The Brian Jonestown Massacre
My Bloody Underground

5
...according to our Clinton on 05 April 2008.

Remember when you put a needle on a record and the sound that emerged was once of pure soul, melody and surprise. When records were full of twists and turns and you never quite knew what was coming next. When artists made music purely for the love of making it and not for material or monetary gain. Well if a time ever actually existed and isn't just an idealistic dream then the time would surely belong to The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Pretty much the only band I can think of where the music seems to pour out of them pure and untainted. Their new album 'My Bloody Underground' is a marvelous sprawling journey through everything that is great about rock and roll. Somehow it seems to incorporate slithers of every great band that has ever existed from The Byrds to The Rolling Stones through Thirteenth Floor Elevators, Jesus and May Chain and My Bloody Valentine. The mention of the latter two names should give you an idea of where it is sonically, seemingly recorded in some kind of sewer but has more life, more soul and more ideas than any other album that will be released this year. Yes its flawed, its over long and occasionally self indulgent but I'll put up with all that to hear a song as great as 'just like kicking jesus' . Probably the best song .......I've ever heard. Reminding me of being a teenager, late at night, hearing the sound of John Peel playing My Bloody Valentine crackling through a badly tuned transistor radio. And if that's not enough how can you NOT love a band who title a song 'Bring Me The Head Of Paul McCartney On Heather Mill's Wooden Peg (dropping bombs on the white house)'? - Clint

I'm not gonna add much to Clint's review cos he's hit the nail on the head but I wanted to say that I think this album is marvelous as well. There's 5 or 6 tracks which are absolutely outstanding. It's all completely derivative (but let's face it... what isn't these days?) but it's all done so well I can't put the bloody thing down. A complete revelation if I'm honest as I've never got this band before. A total homage to Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine! Absolute complete genius!! - Phil

Love this record? Hate it? Tell us.

What their label says...

mass cult suicide at Jonestown, Guyana in 1978. Fans and critics of Brian Jonestown Massacre who have eagerly awaited a new album for a little over 4 years now will not be disappointed with its musical content, quality and controversy to follow. The opening track titled “Bring Me The Head Of Paul MCCartney On Heather Mill’s Wooden Peg (Dropping Bombs On The White House)” begins and soars into an echoing wave of tambourines and trancelike acoustics, that continues for 12 more tracks and 75.87 minutes, stirring visions of sunny Californian communes to New York City bars on the Lower East Side. From Rishikesh to Reykjavik, the entire album provides provocative glimpses into Anton Newcombe’s head, both the darkness and the light, so clearly and so beautifully self‐produced. A man and artist many are eager to dismiss as obnoxious and unworthy of the attention he receives. Others however, deem him simply as vulnerable in this world he roams and hugely misunderstood whilst doing so. Like many prolific and artistic “madmen” before his and our time, dare we sum all of the above and categorize Newcombe as a one of the musical geniuses of our time?  Maybe it’s too early or controversial to say, but tracks from My Bloody Underground are certainly good indications whether such a “characteristic” is worthy of his nature. “We Are The Niggers Of The World” (track 4) is a song Anton wrote when he was just 9 years old, you can decide for youyourself.