Influential Scottish indie band The Jesus and Mary Chain sticks to its roots while bringing a modern touch to Glasgow Eyes, its second album since reuniting in 2007 and eighth album overall. Contemporary production and mixing and the blending of electronic elements into the band’s guitar-based sound make Glasgow Eyes sound fresh. Still, there’s a timeless quality to the brooding alternative music.
In tone and artistry, the new songs would fit in nicely with the band’s 80s or 90s catalog, but they don’t sound dated. That’s partly due to the loud pop mixing and walls of programmed elements and partly because of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s influence on today’s artists. Brothers Jim and William Reid were trailblazers in the early noise pop scene, with their debut album Psychocandy often credited with creating the genre. On the new album, the Reid brothers never veer too far away from the genre characteristics they helped define, even at their most experimental moments.
Songs like “Venal Joy” and “American Born” show the band’s heavier side. Dark, crackling electronica pulsates around repetitive beats and bursts of aggressive guitar riffs. In “jamcod,” Jim Reid sings about the drug and alcohol dependency that once plagued the band and ultimately led to its breakup. “Breaking up and then falling down, and my heart beats much too slow; best notify the other brother there’s no place to go,” Reid sings.
“Girl71” is the album’s weakest track. Built on a riff that sounds like Judas Priest’s “Living After Midnight,” it lacks enough energy and texture to be interesting. Luckily, that’s the only misfire.
“Discotheques” is one of the album’s most experimental songs. Reid sings in a disaffected tone about modern music made by programs and apps while eerie synthesizers pop in and out. The music sounds unnerving and high-tech but is contrasted by a simple palm-muted guitar progression that counterpoints the song’s innovative modernity.
Glasgow Eyes dabbles in electronica, post-punk, and shoegaze, and there have never been more synths on a Jesus and Mary Chain album, but the band is at its best during the mid-tempo noise pop. The Reid brothers’ contrasting guitars create an air of tension in “Pure Poor.” Jim’s plodding, fuzzed power chords clash with William’s discordant lead licks.
The droning rhythm and wall of distortion in “Chemical Animal” lays the foundation for an emotional admission about drug addiction. “There is something I don’t show; I fill myself with chemicals to hide the dark shit I don’t show,” Reid sings. His hushed vocals carry the weight of the confession, while the repetitive drone reinforces the feeling of helplessness.
The Jesus and Mary Chain’s nine-year hiatus didn’t stifle any of the Reid brothers’ creativity. After an impressive return with 2017’s Damage and Joy, Glasgow Eyes takes the band’s experimental noise pop further. The expected elements are all there, from the brooding lyrics to the droning guitars to the intricate melodies. Still, incorporating electronic elements adds extra flavor for those who’ve already played Honey’s Dead a thousand times and don’t need another one.
