SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN – SUNSET 666

The Jesus And Mary Chain
Sunset 666
Fuzz Club

Recorded while supporting Nine Inch Nails on tour, Sunset 666 credits its existence to the serendipity of a USB port on the mixing desk, and the unusual recording mechanism ultimately is what gives the album both its power and its flaws in equal measure.

For instance, this is undoubtedly the clearest the band have sounded on record, while the set as a whole is full of classics, none of which are done a disservice — each song sounds as good as it ever has, and it’s a great nostalgia trip for anyone who grew up loving these songs.

This is largely down to the rawness of the recording, which certainly captures their often-incendiary nature, melding together a whirling mass of heavy basslines, crashing drums, and ragged vocals. The album’s guest star, Isobel Campbell, is also captured superbly clearly, helping the album reach its zenith when her gorgeous vocals contrast with the straight-ahead punk charge, particularly on the ever-classic “Sometimes Always”.

Sadly, the lack of the live show ‘feel’ due to the stilted crowd noise (itself a product of its strange recording) does make it a laborious listen after a while, particularly given the record is a weighty one, clocking in at 17 tracks.

It’s certainly not a bad record, and its an excellent document of The Jesus And Mary Chain as a live band, but given its length, unrelenting raw energy, and sheer volume, this is probably one for fans only.

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