After a near 20 year absence The Jesus And Mary Chain are back, sounding every bit as youthful and energized as ever. Utilizing the classic JAMC elements of reverb and distortion, three chords and a guitar, Damage And Joy seamlessly carries on where their 1985 Psychocandy debut left off some 32 years after the fact. Their first album since 1998’s Munki, the Scottish Reid brothers’ new music continues to be heavily indebted to the heroes of their youth, patterning their classic sound with layers of slowed down Stooges and Velvet Underground inspired fuzz guitar coupled with the melodic echo chamber vocal sensibilities of ’60’s girl groups The Shangri-Las and Phil Spector’s own wall-of-sound protégés The Ronettes. Superbly produced by UK record producer Youth featuring guest vocal spots by Sky Ferreira, Reid sister Linda Fox, Bernadette Denning and former Belle & Sebastian Isobel Campbell, Damage And Joy’s 14 tracks roll out a steady stream of 3 and a half minute pop songs guaranteed to keep summer swinging all year long.
Rating: 9/10
