Automatic (The Jesus and Mary Chain album)

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/automatic-mw0000201605 |title=Automatic – The Jesus and Mary Chain |website=AllMusic |access-date=14 July 2012 |last=Raggett |first=Ned}}

| rev2 = Chicago Tribune

| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-12-07-8903170506-story.html |title=The Jesus and Mary Chain: Automatic (Warner) |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=7 December 1989 |access-date=20 June 2016 |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531162505/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-12-07-8903170506-story.html |archive-date=31 May 2022 |url-status=live}}

| rev3 = Los Angeles Times

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-12-ca-1917-story.html |title=The Jesus And Mary Chain 'Automatic,' Warner Bros. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=12 November 1989 |access-date=20 June 2016 |last=Cromelin |first=Richard}}

| rev4 = Mojo

| rev4score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Hissy fits |magazine=Mojo |issue=153 |date=August 2006 |last=Segal |first=Victoria |page=111}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5score = 8/10{{cite magazine |title=Auto Pirates |magazine=NME |date=14 October 1989 |last=Quantick |first=David |author-link=David Quantick |page=38}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 7.8/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11882-psychocandy-darklands-automatic-honeys-dead-stoned-dethroned/ |title=The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy / Darklands / Automatic / Honey's Dead / Stoned & Dethroned |website=Pitchfork |date=4 August 2006 |access-date=14 July 2012 |last=Abebe |first=Nitsuh}}

| rev7 = Q

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |title=The Jesus and Mary Chain: Automatic |magazine=Q |issue=38 |date=November 1989}}

| rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book |chapter=The Jesus and Mary Chain |last=Sisario |first=Ben |author-link=Ben Sisario |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/429 429–430]}}

| rev9 = Select

| rev9score = 5/5{{cite magazine |title=The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy / Darklands / Barbed Wire Kisses / Automatic / Honey's Dead / The Sound of Speed / Stoned and Dethroned |magazine=Select |issue=82 |date=April 1997 |last=Manning |first=Sarra |author-link=Sarra Manning |page=112}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10score = B−{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv190-90.php |title=Consumer Guide |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=6 February 1990 |access-date=20 June 2016 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

Although released to generally mixed reviews at the time (with the aforementioned synthesised drums and bass being the biggest point of contention), Automatic contains "Blues from a Gun", their most successful single in America up to that point, and "Head On" (later covered by Pixies). Critical and fan reception has improved with time. Pitchfork wrote in 2006 that "conventional wisdom wrongly calls [Automatic] the dud" of the band's discography, but that in hindsight the album "feels like a career peak".

The last two tracks, "Drop" and "Sunray", do not appear on vinyl LP versions of the album.

The album is name-checked in the lyrics of "The Authority Song" by emo band Jimmy Eat World on their 2001 album Bleed American in the line, "the DJ never has it, JAMC Automatic."

All tracks written by Jim Reid and William Reid.

LP (BYN 20), limited gatefold LP (BYN 20W) and cassette (BYNC 20)

Side one

1. "Here Comes Alice" – 3:53
2. "Coast to Coast" – 4:13
3. "Blues from a Gun" – 4:44
4. "Between Planets" – 3:27
5. "UV Ray" – 4:06

Side two

1. "Her Way of Praying" – 3:46
2. "Head On" – 4:11
3. "Take It" – 4:34
4. "Halfway to Crazy" – 3:40
5. "Gimme Hell" – 3:20

CD (BYNCD 20)

1. "Here Comes Alice" – 3:53
2. "Coast to Coast" – 4:13
3. "Blues from a Gun" – 4:44
4. "Between Planets" – 3:27
5. "UV Ray" – 4:06
6. "Her Way of Praying" – 3:46
7. "Head On" – 4:11
8. "Take It" – 4:34
9. "Halfway to Crazy" – 3:40
10. "Gimme Hell" – 3:20
11. "Drop" – 1:58
12. "Sunray" – 1:34

• Jim Reid – vocals (tracks 2, 4–10), guitar, synthesiser, drum programming, production
• William Reid – vocals (tracks 1, 3, 11), guitar, synthesizer, drum programming, production

• Alan Moulder – engineering
• Jamie Harley – recording assistance
• Lee Curle – recording assistance
• Dick Meaney – mixing assistance
• Richard Thomas – drums on "Gimme Hell"
• Ryan Art – design
• Steve Mitchell – photography
• Andrew Catlin – photography

As of May 1998, the album had sold 60,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.{{cite magazine |last=Bell |first=Carrie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18 |title=Sub Pop's Jesus & Mary Chain Returns Head On With 'Munki' |magazine=Billboard |date=9 May 1998 |volume=110 |issue=19 |page=18 |issn=0006-2510 |via=Google Books}}

{{Reflist}}

{{The Jesus and Mary Chain}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1989 albums

Category:Blanco y Negro Records albums

Category:The Jesus and Mary Chain albums