Brian Jonestown Massacre - And This Is Our Music

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 26 / 3 / 2004

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Review

I haven't listened to the Brian Jonestown Massacre for a while and since then they have gone through many line up changes. Two bands have also come out of them, both who have grown up to be bigger than their parent band, Black Rebel Motorcycle Cclub and the Warlocks. ' And This is Our Music' is mostly an acoustic record and has 18 tracks in total. Several are very short indeed. It starts with 'The Wrong Way to Start' and ends with 'The Right Way to Start'. The first is an abusive phone call to frontman Anton Newcombe, while the second is a lovely dovey phone message. 'Introesque' is paced out , and has a 'Fool on the Hill Vibe'. 'Starcleaner' is very slow again, has some pleasant guitar, cheesy hammond organ and the vocal sounds like a solo John Lennon, or the Warlocks on downers. It is very short in length. 'Here to Go' has two different sounding vocals. One is the Lennon one while the other is a Pulp style one. The track starts off sounding mono in feel before breaking out into full stereo cinemascope. It has a dreamy feel and is quite easy listening. 'When Jokers Attack' has a Byrds and early Creation records vibe. 'Prozac vs. Heroin' sounds like Baptiste with 87' style Cure guitar lines. It is played however, on acoutsic rather than electric guitars. 'Geezers' has a mid 60's vibe and West coast feel . A brilliant chunky sexy bass stands out amidst the guitars and trumpets 'Maryanne' meanwhile is soft and slow. It's very nice Sunday morning music, something like Biff, Bang, Pow ! Half way through the record we get ' You Look Great When I'm F**ked Up' which is soft but experimental , and has a chant chant like pattern in its vocals and a theremin vibe. 'Here It Comes' comes on like a slow downed Badly Drawn Boy. 'What Did You Say 'is 42 seconds long, and sounds like carnival music , while "Prozac vs Heroin Revisited' is trippy and has a post rock sound. 'A New Low in Getting High' is reminiscent of the Byrds 'I Feel a Whole Lot Better'.The vocals are somewhat dirgey.It is again again slow and has a country tinge. 'Some Things Go without Saying" is very like Belle and Sebastian , and 'Needless to Say' is very twee with Love style Mexican trumpets. The vocals sound like Davey Jones before he transformed himself into Mr David Bowie. It also sounds a little like 'For the Benefit for Mr Kite' from 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band'.. This is a very strong and well crafted album. The original Brian would be pleased.

Track Listing:-

1 Introesque
2 Starcleaner
3 Here To Go
4 When Jokers Attack
5 Prozac vs. Heroin
6 Geezers
7 Maryanne
8 You Look Great When I'm Fucked Up
9 Here It Comes
10 What Did You Say?
11 Prozac vs. Heroin Revisited
12 New Low In Getting High
13 Somethings Go Without Saying
14 Tschusse
15 Pregnancy Test
16 Right Way
17 If Love Is The Drug Then I Want To OD (Bonus Track)
18 When Jokers Attack (Alternate Version - Bonus Track)
19 Starcleaner (Bonus Track)
20 Here It Comes (Bonus Track)