaged and Joy tour and they were fantastic. The sound was loud and clean.

I want to die like Jesus Christ

Indeed

This is definitely a great driving record.

I do love this album but also kind of feel like it’s their New Jersey.

Good to see Blues from a Gun took this; I never understood why Head-On seemed to get all the attention.

(Completely unrelated, but I noticed recently that the Some Candy Talking EP is on streaming services now, but with cover art where the brothers have been replaced with dolls. Slightly different typefaces as well. Anyone know what the story is there?)

; I never understood why Head-On seemed to get all the attention.

Because it's faster, headier, and sounds great in the car and even better at karaoke.

I do love this album but also kind of feel like it’s their New Jersey.

Nah, it just rules. It feels Imperial, imo, like a fulfillment of proof of concept or something. It's also the first one to have Alan Moulder fully behind the boards mixing (though he and Flood make credit appearances on "Psychocandy"!), and Moulder really knows how to make drum machines and guitar noise pop.

It does sound great. The only thing that bothers me — just a little bit — is that the first two records feel very natural and effortless to me (whether or not they actually are), whereas there are parts of this one, particularly in the vocals, where it seems a little forced in a way that I find distracting. Mostly kidding about the New Jersey thing though; I’ve enjoyed everything they’ve done since then to a certain degree (well, except for Stoned & Dethroned, never got into that one) and definitely looking forward to the new one.

I kinda feel like Stoned & Dethroned is their New Jersey.

unusual details in wikipedia articles

In September 1989, The band provided backing vocals for the Erasure single "Drama!".

Stoned and Dethroned is one of my favorites

It's not bad!

Haha, I never knew that xp

"Drama!" contains a "Guilty!" exclamation throughout, provided by Scottish band the Jesus and Mary Chain, who were recording in the studio next door.[2] 

Automatic sounds great and I could pick nearly any track as my fave on any given day - but it is pretty samey. I would struggle to listen to it in its entirety but love any track that pops up on shuffle.

They are the same! "Between Planets" and "Head On" are the same song. That's what makes JAMC awesome.

unusual details in wikipedia articles

In September 1989, The band provided backing vocals for the Erasure single "Drama!".
― visiting, Monday, January 22, 2024 3:11 PM (two days ago) bookmarkflaglink

Wait this is amazing? Erasure is top 5 groups for me and I never knew this!!

Also

They are the same! "Between Planets" and "Head On" are the same song. That's what makes JAMC awesome.

― poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, January 24, 2024 5:39 AM (thirty-seven minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Absolutely love both of these but I think I'd go with BP. It's the song of theirs I listen to most often