I can take you to heaven before the sun comes up

Brian Jonestown Massacre: Strung Out in Heaven

Last junkie on earth Anton Newcombe tends, in his songwriting, to shoot for an extrapolation of The Rolling Stones if they had always and only been the Stones of “Cocksucker Blues” and some synthesis of Aftermath and Their Satanic Majesties Request – heavy, ballsy blues-rock with punk attitude and psychedelic haze and sheen. However, Strung Out in Heaven has very much the sound its title suggests, a psych-damaged burnt-out weary bliss. Sure, the Stones reference are still everywhere, but the sound and aim seems more to a dragged-down hellish version of bands like Strawberry Alarm Clock and The Seeds.

“Wisdom” makes for a good point of comparison. Previously appearing way back on their debut album Methodrone in a scratchy, spiky lo-fi shoegaze-influenced version, here it is a churning, awesome behemoth of a song. The album has a glittering, punchy production that makes the strengthens the songs. “Let’s Pretend That It’s Summer” has dim, dippy lyrics of childlike drug happiness, but in the context of the downbeat, slow organ sound of the song, it becomes something more conflicted and intriguing. Sometimes, as on “Jennifer” or “Lantern” it veers a little bit too much to treble-y hippie bullshit, but for the most part, it’s much more evil-sounding, dark and drugged out. The shuffling beat and manic ‘bombs away’ interludes of “Got My Eye on You” and “Love” with its creeping organ and hazy, lazy guitars, are exactly the sort of thing BJM are brilliant at, and with moments like the climactic string section on “Spun” they prove they still have a surprise or two up their sleeves. Genius is always troubled.

***1/2

~ by jshopa on November 5, 2008.