Episode 52: Jesus Jones’ “Doubt” (1991)

Summary

Accelerated Culture Podcast: Episode 52 Summary

Title: Jesus Jones’ “Doubt” (1991)
Release Date: October 12, 2024
Host: Lori and Scott Free
Podcast Description: A walk through an often-ignored bit of music history, exploring how new wave stormed the airwaves in the early 80s and gave way to the rise of alternative music in the 90s.

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Introduction

In Episode 52 of the Accelerated Culture Podcast, hosts Lori and Scott Free delve into Jesus Jones' pivotal 1991 album, "Doubt." Recognized as a significant yet sometimes overlooked piece of music history, this album exemplifies the transition from new wave to alternative music in the early '90s. The episode offers a comprehensive exploration of the band's origins, the creation of "Doubt," its standout tracks, and the album's enduring legacy.

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Origins and Formation of Jesus Jones

[02:14] Lori: The episode begins with Lori introducing Jesus Jones' album "Doubt" as one of her favorites from 1991. Scott emphasizes the importance of understanding the band's background to fully appreciate the album.

[03:52] Lori: The band originated in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK. Initially formed by Mike Edwards (singer, songwriter), Mike Palmer (original singer), Simon Matthews ("Jen G."), and others, they won a battle of the bands awarded by Peter Gabriel in either 1981 or 1982.

[05:21] Lori: After initial successes, the band relocated to London to immerse themselves in the vibrant music scene. However, Mike Palmer departed to get married, prompting Mike Edwards to take over as the lead vocalist despite mixed opinions about his voice.

[07:56] Lori: Scott narrates the band's evolution, highlighting the addition of Ian Baker on keyboards and Jerry Deborg on guitars, who was recruited through a Melody Maker ad. These changes solidified Jesus Jones' distinctive sound, blending techno, pop, rock, and hip-hop elements.

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Development and Production of "Doubt"

[09:07] Scott: The transition from their debut album "Liquidizer" to "Doubt" marked a significant evolution. "Liquidizer" established their noisy, sample-heavy sound, while "Doubt" aimed to refine and expand upon these elements.

[14:11] Lori: "Doubt" was released on January 21, 1991, through Food Records and was later delayed in the US until 1991. The album saw the band leveraging advanced sampling techniques, including pitch-shifting and distortion, to create a richer sonic landscape.

[16:22] Scott: The band faced immense pressure to produce "Doubt" swiftly due to their relentless touring schedule and high expectations. Mike Edwards composed much of the album on the go, utilizing a rolling sampling station on tour buses and even while flying.

[20:07] Lori: Despite having unlimited funds from the record label, the album was recorded in six to seven days, focusing spending on mixing and remixes to enhance the production quality.

[24:09] Scott: "Doubt" achieved significant commercial success, reaching number 25 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified platinum by the RIAA. The album garnered two Grammy nominations and an MTV Music Video Award for Best New Artist for the video "Right Here, Right Now."

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Key Tracks and Analysis

1. Trust Me (00:25:51)

[26:26] Aiden Williams: "Big Head is wrongheaded. Anything under the sun I'm really not alone Just me Just me Trust me."

[26:44] Scott: Describes "Trust Me" as a fast, loud, and industrial track that sets the album's tone. He highlights its relentless energy and the use of samples, including a quote from a TV sitcom character, which adds a layer of cultural reference.

[30:06] Lori: Connects the lyrics to Mike Edwards' personal struggles with self-confidence and imposter syndrome during the album's production.

2. Who? Where? Why? (00:31:26)

[31:33] Aiden Williams: "Am I? Why do I feel this way? Where am I? Why do I feel this way?"

[32:23] Lori: Appreciates the song's existential lyrics paired with African music samples, creating a contemplative and rhythmic piece.

[36:41] Scott: Notes the song's moderate success in the UK and its distinctive blend of hip-hop influences within a rock framework.

[35:14] Lori: Reflects on the song's minimalist lyricism and how it conveys profound emotions succinctly.

3. International. Bright Young Thing (00:37:07)

[38:39] Scott: Highlights the song's global theme, inspired by Mike Edwards writing lyrics on a flight, encapsulating the band's international experiences.

[39:46] Scott: Describes the accompanying music video as quintessentially 1991, with trippy graphics and dynamic visual effects that complemented the song's energetic vibe.

[42:05] Scott: Praises the track for its danceable rhythm and melodic composition, making it a fan favorite.

4. I'm Burning (00:42:08)

[43:14] Lori: Describes the song's emotional depth and lyrical vulnerability.

[44:11] Scott: Analyzes the song's laid-back groove, reverse reverb effects, and the balance between relaxed verses and built-up choruses.

[45:00] Scott: Emphasizes the song's reflective nature, tying it back to the album's overarching themes of doubt and self-examination.

5. Right Here, Right Now (00:45:33)

[47:21] Scott: Discusses the song's monumental impact, becoming an anthem for its era and achieving significant chart success, peaking at number two on the Hot 100.

[50:28] Scott: Connects the song to historical events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union, underscoring its optimistic message.

[54:39] Scott: Explores the song's later adoption by political figures, illustrating its broad cultural resonance.

6. Are You Satisfied? (00:59:12)

[63:05] Lori: Interprets the song's commentary on Victorian morals and societal prudishness.

[65:22] Scott: Highlights the song's musical influences, likening its composition to the Beatles' style, particularly Paul McCartney's work.

[68:09] Aiden Williams: "Are you satisfied? Do you know what you want? Will it go with you when you die?"

[69:07] Scott: Notes the track's absence from all album versions and describes it as a fusion of rap-like verses with rock instrumentation.

7. Blissed (00:80:09)

[80:09] Lori: Praises "Blissed" as an underrated track that offers a mellow closure to the album, contrasting with the preceding high-energy songs.

[82:26] Scott: Appreciates the song's lyrical emphasis on living in the moment and cherishing memories, tying it to Mike Edwards' personal reflections post-album success.

[82:19] Lori: Reflects on the song's sonic landscape, highlighting its balance between rapid bass lines and ethereal vocal samples.

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Reception and Impact

"Doubt" received widespread acclaim, both critically and commercially. It achieved platinum status in the U.S., garnered Grammy nominations, and solidified Jesus Jones' place in the early '90s alternative scene. The album's blend of genres and innovative use of sampling set it apart from contemporaries, though some critics pointed out its tonal shifts as a potential flaw.

[24:09] Scott: "Doubt was incredibly well received critically, mostly acclaimed."

[25:15] Scott: Mentions the album's recognition at the MTV Music Video Awards, reinforcing its cultural significance.

[29:08] Lori & Scott: Discuss the album's varied musical styles and how they catered to different audiences, contributing to its commercial success despite some mixed listener expectations.

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Conclusion and Legacy

The episode concludes by reflecting on Jesus Jones' trajectory post-"Doubt." While the band continued to produce music and tour, they never replicated the album's massive popularity. The advent of grunge and shifting musical landscapes contributed to their decline in mainstream prominence. However, the album remains a testament to their innovative spirit and the dynamic musical era of the early '90s.

[83:26] Lori & Scott: Discuss the band's subsequent albums and ongoing legacy, highlighting their continued influence and the enduring appreciation from dedicated fans.

[87:00] Lori: Shares personal experiences attending a Jesus Jones concert, underscoring the band's enduring live performance prowess.

[90:33] Scott: Teases the next episode focusing on Talk Talk's "Laughing Stock" (1991), promising an in-depth exploration of another seminal album.

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Notable Quotes

• [01:15] Lori: "It was fun. We did get one comment on our live episode."

• [06:22] Lori: "Well, I really enjoy his voice. It is a very unique, very distinctive voice."

• [14:30] Lori: "One of the things that they wanted to do is they really wanted to take even fuller advantage of the samples."

• [25:15] Scott: "MTV was spinning out video music awards like Candy back then and Best New Artist."

• [49:28] Scott: "There in the lyrics in an interview by Dave Simpson of Mike Edwards in Guardian in 2018."

• [57:21] Lori: "I like that."

• [82:42] Scott: "Rock solid songwriting, the production is very much of its technological moment and style."

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Final Thoughts

Episode 52 of the Accelerated Culture Podcast provides a nuanced and thorough examination of Jesus Jones' "Doubt." Through insightful analysis, personal anecdotes, and detailed track breakdowns, Lori and Scott Free offer listeners a rich understanding of the album's creation, its place within the musical zeitgeist of the early '90s, and its lasting impact on alternative music. Whether a longtime fan or a new listener, this episode serves as an informative guide to one of the era's standout records.

Transcript

[Aiden Williams]

Foreign.

[Lori]

Welcome to the Accelerated Culture Podcast. A sonic journey through the vibrant and revolutionary sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. And now 2024 Webby Honoree for best indie podcast. I'm Lori, along with my co host Scott Free. And in this podcast we explore how new waves stormed the airwaves in the early 80s and and gave way for the rise of alternative music in the 90s. Find us on the [e-mail] welcome to another episode of the Accelerated Culture Podcast.

[Scott Free]

I'm Lori and I am Scott Free.

[Lori]

And coming right off of our live web podcast for International Podcast Day. What did you think of that, Scott?

[Scott Free]

You know, that was a lot of fun. I liked that we deviated from the format a little bit. We only had a half hour. So instead of doing an entire album, you and I each picked a one hit wonder from 1991. And yeah, I like to change it up. That was a good time.

[Lori]

It was fun. We did get one comment on our live episode. This is from Aiden Williams. He wrote on our website. Laurie and Scott, your latest episode on One Hit Wonders was both super informative and absolutely hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing when Scott realized they didn't just play the song three times at that concert, but five times.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, you know, it's gotta be hard when you're at the beginning of the career and you only have the one record, but that's a little excessive emf.

[Lori]

Aiden writes truly unbelievable, both the song and the moment. Keep up the awesome work. Well, thank you, Aiden.

[Scott Free]

Thanks, Aiden. Good to hear from you.

[Aiden Williams]

You're unbelievable.

[Lori]

So Scott, today we are still in 1991 and we're gonna talk about one of my favorite albums from that year, Doubt by Jesus Jones.

[Scott Free]

Jesus Jones, Yeah. I mean, to understand this album you have to understand the time and you have to understand where Jesus Jones had come from. So yeah, I'd say let's. Let's talk about the Joneses.

[Lori]

Keeping up with the Joneses. I should probably start with citing one of my sources because you can take the girl out of academia, but you can't take the academia out of the girl. Death threats from an eight year old. That is by Mike Edwards of Jesus.

[Scott Free]

Jones, singer, songwriter and general brains behind the outfit.

[Lori]

Correct. So a lot of this information that I'm about to give you is coming directly from the horse's mouth, as it were. When he was about 16, I guess he decided that he wanted to start a band and so he and some of his friends from high school started a band. They were In Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire in the uk. Their singer was named Mike Palmer and they had Mike Edwards doing backing vocals and was also the principal songwriter. Then there was also a couple other guys, right? Yes. Simon Matthews, whose nickname was Jen G, E N. Do you know why they called him that?

[Scott Free]

I do not.

[Lori]

Well, apparently it was a schoolyard insult. Genital. So Jen is short for genital.

[Scott Free]

Wow.

[Lori]

Yeah. So get that out of your mind.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, so those high school nicknames can stick around for a lot longer than you might want.

[Lori]

So anyway, they started a band while they were in high school, either 81 or 82. I've seen two different dates on this. They actually won a battle of the bands. They received their award from Peter Gabriel, of all people. Oh, yeah. So somehow they talked him into giving this award for these teenagers in a battle of the bands.

[Scott Free]

And in 1981 or 82.

[Lori]

Yeah, 81 or 82. Because Mike Edwards was still doing his A levels, so he wouldn't have been 18 yet.

[Scott Free]

If it's 1982, that's the year that the fourth self titled Peter Gabriel album, better known as Security in the States, came out. And so, like, Peter Gabriel was on fire at this point. So that's when Shock the Monkey came out. And that's okay. Huge. So, yeah, that's got to be exciting for little high school Mike Edwards.

[Lori]

I have looked high and low to find out what was the name of this original band and I cannot find it anywhere.

[Scott Free]

Same.

[Lori]

So, okay, all right, so if anybody knows, drop us a line, acceleratedculturepodcast.com and clue us in. That'd be awesome. So after some success with this battle of the bands and a few other things, the band decided to move to London because they wanted to be in the center of, you know, the music scene.

[Scott Free]

The place to be.

[Lori]

Exactly. However, two weeks later, as the band's getting ready to move, Mike Palmer announced that he wasn't going with them because he was getting married.

[Scott Free]

Oh, man.

[Lori]

So, yeah, now they're without a lead singer at this point. Mike Edwards, who had been doing backing vocals and was also the principal songwriter, he figured, well, you know what, since I'm writing the songs, I might as well sing them anyway. To the dismay of some of his bandmates who didn't really care for Mike's voice.

[Scott Free]

They weren't wrong.

[Lori]

Well, like you don't. Quite, quite frankly, I. I really enjoy his voice. It is a very unique, very distinctive voice.

[Scott Free]

Well, yeah, we talked about distinctive voices and Mick Jones of the Clash, where that guy can't really sing all that well with this reedy, nasal, sometimes a little off key thing. Mike Edwards. The worst you can say about it is that it's got a little bit of gravel to it, but that he's not afraid to belt it out with it. And it's always earnest, and you got to respect that.

[Lori]

I agree with you. I really enjoy his voice.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. All right, so Fast forward to 1988. I'm about to graduate high school. But more importantly to our story here, three of the boys from the band, Mike Edwards, Jen and Al Doty, are on vacation on holiday in Spain. And while there, they decided to actually leave the band that they had been in for Most of the 80s at this point and decided to form a new band. And they were trying to come up with a name for that band. Three just typical English guys on a beach surrounded by guys named Jesus. And so they're like, we could be Jesus Smith. And they decided that Jesus Jones sounded better. And then they're English, so of course it's Jesus Jones. And thus Jesus Jones was born, at least in name. So you got the beginnings of this band.

[Lori]

We've got Mike Edwards on vocals and guitars, and as we mentioned, he's the principal songwriter, El Doti on bass. Now, according to Mike Edwards in his book, he says that l, quote, turned up to rehearsal looking like a spitting image of Duran Duran's John Taylor.

[Scott Free]

You could do worse.

[Lori]

You could do a lot worse. Then there was Jen Simon Matthews on drums, and he also acted as the band's manager in the early days.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, he did promo. He managed them and got them touring. And this band toured relentlessly.

[Lori]

Absolutely. I mean, they really paid their dues. So then we got two other members that came a little bit later. One was Ian Baker, who is on keyboards and programming. Mike had met Ian in a pub and recognized him as a fellow skateboarder because he was wearing Vision Streetwear shoes. And so they became skateboarding buddies and then eventually just made his way into the band.

[Scott Free]

Yep. On keyboards. And keyboards are critically important part of this band. So that. Oh, my gosh, fortuitous meeting.

[Lori]

Yes, yes. So important. And then Jerry Deborg on guitars. He came to the band in response to an ad they placed in Melody Maker. Specifically, the ad said they were looking for a guitarist under the age of 25. Mike Edwards wrote, we received two replies and. And confirmed two auditions. The first respondent was an overweight guy of Cypriot descent and didn't seem all that interested, which was fine by us. The second was a guy of Maltese descent, maybe Mediterraneans only read the Melody Maker in those days. At the audition the sound was as bad as it usually was in the dingy rehearsal room where the mics always smelled of puke so we couldn't hear a thing. Jerry played no matter. We needed a guitarist. And following in our tradition of useless auditions, he was in. As the months went by, he gradually revealed he'd lied to us about virtually everything asked in the adverts. And to this day I'm still confused as to exactly how old he is.

[Scott Free]

Brilliant. Yeah, but he could play guitar. He did not lie about that. Yes, because Jesus Jones is a lot of things. And it has a very distinctive sound. Heavy on the samples, heavy on the keyboards, heavy on the programmed beats, but also heavy on the guitars. And there is some really strong guitar work on Doubt for sure. But you can't talk about Doubt without first at least giving a little bit of attention to their debut album Liquidizer. That it is a pretty damn strong debut record. They had been signed to Food Records and luckily for them, eight months prior to their signing it had been acquired by emi. So they had a built in distribution system for this debut record that got them into the States in a way that they would not have had without that acquisition. So for Liquidizer, Mike Edwards, lead songwriter and vocalist, got a sampler and it really leveled up their songwriting. And on Liquidizer they established their pretty distinctive noisy sound that combines techno and power, pop and rock and a bit of hip hop, mostly in the sampler pastiche approach to beat making and the these chunpy, percussive, almost industrial grooves. So the first and biggest single was Info Freo. In the making of Liquidizer, they were aiming to be a lot like Pop Will Eat Itself and the Shaman. And as we said, this band played out relentlessly. This is right at the beginning of their career. Their first gig upon being signed had an audience of six people which I don't know if you've ever played to an almost empty room. It's a little disheartening. But they were getting enough word of mouth and they were getting played enough on the right stations in the right places that their very next show, as the words started to get out, had a line out the door and wrapping around the block. And there was enough buzz about them that they really started catching on and started to become the live act that I know you know them to be to this day. Yes, while they were influenced by pop elite itself, they actually resisted being lumped in and being labeled under the grebo genre that pwei was the Band thought that they were really only labeled as such because another Grebo band, Crazy Head, was also on Food Records. So it was just out of sort of laziness that people lumped them in together. But also, if you listen to both Liquidizer and Doubt, you can definitely hear the PWEI influence there. At the end of 1989, they play to a crowd of 2200 people. And in 1990, they sign because of the EMI connection to the American imprint SBK Records, which made them label mates with. And I love this, made them label mates with Vanilla Ice. And Wilson Phillips could not see a band a lot less like Jesus Jones than Wilson Phillips. But that record label, sbk, knew how to promote a record and make hits out of things, and that is what happened. The single Never Enough from Liquidizer got played on MTV's 120 Minutes, and the stage was set and the expectations were high for Jesus Jones next album to be a big deal. Which brings us to Doubt.

[Lori]

Yeah. So Doubt was released on January 21, 1991, through Food Records. As you had mentioned, interestingly there, it.

[Scott Free]

Had actually been recorded in the spring of 1990. Shenanigans delayed it, at least in the US until the beginning of 91.

[Lori]

Correct. One of the things that they wanted to do is they really wanted to take even fuller advantage of the samples. So Mike Edwards, ever since he was a little kid, was in the habit of taking a cassette player and taping things off the radio or taping things off of the television and using them as samples. And now on Doubt, they were doing more with those samples to incorporate them into the music. They were, for example, pitch shifting or, you know, otherwise changing them, distorting them in many cases so they're not as recognizable.

[Scott Free]

And also taking the same sample and pitch shifting it and playing chords of the same, like, same sample of a woman's voice just singing a single note, but doing a whole chorus of that or a whole choir of that, playing it as chords as if an organ.

[Lori]

Yeah, I think I know. I think I know which song you're referring to.

[Scott Free]

I think.

[Lori]

I think I do. So that was really cool. And so they really kind of brought this. I mean, it's like a merger between, like, thrash, punk and techno. I mean, that's the only way somebody asked me, how would you describe Jesus Jones? That's I think, how I would describe it.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, I would have to say, yeah. Marriage of post punk, hip hop and industrial. Throw that in a blender and you got Jesus Jones.

[Lori]

And as you mentioned, most of this album was recorded in 1990. Specifically, the band had toured in Europe right after the Romanian revolution. That was in December of 1989. A lot of the events that were going on at the time related to that. Make their way into some of the lyrics of the song which we're going to see.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Worth. Worth noting. They were touring relentlessly at this time, as we said, and the pressure was already on for them to be preparing the next album. They didn't have time to just sit back at home and have a multi month session of writing songs and jamming together as a band. Mike Edwards was writing these songs on a rolling sampling station, on tour buses and in hotel rooms.

[Lori]

Even in one instance on an airplane, which we're going to talk about.

[Scott Free]

Perfect.

[Lori]

So something else I found very interesting is during the making of this album, they were listening to a lot of klf, the Copyright Liberation Front. Right. That you and I have to do an episode on KLF soon.

[Scott Free]

Gotta tell.

[Lori]

We do, we do. And the other two that they were listening to that I found were interesting were Janet Jackson and Mel and Kim. Do you remember Mel and Kim?

[Scott Free]

You know, I really don't.

[Lori]

Oh, I was so obsessed with them when I was in eighth grade. Oh my gosh. Showing out. I'm showing out. Showing out. No, I don't.

[Scott Free]

I don't have it.

[Lori]

They were two sisters. They were. I think they were a stock Aiken Waterman production. But they used a lot of electronic samples in their music for like rhythm and stuff like that. I was really, really surprised because they're totally different genres of music and yet I can see, see how that influence manifested itself.

[Scott Free]

I mean, that's a yes, but like we think of Janet Jackson and we think of an R B artist because that's the trajectory that most of her career took. However, listen to the track Rhythm Nation. And that is a sample heavy track. It's. The main hook is from Sly in the Family Stone. Thank you for letting me be myself. But it's just this relentless and it's got the funk, but it's a sample. And like. That's right.

[Lori]

And.

[Scott Free]

And particularly that kind of rhythm right in Jesus Jones's wheelhouse. So I could see Mike Edwards being a big fan of that era, specifically of Janet.

[Lori]

Yes.

[Scott Free]

So then they get to actually recording the damn thing. Once they are given unlimited money by the record label. Record label knew what they had. They knew, they saw the trajectory this band was on and they gave them no limit to the money they could spend in the studio. Despite that, they recorded the album in six days, recording three tracks a day at times. Mike Edwards said six in early interviews, but then changed it to seven to give it that biblical gravitas, that whole on the seventh day they rested thing. While they went cheaper on studio time, they did splurge on more expensive mixing and remixes. And that really shows that's what they went with for. That's what they did with those unlimited funds.

[Lori]

Well, in the production really holds up. And for our listeners, I really recommend. This is another one that you really have to listen to on headphones to really get the full depth of the sound and the richness and the full Jesus Jones experience. Now, interestingly enough, Scott, the band has a very curious habit of never using the same producer twice.

[Scott Free]

Interesting.

[Lori]

Even Martin Phillips, who produced Right Here, Right now, which was the band's biggest hit by a lot. They, for whatever reason, decided not to use them again.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, they were like, we're good, we're gonna move on. Edwards did say that the band intentionally made Doubt to serve as a reaction to its predecessor. And he said that they were making a strong statement about what rock music should be in the 90s. And the quote here is, which I think has less to do with the dance rock sound, the. Than the influence of dance music on rock music, the techniques of dance music. And that is a subtle distinction to be sure, but that's what he was going for. And I think whereas the Stone Roses, the Charlatans, the Happy Mondays, they would use a sample here or there. Again, this sonic collage thing was a huge part of the sound, particularly on Doubt. And that was really Mike Edwards at the helm with his trusty sampler and then keyboard player who could play along with it and drum triggers, that the band could really join in and all have this barrage of samples that they would hit you with. Some tell you that it is not aged well, this sound or that it is very dated very much of its time. I. I don't think every album has to last forever and always feel fresh and contemporary. It is a time capsule of 1991 and what the music, technology and technique could do at the time and appreciate it in its own right. Because this album does bang man. For a band that is on the rise. And the record label knows they're on the rise, the press knows they're on the rise, even the band knows they're on the rise. It is curious that they title the album that's going to be a big hit Doubt from the Wikipedia. Edwards was confident about the success, though mentioned that it quickly shifted into Scrutiny, Doubt, and a lack of self confidence. I looked around at what we'd done and thought, have we just fooled everybody? Are we really that good? So like, on some level, there's a huge element of imposter syndrome at work in this album and particularly from Mike Edwards, the lead songwriter and in the production of this album, in the songwriting and in the record companies huge thirst to get this record recorded, mixed and out. They used everything Mike Edwards had, any demo he had written, any idea he had sketched out, they're like, yes, turn it into a song. And so it's just this relentless pace that he is being kind of forced to work at. And it's really. With all the pressure of those expectations, it is unsurprising that he is starting to have doubts about whether he is up to the task. However, Doubt was incredibly well received critically, mostly acclaimed. There were some harsher critics, but sold big and was recognized by the music industry.

[Lori]

Yeah, that's correct. Doubt went to number 25 on the U.S. billboard 200. It was RIAA certified platinum for 1 million sales. Jesus Jones had two Grammy nominations. One was for Right Here, Right Now, Best Pop performance by a duo or group with vocals. Doubt for Best Alternative music album in 1992, which by the way, they lost to REMS. Out of Time. I think anybody would lose to that one.

[Scott Free]

Get the fuck out of here with that.

[Lori]

You don't think so?

[Scott Free]

I was a huge REM fan from Murmur on. And for me, out of Time was the turning point where I'm like, I may be over this band, but whatever rem, this is not about REM let's move on.

[Lori]

Yes. And they also did receive an MTV Music Video Award for Best New Artist in a video for Right Here, Right Now.

[Scott Free]

MTV was spinning out video music awards like Candy back then and Best New Artist. This was their second album and MTV had played singles from their first. But whatever, mtv.

[Lori]

The point is that they blew up. And at least here in the US they seem to come from out of nowhere, at least to me. I. Maybe you were familiar with them prior to this album.

[Scott Free]

I had a friend who really liked Liquidizer, but I did not myself own it, so I didn't know it.

[Lori]

That was a situation with me too. So. Okay, so that leads us to our favorite part. The trick.

[Scott Free]

Yes. Let's start at the beginning. Track one. Trust me, Trust me I know what I'm doing.

[Aiden Williams]

Big Head is wrongheaded. Anything under the sun I'm really not alone Just me Just me Trust me.

[Scott Free]

Okay, so Shots Fired. This track is Fast, loud and noisy, like in an industrial way. It feels like a track that could have been on Liquidizer, but better produced. It's a cleaner mix. It's cleaner samples, less high end noise. All of this being attributable to the bigger budget and better equipment they're now recording on. And more bass. And then you know that opening sample, the spoken word sample. Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

[Lori]

You know what that's from, right?

[Scott Free]

I do not.

[Lori]

Oh my gosh. Really? Oh my God. Okay, 17 year old baby Laurie, as soon as she heard that, she went absolutely crazy. Do you remember a TV sitcom called Sledgehammer?

[Scott Free]

Police attire?

[Lori]

Yes, that was David Rashi's catchphrase. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. That's him.

[Scott Free]

Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Excellent.

[Lori]

There's another sample in there too. And I only just learned about this today, Scott. When I was doing some research, Mike Edwards had taped off of a television just using a plain old cassette recorder. Samples of Formula one racing cars driving on a racetrack.

[Scott Free]

Oh, for sure. Like the elements that make this song so compelling for me. You've got rapid fire guitars with distortion. The bass line is like really moving. Strong work from Al Doty's part. Almost alarm sound, the pneumatic impact rent like, like Formula one race pit crew taken off tires. And then on that same sample of that, it's shifting it as the song goes on, making it higher and higher, giving the song even more energy, creating tension. Even within this 2 minute 10 second track that is just utterly relentless and does not really give you a break to develop tension, they still managed to build it up. And then eventually the syncopated guitar with flanger on it, the song legitimately rocks. And then it's over.

[Lori]

Yeah, it's the shortest song on the album.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, it's quick, it's hardcore and yeah, lets you know what you're in for on this album. Except it doesn't because like people came out of Liquidizer expecting more of that harder, faster sound. And Doubt does not always deliver on that. It's which it. It is subject to wild swings of tone and ace. But this one at least starts out strong as far as it tying in to the sort of overall theme title of the record, Doubt and Mike Edwards contemplative streak on this one. Just a couple lines of the lyrics that I like from day one, I got this wrong. One day I'll get things right. Maybe I'm really no one, trust me.

[Lori]

Yeah, that ties right in. You're Absolutely right. With the. The doubts he was experiencing at that time. Yeah, yeah.

[Scott Free]

Here's the thing with this album. A lot of people who had been fans of Liquidizer bought this album, excited at more Jesus Jones and started off with this first track. And they got what they wanted. They got what they came here for. A lot of the rest of the country came to this album looking for right here, right now picture buying an album based on that sweet, optimistic, groovy pop song and then getting punched in the face with Trust Me. I think it's probably the biggest bait and switch in pop music other than extreme get the Funk out, which people. That one looking for more than words and ended up with get the Funk out, which they probably should have guessed from the title of the album, but still, this is not what a lot of people came here for. But a lot of people bought the album a million, I recall, as you said, platinum status. So if they weren't scared off by Trust Me, well, they got to then enjoy a rapid tonal shift into track two.

[Lori]

Yes, track two. Who? Where? Why.

[Aiden Williams]

Am I? Why do I feel this way? Where am I? Why do I feel this way?

[Lori]

Oh, really enjoy this one. This is a fun one from the very beginning. What sounds like samples of a sitar and then there's that Africasque chant that's taking place. I can't for the life of me make out exactly what they're saying, but I guess Mike Edwards found a tape of African music at a library in London and according to Ian Baker, they sampled a portion of that. They played it normally and then loops itself repeatedly. And that's that like, see.

[Scott Free]

Sana?

[Lori]

Is that what they're saying?

[Scott Free]

I'll tell you what that means in what African language? But in the transcription I saw of the song's lyrics that dared to include it, that's what it said. Yes to all that. And I would add that drum roll over a four on the floor beat. And then of course, that sample Jesus Jones. Not a lot of rock bands go name dropping themselves in.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Songs. Not none of them, but it's a rarity. And that's, I think, one of the many pieces that we can point to the case of Jesus Jones being hip hop influenced, because it happens all the damn time on hip hop records. And just. Just a little bit of that here. And then add on to that the very relatable first line and chorus. Who am I? Where am I? Why do I feel this way? Add all that together and you have a very compelling hit song. All that is in the first 45 seconds of the song again, comes out strong. Really lets you know what this track is going to be, and then just builds on that throughout.

[Lori]

That line that you referenced that very beginning. Who am I? Where am I? Why do I feel this way with that sitar music in the background? I mean, it's very existentialist. It's very Zen.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, yeah. Pop Matters critic Matthew Chain noted that they dropped the wall of noise for chiming guitars and Beatles esque melodies after the first track. Yeah, it's. It is smoother pop than you were going to be expecting if you had listened to Liquidizer, but still ain't that smooth. That is a really compelling beat, a really driving beat, but the sound is softer than stuff you may have been used to. I've been reading through these liner notes and it's a quick read for each song. There is like one to two lines, tops for this one. Who? Where? Why? The one line apart from me, who cares?

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

The liner notes did not include the lyrics, but my Mike Edwards voice is so distinctive and with that earnest tone and that gravel that I was talking about earlier, that I'd never listened to the words. I just kind of listened to the tone and. But that said, I like the song even better now that I have seen and look. Now that I have looked at the lyrics and get what he's going for there, if I can. Just a couple passages from the lyrics. Have you ever felt that it's someone else living your life? The image of you only better it's true at the outside and then a little later Is there nothing I've done that was truly begun by the real me? Have I stood to the side Aware of the tide that drags me out to sea? This is imposter syndrome that he's talking about. He's faking it, sort of. Or at least he's not so confident in what he's doing, but he is crushing it in the process.

[Lori]

I'm with you on the lyrics there. It's a very simple lyric, but it says so much in so few words.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Autism is dead.

[Lori]

Yes. Yes. Okay, so this was actually the fourth single off of the album. It was released on February 18, 1991. It did not chart here in the US, but it did reach the top 40 in the UK.

[Scott Free]

There you go.

[Lori]

So what's next, Scott?

[Scott Free]

Next up, track three. International. Bright young thing.

[Aiden Williams]

Please introduce yourself. Shock the world is what we love the world till it's small enough to join us. International. A swing International.

[Lori]

All right, what you got?

[Scott Free]

My notes Here. And it's. At least in these first three tracks. It's kind of a formula, but it just opens so strong. It's that sample drum fill that opens it. Classic breakbeat, sampled shuffle beat. Freaking love the timbale fills and the sitars. And of course, Mike Edwards voice, which then gets into Mike Edwards voice with harmonies. I've always loved this song. You also get those car tires screeching kind of car crash sound as a segue between the second chorus and the bridge. And again at the end, this song just. Yeah, really does it for me.

[Lori]

This song is actually kind of a love letter, I think, to the fans. I had mentioned earlier that there was one song on this album that was composed on a flight.

[Scott Free]

That is true.

[Lori]

I guess they already had the instrumental part of it. But Mike wrote the lyrics to the song on a flight from Tokyo. And it was about all of the different fans that they'd been encountering all across the world. Hence international. Bright young thing, right?

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

There's one lyric to this one that I absolutely love. I'm so tired I can hardly think so I'll feel instead and let you loose inside my head I love that.

[Scott Free]

Line right there with you.

[Lori]

Yes. That's a beautiful line.

[Scott Free]

Yep. Interestingly, the line in the liner notes after the title of the song, Eastern Siberia, does not look pretty from above. Again, written on a flight.

[Lori]

How about that?

[Scott Free]

Yep.

[Lori]

So this one, I know there was a dance mix that was very popular that was called ibyt.

[Scott Free]

Okay.

[Lori]

This was the third single off of the album. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

[Scott Free]

Yep. And part of that success was thanks to mtv because there was a video to this song. And I freaking loved this video at the time. It's so 1991, which makes sense on account of it being 1991. But you got these trippy fractal ish graphics that look like a visualizer or screensaver of the day, but layered a couple of them on top of each other. There's a fisheye lens again, so early 90s. But the real visual hook is the overhead angle that the video is shot at. So they've got a camera on a crane at the top of the sound studio. They're recording and pointed down at the band. So the band's looking up at it and the crane drops down and lifts up along with zooming. So that with the fisheye lens, you've got these tiny little, tiny little dots of figures off in the distance that suddenly swell and shoot up at the screen at you. And it's their huge faces now in your face. But the studio that they're shooting it on has a green screen floor. So they put these figures flying in and out toward you and away, receding away from you on the screen. On top of all, all these different backgrounds, the literal globe itself or a football stadium or a skyscraper or the desert. It's just everywhere again, international, bright young things. It's just constant movement and it's extreme in a very 1991 way, but just so much fun. My late buddy George and I loved this video. And walking down the street would be singing this song at the top of our lungs. And fond memories for me from 1991.

[Lori]

I don't remember the video, but I do remember that the song was used on a fashion Runway for a show at one point. And I remember thinking, boy, that's an appropriate choice.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, it's a great track. It has some of that energy from their first album, but without quite so much of the noise and the aggro. More melodic and definitely sing alongable and. Yeah, great track.

[Lori]

Cool.

[Scott Free]

I suppose that brings us to track four.

[Lori]

Yes. Okay, the next track is called I'm Burning. Let's listen.

[Aiden Williams]

So when I cried where were you? And you know I cried Cause I saw you Sometimes I think you told me what you say hey, I'm insecure so insecure get out of mind don't be so sure One day I might just stop to wait.

[Lori]

All right, so Scott, you mentioned a tonal shift and here we are.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, my notes on this one, it's like, hey, it's a slow song. Sort of almost. Not really, but definitely slower.

[Lori]

I think this is a gorgeous, gorgeous song.

[Scott Free]

Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Right from the opening guitar chord. Then you've also got that steady 16th note, bassy rumbling. It's clear that this is not going to be a big bombastic rocker like the first three tracks. Like, it's 90 beats per minute. Hardly a slow song, but it's a mid tempo laidback groove.

[Lori]

Mostly I'm giggling because Zabe, my friend who hosts who Will Save Generation X. Yeah, he was joking that he takes a shot every time you mention beats per minute.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Well, strap in, Zabe. This. This is going to be quite a ride for you then.

[Lori]

But anyway, back to I'm Burning, please. Oh my gosh. Just those opening lyrics. So when I cried where were you? And you know I cried because I saw you. Sometimes I think you don't mean what you say. Gosh, I mean it. It just hits me, you know, right in the Chest.

[Scott Free]

I think we've all been in that relationship and. Yeah, that one before.

[Lori]

Yeah. Mike Edwards. It's like in the background where it's like he's kind of doing a little. Oh. Kind of thing, but it was. There's like a. A reverse reverb or something on it where.

[Scott Free]

Oh, great. You know I'm a sucker for reverse reverb. So. Yeah.

[Lori]

And it sounds almost ghost like, you know.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. I mean, the track is kind of meandering for a while in the first third, but then for a brief moment it builds with that one bar of harder strummed acoustic guitar. Then it goes back to kind of just laid back, meandering. But then, yeah, you get that reverse reverb. Wordless vocalizing that. And then it all comes together, builds for the last couple choruses. It's a slow burn, but yeah, it is a good leisurely ride.

[Lori]

Slow burn. I see what you did there.

[Scott Free]

Oh, I see what I did there. Now that I did it. You pointed out to me.

[Lori]

See, you're so clever, you don't even realize how clever you are.

[Scott Free]

Sometimes I don't know what I say.

[Lori]

Yeah, okay. All right. That's all I got for I'm Burning.

[Scott Free]

I think that's all you need to have for I'm Burning. That's okay. It's 3 minutes and 21 seconds of perfectly good, not quite single worthy, but really enjoyable, relaxing groove.

[Lori]

And then.

[Scott Free]

And then. Oh, boy. Track five. Right here, right now.

[Aiden Williams]

A woman on the radio talks about revolution I was alive and I waited, waited I was alive and I waited for it Right here, right now There is no other place I want to be Right here, right now Watching the world wake up from this.

[Scott Free]

Oh, man. Like so much to say about this song. I'm sure dissertations have been written about this.

[Lori]

Oh, yeah.

[Scott Free]

Impact and status as an icon of a specific point in time.

[Lori]

Absolutely. And unless you were living in a cave in like fall of 1990, spring of 1991, you know this song.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah. Where to start with this song? And I guess let's start with the demo, because this is actually kind of interesting story. Originally, Mike Edwards recorded the demo solo just using a two bar sampled segment from Prince's Sign of the Times. And if you know that song at all, you know exactly what that sounded like. It's that drum group looped it and then put some guitar chords over it and then cobbled together a guitar solo from bits and pieces of Jimi Hendrix guitar samples. This song. It should be noted, you said they never use the Same producer twice. Food Records wanted them to produce a more mature and accessible pop hit. And so Martin Phillips was brought in to produce the record. Mike Edwards plays him the demo. And Martin Phillips had just been sued, quite expensively, for using an unauthorized sample of an opera singer on a track for the beloved. Side note, freaking love. The beloved's happiness. That is a good album, man. But he had just been sued. So he heard this print sample and these Jimi Hendrix samples, and he was just like, nope, you're not using those. So Mike Edwards had to rewrite the music completely, start to finish, and that worked out pretty good.

[Lori]

Can I talk a little bit more about Sign of the Times here?

[Scott Free]

Please do.

[Lori]

My understanding is the song was inspired by a Simple Minds cover of Prince's version, and I guess the desire was to kind of create a counterpoint to the lyrics of that one, right?

[Scott Free]

Or the current era.

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, sign of the times in France, a skinny man died of a big disease With a little name by chance his girlfriend came across a needle and soon she did the same and.

[Scott Free]

Was painting a pretty dark picture of 1986. 1987.

[Lori]

87, I think.

[Scott Free]

Well, we'll say he wrote it in 86. And I still.

[Lori]

Yeah, that sounds about right. Yeah. Okay, that sounds about right. But whereas the lyrics of this one are positive and uplifting, there's the lyric, I saw the decade end when it seemed the world could change at the blink of an eye. And if anything, then there's your sign of the times. So he's actually directly referencing that song.

[Scott Free]

There in the lyrics in an interview by Dave Simpson of Mike Edwards in Guardian in 2018. There's a great quote here. Straight after finishing it, we went to play in Romania. It was just after the fall of Kissesu. I probably don't have that pronunciation right, but you know the one and his execution. And we saw bullet holes in all the buildings. It looked like a place that had been in a war. The country was emerging out of a tunnel, which is exactly what I was singing about, said Mike Edwards.

[Lori]

A woman on the radio talks about revolution when it's already passed her by. Right? I mean, that's. That's the revolution.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Mike Edwards had witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall. He had witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union, and it was an amazing time in history to witness. I remember watching the fall of the Berlin Wall on tv, and you could not help but think that we were on the brink of a much better new era.

[Lori]

I mean, it almost seems naive now, but, I mean, yeah, it seemed like everything was full of promise that anything could happen at that point, that things were going to improve. And now here we are in 2024.

[Scott Free]

And that's honestly, no, it's an interesting dumpster fire that we're living in.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Let's talk about the success of the song.

[Lori]

All right. Well, it was released as the second single from the album on September 24, 1990, so it predated the album. It is the band's biggest hit to date. It peaked at number two on the Hot 100. It was kept off the top spot by Brian.

[Scott Free]

So funny.

[Lori]

Brian Adams, Everything I do, I do it for you. And I just throw up in my mouth a little bit. And it also reached number one on the alternative songs, number three on the radio songs, number seven on the mainstream rock airplay, and number 29 on the dance club songs. So they kept Billboard really, really busy. The single sold over 1 million copies, won a BMI award, and was the song most played played on College Radio in 1991. And as I mentioned previously, the band won the Best New Artist in a video award for appearing in Right Here, Right now at the MTV Awards. And here's what I found was interesting. So this song makes a lot of best of lists. In 2006, the National Review named this song number 14 on a list of the 50 greatest conservative rock songs. The list's author, John J. Miller, wrote, the words are vague, but they're also about the fall of communism and the end of the Cold War.

[Scott Free]

A lot of people used this song. It made it into commercials, it made it again. It became sort of emblematic of this period of time and. And like a Rorschach test, people would read into it what suited their agenda. But one agenda that it served twice was the Clinton agenda. In the aforementioned Guardian interview that I referenced earlier, Ian Baker, the keyboard player, said this. In 1992, we suddenly started getting all these calls and faxes telling us that Bill Clinton was using Right Here, Right now as his campaign song. Then in 2007, Hillary started using it in her campaign as well. Looking back, it's brilliant but ridiculous. I remember calling Mike and saying to him, I'm pretty sure their car stereo is knackered and our CD got stuck in there. So when they needed a campaign song, it was the only one that they knew. Yeah, but yeah, just tells you that kind of everybody who lived through that period of time felt this affinity and almost ownership of it.

[Lori]

Absolutely.

[Scott Free]

But we should move on. We should attract six.

[Lori]

Nothing to hold me.

[Aiden Williams]

I changed my name you change your mind the only thing you left was me behind to try and talk so big you make me feel so small and driving so far the life behind a dead wall Is it all so much art that keeps us apart the fine line goes Contradiction star A case of a face in a place that doesn't fit which way to turn why don't you just stop it me.

[Scott Free]

So this is as close as they come. Too slow, 83 beats per minute. For those keeping score and taking shots at home.

[Lori]

I'm gonna make sure he listens to this.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, please do. So, like. Yeah, it's a slower groove. The verses have a darker atmosphere, like this low ambient background. Noisy rumble and kind of gloomy at times, and then feedback in the high end. But then, like those hand claps, which make me think of Skinny Puppies Warlock, which I'm never mad about, thinking about Skinny Puppy Warlock. And that talk sung vocal style, like it's not quite wrapped, but it feels a lot more like pop will eat itself. And I know that we've busted on White English guys in 1991 trying to rap. Bernard Sumner, I'm looking in your direction. This one not only doesn't offend me, I feel like it actually works.

[Lori]

Yeah, I agree with you. I have in my notes kind of a pseudo rap. It starts off, I changed my name and you changed your mind. The only thing you left was me.

[Scott Free]

It's more like monologuing, but with rhyme delivered in a more conversational style, I think.

[Lori]

Now, I'm curious, is that Mike Edwards that is doing that part? Do you know? Because I don't know.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, just a couple lyrical passages that I really did enjoy, again from the more spoken word part. So don't tell me what is right and what is wrong. It's no good. I've stood listening for too long. You don't understand what it means, what it's about. You can pay for another day. So shut up and drink up and get out.

[Lori]

Yeah, I like that.

[Scott Free]

Right? One other. All of the things I say now sound to me like someone wrote them for me. Cheap greeting cards. Hollywood films lent to me a language no one really uses. Or do they? Again, that Doubt theme coming back in, that imposter syndrome, sounds like someone wrote them for me using language that he doesn't even really recognize as his own.

[Lori]

I'm really starting to appreciate Mike Edwards as a lyricist. I mean, I. I did appreciate it, but now that I'm going back and looking at it again, these are some really, really well written lyrics. And now I Understand why he's been compared so often to Ray Davies of the Kinks in terms of his songwriting and lyric abilities.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

This is the one song on the album that Mike Edwards shares a writing credit with Ian Baker. It's the only one that was not solely written by Mike. Ian said that it was about a girl that he was dating and the rest of the band, quote, put a wedge between us.

[Scott Free]

He said it was Edwards and Baker speaking from our hearts.

[Lori]

You know, one thing I appreciate as a die hard Doctor who fan, there is a sample of the Tardis from Doctor who.

[Scott Free]

Yep.

[Lori]

Yes.

[Scott Free]

All right, so two, track seven. Real, Real Real.

[Aiden Williams]

I think I know what you mean and I know it from the scene. I'll always do my best to understand. You have so many words and your voice is always heard but you can say all I really understand.

[Scott Free]

All right, so this was the first single from the album, released actually in March of 1990 in. In England, but not till later in the US. Peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number two, which is pretty high. We had already mentioned that Mike Edwards had cited Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation as an influence, and he referenced it specifically when talking about the development of this track of Real Real Real, to the point where the original demo, the working title, was actually Janet.

[Lori]

Oh, that's right. I did read that.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Single line from the liner notes for this track. Real, Real Real. Parody's biggest problem is that it often goes unnoticed. Right. So it may not have been an entirely loving look at Janet Jackson. I don't know. They had some additional production help, Bill Harding and Ian Curnow, apparently, who were enlisted to do some mixing and give it some pop gloss. According to Ian Baker, keyboard player, one of the things that I really like in this track is actually a really subtle bit, but there's this little bit of organ, just a couple notes that sounds kind of like the Charlatans or in Spiral Carpets. I mean, we haven't really talked about In Spiral Carpets and we really should. Their album Life could be a future episode if I have my way. But yeah, that organ really is a subtle touch, but it gives it another layer and, yeah, activity. I recall hearing this track on dance floors and a couple clubs in Michigan back in the day. And it's like danceable, it's sing alongable. It's got those very distinctive, very early 90s elements, like the layered sample, female voice becoming an organ, like we were talking about that. And auxiliary percussion. That sounds like an early drum machine right at the beginning, like with like La that, like, I Gotcha.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

This was never my favorite track on the album. It's a bit too smooth dance pop for my tastes back then. But that's not a coincidence considering the influence he cites and that he was trying to make a Janet Jackson track, basically. So, yeah, it's a good track. It's a solid track. It's very danceable at 110 beats per minute.

[Lori]

You know, one other thing instrumentally I like about this, and you don't really notice it unless you're listening on headphones, is the guitar. It kind of pans back and forth from one side to the other, but it almost is like a call and response. Three notes on one side and then like a response, a two note on the other. Listen to it again, listen to it with headphones and listen very closely to the guitar and you'll pick up on what I'm talking about.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Okay. Well, that is Lenny on track seven.

[Lori]

That brings us to track eight. Welcome back, Victoria.

[Aiden Williams]

Welcome back, Victoria.

[Scott Free]

Since.

[Aiden Williams]

You'Ve come you know that no one's really missed you welcome back, Victoria and now your friends watch over everything.

[Lori]

Like this one. And I think that this is one that the lyrics kind of go over some people's heads.

[Scott Free]

It definitely did for me till I was researching this record. I guess in retrospect, I tended to not listen to the lyrics too hard. I was more about the grooves, but no excuse there, really. This one, they're sung clearly and the song is understated enough that, yeah, they're absolutely clear and audible. I just wasn't paying attention, I think.

[Lori]

So it's a reference to the Victorian era and Victorian morals. You know, there was kind of a very prudish atmosphere. Welcome back, Victoria since you've gone, you know that no one's really missed you welcome back, Victoria and now your friends watch over everything that we do There's a lyric here, too. The pendulum swings back sometime, you know, we have, like, the Moral Majority, Edwin Mises commission on pornography. I know that was in the mid-80s, not the 90s, but it really kind of swung to this prudish, you know, sex is bad kind of idea. And then, you know, a decade or two later, it swings back again.

[Scott Free]

But not that these Brits were necessarily super concerned with American politics specifically, but, you know, the PMRC and Tipper Gore and the advisory stickers were international news at that point. So he had a lot to critique there. With the swing of the pendulum back a couple lines that I really liked that I think sum it up beautifully. Clean books Clean screens, clean words, dirty minds, even.

[Lori]

There's another line there, too. Scott, I'm so sorry. I trust your piano legs are covered up again. And I do remember reading somewhere that, for example, table legs in Victorian times, they had to put a tablecloth over it because there was a fear that somebody seeing a table leg would think of a woman's leg and, oh, no, that leads to impure thoughts. And I'm sure it's similar with the piano leg. I mean, it sounds completely ridiculous, right? But this is how they lived.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. The oppressive Queen Victoria and her whole society aside, musically, compositionally, this is one I said earlier. When you read reviews of the album that came out. When the album came out, you see a lot of references to the Beatles, the actual songwriting in addition to the production techniques. I think it's the swing that this song, slight swing that the song kind of has, and the strummed acoustic guitar and that bass line. But this one feels very Paul McCartney to me, and the Beatles were an influence on this band. Like, I don't know this one. I can see that connection pretty vividly.

[Lori]

You know, there's also a sound effect that sounds mechanical, and it always makes me think of, like, the industrial Revolution and, you know, big factories belching out smoke. Do you know the sound effect I'm talking about? I don't know how to describe it, but it's kind of like a growly, mechanical sound that occasionally, you know, punctuates between the verses.

[Scott Free]

I say, yes, but I'm going to need to relist.

[Lori]

All right, that's all right. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it.

[Scott Free]

Not important enough from the lighter notes to this track. I don't know anyone called Victoria. Takes one and two have been erased, we hope. Man, do I think here takes one and two. Because that brings us then to track nine. Are you satisfied?

[Aiden Williams]

Are you satisfied? Do you know what you want? Will it go with you when you die? All the things I could do for you if you want me to if you want me to you must the point start again. All the things you don't want.

[Scott Free]

This track did not make it on all versions of the album. On some, it was a bonus track. Again, man, this album is not afraid of a tonal shift.

[Lori]

What's the liner note on this one?

[Scott Free]

Curiously blank. There is no additional note on Are you satisfied?

[Lori]

Interesting.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, my. My CD has the track. They just had nothing additional to say about it.

[Lori]

I read somewhere that Mike Edwards wanted to make a track that he considered, quote, metal house. I Know, he's got the house part down. Not so sure about the metal part. Yeah, it's got those kind of chirping, sireny sounds.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, it's got that break beat. It's got big guitars. It's got that silence, siren sound. It's a Jesus Jones song. All right, again, this one would not feel out of place on Liquidizer.

[Lori]

I see some similarities between this one and some of the songs that EMF was doing around this time. I know we talked about EMF in our last episode, and there was a lot of comparisons between the two, but the first track of Schubert, Dip Children, you can see the similarities between the two songs with that Plaxtony, Sireny, whatever you want to call it. You know, it also reminds me of that. The old Strong Bad cartoon. Hey, Strong Bad. Do you like techno? And he's doing the. No.

[Scott Free]

Okay, maybe I was doing the. The little yellow dude with glow sticks in his hands, but that doesn't translate well into audio. My dance.

[Lori]

Yeah. Light Switch Rave. We had that light switch installed so you could turn the lights on and off, not so that you could throw light switch waves.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, but. All right, so this track coming hot on the heels of the much more relaxed. Welcome back, Victoria. It is a tonal shift that is so extreme, it gives you whiplash. That was a pretty common critique of this record in the press when it came out. Even keyboardist Ian Baker said that Doubt was their most disjointed release, attributing that to having additional mixing personnel on a couple more tracks and a couple different guest producers on tracks. And they're needing to get approval from the record label, but more of the kind of Jesus Jones track that people were expecting. And I think it really works.

[Lori]

I mean, I would argue that there's something for everyone on this album, so.

[Scott Free]

Right.

[Lori]

All right, Scott, are you satisfied with our discussion?

[Scott Free]

I am satisfied with that critique of are you satisfied?

[Lori]

All right, okay.

[Scott Free]

So then coming off of are you satisfied? Track 10, which is another one that could be straight off of Liquidizer, and it is a fast one. It is two and two.

[Aiden Williams]

Everyone's giving a beast to their mind. The dead, the D, the stupid blind, crushing the words of the people who died with the weight of the heart and the past coming out. The days that seem clear to me are the days when you're near. To me everything is fine. You know the sun will always shine. 2 and 0 equals 4. Life is simple.

[Scott Free]

Okay, so when I say a fast one, they are not around here. 150 beats per minute. How we doing today?

[Lori]

Drake.

[Scott Free]

Right. So this one might not be the most lyrically inventive. Everything is fine and you know the sun will always shine Two and two always equals four and life is simple when you know for sure. I agree that Mike Edwards can be a pretty deep, brilliant lyricist. I don't feel like he really dug deep for this one, but it's a song about simplicity. The lyrics can be simple.

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah.

[Scott Free]

And even in a track that in some ways feels a little bit phoned in. And as we talked about earlier, Mike Edwards was under pressure and had to use every song idea that he had available to get the record done and filled out. You can always be counted on to put some cool stuff in there. For me, in this track at least, it's especially that one guitar line that. You know the one I'm talking about?

[Lori]

Yeah, We're. We're almost. It actually was pretty good, but I mean, where it almost sounds like it's the. The pitches is shifting while they're playing it. I mean, it sounds. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So do you remember Tim's listening party on Twitter?

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Tim Burgess from the Charlottes.

[Lori]

Right, right, right. Yeah. We talked about him during that episode. Back in, I want to say, 2020, they did a listening party of this album and Ian from Jesus Jones was tweeting as people were listening. He wrote 2 and 2 Ian. It was codenamed Yag Y A A G. And it was basically the sound of Mike trying to emulate Sonic Youth. Didn't work, obviously. Our career has been forged by a series of glorious mistakes.

[Scott Free]

I can appreciate that.

[Lori]

I don't. I have no idea what Y aag is supposed to be.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, yeah. The liner notes on this one, keeping it pretty simple and factual, rewritten from the England tour main 1990 version, or what that's worth. Okay, what else you got?

[Lori]

That's all I got on that one. Except that this is my least favorite song on the album.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, yeah, I'll probably go along with that. It's not bad. It's just inessential.

[Lori]

It's a good word for it. Yeah, it's a good word. Do the. Do the guitar part again for me.

[Scott Free]

Which brings us to track 11. Strips. Yeah, man. All of a sudden, this is a Ministry album. It's mind is a terrible thing to taste, I want to say. But then also maybe Meat Beat Manifesto. But unlike those two bands, amazing as they are in their own right, this one has a lead singer who can actually sing Harry a tune.

[Lori]

Yeah. You know, back in 91, when this came out. I did not like this song. But this song is then has since grown on me where it's got some definite elements of like thrash punk, you.

[Scott Free]

Know, the skaters, rapid fire bass, rapid fire bass drum. That would be like a double pedal drum situation if it was acting actually a real drum involved. But yeah, you can tell from this track that they had been listening to Pop Will Eat Itself when they were writing and recording because it definitely has that pwei industrial meets hip hop undercurrent, but fast.

[Lori]

Yeah, the industrial rhythm, the clanking. Right.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Planes dive, bombing, tires squealing. This is an industrial techno track.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Dark as hell and noisy.

[Lori]

Yeah. So I did find. There was an article in the Washington Post from March 6, 1991 by Mark Jenkins where he wrote that that line, everybody is hungry, everyone needs to know. When the band was touring in Romania right after the Romanian revolution, a Romanian journalist told Mike Edwards, this is a message I want you to take back to the West. Everybody is hungry, everyone needs to know.

[Scott Free]

And in fact, that is the line from the liner notes. Everyone is hungry, Everyone needs to know. A friend. Okay, I think the a friend is an attribution for the quote for the Romanian journalist.

[Lori]

Yeah, cool.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

And now the final track, Blissed.

[Aiden Williams]

Make.

[Lori]

This is such a nice way to end the album. It's.

[Scott Free]

It's mellow and yeah, most underrated track on the album because it is most unlike the rest of the album, except for Right Here, Right now, which basically barely belongs on this album. But yeah, it feels like a departure from the rest of the record. Or maybe it feels like Right Here, Right now, but unlike that mega hit, it hasn't been so pounded into your head for decades that when it comes on, you dive for the controls of the stereo in slow motion, screaming. You don't have that with this one because it's got that same sort of laid back groove thing, but it also has a lot of other thing good things going on. And it has those good things for almost five minutes. It's the one track on the album that breaks four minutes and it almost makes it all the way to five. But yeah, it's got that rapid fire but still low key bass line with deep horn sounds, the ethereal, almost angelic chorus of sampled voices, strummed acoustic guitar, the occasional congas, and then of course, that. Okay. And then of course that like sonar pinging.

[Lori]

Yes, that's exactly what it reminds me of, especially the way it kind of echoes a little bit. And it's a really nice counterpoint to that baseline that you mentioned. Yeah, you know, the bass line really anchors it and then you just kind of have this little kind of floating off in the.

[Scott Free]

The app line manages to pull off that really tough balancing act of being rapid fire, but smooth and chill.

[Lori]

Absolutely. I mean, this is a really good song to chill out to.

[Scott Free]

The liner notes, I just love it really describes the sonic landscape that they create here. Two words, noise thrills.

[Lori]

Interesting. I have another tweet from Tim's listening party.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah?

[Lori]

Yeah. Ian wrote, Bliss is about being in the moment and happy in that moment, but it's also about never forgetting that moment, about holding on to it so you'll always have something to be thankful for.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah. There's lyrics that address it explicitly and they're really beautiful. There will be a time when all my dreams come to an end When I'll run out of postcards for you all to send But I'll keep with me the things I feel and see and that realistic and grateful attitude about the ephemeral nature of fame and fickle fortune and the importance of memory and self reliance and not needing the fame. That will come in handy for Mike Edwards after Doubt leaves the charts, because this album will be the high watermark for this band. Which kind of brings us to the well, then, what happened next where Jesus.

[Lori]

Jones, they continued to tour and release albums. The next album after this one was 1993's Perverse, which is an excellent album. Now, that didn't go as high in the charts as Doubt did. As you said, they never really touched that level of popularity again. But it's still a good album, right?

[Scott Free]

It did chart, but it didn't chart high, but it was acclaimed. But what happened to Jesus Jones was that they were a victim of the huge success, particularly of Right Here, Right now and of Right Here, Right now being so iconic of that moment in time because. Because that moment of time couldn't last forever. And eventually the world changing became old news. And now you're living in this new world, in this new reality. But as importantly, as we talked about with an earlier 1991 episode, the Sonic landscape changed and grunge changed everything. And things that were slickly produced, complex in their use of samplers and found sounds and layering, particularly where rock was concerned, immediately fell out of fashion and fell out hard. And radio moved on from the Jesus Jones sound pretty damn quickly. And they went from one of the biggest bands on earth to whatever happened to those Right Here, Right now guys?

[Lori]

Wow.

[Scott Free]

And if they kept on making music and touring but a Lot of people stopped paying attention.

[Lori]

Yeah, you mentioned, though, you know, being at the apex of their career. 1991, in June of 91. No, I'm sorry, it's July of 91. They opened for In Excess at that huge Wembley Stadium gig that went on to be filmed for Live Baby Live. And INXS was another band that I think was kind of a victim of these changing tastes. And all of a sudden, I think they found themselves not as relevant.

[Scott Free]

Slick pop rock just sort of fell off in favor of stripped down, noisy.

[Lori]

Yeah, all of the original band members are still in the band. I know Jen, the drummer left for a little while 97 and came back in 2014. I don't know what the deal was there. Their most recent album was called Passages that came out in 2018. And I finally, after many, many decades of being a fan, finally got to see them live in July of 2019 with my friend Sean. Shout out to Sean. It was an amazing show. I mean, you know, a lot of times, Scott, when we go back into these bands that we listen to 20, 30 years ago, sometimes they haven't really aged well. And I tell you, I was blown away. They sounded fantastic, they moved fantastic. They were dancing all over the stage. I'm like, wow. You know, these guys have, like, good, good energy. It was a fantastic freaking show.

[Scott Free]

Right on. It's great to hear.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

If you are a huge Jesus Jones fan and you would like to see them live. Jesusjones.com the tour section tells you that there will be four more opportunities to see them this year. Although you're going to have to fly to England for those dates and one chance to see them at the beginning of next year in the US January 31st. That's a Friday in 2025. They'll be playing the 90s cruise off of Tampa.

[Lori]

You know, if they've got to come over here anyway and get the visas and everything, it doesn't make sense that they just do one show. I bet you they're going to be doing some other shows in the us let's hope.

[Scott Free]

And if they do, that is a show I'll go see with you.

[Lori]

Oh, thank you. Well, you're still coming with me to the Johnny Marr and James show.

[Scott Free]

That is true.

[Lori]

Anyway, Scott, this is now the part of the episode that you perhaps dread. What is your favorite song on the album?

[Scott Free]

You know, Bliss kind of came out of nowhere and I surprised myself with how much I loved it upon listening to and reviewing this album. So it made a strong showing. But I Would put it at number two. Number one. It was one of the big singles. It's a sentimental favorite, and it is just a banger. And that is international. Bright young thing.

[Lori]

Good choice.

[Scott Free]

And you.

[Lori]

Yeah, well, Scott, you already know because we had a text exchange earlier today.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah, yeah. That is.

[Lori]

Yeah, yeah. As a matter of fact, I'd like to read it because I think it's actually kind of funny.

[Scott Free]

Okay, Give me a second. I'm pulling it up. We will. As a radio play.

[Lori]

All right, that sounds good.

[Scott Free]

Okay. So are we doing are you satisfied? It's not on all versions of the album. It's a bonus track on some. I'm good with it either way.

[Lori]

Yes. We have to.

[Scott Free]

We have to. Question mark, exclamation point, winky emoji.

[Lori]

Because if we don't, I'll have to pick another favorite track. Laughing tears emoji.

[Scott Free]

Fair enough.

[Lori]

Yes. Yeah. So, yeah. Are you satisfied? Loved it from the very first time I heard it. It is my absolute favorite song on the album. I still play it regularly to this day. It is a solid contender, and it's a solid album. It is a really, really good album. It definitely is evocative of a place and a time indeed, and a product of, you know, the early 90s. But I think most of the tracks have aged pretty well.

[Scott Free]

Rock solid songwriting, the production is very much of its technological moment and style. But enjoy it on its terms. And there's some undeniably good songs in there. Go in knowing that right here, right now is not what you should be expecting with this album. And if you don't already know the album, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

[Lori]

All right. Yeah.

[Scott Free]

We talk about what we're doing for our next episode.

[Lori]

And, Scott, you have not told me yet what we're doing, except to tell me that I will be surprised. So I'm on pins and needles here. What are we doing for our next episode?

[Scott Free]

Our next episode? We are getting deep into Talk Talk's 1991 album, Laughingstock. Yeah. It is lesser known but widely acclaimed as their best work and their final work.

[Lori]

You know, I'm not even sure if I know this album.

[Scott Free]

Well, we can get deep into them. It's a really good album.

[Lori]

All right. I can get behind that. So I guess I'm gonna have to listen to the album.

[Scott Free]

Yes, you are.

[Lori]

I am. All right, well, fantastic. So we will be back in two weeks. Our next episode will be about Laughing Stock by Talk Talk. All right, well, Scott, I will see you at the concert in a few days. And then it's a goodbye for me and for me.

[Scott Free]

Sa.