Saturday, September 4, 2010

They always seemed what? They always seemed really great is what they always seemed.

They pick up where your precious Echo and the Bunnymen left off...

If you've figured out who I'm talking about, good job, you earn 1238 Cusacks. If you haven't, go watch High Fidelity again.

We all know it took me a while to make good on my promise and listen to Psychocandy by the Jesus & Mary Chain. Well the good news is: It's a really great album. The bad news is: You won't see it that way at first. Psychocandy is like a peach...all covered in fuzz. But once you get past the fuzz, there's something delicious and...uh...juicy?...whatever. The peach analogy didn't play out like I'd hoped, but you get the point. The album is noisy. There are some pretty catchy tunes, like Taste the Floor and Something's Wrong, but the layer of distortion almost renders the catchiness un-catchable.

This album took me several tries to get through. The first attempt was on a plane, which was a mistake since I always get sick on plane rides, and post-punk noise-pop isn't exactly medicinal. Oddly enough though, there are some soothing, almost ballad-like songs on the album. Cut Dead, Sowing Seeds, and of course Just Like Honey are all beautiful. It should be noted though, Sowing Seeds and Just Like Honey have exactly the same beginning, just in different keys...I thought Sowing Seeds was Just Like Honey and skipped it the first time through.

The bottom line is: This is a good album, but you may have to listen to it several times because it's definitely an acquired taste. But it's a taste worth acquiring.


1 comment:

  1. Excellent blog, but it left me with two questions. What is the ratio of Cusacks to Stanley Nickels? And do I get extra for watching a John Cusack movie while reading this?

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