The Brian Jonestown Massacre
“Makes Me Great” b/w “Out Of Body” 10”
(A Records)
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the “Makes Me Great” b/w “Out Of Body” 10” single by The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Since beginning to self-release their records twenty years ago, Brian Jonestown Massacre has unilaterally chosen to not only take control of their output, they’ve occasionally proven that they’re not above getting very, very self indulgent in service of their muse. That often means that, before they hear a note of the music from the record on which they’ve chosen to lay their money down at any given time, they’re gambling that they might get something great (like the excellent “Don’t Look At Me” single) or they might get a ridiculous and fuzzy shit shingle like “Fingertips” or “Prozac vs. Heroin” – you just never know what you’re going to get until you lay your money down. Happily, this critic is here to tell you that those who gamble on a copy of the “Makes Me Great” b/w “Out Of Body” 10” single will find that it was money well-spent; both sides of this single sparkle with the vintage, retro songwriting and style that fans have come to adore, and none of the indulgences that even the most devout fans find themselves checking their watches through, when they appear.
As glowing as such praise might seem, listeners will find that it pales ti the listening as needle catches groove and “Make Me Great” opens the A-side of this 10”. There, those who are already familiar with BJM’s style will be instantly delighted that no dramatic changes in the form previously illustrated on the “Abandon Ship” b/w “Maybe Make It Right” 10” (released in 2023) are apparent, but those just discovering the band will be able to find an easy way into what they’re hearing too. A beautiful but lean acoustic guitar opens and ultimately powers a song which quickly proves to ache for love (see lines like, “Wasting away, but you’re feeling okay … There’s not much to say/ When you throw life away/ When you know very well there’s no other/ you can’t ever win with love”), but never quite resolves with its discovery. Singer Anton Newcombe deadpans his way through the melody in a manner which could only be characterized as “stereotypically British,” but even the most heartless critics will find themselves won over by the time drums enter the mix of the song (about a minute and twenty-five seconds in – if you’re counting) and begin nodding along in rhythm – not because of the obvious, drug-induced flow that anyone could easily associate with the song, but because it’s genuinely intoxicating. Simply said, “Makes Me Great” is just the sort of fantastic, psychedelic pop song that fans always hope for from Brian Jonestown Massacre, but only get once in a very great while. It’s so good, those who begin the single by listening to it will find themselves hoping eagerly for more of the same after the song ends and the record demands flipping.
For its’ part, the B-side but, “Out Of Body,” plays exactly as its’ “second string” stereotype implies – but keeps listeners engaged simply because it’s not bad and there’s not a lot of it – so the unspoken suggestion is that listeners should make the most of what they get. Because of that, they may decide that they like the fact that “Out Of Body” plays a little more energetically than its pretty sedate counterpart on the A-side; the instruments in “Out Of Body” clatter with greater force as Newcombe breathlessly tries to slot himself between them while also dodging the cut’s very trebly guitars and not accidentally tripping when the song’s tempo changes unexpectedly/momentarily, about halfway through the song. The end result of that movement is a bracing and engaging one; the unexpected movements are exciting on first listen, and actually retain that energy and some of those who experience it may find that, in fact, “Out Of Body” is the cut which gets greater amounts of play than “Makes Me Great” after the bloom had faded from the single, on day one. Either way, there’s no question that this single marks a great break in the silence and return to a physical media release for the first time in two years. [Bill Adams]
Artist:
https://www.thebrianjonestownmassacre.com
https://www.facebook.com/thebrianjonestownmassacre
https://www.instagram.com/thebrianjonestown/?hl=en
https://open.spotify.com/artist/30uiS1n3uIGXJEYFR1GVDy
Album:
The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “Makes Me Great” b/w “Out Of Body” 10” single is out now. Buy it here on bleep.
