The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities

Jesus & Mary Chain | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 30, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 4
• Label: Rhino Records
• ASIN: B000TXNBDQ
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #59,737 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Up Too High(Demo '83)

2. Upside Down

3. Vegetable Man

4. Suck

5. Ambition

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Kill Surf City

2. Bo Diddley Is Jesus

3. Who Do You Love

4. Everything's Alright When You're Down

5. Shake

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. In The Black

2. Terminal Beach

3. Deviant Slice

4. I'm Glad I Never

5. Drop(Acoustic Re-Mix)

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. The Perfect Crime

2. Little Stars

3. Drop-Re-Recorded

4. I'm In With The Out Crowd

5. New York City

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

One of the most important U.K. bands of the last 25 years, Jesus And Mary Chain formed in East Kilbride, Scotland in 1983. They created a new intersection of noise and pop, draping curtains of guitar distortion over melodies worthy of The Ronettes or The Beach Boys. Rolling Stone called their 1985 debut LP Psychocandy (#268 on their list of 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time) a "decadent alt-rock masterpiece of bubblegum pop.drowned in feedback." With the famously contentious Reid brothers as the band's sole constant, JAMC went on to become just as famously prolific-along with five classic Blanco y Negro albums, they issued a wealth of compelling non-LP material. For the first time, it's collected in one place on Rhino's 4-CD box THE POWER OF NEGATIVE THINKING: B-SIDES & RARITIES. After disbanding in 1998, JAMC reunited in 2007 and are currently recording their first album in a decade, making this the ideal time for Rhino's exploration into their storied past. Album Facts " 4-CD boxed set presents 81 rarities, including 8 previously unreleased tracks. " Spanning 1983-1998, selections are arranged chronologically. " Opens with the previously unreleased "Up Too High," a Darklands-esque rarity recorded on cassette in 1983, and closes with "Nineteen666" from their late '90s Sub Pop era. " Other previously unissued gems include an alternate version of "Never Understand," demos of "My Little " Underground" and "The Living End" and the unheard song "Walk And Crawl" (all from the Psychocandy era) as well as three Stoned And Dethroned-era discoveries including the lost song "Till I Found You." " Highlights also include their 1984 debut Creation single ("Upside Down" b/w "Vegetable Man"), an acoustic version of "Teenage Lust," "Bo Diddley Is Jesus," and much more. " Deluxe box packaged in a 6" x 10" gatefold shell. " Booklet features new interviews with Jim and William Reid, rare photos, and an 18" x 24" double-sided poster featuring a hand-drawn JAMC "family tree."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here's a quick rundown of what's not on this great boxed set, October 6, 2008

By 

Scott Klapman "hatfulofelt" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (Audio CD)

Thank you Rhino, I love this. Thank you Reids, as well. This list is only intended for those completist fans wondering what didn't make the box, and are almost all from UK-only vinyl releases:

1) "Upside Down" (demo) - from the extremely rare w/l testpressing of the unreleased 12" version of said single.

2) The live Can cover, "Mushroom (Head)" - previously on the "Barbed Wire Kisses" compilation, and culled from the b-side of "April Skies."

3) "Psychocandy" & "Some Candy Talking" (both acoustic) - from the acoustic 2nd 7" single of the "Some Candy Talking" double 7" set.

4) "Some Candy Talking" (NME version) - kickin' noisier version from the NME freebie 7" EP from 1986, called "NME's Big Four."

5) "Nine Million Rainy Days" (Live) - from the 1988 Sounds - Waves 2 freebie 7" EP.

6) "Taste of Cindy" & "April Skies" (both Recorded Live in Detroit) - b-sides to "Sidewalking."

7) "Happy When It Rains" (Long Version); various mixes of "Sidewalking," "Reverence," "Far Gone and Out" & "Teenage Lust."

8) A live Cramps cover, "New Kind Of Kick," from the "Come On" CD #2 (recorded live at UC San Diego CA 11th November 1992); also appears on the "Alternative NRG" live compilation to benefit Greenpeace.

9) The 3 live b-sides from the limited-edition 10" of "Almost Gold."

Thanks for reading, and please enjoy the wonders of the box.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars JAMC is as JAMC does, February 22, 2009

By 

David Cummins (Wellsville, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (Audio CD)

The Jesus and Mary Chain is my all time favorite band, so of course, I loved this 4 CD set. The demo versions, alternate versions, and unreleased tracks are great. My only complaint is that half the set is taken up by pretty much all the tracks from the CDs "Barbed Wire Kisses" and "Hate Rock'n'Roll". I already own those two CDs and anybody who is a big enough JAMC fan to want to buy this set probably already has them too. It might have been better as a 2 disc set instead of a 4 disc, and just let "Barbed Wire Kisses" and "Hate Rock'n'Roll" stand on their own. Or I would've loved to have seen more demos or some live tracks instead.
That all being said, If you love the Jesus and Mary Chain, you will love "The Power of Negative Thinking".

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JAMC BOX-Wow!, April 9, 2009

By 

The Mighty Tyrone (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities (Audio CD)

I have most if not all of these songs on vinyl but having them in one place and
the sheer quality of this influential band's songs make this box a must have item.