The Jesus And Mary Chain – Barbed Wire Kisses

Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Reissue

The Jesus and Mary Chain released Barbed Wire Kisses (B-Sides and More) in 1988, just five years into their existence. The album is an incredible collection of singles, outtakes and rare tracks that proved to fans outside of collectors’ circles that the group ranked among the UK’s great singles bands. Barbed Wire Kisses showcases a more varied presentation of the band.

Their debut Creation single ‘Upside Down,’ the speed-surf sonics of ‘Kill Surf City’ and the dark ‘Hit’ all gleam with the screeching hipster cool of Psychocandy’s best moments, while lighter fare like the tracks ‘Psycho Candy’ and the acoustic version of ‘Taste of Cindy’ echo the gentler tone of Dark lands. The Jesus and Mary Chain’s knack for jaw-dropping cover versions is also exhibited with their thrashy take on the Beach Boys’ ‘Surfin’ USA’ and Bo Diddley’s ‘Who Do You Love.’ the concurrent single ‘Sidewalking’ ranks among the band’s best, with it’s T-Rex swagger filtered through band’s trademark feedback squall.