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“About You” - The Jesus and Mary Chain
(Words/music: Jim and William Reid, available on Darklands, Blanco y Negro 1987)

Two decades after their debut, much of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s reputation revolves around their early incarnation – today, they’re best known for the buzzsaw distortion on Psychocandy and their early shows laced with a defiant stretches of feedback and belligerence.  However, a closer listen to many of the Reid brothers’ songs reveals their ability to write a killer pop song (and anyone who needs convincing should start with the last eighteen tracks on their 21 Singles collection).  The genius behind the Jesus and Mary Chain was less in how loud they could play, but rather in how loud they could play their 60s inspired melodies.  Even still, they’re more than the Beach Boys run through a distortion pedal; there’s a sweetness and beauty to many of their songs.

While Darklands doesn’t have the same bite as Psychocandy, the songs and performances are much stronger.  It’s easy to overlook how early fans would have been disappointed with Darklands’ smoother production when looking at the band’s work after they disbanded, but the best songs are on par with the best tracks on their debut. While “April Skies” and “Darklands” are among my favorites in their catalog, the final track “About You” sticks out to me with its minimal arrangement.  A song with just acoustic guitars and tambourine was inconceivable after hearing the wailing wall of sound on Psychocandy, but it sounds right at home at the end of their second album.  It’s unmistakably a JAMC song – the guitar style and chord changes recall a number of their other songs – but “About You” slows down the tempo, letting Jim Reid’s voice fill the air like a warm summer’s fog.  His long phrasings and lower register gives the song, an homage to finding warmth in a loved one, just a touch of melancholy.  If “Just Like Honey” is the obvious mix tape song in their catalog, “About You” is the song to include when you want to send the “I’m into you” vibe without being blatantly obvious.

More on The Jesus and Mary Chain: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm