FUZZ CLUB
Four decades on from their Creation debut, Upside Down, Jim and William Reid still make an almighty racket. If that’s not quite the same noise as previously, it’s less that age has caught up with the brothers, more that they’ve tweaked their approach. In particular, the Mary Chain’s beat these days leans noticeably more towards motorik than in former years. This is clear on lead track Venal Joy, which chugs but, crucially, also builds, setting out the sonic palette for the first new Mary Chain long-player in seven years. Over this, Jim Reid spits lyrics that reference carnal knowledge on a table, pissing/not pissing on fire and a “venal heartbeat filled with hate”. The sheer sullenness is both immediately familiar and hugely impressive.